Wizcrafts

Yes. Cut the gear to yield about 6 or 7 stitches per inch.

Are you sure you want to sew #69 bonded thread at only Are you certain that you want to sew 12 stitches per inch, or shorter, with #69 thread (and a #16 or 18 needle)? I would worry that these short stitches with nylon thread might filigree your material. This stitch length better suits #46 bonded thread, or #50 standard cotton thread, using a #12 needle.

Try 6 to 8 mm maximum (1/4 to 5/16 inch) and that is with no more than #92 thread (T90), or possibly even #138 for a very short distance. Also, since the feed is via the presser foot and it has sharp teeth, you will have tooth marks on the top side. The larger the needle and thread, the higher the pressure required to hold the leather down as the needle ascends. These machines are shoe and boot upper patchers. They are used by motorcycle people to sew patches onto club vests. They perform best when sewing into soft to medium temper leather.

I sure wish I had a hand-cranked curved needle sole stitcher!

Auto parts stores usually stock 4L, or 1/2 inch wide belts. These are too wide for sewing machine pulleys. As Bob said, look for sources of 3L, or 3/8 inch wide v-belts.

I have a Family Sew servo motor that can crawl when I want it to or run with the fastest. It has a multi position rotary switch on the front, making it simple to change the top speed on the fly. I use it on my Cowboy CB4500. I only had to change the pulley to a #614, which is 2.25 inches diameter, to get the range I wanted. I have to Sew Pro motors on my flat bed machines and love them.

I like that roller setup for the lifter chain. I may try to build something like it for my 4500.

At least one of our member-dealers sells those little paddle springs that fasten inside the needle bar on a patcher. I bought some from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. They are inexpensive and can probably be mailed to Sweden, along with the correct screws to mount them.

I switch to a right toe outside foot when I sew close to shaped parts of holsters. This way the outer foot does not hit the shaped leather. If the inside foot is too large in front, grind it down a bit.

To my knowledge, there are no welting feet made for the 441 type machines. You will need to have a set made by a local machine shop. Better yet, buy an extra inside foot and grind down the outer left side. Use it with the right toe presser foot to sew close to the welt.

It depends on what it is worth to you to have it. These were really good machines in their day and are still in use in some factories. Go try it out and see how loose or tight the feed mechanism is and how well it sews on your own material. Just be aware that it does not have a reverse lever. That said, for a few hundred more you might find a newer Consew or Chandler, with reverse and a large bobbin.

I do that kind of sewing on my Cowboy CB4500. I got the entire available range of needles and thread for it. One project may be to sew 1 oz pigskin linings onto tool and phone pouches made from 5-6 ounce veg-tan, using #92 thread. The next may be hemming a pair of jeans with jeans thread. Then, I'll sew the edges of a bridle leather belt with #277 thread on top and 207 in the bobbin. If someone springs for the bucks, I sew two layers of bridle leather together on it. If they really show the money, I use the machine to sew fishtails into that belt. My motor allows a full range of top speed adjustments. I dial it way down for decorative stitching, then speed it up for long belts. I also run my lubricated thread through a lube pot with silicon in it. Smoke comes off the needle on long runs! One accessory I could not do without is a drop down roller edge guide. Previously, I had a swing-away guide, but it was always in the way of wide items, or projects that had to be turned around. The drop down guide lifts up when it is not needed, or would be in the way. It not only drops down onto the throat plate (by a spring), but can also stop on top of a bottom layer of leather, to edge-guide the top layer being sewn onto it. I would not be without the holster throat plate. You WILL need it sooner, rather than later. Finally, the CB4500 has stainless steel plates and feet. I removed my feed dog and installed a flat, narrow slotted throat plate. The bottom exit wounds are cleaner and narrower and nothing falls into its little slot, like sometimes happened with the standard long, wide throat plate (for the huge feed dog). The flat slotted plate lets you sew very close to the edge, using an edge guide, where the feed dog would normally be hitting the bottom of the roller if it was set that close to the needle. Just my 2.5 cents (for inflation!)

I almost bought a CB2500, but decided on a CB4500 (a 441 type machine), instead. If you are really set on getting one or the other of these machines, you need to understand how they feed and hold down the work. The CB2500 and Techsew 3650 are clones of the venerable Singer 45k of yesteryear. They use the same bobbins as the 45k and have the same shape. These machines move the work solely by means of aggressive feed dog teeth on the bottom. Unlike the 45k, they both have an optional reverse lever and now use system 328 needles. Also, their sewing capacity is higher, at 7/16 inch of leather. The thing you will have to deal with is the tooth marks on the bottom layer. Also, when you sew thick, dense leather, you'll have to screw down the presser foot pressure spring, adding tracks to the top layer (any machine will suffer from top tracks with thick dense leather) and dragging against the efforts of the feed dog. To counteract this drag, there is an optional large roller foot that replaces the standard double toe fixed foot. It allows the top layer to feed with less drag, but creates a unique serrated track in the top grain. Despite these issues, both are very useful sewing machines, capable of sewing with large diameter thread, into 7/16 inch or real leather. If the job is an item where the bottom is not normally seen, tooth marks won't matter. In cases where they do matter, they can be rubbed smooth with a modeling tool, or pounded smooth with a cobbler's hammer.

Dirtclod; Both of those machines only come in one arm length: 10.5 inches. There is no other option. You are thinking of the 441 clones, which come in 9, 16.5 and 25 inch arm lengths and have triple feed, along with a sewing capacity in excess of 3/4 inches. They are different animals.

There is not much future in buying an obscure sewing machine that lacks commonly available specs or user reviews. This goes doubly if the machine is being sold on eBay. I have seen a lot of obscure sewing machines and printing presses and have had some of them. Some were winners and some were losers.

I can't find any info about that model Chandler. It must be a very old machine.

What we need is a motor that applies a cork brake when you press down on the back of the pedal and hold it down with your heel, or by a spring on the motor's control arm (like clutch motors do). This would release as soon as you moved the pedal forward any amount. After about 1/2 inch (adjustable +/-) of free motion (like a clutch motor), the motor would begin to drive the belts. What I am describing combines the best mechanical features of a clutch motor with the full range speed control of a good servo motor.

I think it's an Adler 105 or 205 - something. Hard to tell from that angle, but I can't see the giveaway presser foot lifter ball handle on the top left of the head. The bull image suggests that it is a modified Ferdinand Bull machine, but it does have an Adler sticker on it. Also, no built in bobbin winder.

I do and don't like my brake, if that makes sense. I think I may adjust mine for more free play and leave it intact. That's how clutch motors work. Adjust the bolt for the amount of free play your foot is happy with, then feather the clutch, then fire on all cylinders.

I have opened one of my SewPro 500 (Now Toledo Sew Slow) servo motors and adjusted the mechanical brake. I'm fairly sure one could set it for more free play than normal. I also have a Family Sew servo and it has an actual cork-something brake that gets screwed into an actuator frame. I believe that the brake can be either adjusted outward, or removed. Don't quote me on this, because I haven't opened that motor up yet.

No, the DBx1 and DPx5 are different systems. The DPx5 is also known as a system 134 Pfaff garment machine needle. They are very close in size to the DBx1, but the top shank is wider (moving the point off-center) and the point sticks down farther from the bottom of the eye than the x1. Home style 130/705 is the wrong shank diameter (plus has a flat side) and length, although they are close in length to the x1. You can buy DBx1 (aka: 1738, 16x257 and more) online, or from most of our member dealers, in sizes 9 through 22. If you truly want to sew leather with the Brother machine, try doing so using a DBx1 size 18 (aka: 110), with #69 bonded nylon thread. If the holes are too noticeable, go down one size to a #16 needle. Stick to using the correct system needles for your needlebar and machine setup. If it calls for DBx1, use that system.

DBx1 is a needle "system" - not a size. These needles are quite short and are for use in garment sewing machines and sergers. Their short size leads to a short stroke in the needlebar, which means not too much clearance is available under the presser foot. If the other needle you tried is too long or too short, the loop will be in the wrong place and the hook will not pick it up. However, if you tried using a different "system" needle and by chance it is the same length (top of shaft to eye of needle) as the DBx1, you may have inserted it with the cutout above the eye facing the wrong direction. That cutout should face to the dead right and should be threaded from left to right. BTW: Your machine is a high speed garment sewing machine, for cloth, not leather. It is meant to sew with cotton or polyester or polyester and cotton dual core threads, typically is home sizes 40 or 50. A number 18 needle is fairly large for those threads.

You definitely need a compound feed walking foot machine, with a minimum of 3/8 inch capacity, with #207 thread. A Consew 206RB-5 will do this, but will be at its full capacity. I try to use my machines at less than full capacity, both for efficiency and longevity of the machine. There is a class of flat bed machines, called a 443, that are based on the 441 design, or the Adler 204 style. They can sew about 7/8 inch of leather or cloth, with #415 thread, which is more than you'll ever need. The machines have about 16 inches clearance between the needle and body. I owned an Adler 204 for a short time and they really can sew 3/4 inch, with what some folks would call rope, rather than thread. Then, one could buy a 441 clone, like this one and get the optional table attachment for it.

I have a 15-91 that I completely rebuilt. It will not properly feed heavy material, including Naugahyde and chap leather. It is the weight of the material that causes the problems, not the material itself. The problem is that in order to get enough tension to keep the material from lifting with the needle, a lot of foot pressure needs to be applied. This in turn holds back the top layer, dragging down the stitch length. Smaller pieces feed better than longer or wider pieces. I tried installing an even feed attachment, sold as a walking foot attachment, which is isn't. It slightly improved the feeding of vinyl and soft leather, but lost about 1/8 inch of clearance under the foot. Finally, the little machines are only equipped to tension up to #69 bonded thread. This is okay for wallet interiors, but not much else. If you are seriously considering a 15-91, bring your leather and thread with you and see if it sews properly and feeds evenly. I gave up trying to use my 15-91 and she sits quietly in her box, like a vampire resting in its native soil. Someday it may awake and sew again. Use your nose while testing a 15-91 or 201. If you smell burning insulation, run.

Wish I could just come over and buy some of your machines. Have you listed them in our For Sale > Machinery > Sewing... section yet? It's too bad about Ferdco going under. They produced some fine jump-foot leather stitchers. Ditto for Tony Luberto.