Wizcrafts

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!

Call Bob Kovar at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines: 866 362-7397. Ask him for the best used walking foot machine, with a SewPro 500GR servo motor installed, for what you can afford. Tell him how thick you intend to sew, what type of leather it is and the size of thread you want to use. He will set the machine up as you describe it. I would ask for it to be setup for #138 Linhanyl thread. Get a couple packs of #22 leather point needles. Als, get some #18 leather point needles, in case you need to sew with the lighter #69 nylon thread. Get two spools of each color thread you intend to use most often. Use one spool for the sewing thread and the other to reload the bobbins. Get about 10 extra bobbins and a quart of sewing machine oil and a small, refillable oil bottle. Bob Kovar is an established sewing machine dealer and can certainly find a good machine to match your needs and budget. You may need to pay more to get all of the accessories I described, but you'll need them any way you cut it.

Bob Kovar; Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines: 866-362-7397

2 x 4 ounces = 8 ounces, sewn to 8 ounces = 16 ounces, + 3 ounces overlays = 19 ounces = ~5/16" This is at the upper end of the ability of the old Singer 111w155 machines, which can sew 20 ounces maximum. I think your best bet is to look for a walking foot machine with a 3/8" capacity. Consew 206RB-(1 - 5), Cowboy, Econosew, Tacsew, Juki, Chandler, Adler and Pfaff all have models that sew up to 3/8" with a triple feed system. We have at least three forum members who sell both new and used industrial sewing machines. Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines 866 362-7397: Bob Kovar Keystone Sewing: Greg ? Raphael Sewing: Ronnie ? I have been to Toledo and seen the hundreds of machines in stock there. If you can't find an affordable walking foot machine there, I give up. Bob Kovar also sells and installs the SewPro 500GR 3:1 gear reduction servo motors that allow total speed control, from one stitch every few seconds, up to about 6 or 7 stitches per second. If you get a decent used walking foot machine, mounted onto a table with that motor, your be set for a long time. These machines sew with #138 bonded nylon thread. It is possible to use #207 on top, if you use #138 in the bobbin.

I paid $176 shipped, last Winter. I guess the price is the same, but don't know for sure. Maybe some other members who bought one more recently can confirm the price. I do know somebody that bought one from that eBay seller and it had a larger pulley that was hard to replace. They are not standard pulleys, as the shaft is narrower than most clutch and servo motors. The pulleys are hard to remove and replacements are hard to find at this time. I have asked the eBay seller if he has other pulley sizes for this motor and will report here when I find out.

I was aware of that eBay seller and already checked them out. I bought my SewPro 500GR, with the preferred 2 inch pulley for leather stitchers already installed, for half the shipping charge this eBay store asks. That's why I recommended Bob Kovar for a good source for these motors. They are smaller bodied than clutch motors and do required a shorted v-belt than the original you are replacing.

So buy a servo motor that is easy to control! Bob Kovar sells a gear reduction SewPro 500GR that has excellent control-ability and lots of power at slow speed.

Forget about getting a walking foot zig-zag machine in your budget range. Not that one couldn't fall out of the sky and into your shop, but it's unlikely. That said, you can buy zig-zag flat foot, bottom feeders for under $900. The problem is that they are not designed to sew leather and may have a lot of trouble feeding it. Used straight stitching walking foot machines are plentiful and available within your price range. New ones are not. Be prepared to spend at least $1300 to $1500 for a half decent new walking foot machine, with a table and servo motor. A really good one, like a Juki, will cost over $2100 new, up to $3000. As for the big bobbin machines, they are available from various manufacturers, like Adler, Juki, Consew, Seiko, Chandler, Cowboy, Cobra, Techsew, Artisan and various clones. The big bobbin machines hold 50% more thread than standard bobbins. The Juki large bobbins are even bigger; holding double a standard load. If you are really lucky you may find somebody selling an old Juki LU-563 in the $850 range. Some of the aforementioned machines retailed for well over $2000, up to $4000 for Adlers. Someone who bought one of these top of the line machines new will not be likely to let it go for less than half of what they paid, unless it has problems. Note, that the quality of the stitching depends on the condition of the machine and the type of needle and thread you use.

How much shorter belt did you have to buy? You said that the pulleys are the same diameter, right?