Wizcrafts

If you are prepared to spend $1400 on a machine, you can get a Cowboy CB2500, bottom feed flat foot cylinder arm machine (same as Ferdoco 440R), with reverse, for a lot less than that. You could add the accessory foot and roller guide package and probably still be under $1400. They are sold by Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. Their phone number is 866-362-7397. Several of our members have this machine and love it. It is just one step down from the big harness stitchers and is capable of sewing about 1/2" of dense leather.

I looked up the Singer 331k16 and found that it is a roller foot machine. Unless yours has been converted, it has a large roller foot, with a single row feed dog. This machine is for light weight leather, like shoe uppers. It will probably be limited to sewing no more than approximately 3/16" of soft to medium temper leather, with a size 18 needle, using #69 bonded nylon thread. Perhaps it will handle #92 thread, if you can fit it with a #20 needle. Typically, machines for the shoe industry use #69 thread and a #18 needle, sewing together about 6 to 8 ounces of leather. I had a similar roller foot machine and it was good for lightweight work under 1/4", but not so good on belt leather. I sew guitar straps, using a walking foot machine and #138 bonded nylon thread. I wouldn't recommend using any thinner thread. I don't think your machine can use that size thread (in my opinion), which requires a #22 or 23 needle. I don't believe that this is the machine you want to sew dog collars on. Collars are put under tremendous stress as dogs try to break away and chase other animals. Number 69 thread only has an 11 pound breaking point, which is inadequate for this kind of usage. You are going to need a machine capable of sewing hard veg-tan belt or bridle leather, possibly double layered back to back, exceeding 1/4" thickness. Add the fold-overs for Dee rings and you are up to almost 3/8". I always used number 277, to 346 thread on dog collars, to match the strength required to withstand the tugging that big dogs can apply. These thread sizes require a needle of sizes 25 to 27. You have just crossed over beyond the common industrial upholstery grade machines into the world of harness stitchers. Congratulations and welcome to the Big Dog club! Save some more of the pennies, then start looking over the specs on the big cylinder arm machines. Heck, for collars and leashes you can even use a big flatbed machine, like an Adler 204-370 (or clone). One of our members recently had one for sale in the Eastern US. It sews 3/4" of leather, with a #25 needle, using #277 thread, as set up. See the Used Sewing Machines For Sale section of the LWF.

Based on your photos, I stand by my original recommendations. The Cowboy 227R is perfect for this kind of job. It can even sew the final seam shut, foam in, hanging down over the closely cutoff end of the arm. It has a large hook and M-size bobbin, which holds plenty of thread (#69 to #138) and has just over a half inch of clearance under the raised feet. And, it natively sews perfectly fine stitches with #69 or #92 thread, which the larger harness stitching machines might need to be modified to handle (for very thin needles, thread and soft material). How do you know that these machines are beyond your price range? Call Bob Kovar, at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, at 866-362-7397 and ask for the price on the Cowboy 227R. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Before I can recommend any machine I would need to see these pads laid out for sewing, with mating seams paper-clipped or taped together. If they are to be stuffed before the last stitches are done, it may call for a cylinder arm machine, allowing you to sew right up to the edge, with the bulky part handing down. There is no need to use anything larger than #92 bonded thread. If the pads are going to be exposed to UV rays, or water, outdoor polyester is recommended. Otherwise, use Linhanyl, or Weaver bonded nylon thread. The correct needle width for #92 thread is between #19 and #21. The smaller needle size makes a smaller hole and tighter stitch. Also, use leather point needles, which produce a slightly zig-zaggy stitch. You can get the stitches closer together with this kind of needle and top pattern. This looks like fairly light chap leather, probably about 3 to 4 ounces thickness. Am I correct in this guess? If so, any industrial sewing machine can sew them, but walking foot mechanism provides the strongest feed system. If it turns out that you need to finish these pads after stuffing them, a medium duty cylinder arm machine will be perfect. There are many available in this market. Names that come to mind are the old Singer 153 type (forward only), upon which the Consew, Cowboy, Techsew and other model number 227 machines are based (but they have reverse). I recently had a close up look at the Cowboy 227R and it got my attention as a serious mid-weight stitcher. It can easily sew 3/8" of leather, with #138 thread, although #92 will last a lot longer in the bobbins. It also has an interesting self-oiling system and sews really close to the left edge, with narrow compound walking feet. Other machines with cylinder arms, but just bottom feed and a flat pressor foot, will also do this kind of sewing quite well. They include the Adler 105-64 and its clones. These include the Cowboy CB2500R and Techsew GA5-1R; available from our member-dealers.

I was asked if I personally use or have an opinion about the titanium coated needles. I don't particularly go out of my way to buy them, unless that it all that is available in a certain size I need quickly. I sew at very slow speeds on thick leather and would not benefit much from the heat reduction treatment on these needles. Any jobs that would generate a lot of heat probably use thicker thread and needles than are not practical on my walking foot machine. Those are sewn on my 800 stitch per minute Union Lockstitch Machine, where needle heat is not an issue. I do not have a 441 or a 205 clone machine at this time, so I cannot answer questions about series 7x3 or 7x4 needles. If I should decide to buy some titanium coated series 190 needles, for my modified National walking foot machine, I will be glad to post my observations, should I have any.

It'll cut through soft leather like an Exacto knife. It will destroy a Sailrite or equivalent machine, buy cutting grooves in everything along the thread path. You might as well sew with round abrasive cord as Kevlar. Only the most beefed up walking foot machines can withstand Kevlar thread. If you use a good quality #92 bonded nylon, or bonded polyester thread, sewn at 7 or 8 stitches per inch, it will hold the work together just fine. Linhanyl thread is very good, and is sold by Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines (Sewmun) and most of our other member-dealers. If you can afford a new Sailrite, for maybe five hundred more you can probably get a full-blown industrial walking foot machine, with a powerful servo motor and 20"x48" table. These machines can easily use #138 bonded thread and are much beefier than any portable walking foot machine on the market. They come with standard or large bobbins, with the large holding about double the capacity. The Sailrite uses the smaller standard bobbins. It is not a production machine, but is designed for canvas and vinyl repairs or prototype work.

The most important thing that has yet to be discovered is if the machine is now working properly. If all of the previous problems are resolved and she gives you 5 stitches per inch on 4 to 5 oz leather, you should be happy. If you are also able to get that high price down, that will be a double blessing. OTOH, if the maximum stitch length is very short on thin leather, only half the battle has been won.

I doubt that most sewing machine dealers would care to stay on the phone with somebody who didn't buy the machine from them, to diagnose such a problem. They would all tell you to ship it to them. Then, you would have their diagnosis time, their parts and reassembly charges, plus shipping two ways. You'd end up paying the same or higher price than this incident.

It doesn't matter what we think. You took the machine to a professional mechanic and he is going to charge what he thinks you can afford to pay. Some mechanics charge less than others, to diagnose. Your guy charges auto repair shop rates. I would have set a stop work price when I took it in, as you implied when you asked to be called if it was going to cost over $100. He should have stopped doing anything when he reached that point and called you to ask if you wanted him to continue. To diagnose that problem required him to totally remove the needlebar and all that secures it. Allowing for an hour of basic investigation to get to that point, removing the affected parts should not have taken more than one hour tops. At that point he would know that the needlebar was bent and should have called you then. You would have owed for two hours diagnosis and could decide if you could afford to have him continue, based on the price to fix and reassemble it. Figure another hour, unless he had to hunt down the needlebar elsewhere, or disassemble another machine to get the part out. That may be why he is charging so much. Then add the cost of the replacement parts, which you haven't stated. I have to guess that he wants to get at least $50 to $75 for the needlebar. You could try to negotiate a lower price for the diagnosis, since he got the repair job afterward. He probably doesn't want to own the machine if you can't afford the repair bill, but you never know. But, 5 hours labor for this particular problem is overkill. I'd say it should have been done in 3 hours. That's how long it would take me to diagnose that problem and remove the needlebar. But, as I said before, he probably didn't just have a spare bar laying around and must have had to disassemble a parts machine to get it out. It's like going to a junk yard for parts. The price is higher if they remove the parts for you.

Dan; Just what number and designation is the pressor foot in those ULS demos? I may want one of those feet.

Bob Kovar (aka: Sewmun) sells all kinds of replacement parts for Singer patchers and most industrial sewing machines. Order replacements for those worn parts and be done with it.

Maybe that thread isn't nylon, but Kevlar thread!

Bob Kovar uses the handle "Sewmun" on this forum. You can contact him via the Forum email service and he will reply when he goes online. He and his Son, Bob Jr, own and operate Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, Ltd. They are busy with setting up, delivering and servicing sewing machines and do not spend a lot of time online. They are the main industrial sewing machine and parts suppliers for Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.

I thought you wanted a portable walking foot machine. I'm not remembering anything about the Singer 16-88. Maybe one of our dealers will answer your question about it. Are you sure it is a walking foot and not a jumping foot powered by a leaf spring? Those jumping foot machines don't do very good work on slick material. When the feed dogs pull the leather back and then retract, the outer foot that moved back suddenly snaps forward. I once had a 31-something like that and the stitch length was all over the place on polished surface belts. Also, it was only good for #69 thread and used garment machine needles. The answer is to the second machine question is: NO! That machine is for heavier leather projects and requires one hand to operate it. This only leaves you one hand to guide the work! You're not the first person to ask for the Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines website. Suffice it to say, call Bob Kovar, at 866-362-7397, during normal business hours (in Eastern Time Zone).

Holly; I hate to tell you this, but all of the portable walking foot machines have the same casing and identical operational design. They are all copies of copies of copies of the Thompson Mini Walkers of yore. Some are better built, having better finishing of the castings, or better quality metal parts. From what I can see, the Sailrite is much more expensive and better looking than any of the others. The only way to know if it does what you want is to buy one that has a 30 day money back guarantee and put it through the paces. Most, but not all, of the eBay machines are pure garbage. Be aware that all of the portable walking foot machines can only sew 1/4" as setup. You will have to modify the pressor feet on a grinder and elongate a mounting slot to sew thicker material. If the pressure of the leather causes the machine to stall at low speed, you'll need to purchase the Sailrite Monster Wheel conversion, adding over 7 pounds to the now not-so-portable machine. Pray that the box isn't dropped on its back end during shipping to you. The shock can cause the main shaft to jam into the bearings and bend critical moving parts attached to it (it happened to me). When I went to visit Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, last fall, they had two brands of portable walking foot machines for sale. They go over them with a fine tooth comb, adjust the clearances, set them up for the thread the buyer wants to use, sew them off and repackage them to survive shipping. I think they sell for about $400, plus shipping. Their phone number is 866-362-7397.

WalletMan; You typed your entire request in capital letters, making it very hard to understand. In Internet etiquette, typing in all capitals is considered SHOUTING and is generally regarded as unfriendly. I see you live in the UK, not the USA, so importing a servo motor from here may not be cost effective. It's up to you if you want to pay the shipping, duty and VAT. A simple change of the pulley to a 50mm pulley and a shorter v-belt to match will probably slow down the action quite a bit. The amount of slowdown depends on what the diameter is of the existing motor pulley. If you are going to sew leather handbags, bonded nylon thread is your best bet. You should purchase two spools of each colour (British spelling) you intend to use, in thread sizes T70 and T90. You will need leather point needles for your machine, in sizes 100, 110 and 120, and 130. This corresponds to our sizes 16, 18, 20 and 21. If the soft leather is causing the machine to not feed it properly, consider changing to a roller foot. You can stiffen garment leather by doubling it up, but you just doubled your cost, plus the cost of the tape or glue. Some leather purses I repair have cardboard stiffeners between the outside leather and inside lining. Tandy Leather Co and various material suppliers have stiffener material, which is relatively cheap. You could also use heavy broadcloth or muslin as an inside layer, between the leather and lining.

The Consew 227 and equivalent machines would work with 3/8" of leather, but are pretty much limited to #138 thread. Once you cross the line to #277 thread, you need a different class of sewing machine. This is what the Cobra, Cowboy, Artisan and Techsew machines are built for. Based on the designs of the Adler 205 and Juki 441, these machines have long needles, high lifting pressor feet, very heavy tension springs, huge bobbins and shuttles, thick take-up levers and ginormous casings. Any one of these stitchers, with a 9" arm, will cost you about $1995, plus shipping. All can sew over 3/4" and handle thread over size 346. Shipping charges will vary with your location, as these are heavy machines that are sent by truck carriers, in semi trailers.

Be sure you buy the manual, which also is the parts list.

I'm using Lax Wax, from Campbell-Randall. It is water soluble and fairly easy to clean up and thin. However, the thread definitely stays tightly stitched when run through the goo. It also helps flatten out the little linen tread particles.

Is it better than LaxWax? Does the thread stick to the barb of the needle when run through Sellari's wax?

I've read somewhere that the Union Lockstitch is a one man machine. I have to agree. Mine is one hundred years old and sews like a champ, because I set it up to my own specifications. Timing is touchy on these machines. If you change the stitch length, you may need to re-time the needle's vertical height as the point passes over it. Also, you may need to re-position the needle forward/backward, to get it to line up with the hole the awl pokes. I have a mixture of old and new bobbins and they are nothing alike. If I set the proper bobbin tension on an old bobbin, then change to a new one, the tension spring is much tighter (and vise versa). The position of the lockstitch can be adjusted by three different adjustments, which can be confusing. It will probably take a newbie about a half year to really become proficient sewing on a Union Lockstitch machine. But once you get to that point, the sky is the limit! You will develop a rhythm for working with the machine. You'll develop tricks for turning the work around to backtack, without losing the top thread loop, or ratting the bottom threads. You will learn about the best angle for your awls, for the appearance you prefer and the best combinations of needle and awl sizes for each type of thread you are using. Probably, the hardest thing to get right is sewing with linen thread, which must go through a liquid wax pot.

You have gotten lucky with the mechanical condition of the machine. Oil the large moving parts with straight 20 weight oil. Order you some packages of series 29x3 (round) and 29x4 (leather) needles, in sizes 16 through 22 (metric 100 - 140). Buy thread sizes T70 and T90. Get threading wires. If the bobbin tire is worn out you can get replacements online. It is a larger diameter tire than is used on household machines. The inside diameter is about 18 or 19 mm. If you are getting 6 stitches to the inch, on 5 mm of leather, be grateful. Note, that 6 holes to the inch may not produce 6 stitches, once you actually sew with thread in it. The top and bottom tensions may drag the stitches slightly shorter.

If at all possible, go to a sewing machine dealer and try out various brands first. Use your leather and the same thread. You will find one best suited to you, for the work you intend to do. If money is no object, go for a new Adler 205. Otherwise, go for a Cowboy 205-370 clone. They are sold by Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, in Toledo, Ohio. Bob Kovar is the owner and his toll free number is: 866-362-7397. You are close enough to drive to Toledo and see them for yourself. Carry one back and save on shipping. Just pay Duty, GST and PST. Alternately, check out a Cobra Class 4 (Highland, California), or a Techsew 5100 (Montreal).

Is this the tread you were looking for?

I got a Union Lockstitch in a trade, 13 months ago, and have already invested over $1000 in replacement parts, needles, awls, bobbins and thread. I rebuilt it myself, having previously had one 15 years ago. Despite its capabilities, I would gladly trade it for an Adler 205-370. The ULS is one of the finickiest stitchers available. If you are going to pay over $2500, including the purchase of the machine and estimated repairs, call Campbell Randall first. They are the dealer and parts depot for all Union Lockstitch machines. Everyone else gets their parts from Campbell-Randall and marks them up. Campbell sells already rebuilt ULS machines for not too much more than it cost me for my machine and the parts to rebuild it myself. Campbell-Randall Machinery Co. 401 Irvine St. Yoakum, TX 77995 Phone: 800-327-9420 Tell them Wiz sent ya!