Wizcrafts

I used to have a hand operated sole stitcher, with a vertical up/down lever on the needlebar, that used a huge needle like the one pictured in this topic. It sewed with 6 cord pre-waxed linen thread, just along the edge, one stitch for each pull up/down on the lever. I wish I didn't give it away back then. It clamped onto the edge of a sewing machine table and stood upright, about 10 or so inches. I'm guessing that the needle was about 2.5 inches long and about 3/32 inch wide at the top.

I got mine from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. They have just about every part made for Singer and Adler patchers. I imagine that other dealers may have them also.

I have a real shop gremlin story to tell ya. About 6, 7 months ago I was working at M&M Leather, in Flint, Mi, making rifle slings. We use bone folders to secure and shape the glued on suede linings to the backs of the straps, especially around the foam pads. Well, I recall finishing the bone folder work, putting it down and sewing the sling. That was the last sling in the run and I went home shortly after finishing sewing it. The next day the owner called me up and bitched me out because he couldn't find the bone folder I had been using. I told him where I left it. But, it was nowhere to be found! I scratched my head, my beard and other parts, trying to remember where I set down the damned folder. When I came in to work later on, I had to search the entire shop and my person, in vain. No folder! This folder was special; maybe 30 years old, with peculiar grooves on the fat end. My buddy was pissed. Two weeks later, while working at the same location, on a new run of rifle slings, for no particular reason, I looked down. Something white caught my eye. It was the missing bone folder, standing up against a very old gallon of dye. It fell off the table as I removed that last sling, weeks earlier, bounced off my jeans un-noticed, and landed in the upright position against a bottle on the shelf below! I still believe that gremlins caused this to happen and hid the folder on purpose to torment us. The odds of it happening the way I described are almost infinitely small.

Unison feed, compound feed and triple feed all mean the same thing. The needle, inside foot and a feed dog move in synchronization, with an outside foot raising during this motion and lowering after each stitch, to hold down the material as the needle ascends. The two presser feet alternate up and down, allowing the machine to walk over different thicknesses on its own (within its mechanical limits or user settings). Triple/unison/compound feed is extremely positive and keeps multiple layers in alignment. As for the first part, where you want to sew golf bags, we've been through this before, right? If you want to produce the same quality sewing results as the major manufactures produce, you will need some expensive and specialized sewing equipment. See the following list: 36 inch cylinder arm transverse feed, chainstitch needle and awl machine, made by Puritan. 36 inch cylinder arm regular forward feed chainstitch needle and awl machine, made by Puritan 5 cord Barbour's Irish Linen Thread (or best equivalent) run through liquid wax in the wax pots - or, #207 or #277 pre-lubricated bonded polyester thread Appropriate needles and awls for these thread types and sizes. Why do I recommend Puritan machines for this job? Because they are chainstitch machines, without bobbins that will run out while you are sewing inside a 36 inch long golf bag. As large as the 441 class bobbins are, they only hold so much thread, in larger sizes. Do you want to have to remove the bag to change a bobbin halfway down a 36" seam? If you intend to go into production, you cannot be dinking around with changing bobbins and removing a bag, then trying to resume the stitching without it being noticeable. A chainstitch machine only runs out when the top spool is finished, which you can see happening. The lockstitch machine workaround would be removing the bobbin cover between bags and pulling the bobbin halfway out of the bobbin case, to visually check how much thread is left. Eventually, one could learn how many bags you can sew on a full bobbin, as your machine defines full. Why transverse feed? The seams are top stitched all the way along the side on the bag. You need a machine with transverse feed to sew up the arm. Period. Why another machine with standard feed? To sew around the body and to sew in the end cap. I'm not sure if Puritan makes their machines with closed eye systems. You'd have to send them an email about this. If you want to use lockstitch, closed eye machines, counting stitches, rather than chainstitch/needle-awl machines, you can order them from a Cowboy dealer. They are special order and come in 36 inch arm lengths for transverse and regular feed. You have a Cowboy dealer, Jim Saddler, in Childers, Qld, Australia. Jim is a member of this forum. Look him up via his profile and contact him about the right machines for the work you wish to do. Before you can even begin to make golf bags, you need to buy a good one and disassemble it to see how it was put together. Then, make your own pattern that is not a copy of someone else's work and have clicker dies constructed to cut out the pieces. Then have someone with a 40 ton clicker press punch out the parts from your leather. All you have to do is sew the parts on the specialized machines. I held off mentioning this for the last item, but you may or may not also need a bell knife skiver machine. They are used to reduce the thickness of leather where the seams mate, or overlap. They go for between 1.5 and 3 k, depending on the quality, capabilities and feed type. You should be able to get this into production for 10 to 20 grand if you make good deals.

Trolls are responsible for re-threading his machine. They did the dirty deed in the midst of the night, then hid under a nearby bridge and watched in excited expectation to see his bewilderment as the needle poked holes in the leather and nothing else! This is how it actually was! And don't fancy I exaggerate, it was told to me by the Chinese Plate!

Did you have to force the machine to complete a stitch yesterday? Did you change thread, on top or in the bobbin? Is it the same needle as you used yesterday? Is the needle bent or dull or does it have a burr? Is the eye of the needle on the right side? Has the top thread jumped out of the upper or lower tension disks? Is there any twisting over of the top thread, before it reaches the needle? Are you sewing Biothane?

As long as the bottom piece is fairly stiff leather, and you choose the best thread and needle for the thickness, a 441 clone will dumb-down. However, if the bottom layer is soft it may get caught in the huge feed dog and even huger cutout in the standard throat plate. If this happens, you would have to remove the feed dog and replace the throat plate with a flat plate with a narrow slot. Ideally, one should have more than one sewing machine for professional leather work. One would be used for work up to 5/16 inch, with #92 thread and a #20 needle, or #138 thread and a #22 needle. The other would be setup for work exceeding 5/16 inch, with #277 thread and a #25 needle.

That question is best asked of the dealers who represent those brands. Others may have opinions, but sometimes the facts change.

Until I got my CB4500, with its 16.5 inch arm, I was limited to 12" inside the harp, on my Union Lockstitch machine. That coincides with the space available on the standard Adler 205, until a few years ago. While 12" is plenty of clearance for most projects, it is not enough when you are sewing a double leather weight lifting belt, or a gun belt that has fishtail stitching. The leather is very stiff at 14 to 16 ounces combined and has a hard time bending to fit inside the 12" harp. A 16.5 inch area makes it much easier to turn the work around. The same applies to large Western holsters. I would definitely recommend that anybody pondering the savings of a few hundred dollars go for the most space they can afford. If you are building large double leather straps, with fancy inside stitching, go for a 25 inch arm machine.

That's great news Kevin! Don't try to power through a jam next time. I usually hand-wheel backwards to try to clear a thread or material jam. Be sure you tighten those set screws as much as possible to keep her in time.

No, this is a loose screw issue. Gotta eat dinner first. Go have a brewsky. I'll be back...

It is time to get out the schematics for your machine and compare notes. Do you have the exploded view and all the timing details on 8.5 x 11 pages?

Are you sure it is bent? Mine only protrudes a little over a silly millimeter. If it really is bent and if you got the blanket foot set with your machine, you can swap feed dogs until you get a replacement for the bent smooth one.

You bought a bar-tacker, not a sewing machine. It is driven by a cam to sew a single pattern that is usually about 3/4" long and about 3/32" wide. They are often used to attach Velcro or makers' tags onto garments, or pull tabs onto shoes, or belt loops on pants. Bar-tackers are made in various sewing configurations and are not alterable, other than by changing the pattern cam. Thickness-wise, I would say that it's "foot" may lift about 1/4 inch or more. The usage is to thread the machine, lift the clamping foot, place the work under it in position, lower the foot and hit the throttle pedal once. One second later it has sewn a perfect bar tack, halted and cut the bottom thread..

A 441 clone is a Chinese built leather stitcher based upon the design of the Juki TSC 441. These machines were first built around 1990 or so and were meant to be used for all types of heavy sewing. They were primarily used to sew very thick canvas, cloth, vinyl and things like car wash drying cloths. They were not really targeted at leather workers at all back then and needed modifications to be used for leather work. Today's 441 clones are already altered for use by leather workers. Here is a typical 441 clone in use by many of our members (including me!). Similar machines are sold under the Cowboy, Cobra and Techsew names, and others. What you get depends on the dealer you buy the machine from. Because these machines are shipped from China, I would not buy one from anybody other than a knowledgeable dealer who can correct errors, adjust it and time it before shipping it to the buyer. You will find paid ad banners on the top of every page on LWN. Many of those ads feature a link to that brand of 441 clone. Contact our dealers, who support this forum, and get all your ducks in a row. Then go get you a machine!

It appears to me that the inside foot is on the feed dog before the needle. Use the appropriate Allen wrench to loosen the Allen head bolt on the crank rod behind the head. Rotate the wheel again to bring the needle down, until it reaches the hole in the feed dog. Make sure the inside foot is down all the way (use your fingers to move it down), then clamp the bolt tight. If this doesn't fix it, the screw that holds the motion rods together, at the upper-rear of the machine may have been loosened by your jam.

Call Bob Kovar tomorrow. There are a couple of places that could have been affected by the thread jam, which control the backstitching. One involves removing the back cover and checking the big screw on the connecting rods towards the back. If the joining screw is loosened, the back stitches are thrown off. Also, the positions of the alternating feet have a profound affect on the alignment of the stitches.These are adjusted in the back of the head, behind the outer foot. An Allen bolt locks the rod that changes the height of the inside foot, which also controls when that foot hits the material. If the foot hits before the needle, the work gets pushed toward you, instead of away from you. The inside foot should make contact just after the needle touches the surface. Look carefully at the feet as you rotate the wheel towards you CCW. The inside foot should not hit the feed dog until the needle reaches it first. After the feeder moves all the way back, the outer foot should drop and the inner foot and needle should lift, pretty close to each outer. Raise the stitch lever to the top and see if the same holds true in reverse.

I was in your position a few years ago, having divested myself of all of my previous equipment, starting over. The first machine I bought that could properly feed both leather and Naugahyde was a used triple feed walking foot machine. It paid for itself in one month. My walking foot machine is no longer made, but is based on the design of the Consew 206RB and Chandler 406 models. It sewed up to 3/8 inch, and could handle up to #207 bonded nylon thread. I upgraded the motor to a special servo motor sold by Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. This gave it the controllability at slow speeds I wanted, without losing punching power. My machine is part of a class we call upholstery grade machines. Mine came from an upholstery and blinds shop. Walking foot flat bed machines are the staple of their industry, as they have positive feed of all layers, heavy springs, beefed up take-up and tensioning parts and bigger bearings and shafts than garment machines Still, I can sew wallet interiors on my machine, with a #16 needle and #69 thread. Change to a #23 needle and #138 thread and it will sew commercial rifle slings all day long. So, if you are looking for starter machine and your work won't exceed 3/8 inch, or your thread doesn't exceed #207, one of these could be your first machine (with the proper Sew Slow servo). Now, if you are planning on sewing beyond 3/8 inch, say up to 1/2 inch, you need to move up to the 45k clone machines: sold as the CB2500 and GA5-1R. They both can sew 7/16 inch out of the box, with #277 or even #346 thread. They have 10.5 inch long cylinder arms, rather than a flat bed and large bobbins. The trouble with them is they are bottom fed machines only. Yes, the foot bar can be raised higher inside the head, allowing you to place 1/2 inch of leather under the foot. But, will the pressure spring be able to keep the leather from lifting with the needle? It depends on the density of the leather and size of the needle and thread. Maybe yes, maybe no. This type of machine sells for between $1,000 to $1400. If you plan on repairing or making saddles, don't dink around. Save up and buy, or lease a 441 type machine. They now sew up to 7/8 inch, with up to #415 thread and come in cylinder arm lengths of 9, 16.5 and 25 inches. The motors feed triple 3:1 speed reducers. The total reduction is typically 8 or 9 to 1. Coupled with a 3/4 HP servo they punch through any leather. The springs are more than strong enough to hold down the leather as the needle ascends and they are triple feed. The only issue they have sewing thin material is the huge feed dog, with a huge hole in it. Also, the harness feet work best on solid materials, rather than soft leather. Still, I have used mine to sew garment leather belts, zippers into leather jackets, chaps, shortened cuffs on jeans and purses needing repairs (w/ #19 needle and #92 thread). Then, by changing to a #25 needle, it can sew through 3/4 inch of bridle leather, with #277 thread. Toss in a #26 needle and it sews with #346 thread. These machines range in price from about $2,000, up to about $3,300, depending on the length of the arm and what accessory package, if any, is purchased with the machine. I recommend buying one with the flat table attachment. This helps keep flat work flat and gives you a table surface you can rotate your material on as you sew different angles.

Yes and yes. They will sew thin material, and small diameter needles are available, but a smaller machine will do a better job with #69 thread, into a few ounces of wallet leather. I use a Singer 31-15 for wallet interiors and hemming clothes (#69 thread). I have a walking foot machine for medium duty work, up to 3/8 inch or so (#138 thread) (jeans, belts, seat covers), then the big Cowboy and a Union Lockstitch for the really thick work, with very heavy thread (#277 and up). I also have a long arm big bobbin Singer patcher, which is invaluable for sewing in any direction, for applying patches, repairing shoes and boots and odd jobs.

Look into a Cowboy, Cobra or Techsew 441 clone. They are capable of sewing over 3/4 inch, with very heavy thread and are fully supported by our dealers who set them up and sell them.

The 7 dimes, at about 1/16" each, show the actual maximum lift and sewing thickness you can expect in the real world. The type of material will have an impact on how much higher you can cheat and pre-raise the presser bar. If you have to sew 5/8 inch of nylon webbing, or buffing wheels, you can loosen a set screw on the foot bar clamp and raise the foot to clear that much material. In return, you will have about 1/8+" of free space under the raised foot. If you need to sew something thin, you'll need to reposition the foot. The spring used to hold down the foot is not heavy enough to keep 1/2 inch of veg-tan leather from lifting with the needle. When the needle gets stuck, you have skipped stitches. The feed is bottom only, via feed dogs with serious teeth. The more top pressure you apply, the deeper the tooth marks will be. The needle system used in these machines normally starts at #22, which is the right size for #138 thread. If you want to use thinner thread, into thin wallet parts, you must hunt down thinner needles, in size 18. You can learn more about these machines here Here is another GA5-1

Marco; I don't have a GA5-1, but I have spoken to dealers who sell that type of machine and all seem to agree that it is maxed out even sewing 7/16 inch. I have never seen a spec that shows the presser foot being able to lift over 1/2 inch. Would you mind providing a link to the machine you are considering?

I have owned two Singer 29-4 patchers and have tried using them for projects they cannot handle. Holsters is one of those things. First of all, the machine is not designed to sew above 1/4 inch of leather. The stitch length at 1/4 inch drops to about 7 or 8 to the inch. The bobbin is about the size of a thick dime and only holds a very small amount of #69 thread. It can probably sew two or three average belts. The drive is by means of teeth on the bottom of the presser foot. The 29-4 might be up to 100 years old. Unless it has rarely been used, and never abused, the foot driving mechanism my have so much slack that you won't even get 6 stitches per inch, into 8 ounces of leather. These machines are best reserved for sewing embroidered cloth patches onto jackets and vests.

I too have a Singer 15-91. I tried to use it to sew leather and Naugahyde, before I got a real walking foot machine. Yes, it can sew leather, even a dress belt. But, the feed system is a limiting factor as is the top needle and thread sizes. Adding a so-called walking foot attachment only accomplished a lessening of the separating of layers, but at the cost of almost half the previous clearance under the foot. That is why honest dealers sell them as "even-feed" attachments (for quilting). If somebody wants to sew leather vests using the piecing method, a 15-91 will do the job. It gets a bit strained sewing larger pieces together. If you only sew thin leather projects (under 3/16"), using #69 bonded nylon thread, or cotton or polycore home sewing thread, a Singer 15-91 is a viable alternative to an industrial sewing machine. I was able to find #20 needles for mine, allowing it to handle buttonhole thread, or even #92 bonded nylon. I no longer use my 15-91, and will gladly sell it to somebody who has a use for it.

CarolB; The guys are trying to well you something important, when they mentioned that your machine has a safety clutch. This could be the crux of the problem. The clutch may have disengaged to protect the hook, after a thread jam. If so, you will need to hold down a button and rotate the handwheel to re-engage the drive to the hook.