Wizcrafts

Rayban; Try Angelus Acrylic Finisher. It is available from shoe repair suppliers, like this one.

I'd say the right toe foot is your best option. But, it is not the same as having a real piping foot. A piping foot has a semi-round cutout in both pressor feet, on a walking foot machine, or on the left half of a single foot machine. This cutout allows the foot to ride on top of the welt as the needle sews right next to the right edge of the covered cord. A right toe foot is the next best option, but may need to be modified on a grinder to allow the left back side to clear the welt.

Art, you have me all figured out! I am the Stitchin' Musician! I am also still alive, so, I'll try to help beckiesgran out. beckiesgran; The 29k machines, nicknamed "Patchers," are all threaded the same way. All patchers have the main top tension disks on top of the head, facing the operator, with the needlebar behind it. Some patchers have a second set of tension disks - mounted on the front of the head. This second set is only used for freehand darning, not foot driven sewing. I will describe the correct thread path, for the top and bobbin threads. Place the cone of thread on a thread stand, if you have one. feed a big spool off the top of the spool, up and through the twisted loops at the top of the thread stand. If the spool is small, like a home style spool of thread, place it on the thread spindle, at the upper rear area of the trapeze (that's what I call the big moving arm on top). Feed the thread under the spring in the little lube pot on the upper body of the machine, then out one of the holes on the left side of the pot. Feed the thread to the back of the little peg behind the top tension disks Go around the back of the little peg and forward to the tension disks Pull the thread between the top tension disks Pull the thread backwards from the disks and feed it through the eye in the spring steel on the front top of the head. Feed the thread out the eye of the spring, up to the front of the eye of the take-up lever Feed it through the eye of the take-up lever, front to back. Pull out about two feet of top thread through the eye. Double up the thread about a foot down and place it into the recess in a threading rod. Use the threading rod, or a piece of thick piano wire to ram the top thread down the snout of the needlebar Keep pushing until the top thread appears under the exit hole on the bottom of the needlebar Pull it out of the needlebar until it is totally straight. Withdraw the threading or ram rod. Make sure that the proper 29x3 or 29x4 needle is inserted all the way up, with the eye facing to the right and the slotted shaft to the left. Feed the top thread through the eye of the needle, from left to right. Load a bobbin with thread. Hold the loaded bobbin in one hand and the bobbin case in the other hand (move the small spring out of the way so the bobbin can be pressed into the case. Insert the bobbin into the bobbin case, with the thread feeding clockwise, looking down from the top. Leave about 6 inches loose. Swing the little top securing spring over the bobbin. Draw the bobbin thread into the diagonal slot on the side of the case and under the little bobbin tension spring Pull the thread all the way to the back of this slot, then feed it through the tiny hole in the top of the bobbin case, near the back of the spring. If the machine uses a "large" bobbin, there will be a hole in the center peg on which the bobbin rotates. Feed the thread from the tiny hole through the hole in the center peg. Insert the case into the shuttle and close the throat plate, feeding the remaining loose bobbin thread up and through the hole in the end which you intend to use (big hole on one end; small on the other). You can now sew. If the thread is too tight on top, loosen the top tension nut on top of the disks. If the thread is too tight on the bottom, loosen the bobbin case screw slightly. Check top and bottom threads to make sure they aren't jammed. There should be a modicum of bobbin pressure and a lot more upper tension. Adjust the pressure on the pressor foot to the point that keeps the leather from lifting with the needle and which is able to feed the leather a full stitch length. Adjust the stitch length with the little thumbscrew behind the brackets that move the foot. Up is shorter, down is longer. A patcher with little wear can produce 5 stitches per inch maximum, on its own. If you help by pulling or pushing the leather into the machine, you can fudge it for longer stitches. The thicker the work, the shorter the stitches. I hope this helps get you sewing.

I have a Union Lockstitch Machine that I have rebuilt. It operates on the needle and awl principle, where the awl comes down and stabs a hole, then the needle comes up through the hole, then, as the pressor foot lifts, moves the work back, as the thread gets looped around a barb in the needle. When the needle goes down the thread is picked off the barb and drawn around the bobbin. The machine sews from 1/8" up to 3/4" of anything that the awl can pierce. It can sew leather onto plywood lined cases. The motor is on top of the table and has a belt going to a huge flywheel on the back of the machine. When you push down on the drive pedal the mechanism slowly forces the flywheel into a clutch on the rear shaft. It is possible to feather the clutch for very slow stitching, or press all the way down for Gatling Gun like speed (800 spm). The stitch length can be varied from 12 /inch, to a about 3 /inch (requires retiming the pickup point). Parts and accessories are still made and are available from Campbell Bosworth, in Texas. The bobbins are 2.5" in diameter x 1/2"+ deep and hold about 300 feet of heavy thread. The machine can sew with bonded nylon or polyester, or multi-cord linen thread. I have needles from size 1 (160) to size 3 (200), and awls from 1.5 to 3.5. This allows the machine to sew with thread sizes 138 through 346, or 3 to 6 cord linen. I have two pressor feet and three throat plates (2 customized). It will sell with a threading rod, manual, 7 bobbins, dozens of needles and awls, three square drive wrenches and a swing-away roller edge guide with two different height rollers. I will throw in all of my linen thread and any remaining Lax Wax. The machine is mounted onto a 3" thick wooden table, that is bolted onto a heavy steel stand and weighs around 500 pounds assembled. It has a 1/2 horsepower continuous run motor on the right rear of the table top, and a bobbin winding attachment, driven by one of the two motor belts. There is a wax pot for the bobbin winder and another on top of the machine. Due to the weight and my inability to lift much weight anymore, the buyer will have to come to my place, in Flint Michigan (48506), and remove it themselves (with their own helper). I can unbolt the head from the table and remove the flywheel assembly, to make it easier to take out. I will sell the machine and accessories for $2500 cash, or trade for a working, good condition, major brand cylinder arm walking foot stitcher of equal value, with a 12 inch or longer arm. It must sew up to about 3/4 inch. Contact me via the Forum messaging system, or phone 810-422-5301 (leave a message if I am out).

I once had a Union Special blind stitch machine, as do a lot of tailor shops. It used a curved needle to make a hidden stitch inside hems and cuffs, on cloth garments. Union Special are mostly garment factory and tailoring machines. I doubt you will find any that are suitable for sewing leather or vinyl, but I could be wrong. I once thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken!

If it is like the rest of the walking foot machines from, or based on the Consew system, it will sew with #138 comfortably, and, #207 with caution and very, very slow speeds. If the machine has a standard (small) industrial bobbin, it will limit you to #138 in the bobbin, unless you only sew short runs (1 or 2 belts). Number 138 thread in the bobbin will last for up to 3 belts, in a standard industrial bobbin and almost double that in a large M bobbin. In order to move #207 thread you will need a #24 leatherpoint needle. I recommend Weaver lubricated thread. In lieu of Weaver thread, use Linhanyl, but run it through a lube pot, filled with liquid sewing silicon, that you can buy and attach to the top of the machine. They are under $100. I have a walking foot machine, based on the Consew 206RB series and it is not happy sewing #207 thread, with the required #24 or 25 needle. The huge needles take a lot of pressure to puncture belt leather and hit hard. The pressor foot needs to be tightened all the way down, to keep the leather from lifting with the needle, which tends to get stuck from friction. That's why I recommended running the top thread through a lube/cooling solution, or using Weaver's prelubricated thread. If you find that this machine doesn't do the job you want it to do, there are beefier machines available. Some sew up to about 1/2", with #277 or 346 thread, others up to 7/8", with #346 to 415 thread. These machines are sold under the brand names Cowboy, Cobra, Techsew, Artisan, Adler. The big machines use a different spool shaped bobbin that holds a *huge* amount of thread. They use a longer needle system that has sizes up to #27. Most of these machines are geared way down and have high power servo motors, for slow speed control. They can sew with #277 in a #25 or 26 needle and penetrate 3/4 inch without allowing the leather to lift with the needle. Whole nuther story. So, if you buy the Consew 225 for cheap and fix it up, let it do what it was made to do: sew with #138 thread, up to 3/8" thickness, with a #22 leather point needle.

The Rex walking foot machine has been sold. This still leaves the USM Puma Skiver and the 30-1 Adler Patcher available. Pickup only, in Flint, Michigan.

Now that you have whacked the dookie out of the two little screws that secure the needlebar thread tension spring, you can order new ones from Bob Kovar. While at it, get a new spring from him. 866-362-7397

I just use flat surface punches in various diameters to knock out those pins. The concave punches you mentioned are for driving finishing nails and making animal eyes in leather.

Oops! My bad!

OldTimer; You didn't tell us the size of the needles and size of thread you are trying to sew with. Jovial is suggesting that you try the next largest size of leather point needle. If the leather point needle is a smaller size than the round point, that would explain the problem. Needle sizing is explained in a sticky topic at the top of the index page of the Leather Sewing Machines forum. Too small of a needle will fray the thread and cause other problems on the bottom of the material and in the bobbin case. Finally, make sure the needle is firmly seated, all the way up in the needlebar. Listen for a tick sound as the pickup point passes the eye of the needle. That indicates unwanted contact. The point must just pass the eye, without touching it.

Suem; Get a pin flame torch and train it on the needlebar, around those little screws. This may expand the steel enough to loosen the screws. Alternately, or additionally, insert the screw driver and tap on it with a small hammer as you twist it counterclockwise between your other thumb and middle finger. Chances are this will free it.

For chrome tanned soft leathers, I use either a white or silver gel ink pen with a ball point, or a wing divider with sharpened points (to score the leather). A ruler, or curve template is used to one side of the desired line. I suppose that one could also snap a gel ink pen into a school protractor, in place of the pencil and use the pointed side as an edge guide. For harder veg-tan leathers I prefer an adjustable distance edge gouger. Use it lightly to scribe the double lines, or cut actual channels for both stitch lines and follow the yellow brick road! Start both stitch lines at the same point, feed them at the same rate of pull and speed and the stitches should pretty much line up. For more precision, sew the second line for short distances, then check the alignment and adjust it slightly, then continue another short distance. Nothing beats a twin needle machine for double row stitching. Note; the old Singer twin needle machines will be limited to a maximum thread size of 138, as will many of the newer machines. Also, most of them lack a reverse lever. Now, if you really want to sew some serious double, triple, quadruple, etc., lines of stitches, get a needle and awl Puritan machine! They are chain stitch machines, but sew perfectly aligned multiple rows, depending on how they were setup. A Puritan can sew with linen thread run through a waxpot, or use nylon or polyester thread. The needle and awl sizes are chosen for the thread size. A 180 or 190 needle is used to sew with #277 bonded nylon, or 4 cord linen thread, while a #200 handles #346/5 cord thread. Look at a golf bag or leather briefcase to see how well they stitch.

The old Singer 112 and 212 series are double needle, mostly walking foot machines. They are plentiful, well built and reasonably priced (~$500 - $750 head only). Pull out one needle and you have a single needle machine. You can remove either needle. If you want something more modern, there are brand new twin needle machines from most of the top industrial sewing machine companies. Prices new range from just under $2000 to over $12000. Why don't you call Bob Kovar, at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines: 866-362-7397, and ask what he has in stock for twin needle walking foot machines. He can set one up for you, with the needle spacing you desire, on a k-legs table, with a SewPro 500GR gear reduction servo motor.

If, as Art suggested, the material is being pulled out of the needle path, while guiding it, more pressor foot pressure might help keep it in line with the hole. Try using a bigger needle, which is harder to bend. Look at where the needle is positioned as it enters the hole in the feed dog. It should be centered. If not, realign the feeder positioning bracket underneath (fwd/bkwd_ rt-lft). Breakage can also be cause if the needle hits the bobbin case instead of entering it freely. A threaded needle going through tough leather (or thick hems) can deflect the needle sideways. If the pickup point touches a deflected needle, it can bend or break it. The giveaway is a soft tick sound as the point touches the eye of the needle, instead of just passing it and grabbing the thread loop. If this is happening, remove the cover plate, loosen the screws that secure the shuttle, but not so much that is spins on its own, and tap it slightly away from the needle, with the needle down and the point just at the eye. Then tighten it back up and see if the problem is resolved. The point should pass the eye without making contact with the metal. Do this with the largest needle size you intend to use. Bad top-to-bottom timing can also cause needle problems. Watch the action of the triple feed parts, without any material or thread and see if the inside foot and tip of the needle makes contact with the rising, but not yet moving feed dog. If the dog is in forward/backward motion before the needle enters the top of the hole, the tip of the needle might pass too close to the edges of the hole. If this happens, the leather would cause further deflection and breakage. Finally, if the top thread tension is too great for the needle size being used, the needle may be pulled sideways on the way through the material, causing it to make direct contact with either the bobbin case, or the pickup point. Try reducing the tension on the top and bottom threads. On a related note to the above; look at the thread cone and make sure that the thread is not getting jammed or twisted over itself in the loop on top of the thread stand. This can cause sudden excessive top tension that might deflect your needle.

In portable walking foot machines, all I can do is suggest you call Bob Kovar, at 866-362-7397. As I said in my previous comments, he repackages them to survive what actually happens to boxes shipped by UPS. He can setup a machine with the needle system needed for the thread you intend to use and send extra stuff you will need. When working, they are good little machines. Most of them are produced in the same place, but with different name tags and sometimes different colors. The accessories make a difference in what they can sew. As is, they don't have a lot of punching power at slow speeds, so you may have to help one get going in veg-tan belt leather. Once it starts it will keep on going to the end. The thinner the thread and needle, the less this is a problem. If you stick with #69 thread and a #18 needle, or #92 thread in a #20 needle, it should start up on its own at slow speed. Basically, portable walking foot machines were designed for use on boats, to repair vinyl sails and covers. They can do light upholstery work and hem your jeans. Most ship with pressor feet that have aggressive teeth on the bottoms (to feed slippery vinyl and plastic windscreens). Other feet are available with smooth bottoms, for use on belt leather.

The Consew CP206R should be able to sew up to 3/16" to 1/4" of soft leather, if equipped with a leather point needle that is just the right size for the thread. Don't waste time trying to get it to sew with anything heavier than #138 thread in a #22 LR needle. They use the standard industrial needle system used in full size walking foot machines (135x16 LR and 135x17 Round) The portable walking foot machines can be modified to sew thicker/denser material, driving up their cost, but they still have the same interior and often inferior moving parts and bearings. Sometimes they are damaged beyond repair if the box they are shipped in is dropped on the front or back end. Shafts jam and bend from the shock and plastic covers snap off. This happened to one I bought and I went through Hell trying to get a refund, after paying to ship it back. If you buy a portable w.f. machine, of any brand, make sure there is a full refund offered if it doesn't turn over smoothly and sew when you unpack it. If you do get one and it arrives in good working condition, search for threads on this forum where owners of them discussed how to modify them to do a bit more serious work. Bob Kovar, at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, sells portable walking foot machines and sets them up and repackages them to survive shipping. He is a member here. His number is 866-362-7397

Since you live in Canada, have you considered getting a Techsew? The company is located in Montreal, a division of Raphael Sewing. Ronnie, from Techsew, is one of our sponsors and has banner ads all over the LW forums. Their 180-2 series is similar to the other 16.5" cylinder arm 441 clone machines available here in the USA. You won't have to worry about Customs, since the machines are already inside Canada. They also do the servicing and have parts and accessories for their machines and many other brands. The phone number for Techsew is: 866-415-8223

If you really want to rebuild that machine, take it to Toledo, to Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, on Marine Drive. They do that kind of work and don't need microfilm to get one back together.

I should add that leather drive belts come in a variety of diameters, from 1/8" to 3/8" and can be cut to your required size (+ a couple of inches just in case). I use a 5/16" belt on my long arm Singer patcher. The bigger diameter gives better grip. But, home treadle pulleys may not accept that width of belt. You may be limited to 1/4" or less. If so, belt no-slip is imperative. All new leather sewing belts ship with a couple of C clips. You have to punch or drill small holes into the two ends, about 3/16" in and clamp them down with pliers.

Welcome to the Leatherworker.net Leather Sewing Machines Forum, Colin! The machine you bought is called a patcher and is primarily used to repair torn boots, shoes, replace zippers and to sew patches onto leather jackets and vests. It is not designed for any heavy use, despite its appearance. The bobbins are tiny and unless you restrict them to a maximum thread size of #69, they run out very quickly. You may be able to find a cast iron base for sale, but shipping could get very expensive. If you want to modify a standard treadle base, get one with the smallest possible drive wheel diameter. A patcher base comes with a dual size pulley: 9" and 12". Most home treadles only have a 12" wheel. This is too fast and lacks punching power on such a clunky machine. Anyway, if you find a treadle base with even a 10" pulley, hook it up to the larger of the two pulleys on the back of the machine. Get a good quality leather belt to drive it and spray on some sticky belt no-slip treatment. I sold a 29-4 patcher head to a local shoe repair shop and he put a home sewing machine motor and a belt on the back of it and uses it semi-motorized for small patching jobs. Parts are usually available from most industrial sewing machine dealers. At least one of this forum's member-dealers is Bob Kovar, of Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. He has patcher parts that would make your head spin. Call him at: 866-362-7397.

Oops! The Adler patcher for sale in Flint is a model 30-1, not a 30-7. I apologize for any confusion.

Catskin; ? There is an adjustable brake screw on the back of the servo motor (it may be inside the rear motor casing). It is secured by a lock nut and it is hard to turn, at first. I adjusted mine to give some foot movement before the motor engages. However, it does not give as much free movement as a clutch motor. Bob Kovar can assist you on the phone, or by email, with this adjustment.

Could be. This happened around 1987 or 88 and the machine is long gone. I never bought another Juki for myself after that, but I did arrange to buy them for other people and they seemed to work okay.