Anne Bonnys Locker

You will find that most reviews are positive here because the dealers want their customers to be satisfied. It is important for their business but more importantly I believe it says something about the sort of people they are. Even when people have posted negatives here it has usually been user issues and in the end the customer has admitted that and we all know how hard it is to admit when we are wrong.

I have an old 31 class around here somewhere and will try and dig it out but I am pretty sure you can adjust the position of the whole shuttle assembly by loosening the screw in the casting. Some oil and a scientific tap may be required. Possibly the assembly had been adjusted for a worn shuttle and then a new one was put in and caused problems.

This is a Singer 99k basically so two layers of garment leather at best. OTOH it is reasonably rare and in immaculate condition so don't throw it away.

How much do you want to spend? Even walking foot machine can struggle with thick seams. Maybe something as simple as a 31-15 and using the handwheel through the seams will do the job.

Speed should not make a difference.

The GA5-1R requires major modifications to the feed dog just to get it to sit down at a reasonable level. Then I cut the foot in half and buff out the rough spots. The motors that I have imported are expensive but are as controllable as the cheap and nasty servo motors.

Simple thing but are you making sure the take up lever is all the way up before you try and remove the work?

If you are sewing patches onto vests then a late model Singer 29 such as the 29k72 would be a good choice

The 31 and 16 class use similar bobbin cases (apart from the finger) and essentially the same b/c spring so I cannot see any advantage in a conversion.

In the long term it is cheaper to replace the motor. I know everyone talks about using servo motors but good quality clutch motors are almost as controlable without the complications. I use high quality motors made in China by a Taiwanese manufacturer and they are brilliant - mind you, they cost as much as a basic servo motor!

Of those choices I would go for the Seiko as it will do the sort of work you want and parts are inexpensive. I have not looked to closely at the others but the prices are high and Pfaff parts are VERY expensive. The motors on the computer controlled machines can be great but electronics add complication yu do not need

Thinkng that the hook is too far away from the needle.

Set the feed to zero. Neele bar goes down and rises. The manual will tell you how much. When the needle bar has risen the specified amount the hook should be smack bang in the middle of the scarf. Adjust the needle bar and hook to suit. I use a business card to give the right separation between hook and scarf.

No mistake here. You now have two machines that are capable of doing a wide range of leatherwork. The 206 will sew through 1/4" of leather with #138 thread all day, every day. 207 on the top end is possible but this style of bobbin case will never be happy with anything heavier. I have been talking to one of the best saddlers in Australia and he does most of his work on the old Singer version of the Techsew machine. Let's look at the way the machine is set up: How high is the feed dog? Maximum of 1mm (40 thou) and if you cannot get it lower than that then remove the feed dog and grind off the bottom so it can drop further. While the feed dog is out buff off the high points. Is the underside of the foot clean and smooth? These are small details and I am pretty sure Ronnie would have done these things before delvery so what I expect the real issue is is the nut holding the work Left hand at the back and right at the front applying gentle pressure to feed the work. If the feed dogs are really cutting up the work then it isn't feeding properly and this is a user error, not a machine problem.

Owning machines tends to be addictive and you will probably find need for another in the not too distant future

The good thing about a cylinder bed machine is that you can build a flat bed attachment in less than an hour

Howie, if these work well then I prefer the term "inexpensive" as cheap has connotations of also being nasty.

At the right price it is a great machine to have but for consistent work at the level you want you are at 100% and that is not a good thing.

Shooting academy = holsters, gun cases, ammo belts and heavy webbing work so a 441 clone like the Cobra or Cowbow is the way to go. If the Boss did the job and you need to upgrade then the 441 style is really the best option and if the work volume justifies the cost then I think you are going to be amazed at the ease of using the powered machine.

Apart from the "made in Japan" on the label I cannot see a problem.

The consew 315 is a needle feed machine that can take a roller foot bt not sure why you would! Pure needle feed is often used for difficult/delicate materials, not really for 1/4" leather. If 1/4" is your absolute maximum with 138 then a Consew 227, Pfaff335, Seiko CWS or LCW or the various clones will do the job but 138 is right on the limit. Can you use 138 on top and 92 on the bobbin?

Hi Maggie, Step one: Take a few deap breaths. Getting used to an industrial takes time and I often suggest people start without the machine threaded just to get used to controlling the speed. Things to look at: Stitch length lever - where is it set? Really silly but common problem - is the thread actually running between the top tension plates or have you accidently slipped it behind? Threading - through the tension, over the spring under the bar to the left of the tension, up to the take up leaver then down through the thread guides to the needle. Needle threads left to right. As you saw the machine working then it is almost a basic threading issue.

Cannot help with a manual but there are a couple of ways to slow it down with the cheapest being a 50mm motor pulley. Medium range is a 1400RPM motor with small pulley and most expensive a servo motor. Some motors have better "lead in" than others and the clutch can be slipped but this obviously wears out the cork clutch plate. Sometimes just adjusting the foot plate to a higher angle can make it easier to control.

Schmetz SMX1000

The guy making repro decals relies on being able to find something worth reproducing. There are thousands of original sheets of decals in the museum in Kilbowie Scotland that I would love to scan