CustomDoug

I need to get a binder attachment to sew leather to canvas and leather to leather. I came across a post where Sailrite binder attachments were suggested for "clone" type machines with screw holes on top - I assume my Consew 206 fit into that catagory (there are clones then there are clones)? I will be sewing upholstery leather and chap leather with this binder so I guess it needs to have a little thicker openings to accomadate this, especially if this attachment is to give a clean "hidden" edge. On the other hand I wouldn't mind a raw edge binding at times too. I also have a Singer 45K25.... is there a binder attachment for this machine? If not, is there such a thing made for a typical GA5-1 machine that might fit my 45K25? Thanks for any info!

Yes it's still under the one year warranty but I was trying to avoid the down time of shipping, etc. Didn't want to just assume I couldn't fix it myself. Checked wires this evening with a 110v tester light. Here are the results: ~the main power wire is made up of 3 wires - a blue, a brown, and a yellow w/green stripe. The brown one illuminates the test light. Nothing from the blue one. Nothing from the yellow/green strip either (which just terminates at a bolt that holds the body of the motor together). ~Then there are two prominent wires that run back into the main body of the motor, one red and one white. Both of these light up the test light which indicates that power is getting into the main part of the motor. BTW, these two wires are connected at the front on the circuit board (if that's what it's called) to a blue and a red wire one on each side of the forward/reverse switch. I removed the brushes but they seemed ok to me, I flipped them over to see if that made a difference..nothing, then flipped them back. This motor really has very little use on it so their appearance didn't surprise me. Any guesses ?

Yes, the switch is turned on while I'm trying to work the motor/machine. When I flip on the power at the switch, the light that illuminates the sewing area comes on (as it always has) and it goes off when I turn the switch off. I've also tried adjusting the speed control just in case it was set to "so slow it's not moving at all" , but that's not the case.

Yes I got it from one of the forum vendors here, less than a year. Finding a receipt would be a challenge but they may keep that stuff on file I suppose. I'm pretty handy and would much prefer to replace a faulty component myself than send it back and double or triple my down time. I understand that might not be possible though. I see a fuse that screws into the face of the switch box and it's fine. I'll have a look around inside the cover and see if I can spot any others (I didn't see any obvious ones when I looked earlier).

My Servo Motor that I've had less than a year is no longer working. This I noticed after a line of thunderstorms came through our area and it's all I can GUESS to be the cause. Perhaps it may have received a surge of electricity, I don't know. We were away from home that afternoon (a few days ago) so I have no idea if there was any kind of lightning in our general area but i have no other idea what could have made this happen. Everything else works off the wall outlet and from the electrical extension cord that this machine is plugged into. ALSO - the accessory sewing light that's plugged into the end of this servo motor DOES work, which is puzzling. Nothing happens though when I press the pedal, just silence. SOOO.. I was wandering if there are any checks I can do to diagnose the problem? I have an electrical multi-meter but am a little confused which setting to put it on. I've removed the end cover and can see the colored wires... which ones go to what though? This motor is a SewPro 500GR, so is there a service and parts contact besides Toledo Industrial that I can contact? Conversely, is this something that my local Industrial Machine distributor could handle fixing (to save on down time associated with shipping). Thanks for any help and advice.

ok, that put it in perspective for me.

ahh, I see now. Thanks for the pics, that is helpful indeed. 800 stitches per minute is around 13 per second so to some that would still be considered fast (me ). That's not getting it down to a crawl but I imagine it's just taking the really aggressive speed out of the clutch motor. Or am I off on my understanding of stitch speed?

Busted - you couldn't post a picture of that set up, could you?

I've never seen a 31-18 pop up locally but there is usually a slow trickle stream of 31-15's come along. However, just today a 31-*19* popped up for a descent price and I was really excited until I read up on this model and it turns out to be a Walking Foot model. Normally that would be good when dealing with leather BUT like I mentioned I need to use the buttonhole attachment, which would not work with the walking foot I don't think. Bummer! I figure the 31-18 with the roller foot might not work with the attachment either (unless a normal feed dog can be retrofitted) . BTW, I missed out on the 96-10 someone snatched it up pretty quick. So, the search continues.

Yes I'm perfectly aware of this but that does not address my question about whether there's any adjustment for the small screw at the bottom of the long vertical spring. Nevermind, but thanks anyway.

aw, I see.. I knew it couldn't be much diff.

Thanks ya'll. Unfortunately I've been unable to reconnect with the machine's owner to make an offer. Meanwhile, I see there's a 95 class machine near me too. Any significant difference?

~Beating a dead horse I know, but - the slot of my screw is a little wornout looking so the previous own obviously did some removing or loosening of that screw. So besides just removal is there adjustment that can be made to it? If so, would it only affect the amount of pressure exerted on the leather while the foot is down and the lifter is down? ~Regarding the L/M/H butterfly, that was the mistake I was originally making. ~This is why I'm asking about that chewed up screw on the bottom of the long thin vertical spring that you're saying affects pressure on the presser foot. Could it be that the previous owner has adjusted the pressure so that it's not got enough pressure to form longer stitches (it's 5 stitch minimum)?

Thanks machinehead, I still have the wheel/single feed dog/needle plate left over from my earlier 31-15... somehow that didn't go with the purchaser (not that she had any interest in leather work). But what's most valuable to me with either the 31 class or 96 class is that they'll do the buttonholes with my highshank attachment, which you've pretty much confirmed. Also the fact that I'll be using other machine(s) for everything else leather related, so these machines are great for other tayloring type stuff when it's needed. Slowing the thing down would be a real consideration though. Would the 111 class machines work with the above items (wheel/feed/buttonhole attachment)? ~ Doug

I'm glad you explained that because I figured those nuts would need to be adjusted but was afraid that doing so might throw something else out of whack. Thanks as always! Now, just two things: The screw at the bottom of the long thin verticle spring (at the back of the head), what does it control? And... would moving the follower (the piece to the left of L/M/H adjustment) down a little more help get longer stitches?

(Jrodz), I didn't answer you about the butterfly nut earlier and I should have.. I actually did know about this adjustment but I was under the impression ( I guess) that it was only for the height of the presser foot when the lever on the back was raised. This in my mind would raise the foot to remove thicker or thinner material and the Presser Foot Pressure knob would adjust the height of the foot movement. My mistake, not sure why I thought this, now that I think about it. The real mistake that I was making is that I was adjusting this butterfly nut with the lever arm raised... but it should have been down to get it right I suppose. This time I "eyeballed it" with my leather setting under the presser foot. Thanks for the tip, it opened my eyes to getting this detail right. (Kevin), I loosened that nut (to the left of the L/M/H nut) and moved that "follower" lever down about maybe 1/4" and it seemed to improve my stitch consistency and also my stitch length is a little closer. I'm wandering if I should move it a little more and see if my stitch length improves more. I'm just paranoid about messing with what I have now since it's doing so much better. Here's a picture I took of the stitch I'm getting since making the adjustment you suggested (note that my corner stitches did not fail either): @ Wizcrafts, I still intend to measure the lifter foot in the raised position as you suggested (I couldn't remember the measurement when I was messing with it). Also, you mentioned that the lifter on back raises and releases the tension disks but I just noticed that this does not happen on my machine. The plate (that the needle bar goes through, and that sits under the pressure nut and under the tension disks to raise them) does not lift up high enough to release the thread tension disks when the lifter lever on back is raised.

Sorry it took so long to get back to everyone on this. Here's a couple pictures I just took of the items Kevin's talking about. How should I go about adjusting the "follower" ? As in maybe raise the needle bar to it's highest point then move the follower down "X"mm ? I mean is there a standard? BTW - there's a log narrow spring that runs down the back of the sewing head and there is a visible screw for adjustments at the bottom of it... that adjustment screw on my machine is pretty nackered up, so it's been adjusted a bit in the past. Could it's arrangement be the cause of any of my issues?

I've been keeping my eye open for another Singer 31-15 for scroll work and also for sewing button holes (with attachment) into very thin leather, wool, denim, etc. Wish I'd never let my other go. But anyway today I came across what I thought was a 31-15 but is actually a 96-10 according to the owner over the phone. It includes the working motor, table, lifter, bobbin threader, etc and has a "make an offer price" on it. I'd say if anything if looks a little beefier than the 31-15 but how do they really compare? It's an "industrial" machine (I know that's a silly term, but..). Can a scrolling wheel foot be used and is it considered a "high shank" machine like the 31-15 (so that the buttonhole attachment could be used)? A realistic price to offer? Thanks for ya'll's help. ~ Doug

Yep, that would work I'm sure... and it'll be less comical probably. I'll do that in the meantime (thanks for the tip) but still though I'd prefer something permanently mounted somewhere.

(The play by play ).... Somehow the machine started laying down a stitch. Don't ask me how to explain it, but all of a sudden it did. Maybe the thing was suffering from not being operated for ages before I got it. Anyway, there are two or three issues that I see now. First, the stitch length is a little inconsistent (some shorter than others) at times but not always. Secondly, the times when it IS stitching consistently, the widths are off from what they should be.. for instance the stitch regulator is set on 5 and I'm getting closer to 10 stitches. When I move the stitch regulator all the way down where it hits the presser foot (below the 5 mark) I only get 7 stitches at best (usually more like 8). Thirdly, occasionally when I'm sewing a sharp corner, the corner stitch (only) will come out and not complete that stitch. I notice this after I'm a couple stitches into going away from that corner. BTW, I've got it loaded with #92 thread top and bottom through a #18 needle... two layers of 3.5oz upholstery leather (I think). Comments/help/thanks ?

well looking at it again, this time without any material under the foot and with the lever down (I know this is kind of a no-no)... the foot does actually lift up a bit while in operation. Just does not appear to do so much with leather under it (two layers of medium thick upholstery leather) and perhaps does not raise high enough either way? .

My Singer 29K60 has a new presser foot but the machine will not advance the leather material for it to make a row of stitches. basically the foot does not seem to raise very much at all in the course of operation. It does seem to moves forward and back. I tried adjusting the "presser foot pressure knob" to no avail. Any ideas what to look at first? Here are some pics in case it's something obvious: Not very good pics here, but I can take more if it helps..

I've been trying to wind my bobbins with the average type winder (original item) on my old Consew 18. It's very comical if you watch me do it.... the problem is that the bobbin's hole for the 29K60 (large bobbin model) is too small to fit over the stud of the old original winder on my consew 18. So I fit it on the very tip (just sits on the end really) then I press my index finger against the outside of the bobbin during the winding process to hold it in place. It's a very wobbly technique and pops off several times during a single bobbin winding, despite me trying to be careful. Time consuming too. What exactly is the "spindle with the eccentric" that Anne Bonnys Locker mentioned?

I just realized that I do have an original bobbin threader for my Singer 29k60 after all, found it in a pile of junk. I must have mentally thrown it in the trash when I first got my machine... based on the fact that it's kind of broken, I must have thought "trash". But looking at it closer, it's in good shape except for the tip piece that the bobbin fits onto. That piece is broken, rendering it impossible for a bobbin to mount. So, I removed the cylinder and wheel (that the rubber 'tire' is mounted on) from the arm section. Does anyone know if there is a separate part number for just the bobbin stud and if there is a way that it comes apart? Other than that, I was thinking if nothing else maybe drill and tap where the old stud was and find something that would work. I'd hate to trash this entire aparatus over just the tip if something could be figured out. Any suggestions?

I've been considering this too and actually there are already two small-ish holes drilled in the back right-hand corner area, of the top of my original cast iron stand. I figured the original owner must have mounted a thread stand there at some point (though there was not one mounted when I aquired the machine). Most modern thread stands have three hole bases now (I think anyway). I'm thinking that having the third hole area of the thread stand's base hang off the back of the cast-iron top would be just fine assuming at least two bolts/screws are firmly secured to the top. This would make the issue of not enough room, unimportant. That's what I've been planning on doing.. I'll be interested to see if anyone else has ideas for you.