Wizcrafts

I have a 107w3 and it can be set for a slightly wider zig zag, but the needle might hit the presser foot. I carefully position the throw so the needle just barely brushes the inside of the slot in the foot. It is over 1/4 inch, but not by much. The 20U has a much wider throw. As for the standard zig zag width, I once had a Pfaff 138 zig zag machine that had less that 1/4 inch width (I think 3/16", but metric).

Remove the needle clamp and stitch regulator clamp and screw above it. Then unscrew the two top and two bottom screws holding the head to the body and carefully pull it away and down from the body, leaving the needle bar attached to the top arm. Clean every part in there. There is a roller that needs to rotate freely on the back of the long sliding bar. The rotating foot parts include a ring and a feed motion cam. Remove them and clean off any junk. Now, examing the paddle spring on the needle bar. It sits above the needle clamp. It is supposed to hold onto the top thread as the needle does its up/down jog to form the loop for the hook to pick off. Those little paddles and the thin spring in the middle can get out of shape and cause binding. If there is any pressure problem with that spring the loop may dissolve before the hook can pick it off. Check (paddle shaped) springs are cheap. But, use a magnetized screw driver if you change it to a new one. Don't loose the two tiny screws. Also, keep them separated so you can reinstall them into the same positions they were in. The reason for this is that the factory usually files down the leading and trailing edges of the crew heads to prevent scoring the inside of the revolving head housing. If you replace them with new screws, get a narrow file to taper the edges after tightening them in.

I have a sewing room full of walking foot machines, including 1 Techsew 2700. Every now and then one of them decides to hang the presser bar when I lift it all the way. This happens because the bushings at the top and bottom can sometimes move, or get out of round. Or, the presser bar itself can bend slightly from stress and impacts. One way I found to fix this is by loosening the set screw for the upper or lower bushing (on the back side of the head), or both, with the foot lifted all the way. I play with the set screw adjustments until the presser bar move up and down freely, then liberally oil the raised bar to get the bearings lubricated. Also, open the faceplate and oil every moving shaft and bearing. If loosening the bushings doesn't help with a binding presser bar, buy a replacement. It is probably the same bar that was used in the Singer 111 machines.

One type of leather tanning that repels water is "patent leather." This is expensive by the square foot, Chrome tanned bag leathers also resist water, especially those that are oil tanned. Then there is bridle leather for horse gear with waxes and oil embedded inside the leather and Latigo leather used in saddle strings and hanging straps. Latigo is also used in leather saddlebags. Really, almost any type of leather can be finished with a water resistant top finish. The finish can be acrylic based or lacquer based. Saddle Lac is a well know leather protector. Even Carnauba Creme can waterproof leather if is is properly buffed.

I buy thread from a variety of sources, including the following... Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines; Cowboy and Amann Serafil brands of bonded thread. Superior Thread; bonded nylon - bonded polyester - house brand Wawak.com - all kinds of thread at decent prices, including Amann Strongbond Sewing Threads R Us - including QTC brand bonded thread from Quality Thread. The Thread Exchange

This translates in to English as the following: I suggest you change the pulley for a smaller one so slow down and get used to the engine clutch align the grapple well over time

I also used to have a two ton arbor press. I used it as a clicker press by placing a steel plate over the dies and moving them around under the ram. The ram was modified to hold a 3 inch diameter x 1/2 inch thick round steel plate that had a 1/2 inch rod welded in the center to fit onto the hole in the ram. The die maker also made me a 3 foot long handle. I had to bolt the press down hard!

Keep a lookout for a Singer 211G156. as it is a new version of the 111w155, but with a push down reverse lever. I have one and it is easy to change the stitch length from almost no movement up to 4.5 to the inch. Also, there was a Singer 111w156 made with reverse, but they are as rare as hen's teeth.

According to this needle and thread chart, the designation "E" indicates that it is Government Size E which is equal to #69 bonded thread.

It is a straight stitch bottom feed machine. Watch this video about a Pfaff 134.

My post machine is a Singer 168G101. I bought it from Bob Kovar at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. It has the same feed as a Singer 153w103

The machine in the photo you posted does not have a walking foot! It is a standard cloth sewing machine with a one piece presser foot on the presser bar. Then there is the needle bar. A walking foot has three bars coming down. There would be an inside foot that the needle passes through and an outside foot that holds down the material. These feet alternate up and down with the needle and feed dog action. Perhaps the seller doesn't know what a walking foot is, or sent you a photo of the wrong machine.

It's a straight stitch bottom feed machine with a horizontal hook. It may be based on the venerable Singer 31-15 tailoring machine. Get some tailors' chalk, pins, hem guides, pinking shears and with this machine you can go into the alterations business. Add a roller foot and it may sew light density and thin leather.

I would recommend bonded polyester thread because it isn't affected by UV rays and the elements. Use the largest size that allows you to hide the knots and long stitches so you don't perforate the webbing to the point of weakening it. Polyester thread has a slightly lower breaking strength, so use the same size on top and bottom. Use a round point needle so you don't cut the fibers. I've sewn 3" wide heavy webbing straps like you described on my Cowboy cb4500. I used the first zig-zag pattern shown in Trash Treasure's chart. I think I sewed the fold back between 8 and 10 inches. It's been a while now. The person who hired me to sew the straps uses them to lift corvette bodies off their chassis and probably other brands too. There haven't been any breakages or complaints and I've sewed a bunch.

I own a 1921 Singer 31-15 and aside from adjusting the tensions, nothing else really can be adjusted. The hook is pinned to the bottom shaft so the timing is fixed. The only thing that could go out is the needle bar height, from a needle hitting the throat plate impact.

This should help explain leather point needles: https://www.schmetz.com/en/industrial-needles/needle-compass/cutting-points/

I have owned a CB4500 since 2011. I normally use it to sew things that exceed 1/8 inch, using thread sizes 138, 207 and 277 (and sometimes #346).. But, after getting the narrow feed dog and throat plate from sew as thin as 4 ounces. I obtained some thin system 7x3 needles down to a number 19 so I can sew with #92 bonded thread. While I am able to use thin thread to sew soft and thin leather and denim pants cuffs, I have other machines that are friendlier with these projects. A CB4500 will serve as a great first machine as long as you either keep the thickness and thread sizes at 138 and up, OR, you add on the narrow feed dog and throat plate, then buy smaller System 7x3 needles. Note, 7x3 needles are round point, not leather point. Nobody I know has found leather points smaller than #23 in System 7x4 (aka: 794). When you sell enough stuff buy another couple machines for thinner work or patching.

The Adler 105 is a bottom feed only machine. The teeth will leave marks on the bottom that you will either have to try to smooth out, or explain away. Those teeth are required to grip the leather and pull it to space the stitches. The denser and thicker the stack of leather, the higher the foot pressure must be to keep the leather from lifting with the needle. The higher the foot pressure, the deeper the tooth marks on the bottom.

You can try emailing the photo to yourself. Some mail servers reduce the quality of attached images. Otherwise, try FastStone Photo Resizer..

A direct drive motor has a minimum of slack before it engages or disengages, vs a belt driven external motor. The head will be heavier due to the inclusion of the motor, This type of drive mates better to position sensors than a belt driven motor. The negative is the extra cost of a proprietary motor and the complication of replacing it if it fails. The entire head may need to be returned to an authorized service center. I have tried out the Adler 868 with a built in motor and it had a very positive feel and solid response to my foot position. It also cost many thousands of dollars. Am I right in guessing you are looking at the Adlers sold by Weaver Leather? Do you have a long line of credit, or are you a lottery winner?

LOL! We are referring to Bob Kovar Sr., owner of Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. He is a long time contributing and supporting member of Leatherworker.net and goes as @CowboyBob.

Yes, I got them. Thank you very much! Yes he does. He installed one on my CB4500.

Brian; Try the hands free again with a tri point or diamond point needle.

FYI: I sometimes find the if I get irregular stitching, tightening both the top and bottom tension may help stabilize the position of the knots. This may require moving up one needle size, or not. Some leathers are tougher than others. I have had bridle leather that actually had portions of rawhide inside. It was so tough that it broke my roller knife blade! I'm not saying yours has rawhide, but it may have uneven densities in different places on the pieces you are sewing.

I can't see the bed of the machine because the power cord is on it. If there is just one push button is is not a 111w155, but a previous model, probably a 111w153. The one pushbutton is used to change the stitch length. The 111w155 has this button, plus a second one that re-engages a popped safety clutch after thread jams in the hook.