Wizcrafts

That looks like a cuff sewing machine for jacket and pants cuffs. I have a Singer left handed cuff sewing machine.

For that I use size 19 or 20 needles in system 135x16 diamond or tri point. I prefer to buy titanium coated needle that don't overheat or gum up as badly sewing through double-sided tape or glue. Don't use round point needles in hard leather. They tend to grab inside on the way down and up. You can hear the squeaking as they heat up. Always use some configuration of a leather point when sewing leather, especially veg-tan and bridle leather.

My first industrial sewing machine was a Singer 96k40. It is a tailoring machine. I equipped it with a 1 inch roller foot which helped feed leather. But, it kept breaking needles when I tried sewing a leather vest with fringe on the back. Other times, it shredded the top thread. The pressure spring wasn't strong enough to hold down 10 ounces of heavy garment leather. I then bought an old Singer walking foot machine from yesteryear and it did the job. It had a spring loaded presser foot and an oscillating hook. I don't recall the model as it was decades ago.

Olive Drab bonded #92 in 4 ounce spools Olive drab bonded poly in 1 pound spools

Methinks that the guest leather worker isn't aware that "guests" cannot use our private messages or email link systems. He or she will have to become a member to gain access to those modes of contacting other members. Otherwise, they can post their phone number or email address in plain text and hope that the harvester bots don't scrape them.

The machine was sold by COOPER, not COPPER. You can read this on the logo on the machine in the first photo.

Back to the OP's question about its usability for wallets; it can sew wallet interiors with #69 bonded nylon thread using a #18 leather point needle. It will do better on slick top grain leather that doesn't get dragged by the steel presser foot. I would say it can sew about 6 ounces of small leather pieces; 8 ounces soft temper max.

This is not a 66. It has an end mounted horizontal axis bobbin. The model 66 have vertical drop in bobbins. It could be a 15 class or a model 201. The brass tag should have the model number. If that is missing, the serial number can be looked up on Ismacs and it will reveal the model and date of manufacture.

This is a clone of a Singer 29k72 shoe and boot patcher. The brand is unknown to me. Buyer beware. You may have to set it up and correct manufacturing defects yourself. The seller seems to know very little about the machine and English doesn't appear to be his native language. The price is for the head only. There is no motor or table. The seller doesn't have bobbins for it and suggests that buyers look on the Internet for parts.

I once had an Adler 204-374. It looked exactly like this machine, but had triple feed. It had many parts in common with its cylinder arm brother, the Adler 205-374. It weighed 175 pounds and the table was warped, as was my trailer floor. The difference between the -370 and -374 is the feed dog. The -370 has teeth while the -374 is smooth, like the Cowboy and Cobra 441 class feed dogs.

Yes, clear sewing machine oil will do. Otherwise, a light weight 3 in 1 type oil.

Kgg's photo should put this argument to rest. The 1541 series have horizontal axis rotary hooks on the left end with push in bobbins; not vertical hooks with drop in bobbins. Also, some newer models have dual top tension assemblies to handle heavier thread.

Let's see a picture of your 1541. I say it has a horizontal, end accessed hook; not a drop in left side hook like the 1508 and old 563.

the 201 refers to a much sought after Singer 201 class domestic sewing machine. It has drop feed, a flat foot, side loading horizontal axis bobbin and a pod motor. It has a longer body than the 15 class machines that came first and fetches a higher price. Th 201 was produced from 1935 through 1961. Here is the Ismacs page about the Singer 201.

You need to get a picture of the front of the machine to ID it. Also, ask for a picture showing the foot/feet from the outside left. This will reveal if it is a walking foot of any type and whether it is needle feed, dual top/bottom feed, or triple/compound feed.

Could you please post a close-up photo of the altered part that allows for longer reverse stitches?

They are fascinating machines. We had a recent topic about sewing denim jeans and one of the members shared a video on YouTube showing the operator combining layers while feeding off the arm. Maybe that's the video you watched.

You need to wrap the thread counter-clockwise around something to counteract the twist of the wound spool. It could be a post that has holes on the top and bottom, or the guide before the pre-tensioner.

Next thing ya know, you guys and gals will start talking about Feed Off The Arm machines for designer jeans!

You didn't say what the problems are with the Boss machine. But, if they aren't resolved at the factory and you still want a manual sewing machine, there is one called the Cowboy Outlaw. It is sold and services in Toledo, Ohio. Also, Weaver Leather sells a manual sewing machine they call The Cub. For similar money you could get a motorized Cowboy CB2500. It is only bottom feed, but the teeth really pull the leather on the bottom. People using machines like it just rub out the tooth marks on the back side.

There is an attachment that is driven by the needle bar going up and down that sort of passively walks in sync with the feed dog. It was made for quilters and is sometimes called a quilting even feed foot. I had one that I used on a Singer 15-91 I had and it was useless with vinyl and leather. I had better results when I found a roller equipped foot.

Maybe a wallet, or maybe just a wallet interior. The only method of feed is the teeth on the feed dog. Because leather can be dense, more pressure may be needed on the foot to prevent the leather from lifting up with the needle. The higher foot pressure fights against the feed action and may result in uneven stitches. This is especially true if the top grain is sticky, rather than smooth. The foot may just dig in.

You can find these screws on eBay or from any industrial sewing machine dealer in the World. The hook used in your machine is one of the most common in existence. Why not buy an entire new hook, and a new driving gear? Techsew is in Montreal and can help you with parts.

I haven't read every word in the replies, so my apologies if this was already mentioned. Sometimes, when bobbin thread changes tension as you sew, reversing the direction of the bobbin may smooth out the flow. Standard practice is to insert the bobbin so the thread makes a sharp turn against the direction of the windings. This is to keep the thread in the slot leading to the tension spring and to offset the rotation of the bobbin case that could cause the thread to unwind inside the case. Most bobbin cases either include an anti-backlash spring or can have one dropped in under the bobbin. These springs may be a beehive shape or a 5 point star, or round with raised portions. If your bobbin case has one of those springs, try feeding the bobbin thread inline instead of against the natural direction of flow. Note: Changing the direction of flow in the bobbin case changes the tension. You will have to readjust the top and bottom tensions one way or the other.

Three of the four machines you posted pictures of have synchronized binder attachments. These machines are used to sew cloth binding over edges. Because of the way the binders feed the folded cloth, the machines are often set up without a 4 motion feed dog. If the machine you pick only has a sliding feed dog, it may interfere with sewing your sandals, especially if they are leather soled. In effect, the feed dog will be trying to push the work back towards you as you try to sew it. The only machine without a synchronized binder is the one called e-sew. If it has a 4 motion feed dog, it may be a better choice. A 4-way feed dog moves forward and backward and up and down. It is also known as "drop feed."