Anne Bonnys Locker

I have converted some Kilbowie machines to DPX17without problem but they were probably 31K47 (walking foot) versions.

Interesting, the Singer needle book lists the 16X1 for the 31-15 and 16X87 for the 31K15. The two needles have identical dimensions but the 16X1 has no scarf.

According to my Singer needle book the 31-15 uses a 16X1. It is also known as a TF1 and if I remember rightly is essentially the domestic 15X1 with a round shank. I have not played with many US built 31's but it should be possible to retime the machine for the DPX17/DPX16.

While manufacturers may list a colour in their catalogue it does not mean that they actually stock it in every size. There is always a minimum order quantity before they can justify production. I can get you virtually any colour you want in Bonded poly, bonded nylon or high tenacity poly but I have to order 25kg of the one size in that colour so I could not justify it unless you were going to take at least half in one go.

Sewing Tread Specialists offer a range of colours in High Tenacity Polyester. They can get a wide range but it needs to be ordered 5 cones at a time.

I keep a stack of knackered machines around the place purely as a source of spare parts.For instance, I am going to rebuild a Jones VS machine using a similar part out of a Gritzner that is beyond repair.

Most "automatic" machines are used for high production runs where the machine is set up to do the same length piece many times over. All the operator does is put the piece in and, in some cases, just hit the pedal. The foot drops, machine back tacks, sews the required number of stitches, back tacks again, trims the thread ends and lifts the foot. Essentially the operator is reduced to being a feeding device.

Nice job mate. Somewhere on the interwebs there are templates for the pitman arms and if I can find them I will post the link here for the next person who needs to make one.

I always try to look for an equivalent common needle rather than some obscure PITA version. On many needles the critical dimension from eye to top of shank is the same but there are variations such as length of tip and shank diameter that can often be ignored or compensated for. If I am selling a second hand machine with an odd needle size it is often my preference to retime it for a DBX1, DPX5 or DPX17 if practical.

No worries, I spend much of my time trying to hunt down obscure machines so I can work out what parts to supply to get them going. This model came up with very few useful references but I knew it existed as it is in one of my needle cross references - it takes a 16X63.

http://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?ahid=2844&aid=31131&lid=8590239#

While the buttonholer attaches to the presser foot bar it is the needle clamp that actually drives the action of the mechanism. I am very interested in any results. If I had a 45k at the moment I would give it a try with a couple of the buttonhole attachments I have lying around.

There are a variety of roller feet in production up to about 1 1/8" and I am sure there are feet that will fit the 45k if you want to make a zipper foot but I think the only way to get the buttonhole attachment to fit would be to have an adaptor made. The needle bar stroke is considerably longer on a 45k than a standard flat bed machine and this is what will probably kill the idea.

I received a new batch of my little Chinese built Bradbury clones the other day and apart from a few niggles the quality appeared to be ok. Each machine gets a number of small modifications followed by a complete test run and about 80% actually worked out of the box which is something of a record. So, thinking that all was well I shipped a number off to customers. Two customers started using their machines immediately and all was good until they changed needles and things went pear shaped quickly. After spending a few hours with some machines today and using a variety of needles I discovered that the original needles in the machine (a standard 15X1) have had the flat in the shank machined too deep and the beds have been set for this incorrect needle!! Now I know what is wrong it is easy to adjust the bed to suit but this is a great reminder that when things seem better than expected then there is probably something hidden that is going to bite you in the bum!

There is a whole chain of stores set up like that and some of them are much larger!! I don't care about the Singers as there are literally millions of them but leaving rarer machines in the sun where the lacquer breaks down is depressing.

Hi HCM, I am always loathe to advise people to get rid of any of their machines unless it is absolutely necessary. There are probably some jobs that it is good at that it's replacement may not be so great at and also because you will probably only get half of the replacement cost for it. You have a machine that you know well and have said you "love" so do you really need to sell it?

I will be in Murrurundi for the festival on the 22nd and 23rd of October. If you can lug the machine up there I don't mind having a play with it for you and I have some spare parts if they are needed.

Can it be done? Possibly. Is it worth doing? Probably not. The 45k series are lovely machines so if you really want one then wait for one that is correctly configured for the work you want to do. While I want a couple for my collection I don't know if they are really going to be the leather sewing machine you want.

There is a similar style available for the 205. Hopefully I can get them from my contacts in Taiwan and try them on a 441.

This is a sack darning machine!! http://parts.singerco.com/IPpartCharts/45K57_75_76_87.pdf

I have sent you a PM with a contact in Taiwan. If you are going into production and are doing this for income then I have some qualms about a second hand machine. Don't get me wrong as a good 30 year old PFAFF is still probably a better machine than two thirds of the new machines on the market but unless you know the maintenance history of the machine then it could cost more to keep going in the first 12 months than what you have paid for it. In a production situation you must consider availability of parts and technicians who understand the machine. Poor maintenance will kill a high mileage machine as effectively as dropping it off a building.

So, a woman walked in the shop today with a 99k that she had mentioned some months back and I had given some advice on how to get going again. She had tried what I suggested but the stop motion screw was jammed tight - as it had been left by the clown who "serviced" it some years back. The offending piece of machinery was left with me and after a few drops of oil, a couple of taps with a mallet and some heaving with the multi grips the stop motion screw came off. This should have been the end of the problem but when I reinserted the washer correctly, screwed it together and ran the machine I found that the stop motion screw would come loose every now and then. Closer inspection showed some chips in the thread and all was well after replacing it with one off an older machine I had laying around. Now it ran properly but the bottom end sounded like a cement mixer full of scrap iron. The rocker shaft had about 1/2mm (20thou) play in it and all three of the main connections were very loose. Another half hour had it all adjusted up beautifully and sounding superb (well, as superb as a 99 or 66 will ever sound). After remounting the motor correctly, cleaning out the shuttle area and checking every other connection out I am confident that this machine will happily run for another 50 years, although if was properly cleaned, oiled and maintained it could easily go for centuries. What does this have to do with leather sewing machines? Regardless of how complex your machine they all have the same needs. If you are not cleaning, oiling and checking for loose connections on a regular basis then regardless of how much money you have spent then your lack of care will reduce the life of the machine and increase the frequency that you have to pay someone else to replace expensive parts that have prematurely worn out.

Hi Trox, What is the serial number of the machine? Being silver I suspect it is late production from just before the Kilbowie factory closed and this could account for the poor quality.