Wizcrafts

Ya missed it by that - much! A shoe patcher, if it is motorized at all, is already geared way down. They are not built for speed. They are meant to sew a few stitches per second, for a short run, then stop. Most are treadle operated by foot power alone, giving you about 2 stitches per second maximum. A motorized patcher will have a pulley of maybe 3 inches on it. The pulley on the back of the machine is about 6" in diameter. You already get a 1:2 reduction. Put a 2" pulley on the motor and you get 1:3 speed. Given that a clutch motor can be feathered at slow speed, especially from a clunky machine like a patcher, it is easy to feather control them at one or two stitches per second. A servo motor makes it even easier to control any machine. They have speed limiter control knobs on the back of the motor. Can you say "1 stitch every three seconds?" You are confused about the term 3 phase. It applies entirely to a 220 volt motor and its matching wiring harness. If you replace the 3 phase motor with a 2 phase, 110 volt model, with a new wiring harness and switch box, they will be compatible with residential electrical outlets. I recommend a servo motor with built in gear reduction. Bob Kovar sells them at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. Don't worry about the motor until you have a machine and table to attach it to. I fear you are going to be tossing away some valuable goods and money. A shoe patcher is really only meant to sew shoe uppers. I'd hate to think about you building a nice custom molded holster and the client sees the tooth marks on top around the stitch line and refuses to buy it. You really should save up and buy a walking or jumping foot - needle feed machine, that was built and set-up to sew thick and dense leather. Even a used walking foot flatbed machine is better than a patcher, as long as you gear it down (2" motor pulley, gear reduction servo motor, or speed reducer double pulley) and use pressor feet without teeth. A cylinder arm walking foot machine, with narrow pressor feet that sit very close to the left edge, is even better. Most will sew with #138 nylon thread and a #22 leather point needle, which is the bare minimum for pancake holsters. Many of the commercial walking foot machines, like Juki and Consew, with the large M bobbin, can sew with #207 thread and a #23 - 24 needle.

Um, a Singer 269 is a bartacker, not a patcher. A bartacker sews a tight zig-zag stitch about 1/8" high and 5/8" to 3/4" wide across velcro, or whatever you clamp under the elongated pressor foot. They are commonly used to affix Velcro to shoes, vests, jackets, etc. You cannot "sew" anything with a bartacker; only tack bars of tight zig-zags across the material. Each press of the foot control pedal causes a cam to rotate and creates the sideways/forward-backward motion for one complete cycle, then stops, with the needle up. A shoe patcher (Singer 29k series) is suitable for sewing shoes, boots, zippers, patching holes, sewing on patches, etc. Most newer models can sew over 5/16" of leather, but are limited to #69 or #92 thread in the bobbin and #92 or #138 thread on top. The old 29-4 machines can only sew 1/4" under the foot. There are two bobbin sizes on Singer and Adler patchers. The small bobbin is only 5/8" x 1/4", with a 1/4" OD post in the center. They hold a tiny amount of thread compared to most home sewing machine bobbins. The large bobbin machines have a bobbin that measures 3/4" x 5/16" - which holds as much as a Singer class 66 bobbin. Patchers have long snouts, narrow on the left and wide on the right. They are either 12" or 18" length, from the left end to the inside of the body, on the right. Most are hand and foot operated, by a treadle pedal that pivots and spins a drive pulley. A 70" belt goes up to a pulley on the back of the machine to operate it. Some patchers have the hand wheel on the back, others have it on the front-right. Short arm patchers with small bobbins are no good for holsters. They don't have enough lift. Long arm patchers can sew pancake holsters, using #138 thread, top and bottom. Since you don't use a lot of thread on a holster, the small bobbins are not a big problem. The pressor foot on all patchers has teeth on the bottom, which will mark top grain veg-tan leather. Patchers don't have mounting holes for edge guides, making it difficult to sew straight lines of stitches. Some lack the thumbscrew on the front of the sewing head, which is used to lock the revolving feed mechanism in place. Without locking it down, the pressor foot tends to wander. Most patchers can use needles up to #23 and maybe #24 (long arm, big bobbin). A short arm model will be better limited to a #22 needle. Motors. 3 phase motors run on 220 volts systems and have special 220 volt plugs. They are of limited, if any use in residential locations. Many 120 volt single phase industrial machines have a clutch motor installed. These are powerful motors, especially the 1/2 HP - 1725 RPM motors. Most come with a 3" or larger pulley, which is totally useless for sewing leather. For about $12 you can buy a 2" pulley (x 3/4" ID) to fit a clutch motor, slowing it down by up to 50% (needs a shorter v-belt). For about $125 you can buy a speed reducer pulley wheel that brings it down to maybe 2 or 3 stitches per second. That is a very controllable speed and will allow you to sew dense leather without excessively overheating the needle, melting the thread and burnishing the leather. A hot needle also tends to get stuck in the leather. You should be able to find a decent, used-but-functional walking foot machine at a local upholstery shop in the $500-$600 range. A walking foot machine typically has 7/16" - to 1/2" maximum lift under the feet (and point of the raised needle) and can sew about 3/8" of leather, if you slow it down with a small (2") motor pulley, or speed reducer wheel, or servo motor. My post at the top of this forum describes various types of leather sewing machines and drive systems. Take a look at the photos and adjust your plans accordingly. If you trade you $500 gun for a machine made to sew garments or patch holes in jackets and shoes, you will be very disappointed when you find it won't sew holsters as you thought it would. For your info, if you intend to sew serious holsters, with fillers along the outside edge, forget the flatbed walking foot machines, unless you stumble across an Adler 204 model, or an equivalent Japanese model. I had one of those. It weighed over 200 pounds and could sew 3/4" of leather, with a #25 needle and #277 thread. Most holster makers use #277, or #346 bonded nylon or polyester, or else 5 or 6 cord linen thread - run through liquid wax, in a wax pot. The machines capable of handling this thread and properly sewing through 3/4 inch of dense veg-tan leather are made especially for leather work. Most are cylinder arm machines, with a special walking or jumping foot - needle feed mechanism and are geared way down, to a few stitches per second. They are sold under such brand names as Cowboy, Cobra, Juki 441, Adler 205, Ferdinand Bull, Luberto Classic, Artisan, Techsew 180, et al. We have member dealers who sell and service these machines. You can get them in arm lengths from 9" to 24" and prices starting at around $1700, going up to $3500. I hope this helps.

I bought a 300 watt gear reduction servo motor from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, for $176 shipped. I ordered before 3 PM, EST, and it arrived the next afternoon. I also ordered a 2" shorter (not longer!) v-belt and I'm glad I did. The Servo motor mounts closer to the underside of the table and has a fixed 2" pulley. If the original motor pulley is 3 or more inches, you may need a 3" shorter belt with the servo motor. Tell the salesman what size belt is on the machine now and what the diameter of the pulley is.

That is a post machine, with either a roller or walking foot mechanism. They are built to sew hats, shoe uppers and moccasins. You will be limited to using #69 nylon thread, tops. I don't recommend this type of machine for belts, or anything requiring a true straight sewing edge, as they don't have a means of attaching a normal edge guide. You can buy a gear reduction 300 watt, 110 volt servo motor for it from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines: 800-362-7397. Measure the belt on the existing motor, then add two inches to the replacement belt, for the servo motor, which has a 2" pulley. They also have replacement parts, needles and bobbins. Alternately, buy a 110 volt, 1/2 HP clutch motor.

The needle is now in correctly and the point is passing the eye at the right moment. Get your thread and start sewing. I recommend using #69 bonded nylon, top and bottom. You can buy it all over eBay, in a huge range of colors and in 4, 8, and 16 oz spools. Use #18 or 20 needles, depending on the thickness and density of the leather. Use may be able to use a #16 needle on vinyl and garment cloth.

Rich; Please read my sticky post at the top of this forum, about the type of sewing machine needed for leather

The timing is a little too late. Advance the hook until the point is in the center of the needle's eye indent, with the eye about 1/16" or so below the point. If the point is too far away, move it closer. The needle should just miss the point, depending on the size of the loop that is formed. Needle size is important for the loop. If you use too large of a needle, for the thread size, the top thread may not form a loop for the pick-up point to grab. Also, make sure that the machine is threaded properly and that the check spring stops moving down before the needle bottoms out. Too much check spring will draw up the top thread before a decent loop has formed.

CustomDoug; You are going to want a machine called a patcher. They were made by Singer, for almost a Century, as well as by Adler and now Chinese brands. The patchers are available in arm lengths: 12" and 18". If you can find a long arm patcher, with the bigger bobbin, you'll be able to sew all the long cylindrical projects you have. Why? Because patchers have a 360 degress rotating feed mechanism, with the teeth on the pressor foot pulling the work in whatever direction you aim it. You can sew sideways, along the top overlapped seam, folding the leather over as you fill the snout to the body end. Here are pictures of a short arm and long arm Singer patcher. Note, that the short arm patcher uses a tiny bobbin that doesn't hold much thread, which by the way, is limited to #69 bonded nylon. The big bobbin patchers can sew with #138 thread. The big bobbin models are available in both arm lengths. It depends on the model number after the dash. Most patchers are foot operated, by a pivoting treadle pedal and leather belt. Or, you spin the flywheel to sew by hand power. The small arm Singer patchers can sew thicknesses up to 1/4", while the long arm models can exceed 5/16." An Adler long arm patcher can sew 3/8", with #138 nylon thread, top and bottom. Used Singer patchers sell for prices ranging from $200, up to $1200. Double that for a Adler patcher. The 29-4 is 100 years old and is at the bottom of the price scale. Patchers wear out after years of use and abuse. They were designed for use in shoe repair shops and are not meant to sew dense leather.

There happens to be a Tippmann Boss on eBay right now, based in Ottawa, Ont.

The Singer 29-4 is a shoe, jacket and boot patcher. It is foot or hand operated, only sews 1/4" and has no edge guides. On top of that, it is a top feed machine, with teeth on the pressor foot. The bobbins are tiny and hold a limited amount of thread. You are limited to #69 in the bobbin and can maybe use #138 on top, if you balance the tensions carefully. Chaps are best sewn on a flatbed walking foot machine, or a cylinder arm machine with a flatbed attachment board. Holsters can require the ability to sew between 3/8 and 1/2 inch of hard, dense leather. Holsters are usually sewn with #277 or 346 nylon thread. This requires a #25 to #27 needle. Only the biggest machines can use these needles and properly tension that size of thread. These include Adler, Cobra, Cowboy, Artisan, Juki 441 and clones of the 441, and needle and awl machines, like the Union Lockstitch I use. These machines can sew 3/4" of any leather, with #346 thread.

Unless my eyes deceive me, you have bought a roller foot machine, not a walking foot machine. Make sure you are using the correct needle series, so the length to the eye is correct and make sure the eye is facing right. Thread it from left to right. Rotate the wheel towards you, from the top (CCW). Stick to #69 bonded nylon thread, maximum.

JimBob; You can order an even feed walking foot attachment here

You may be better off removing the head from the table and hauling it up to Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, on Marine Drive, Toledo, Ohio. They will clear any jams, re-time the machine and make any other needed adjustment, to get you sewing again. 866-362-7397

I apologize for taking so long to get this information online. I now have a web page, on wizcrafts.net for now, detailing the Singer 15-91 sewing machine. There is a photo gallery, with options for high speed broadband, or low speed/mobile web Internet customers, plus links to download both the users and adjusters manuals, in PDF format. The page is a work in progress. I am not thrilled with the gallery software and will search out something more polished and replace the existing gallery with it.

Okay folks, stand by. I am creating a web page with info about the Singer 15-91 and links to download two manuals for it. I'll post a link to the page once I finish the photo gallery and upload it to my server.

Here is my Singer 15-91, equipped with the walking foot attachment, sewing ~1/4" of medium temper leather. Note, that these attachments are actually better called Even Feed, than walking foot, because they do nothing to move the material. They move with the material, as it is driven by the bottom feed dog. The inside foot presses down on the material as the needle goes down, then lifts as the needle is withdrawn. When the feed dog drops below the throat plate, the outer foot snaps forward for the next stitch. This allows the top and bottom layers to stay aligned as you sew. I used this setup to make some Naugahyde pouches that were being dragged out of alignment by the standard steel foot. I am in the process of creating a photo gallery of this Singer 15-91 and will place a link to it once it goes online. I may shoot a video on the machine at work. It's a neat little machine for how old it is.

I bought mine on eBay. It was somewhere around $20.00.

My machine is close to a Consew 206RB, with the exception of the top pressure spring being a different type. There are plenty of 206RBs for sale on eBay, and from some of our member dealers. I have never had or used a portable walking foot machine, so I can't say what I think of any particular brand. On the other hand, I can advise you about what modifications will be needed to use a Sailrite, or equivalent portable machine for sewing leather. According to Bob Kovar, at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, it takes the dealer about an hour to un-box and setup a new portable walking foot machine, to get it ready to sell and sew. After that, if you are going to sew any leather that marks easily, the pressor feet need to be replaced with smooth bottom feet. If the buyer intends to sew belt leather, a Monster flywheel is needed, which costs about $130, from Sailrite. I would not advise you to buy a $200 portable walking foot machine on eBay. You will probably regret it. Plan on spending double that amount for a decent portable walking foot machine, or over triple for a Sailrite. Then add the extra pressor feet and Monster wheel, for another $150, or so. Some of our members buy these machines and modify them personally. There is at least one old thread here about modifying the pressor feet for more clearance, by grinding off the teeth and repositioning the outside foot by lengthening its mounting hole. After that mod you can sew 3/8", with the Monster wheel addition. If you want to learn more about what to expect from a portable walking foot machine, contact Bob Kovar, at 866-362-7397. He sets them up and makes sure they are ready to sew, before they go on the truck. His price is reasonable and he takes care of warranty work himself. He also sells pressor feet and accessories for them.

Art; I'm just trying to help the guy out. I will break even at $200, shipped, for what I have into the machine. I'm not using it now that I have a real walking foot machine, so why horde it? That is a cute cover on the lid. I got it that way.

I have a 1953 Singer 15-91, all fixed up, with a rebuilt motor and a walking foot attachment, in a carrying case. It will sew 1/4" of any leather or vinyl, with the flat foot, or 3/16" with the walking foot, with a number 18 leather point needle and #69 nylon thread. I'll sell it to you for $200 shipped. Everything on it works.

Weezy; Have you read the topic about the right type of machine for sewing leather? It will answer many of you and other people's questions.

Last, but not least, please take time to read my topic about choosing the right type of sewing machine for leather. It may save you a lot of time, money and aggravation.

Deer and elk skins are sticky material. They will not feed properly unless you change the pressor foot to at least a teflon foot. Preferably, buy a roller foot to replace the standard foot. This is a wide pressor foot that contains two or more knurled rollers inside the front and back. These rollers allow the material to flow more freely under the foot, as the bottom feed dog moves the work. Failure to change the foot may result in tiny stitches that perforate the skins, due to the drag on top from a metal pressor foot. Since you haven't bought the machine yet, I recommend that you look into your accessory pressor foot options first. Pfaff home machines may use different pressor feet than most other brands. If you do end up with a home sewing machine and cannot find a roller or teflon foot, see if there is a compatible "Even-Feed" or "Walking-Foot" replacement foot for your machine. These look like big bugs from outer space. They screw onto the pressor bar and a moving arm gets attached around the needle clamping screw. The up/down motion of the needle cranks the alternating inner and outer pressor feet in the contraption so they walk with the material with each stitch. This setup, coupled with a 1.2 or 1.5 amp motor, and maybe a solid state foot controller, is as good as it gets for sewing leather on a home style machine. The next step up, before a full blown industrial machine, is a portable walking foot machine (avail from ~$300 - $800, plus ~$40 shipping). Bob Kovar, of Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, 866-362-7397, sells portables. They are suitable for what you intend to sew and more.

As promised, here are some pictures of the thread path, needle and bobbin of a long arm Singer patcher. These should help you to get ready to sew with one. Remember, if the hand wheel is on the back end of the machine, rotate it towards you from the top, counterclockwise. If the wheel is on the front of the body, rotate it clockwise, to the right.

The very first question I should ask is: are you rotating the hand wheel toward you from the top? The wheel, when attached to the back, rotates counterclockwise, when sewing. If you rotate it away from you, clockwise, the machine will not stitch! Check the thread path and make sure that the thread feeds from the top area, around the little peg on top of the head, around the tension disks, out the disks and through the little looped wire, up to the front of the hole in the take-up lever, down the other side of it, then down the throat, through the little thread spring over the needle holder, down the hole to the needle, where it feeds from left to right. If the thread is does not feed from left to right, with the eye of the needle on the right, the machine will skip stitches. Maybe the needle was replaced and incorrectly aligned. The eye should face dead right, with the long thread channel facing left. The needle should be a 29x3 or 29x4 system patcher needle and should be inserted as high up as it can go, then secured with the lower set screw. Possibly, the needle is simply to far to the left for the pickup point to take the loop off the needle. You can verify if this is happening by moving the needle up, then swinging the throat plate 90 degrees. With the cover plate off the bobbin area, move the hand wheel toward you from the top and watch as the bobbin shuttle backs up, then moves toward the descending needle. The sharp point should pass the eye of the needle just after the needle moves slightly up, then halts.This is where the loop is formed. If the needle is not close enough to the pickup point the stitches may skip. Fix this by loosening the upper screw on the needle holder and tapping the assembly from the left side, to move the needle assembly to the right, then fasten the screw back down. Or, maybe the bobbin thread is not feeding through the bobbin tension spring. Make sure you load the bobbin so it feeds backwards to the thread loading slot and makes a sharp turn after going through the slot, then feeds under the bobbin tension spring, then through the tiny hole in the side of the bobbin case and out the other side. I'll post some pictures showing the correct alignment of the thread and needle and timing of the bobbin, later on.