Singermania

Hi its Steve Bonnett from Cowboy Leather Machines in Australia, you are correct the 3200 does often make a clicking sounds, especially under pressure and in reverse. Some oil helps but I think it is all of the things mentioned above. We took over Cowboy down here about 3 years ago and haven't had a single CB3200 back in for repair, so it does not seem to be a problem. Sometimes its just a little bit of character with a machine.

We have a few sewing machine dealers here in Australia that market the Juki 441 style machine, not anything wrong with them that I am aware. The problem if there is one is that the dealers themselves are not versed in leather work or saddlery and don't know the machines very well or the craft very well. What then happens is people ring us....Cowboy Leather Machines to sort out their problems. I have mixed feelings on it, on the one hand I don't mind helping but it does take a lot of time, there is the problem that people then think badly of dealers in general.... on the other hand new dealers have to start somewhere at some time.

Hightex markets under three names, or did.....Hightex, Cowboy and Master. Master was black and has faded away. Yes that's the small stand, out here in Oz we have that one and the bigger stand. England does not have a Cowboy dealer so you can order direct from Australia and have it delivered to England or Britain or you can order direct from Hightex in China. Some people in both Australia and the USA think they might save money by buying direct but then have headaches and actually pay the same price, as we dealers buy in bulk so get the machines cheaper and we ship in bulk so get the freight cheaper. We keep those savings as our profit and you get the machine for the same price, plus of course its assembled and tested, comes with a local warranty and you can ask questions of the dealer. If you are going to buy Cowboy machine, buy it from Hightex, not an Alibaba/hong kong/Singapore outlet, as machines that fail quality control will end up with these people.

Most clutch motors out here in Australia are 600watts, speed is usually 1425 or 1850rpm..... for leatherwork you wouldn't want the 2850. We sell the Cowboy CB227r and package it with a drop down guide, the machine is quite similar to yours.... there are a number of guides, however the one we order is the GB-2

Hi, its Steve Bonnett from over in Australia, we are the Aussie importer and distributor of these 3200 and 4500 machines. Without going crazy into technical stuff the main differences between the two models are the 3200 has the shorter arm and will sew 15mm thickness and the 4500 has the 16 inch arm and will sew 20mm. Yes you can tweak them both to get a bit more. Out here most of the knife sheath and holster guys buy the CB3200. Once you use a compound feed machine with a slow powerful motor and reverse, you will never want to go back to a hand crank. Out here we package them with the double toe leather foot, left and right leather foot, left and right dogleg foot, blanket foot, roller guide, standard needle plate, narrow slotted plate, stirrup and holster plates... plus the usual bobbins and a couple packs of needles. Prices here are $3400 and $4400, less over there in US dollars. In theory the 450 can do everything the 3200 can, but the 3200 cant step up to the 4500. Both machines will take a 130 needle and fine thread for lighter jobs

I agree with the boys above, Cowboy Leather Machines in Australia keep the rubber tyres in stock, as eventually they will fail. Yes there were/are two types, the big fat one seems to be the latest one. If you get charged more than a few bucks for the tyre someone is pulling your leg.

agree with Uwe, the screw or at least the part looks loose. the 227R is a great machine we do the Cowboy version here in Australia called the CB227R so the machine is still healthy and going into the next decade.

Hi, the Singer 132K6 was more popular in Britain as that's where they were made, other Singers were made in the States and were more numerous. However they are a great hard working machine, much sought after in Australia for horse rug and tack repairs. We buy and sell them and a good one would sell for about $1750 Aussie dollars, that's a smaller figure in the States though. The have a kick foot that works quite well but no reverse. If you need the manual let me know I email them out free.

Hi Deryk, don't know mate, its not rocket science we just drill and tap the handwheel and put an engineers steel handle on. Its takes off the cost of the table, speed reducer and motor, however we still include all the feet, plates and roller guides. People here like them cos they are a lot cheaper but also they can toss into the truck and take to shows and so on the spot repairs for income. If you have a word with Ryan Neel or one of his dealers they'll probably make one.

In Australia we at Cowboy Leather Machines market two hand crank models, we have the CB2500HC and the CB3200HC at $1350 and $2600 respectively. The former a basic drop feed machine ie driven by feed dog and the latter a compound feed machine. We are keen to get our hands on the Outlaw as it will take our handcrank range to 3. And of course a completely different style to the sewing machine based machines above. The price in Australia should fit mid way between our two existing machines. Below is the CB2500HC

if you let me have your email address I'll send you the K6 operators manual, the service manual is a lot bigger and not on my disk... the 331k manual is not in my library, however I'm sure someone else will have it...

Yes Darren, Cowboy has poured heaps of money into the project, its not a complex machine so I'd be expecting a great result.

I've been collecting and repairing machines for many years and have had numerous Boss's thru the workshop, I find that the old cast iron Boss was quite good but all the same did require some mechanical ability above that normally required with other machines. The action of the machine contributes to its need for adjustment as being banged into end stops each stroke is hard on its settings. Its not so much a matter of bearings as was mentioned its something else. The newer machines despite what is said above have been problematical, it is rare to find owners that are happy with them, more often they are fed up and go and buy another machine of a different kind. For similar money you can get compound feed, reverse, motor and a longer cylinder. The recurring story I hear about the machines is that they get out of timing (somewhere), the owner sends them off for service, they come back and within a short time the fault is back again. I've had similar experiences with them here on my bench, I reset them, they work great, I then give them a final test the next day before sending them back and they seem to be off the boil again. It can be a very frustrating machine. When the issue is corrected then I'm guessing it will be a different story.

HI Everyone, I understand from Cowboy Head Office that the machine is very different from the Boss, it incorporates Cowboy CB4500 and Cowboy CB205-370 parts. I have found in the past that Cowboy have always stepped up to what was required, they will test this machine and it wont be available until they are satisfied. We are Cowboy Leather Machines in Australia and previously if we asked Cowboy HO to source a machine for us and they have thought it not of sufficiently high quality they have advised that they would not be able to supply it, so I have great confidence in them. Here in Australia we have the Tippmann being supplied by Tandy, we work amicably with them and so have decided not to run the Outlaw, instead we have put forward our CB3200 handcrank, this machine has compound feed, reverse and we supply it with a special foot and plate pack as well as a roller guide, we feel it is a fantastic alternative and still portable enough to take to shows. We believe it to be a superior machine. However, I understand that in the States lots of research has been undertaken on behalf of the Outlaw machine and that Cowboy in the USA are very excited about it and I believe it is going to be a great success for them. best regards Steve Bonnett, Cowboy Leather Machines... Australia.

Looks like you've done a great job setting up the no 6. These machines run well on slow revving servo motors especially with a speed reducer fitted. They are not really fussy with threads, but bear in mind they were originally intended for running non synthetic thread thru a wax pot. I've never encountered a thread they cant handle, its more a matter of matching a needle to it. Some of my collection.

I realise this post is a bit old now, however I've just spotted it and want to let you know some details. I am Steve Bonnett of Cowboy Leather Machines in Australia, we sell the two 6" splitters as well as the big 20" splitters. When these splitters come to Australia or the US via a proper Cowboy dealership they are sharpened and ready to go. When they are sold to people out to make a dollar on Ali Baba and ebay mostly in China, Hong Kong and Singapore they are not sharpened. So if you purchase a machine from other than a Cowboy outlet you will have to have the blade sharpened before you use the machine.

Ok fellas, I'm going to keep my neck stuck out there and say its a mistake, if I'm wrong then pls tell me. The plate is available from both Cowboy and Keestar.

Sorry I was lazy and should have put on a photo of the slotted needle plate that I believe is an error. We carry both this one and the one you showed above.........

thanks Wiz, yes I dropped the top tension to stop the thread coming up..... Cowboy as you know now also supply two additional springs, one is a 'weaker' foot lift spring and the other is a 'weaker' behive top (primary) spring for doing light work. Whilst I've got your attention I wanted to suggest that the slotted needle plate with the back left corner missing is a mistake, I believe the Chinese have copied a broken plate...what is your feeling on that.?

HI all, we over at Cowboy Leather Machines in Australia get a lot of enquiries as to whether the big machines can sew fine work. Yesterday was a typical enquiry from someone wanting to sew gun holsters and then needed the machine to repair handbags... Our flagship model the Cowboy CB4500 is best known for making saddles, but like many other machines it can also turn its hand to these lighter jobs. Here it is with a 130/21 needle sewing terko M36 (80?) thru some old upholstery leather. The lightest needle we stock is the 130/21, I'm wondering whether you guys have run thinner needles and what were they? Correction.. I couldn't upload the video.. if you look on facebook.... Cowboy Leather Machines you will see it.

HI all, whilst I have dozens of No 6 bobbins I've never owned the Landis no 1, there is no doubt that one copied the other, after all the companies were USMC and BUSMC. I would love to try the Landis no 1 shuttle in a No 6. Whilst there is a fair bit of slack around the shuttle in its no 6 bed the length to the nose is more critical to pick up the thread.. as you'd imagine.

There are many 335A machines, SR, WR and so on, but don't know the MR. Assuming its either a real Pfaff or a clone then its going to be a compound feed cylinder arm that would ideally be good on leather, the other guys here will know more than me.

Yep agree with Cowboy Bob, I believe it was originally designed for light leather and like the heavier 45K25 was issued with the roller foot.

Darren only in your wildest dreams could you get your car up to 180kph...hhaha

Good luck, you're a patient man.