Wizcrafts

"system DPX17" indicates the overall geometry of the needle, not the diameter of the business end. There is no #17 needle. Many "systems" have 17 in their designation, such as: 135x17. Needle "sizes" relate to the diameter of the shaft. A #18 needle in any system has the same basic diameter where it passes through the material. There may be variations in the scarf cutout, or the size or shape of the eye, but the basic diameter will be the same for most that claim to be a #18. The basic rule for needle sizes is to use the needle that allows the thread to flow smoothly, through the eye, without binding. If you hold a threaded needle with the ends of the thread between your hands, then tilt one end up, the needle should move freely, but not sloppily. If you are going to sew a 1/2 inch saddle pad, I would use at least a #22 needle with #138 thread. I would also test the machine in advance to see if the bottom of the needle bar hits the top of the presser foot, at this height. Most standard industrial machines with typical needle systems, cannot sew that much thickness. You are probably going to have to move up to a CB2500 type machine to do this work. It handles thick thread and almost 1/2 inch of leather, webbing, etc.

I have never seen a #17 needle. I have seen #16 and #18. If you have #16 needles, the maximum thread size in bonded nylon or bonded polyester is #69 (T70) thread, sewn into thin leather, or denim. If you have #18 needles, they are good for thicker denim, vinyl or 1/8" thick leather, using #69 thread. If your machine can tension heavier thread, like #92 (T90), a #20 needle is just right (in my experience).

I am trying to find a set of three round, checkered bevelers by Craftool USA. The tool numbers are: B262, B263 and B264. I already have the set of smooth round bevelers. I am hoping someone has a spare heavy duty Neva Clog stapler and a few boxes of heavy staples to spare. I won the light duty model that uses type A1000 staples and they are somewhat weak and short, for securing belt keepers. The heavy Neva staples are about 1/16 inch thick and I think 5/16 inch long. The light duty A1000s are about 1/64" thick, like regular clipper staples.

The Singer 241-13 is not meant for sewing leather at all. It is a very high speed garment machine, targeted at garment factories. It has an oil pump that requires a high rpm to distribute the oil to all moving parts. That said, you can only hope to use #92 thread in that machine. It can be slowed down by changing to a servo motor. Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines (866-362-7397) sells the Toledo Sew Slow, which is a rebranded SewPro 500 GR. I have two of these motors and love them for the wide range of pedal control.

I use my walking foot Cowboy CB4500 for all of the holsters and gun belts I and my partner make in our shop. Most of them end up being between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick and are sewn with #277 thread. You cannot use this size thread in anything less than a full blown heavy duty leather harness stitcher. Some people sew holsters with #207 thread. This can be used in beefed up upholstery grade walking foot machines, which are a couple steps down from my Cowboy. Or, one can use a bottom feed only CB2500/GA1-5 type machine, capable of sewing 7/16 inch with #277 thread.

He's telling you that factory branded parts for the Pfaff are astronomically priced. If the machine needs Pfaff parts. Most Pfaff machines use proprietary parts which you will be locked into buying, should any need replacing. You should ask the sellers to demonstrate their machines with bonded nylon thread, which you may have to bring with you, sewing into leather you bring along. However, some or all of them may already have bonded nylon thread on hand, and needles to match it.

Yes, a #24 needle is a good match for #207 bonded thread, especially black, springy thread. You might be able to use a #23 Schmetz or Pfaff needle, as long as it is a leather point needle.

I have converted my National walking foot machine to use system 190 needles. I have leather point (190 LR) needles in sizes 16 through 25. I even got a pack of #150 needles from Bob Kovar, which are perfect for #138 thread, top and bottom. Bob Kovar stocks most system 190 needles. They are made for certain Pfaff models. Using an undersize needle increases the thread tension requirements. One you install a #24 leather point needle the knots will rise on their own and you may be able to back off the top tension.

You should be using leather point needles. Increase the inside (if exists) and outside foot spring pressures until the lifting of leather is curtailed.

Jim, thanks for that explanation about altering stainless feet. I did a little sanding on my right toe foot and have ground down and polished a couple of my throat plates. It's good to know that this doesn't change the stainless properties. I intend to have some custom feet made to sew particular jobs and they will be cut from stainless steel also. I like the looks of chrome, but hate it when it starts to chip off. I was using the roller edge guide on my friend's Class 4 and the guide hit the right toe on an upstroke and chrome began flaking off of the roller. A stainless roller wouldn't have been damaged, or, could have just been buffed smooth.

I own a Cowboy CB4500 and am totally pleased with it. It sews just about anything I throw at it. I got mine with the full accessory pack and am glad I did. I was previously sewing for a friend, on his Cobra Class 4 and it is also a fine machine. These 441 clone machines are quite similar. The differences are in how the dealers set them up and adjust them and what you get with the machine. The Cowboy machines come with stainless steel feet and throat plates, allowing you to sew wet leather without discoloring it.

Back off your bobbin tension until it has a light but smooth pull. Back off the top disk tensions to get the knots right. Try using a #24 leather point needle.

I don't know. Why don't you call Bob Kovar and ask him? 866-362-7397.

Why don't you order your needles from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines? They have virtually every available system in stock. If not, they can usually get them.

A year ago, Art mentioned an SCR controlled servo motor that has full power at the slowest speeds, as well as at full speed. It is (made/marketed) by Sailrite. If you visit sailrite.com you will find a video demo of the MC-SCR motor in action.

I run all my top thread through the lube pot on top of my machine. I keep liquid silicon in it. The pot came with my machine (Cowboy CB4500) and the silicon lube came from Toledo Industrial. It doesn't mark the leather.

Black thread tends to be stiffer than white thread, affecting the position of the knots. Springy black thread tends to twist around posts, disks and thread guides, throwing off your tension settings. Smaller needles make smaller holes, increasing the tension needed to pull the knots up. You can rule your black thread in or out by replacing it with white thread of the same size, on top. If you find that white thread is better controlled, your alternatives are to use pre-lubricated black thread, and/or to run it through a lube pot filled with silicon or industrial sewing machine oil.

I suppose that the stirrup, or holster plates would let him get in close to the edge being sewn, but, the opposite side and its protruding 1/2 inch flange will be hitting the bobbin cover plate on the shuttle housing. This assumes sewing from the outside towards the gusset, rather than from inside the gusset. Flexibility of the purse will determine if the opposite side can be pushed out of the way enough to allow the sewn side to advance evenly.

I think what my associates are referring to is the Toledo Sew Slow, formerly called the Sew Pro 500GR, servo motor. It has a speed limiter knob on the back and a 2" pulley. The motor should bolt into the same three holes left from the clutch cargo motor. It has its own switch box, wires and cable cinches. I have two of them and love their wide slow to high speed range. What they also failed to mention, to somebody unfamiliar with who Bob Kovar is, is that he owns Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. The toll free number is 866-362-7397, during normal business hours, Eastern Time Zone. That's all I have to say about tha-at

The purse "should" be sewn from the outside surfaces. The problem here is that the end of the arm is bigger than the gusset and the bottom flange will be pushing it as it moves along the machine. If you can wrangle the purse to pull the bottom side away, as you sew, and keep the flange pressed against the roller guide, things should go good. The stirrup plate adds more complexity to this problem. Ditto for the holster plate. What I have done is I ground off some material on the left side of my standard plates, allowing me to get shaped closer to the needle. This means there is less support for wide projects. But, that is when you can install the table attachment.

Different animal altogether. You will need to create a method of sewing your gussets with the machine you have. This may involve creating custom feet and throat plates. I needed an inline presser foot to sew along narrow flanges. I found a set. PM me for info, or make your own. Th former outer foot trails the inside foot, directly behind it. Any machine shop can make this foot.

I believe that Artisan may have marketed a French edge tool. But .....

We have a section of the LW forums called Market Place, containing a sub-directory for selling used sewing equipment. Why not offer it for sale for the highest offer over say $1200 (whatever)? Keep in mind that new 9 inch arm machines usually cost about $2,000, plus or minus. Run your ad for a month and sell it to the highest bidder, if they are still interested.

I think you are going to have to sew on the insides of the gusset, bending the other side away from the needlebar and face plate as you sew. Consider my suggestions about making a narrow presser foot set. You may need a third hand from a helper to bend the other side and push in on the bottom side and you guide the flange under the needle. If your work involved much wider gussets (4+ inches), you could sew along the outside surfaces. There simply isn't enough room with a 2" gusset (the end of the arm/shuttle is over 3.5" in diameter).

Here are some tips that might help you sew gussets. Use a double toe foot set. If the right was going to fall off, the left stays on. A 1/2 inch space should work fine. Get an extra outer foot and grind down the outsides of the toes to about 1/16" or less width. This lets you get closer to the inside of the shaped gusset. Get another right toe foot and grind it thin of the side. Get another inside foot and grind it down on the left side. This lets you sew very close to the left side of shaped cases and gussets. Align the feet so they almost touch on the right side of the inside foot. This reduces the track width required to keep them on the work. Use a roller edge guide and press the work tightly against it as you encounter these sharp turns. Use a 227 type machine to sew gussets, with #207 thread in the bobbin and on top (#24 needle). The bobbins won't hold much 207 thread, but you should be able to sew a couple of purse gussets per bobbin load. Use a narrow zipper foot set to get as close to the inside as possible. Ferg bought one just to sew gussets.