Wizcrafts

In leatherwork, we machine sew with either bonded nylon or bonded polyester thread. As Dwight mentioned, these threads are wound on plastic spools. They are usually sold in 4 ounce through 16 ounce put-ups. The thread must be on a thread stand and must feed straight up to an overhead thread eye that it goes through before going to the sewing machine. Spooled industrial thread is not meant to be fed sideways, like home/domestic thread is. Also, there must be enough distance between the top of the thread spool and the overhead eyelets to keep it from twisting over the top structure, or wire eyelet. I try for about 5 or 6 inches spacing when possible. If none of the spools you find are bonded thread, don't waste your money.

First of all, what type of servo motor is installed on the machine? Does it go directly from the motor to the machine? Or, is there a speed reducer between them? In the early days of the CB4500 and Cobra Class 4 machines (e.g., 2011 - 2013), they all had digital servo motors with a readout display and push buttons to change functions. these motors started spinning at about 200 rpm. Sometime after that, they began to ship with analog servo motors featuring a simple knob to limit the top speed, plus a 3:1 speed reducer to triple the torque. My analog servo and speed reducer lets me sew so slowly that it's like watching grass grow if I just slightly engage the speed pedal.

Is the top thread going through the take-up lever? Is the bobbin thread jammed? Is the tab on the bobbin case catching the top tread? If so, maybe the latch opener needs to pull back more on the bobbin case flange.

The same thing happened to me a week ago on my long arm Singer walking foot machine. I dinked with this and that and couldn't figure out why the top thread was looping on the bottom of the work --- until I looked really close at the top thread path. That's when I finally noticed that the top thread was routed behind the tension disks instead of inside them!. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you. Check the thread at the tension disks. Disclosure: I had just rethreaded the machine with a different top color. I missed the tension disks because I must have been in a hurry.

I'm pulling this out of my hat, which I'm not wearing right now. I do some hot foil embossing in my shop; just words and letters. The press embosses the leather before I add the colored foil. I usually give it two good presses first, then place the foil over the leather and press it for a second or so at 230 degrees. This transfers the gold, silver, brown, white, or black foil to the project. So, since laser engravers use heat to burn into leather, is it possible to dial down the power just enough so it can heat the foil to 230 degrees after you place it over the leather, in effect burning your design in, right through the embossing foil? It might require two passes. The first would have the power needed to burn the design into the leather. The second pass would be at reduced power to fuse the colored foil as an overlay. Thoughts?

The take-up lever is still available from aftermarket companies and many industrial sewing machine dealers. Additionally, we have a long-time member who specializes in patchers and their parts. He is known as @shoepatcher

LOL! This is a serger that sews thread over the edge of fabrics. It uses thin cotton or polyester thread. Its purpose is to keep the cut edges from unraveling. Sergers are used to sew pockets for jackets, vests, pants, shirts, as well as to protect the inside seam edges. Every dress and alterations shop has one. I have one in my shop to make pockets and to resew the borders on embroidered patches when they are thread bare in spots.

@urlbee51 Please don't cross-post the same topic in different sections of the forum. This section is getting the answers you were seeking. I hid your other duplicate post.

I've never seen a Cobra 26 up close. But, I'm confident that there is some eccentric adjustment to match the forward and reverse stitches. However, if it is anything like my Singer 211G156, matching the holes may reduce the maximum stitch length. In my case, my Singer could sew almost 4 to the inch if I unbalance the reverse stitches. With them balanced, I get 5 to the inch. If you plan on ordering this machine, or a Cowboy CB341 (from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines), ask them to match the stitch length in the thickness you expect to sew most frequently. That way the machine will arrive pre-adjusted in both directions. The maximum stitch length will be what it is.

Do you know that there are still replacement parts available for Union Lockstitch machines? I bought about $1000 worth of parts and accessories for my last ULS from Campbell-Randall, in 2011. Why don't you contact them and ask if they have any spare threaded hollow wax stripper bolts and the drilled rubber inserts? You might get lucky and be able to order just those parts, then drill and tap a standard Cowboy lube pot. They might be able to do the whole thing in their shop if they have a compatible wax pot.

The SInger 45k25 is a bottom (drop) feed machine with a fixed position presser foot and needle. The feed dog on the bottom raises up and grabs the bottom of the leather and pushes it through for the next stitch. The teeth are fairly aggressive and will leave deep marks in the bottom if there is a grain side facing down. If you always sew with the flesh side down, those marks will be mostly invisible. The 45k can sew with up to #277 thread using a #25 leather point needle.

My Singer 211G156 can sew with #138 thread, once in a while. Mostly, I keep #92 thread in it and use #19 or 20 needles. I got it to clear #138 thread by moving the hook assembly slightly away from the needle, then adjusting the latch opener lever that pulls the bobbin case back as the top thread goes under the tab that fits under the throat plate. If the pull back doesn't happen, the thread can jam in the tab.

Ferdinand machinery has been out of business for a long time now. They often bought stock machines, removed original parts, and added their own custom parts to the inside of their machines. If the machine you're looking at has any mechanical issues that requires replacement parts, you might be in a bind. OTOH, it could be a diamond in the rough!

@thenrie, would you please copy the posts containing those links and paste and send them to me in a private message? I checked every link I saw in all of the pages in this topic and none went to car insurance pages. There was a 404 not found on a forum though. This was an old topic that started in 2011. Dead links and redirects can be expected when they go to outside websites. When you send the posts and links, let me know your operating system and browser make and version. Also, let me know about any anti-virus or anti-malware program you are running.

@thenrie Why don't you contact @CowboyBob and see what he sells a complete Cowboy Outlaw setup for?

@CowboyBob, that's sabotage! Herr Adler would roll over in his grave!

I have a 30-7, not a 30-1. I get over 5 to the inch into 4-5 ounces of leather with the stitch regulator all the way down on the manually raised foot (using the foot lifter lever on the back). You can cheat for longer stitches by lowering the regulator bracket a little more. But, when you go to lift the foot, it will stop at the regulator bracket before it can lock in the lifted position. You can also increase the slack in the top thread to make it easier to feed. You can push or pull the leather to increase the stitch length. As a last resort, if there is noticeable free motion in the foot, when you push and pull on it in the lifted position, replacing the feed motion cam may get a bit more length. However, the stitch length always decreases as the thickness being sewn increases, due to the pendulum effect.

If you do that on a regular basis, see about getting a spare throat plate chrome plated and polished to a mirror finish. This will reduce drag and lessen the force needed on the foot. You may still need to help feed the material with your hands. Alternately, spray silicon or teflon lube on the flesh side of the leather (and clean it off later).

I sometimes run my top thread through liquid silicon in a little lube tube that's sold by industrial sewing machines dealers, on and off line. The one I have screws onto a top post, plus I think has a magnet on the base. It has a transparent flip open reservoir for the lube. The thread gets routed through the bottom that has little channels for the thread to run in. The entire reservoir, with its closed lid flops over so you can route the thread under it. There is a screw running down the center of the tube to regulate the flow. Other hints when sewing on sticky Velcro: Use titanium coated needles, like the Groz-Beckert Gebeder series. Use diamond points for leather and round points for cloth. Use one size larger than standard (e.g., use a #19 needle with #69 thread, or a #20 needle with #92 thread). Increase the foot/feet pressure setting to hold down the Velcro as the loaded needle ascends on the upstroke. If the material lifts with the ascending needle, you'll get skipped stitches. A double toe foot usually holds the Velcro down better than a left toe foot. Add some slack with the check spring disk position, throw, and spring force. Move the hook closer to the needle. Do this in concert with adding slack in the check spring. Try some extra large eye needles. Schmetz makes some that can still sew through adhesives with less clogging of the eye. They offer a high end model named Schmetz "GO", which has an oversize eye and is sold in boxes of 100 needles per size. I have good luck with the more easily obtainable Schmetz "Serv 7" needles that can be bought in a pack of 10 needles. Finally, load a dauber with Goof Off and wipe it on the needle every couple of inches of sewing. This really works for me. If you decide to try sew-on Velcro, apply Leather Tape from Wawak down the center, avoiding the sewing borders. The tape holds the Velcro in place as you carefully sew along the perimeter. I do this to patches I sew onto bikers' vests and jackets.

My Adler 30-7 can get close to 4 to the inch in 4-5 ounces of low density, sliick-bottom leather. This drops as the thickness increases, or the leather gets tougher or stickier and harder to pull through. It can be easier to pull longer stitches if you engage the thread slack controller mechanism to give more slack during the take-up cycle. This is something I learned on previous Singer patchers. If the stitch length driving cam is worn, you can push from the front or pull from the back to help the leather feed at longer stitch lengths (up to its effective maximum). If your machine also has a T-bar darning attachment on top, you can use it to cheat and pull the leather as far as you want per stitch.

That Adler model was specially altered to sew moccasins. Here is just one of several topics on Leatherworker.net about the Adler 105-25 MO.

I believe that a previous owner had that roller foot custom built, along with a matching, wide feed dog and throat plate. Unless you can figure out how this setup functions, you'll be better off buying the stock foot, feed dog and throat plate.

Glenn was letting you know that the cam on the back is fitted onto the top shaft with a solid tapered pin. You'll need to rotate the hand wheel to bring that pin to the top, then pound it out with a drift punch. Note, the pin is tapered and only comes out in one direction, which I don't know about. After loosening the cam, hold the wheel and rotate the cam until the hole on the other side is facing up. Then pound in the tapered pin and test the machine.

T he 211g151 is NOT a walking foot machine. It is a needle feed machine. The needle moves in sync with the bottom feed dog, while dragging against the presser foot. I almost think I see a mini roller on one side of that foot. If so, it's probably a convoluted form of a roller foot to make it easier to feed sticky materials, like upholstery leather.

@MarkNY Did you glue or tape the layers together and is the needle going through the glue or tape? This can cause tension problems as the eye gums up. It can also cause the top thread to rat. Every now and then, after I've balanced the knots in a matching test strip, as I'm sewing the knots will start to show on top. When I investigate the problem, it's usually either that the bobbin thread has loosened, or twisted out of the tension spring, or the top thread twisted and got snagged along the way and became too tight. Things can change during active sewing, especially when you start, stop, speed up and slow down. Another thing to check is the presser foot pressure setting. There should be enough pressure to keep the leather from lifting with the ascending needle. If you have trouble balancing the knots, use the smallest needle that centers the knots. An oversize needle lets the knots move at the slightest provocation. Note that the tighter hole will require more top tension to bring the bobbin thread up. This may help if your leather has inconsistent density, or is glued or taped and it is sticking to the needle. Make certain that you are loading your bobbins evenly. I usually load them in so the thread makes a sharp turn as it feeds the slot in the bobbin case. This increases the bobbin tension a bit and provides better stability for staying under the tension spring. But, if there is any cross threading on the bobbin, or fuzzies, they will cause hiccups to the bobbin tension as you sew. Also, if the bobbin is out of shape, toss it and buy new ones that stay flat as they rotate. You should be able to buy prewound bobbins from A&E and other thread companies. They are usually would to exacting specifications for commercial use. I use a lot of prewounds and rarely have any issues with them. Finally, make sure the needle is inserted with the long rig on the left and the cutout facing due right. Oh, and use titanium coated needles if possible. The coating helps when sewing through glue and reduces heat buildup.