Yanni

I need some help making a decision on a clicker press. I've got the option between an older model Atom G222 and a newer one Atom MF( Multiforce). First two attached photos are of the Multiforce and the last one of the G222. We are making leather bags, please see grafea(dot)com The major differences between the two are obviously the price: Atom G222 ( £2350 or $3800 ) refurbished from the official distributor Atom MF( £4000 or $6450 ) Cutting Pressure G222 is 16Ton where MF is 25Ton and also the MF has an automatic adjustement for the height of the dies as well as assisting with the swivel to reduce the operator's fatigue. On the G222 you will need to adjust the cutting depth manually. We will probably use the same height of dies for all of our bags. Is there a reason if both machines are in good working order to pay an extra £1650 or $2655 for the MF machine? Thanks

I'm buying a couple of PFAFF 335 machines and wondering shall I get a table with castors or without castors? Castors will make the machine more portable but the seller wants to charge me £80($130) for the different table. The photo shows the machine with the current stand. What's your experience, are tables without castors more stable and do you find that once you place the machine somewhere you don't need to move it all the time? We'll be using it for leather bag making. Thanks.

I'm looking to buy the machine in the photos but the metal plate that covers the arm near the end is raised and not flat, flash with the arm. Is this normal? The machine has auto-reverse, auto foot lift and auto trimmer. Thanks...

I need a rivet machine, the factory we use has a pneumatic one but not sure we can afford one for now. I've been offered a manual one as on first photo. Would it do the work, we are using hollow rivets as on photos 0 and 3. The thing is would the manual machine do the self-piercing the pneumatic one does? In other words would it make the hole for the rivet or I will have to open it before placing the rivets? Alternative where am I looking for a good basic automatic riveter? Thank you.

Thanks, so I guess this is the sort of thing I need: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3HP-2-2KW-PROFESSIONAL-VARIABLE-FREQUENCY-DRIVE-INVERTER-10A-220-250V-VFD-q8-/180799933238#ht_15215wt_1397 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HIGH-QUALITY-3HP-2-2KW-10A-220-250V-VARIABLE-FREQUENCY-DRIVE-INVERTER-VFD-NEW-e3-/190630271972#ht_14591wt_1146 as opposed to: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRANSWAVE-Static-Converter-2hp-1-5kW-Single-to-3-Three-Phase-240v-to-415v-/150873893447?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Automation_Control_ET&hash=item2320c8ea47#ht_4034wt_1397 What machines would require variable speed control?

Thanks Mike, Would it be safer to have a single phase motor installed instead?

I've rung Atom UK, here in England and they sell recondition machines. The problem is we have not access to 3-Phase in our premises, however Atom UK said they can install an inverter to the clicker that would convert 1-Phase to 3-Phase for an extra £130( around $200). Now, I rung a different company and they said do not use any inverters/converters as they will burn the motor! Wondering who is the right and who is the wrong in this case, can the guys at Atom UK suggesting something that is not correct? Thanks...

I've been offered these two machines: Both with binder but one is newer and has thread trimmer and auto reverse as well as servo motor. Are these features worth an extra £250 or $400 ? Are thread trimmer and auto reverse useful functions? I'll be making leather briefcases and rucksacks but will also make canvas bags with binding.. Thanks.

I'm looking to purchase a PFAFF 335 and have seen many models with different colored chassis. Some are white, some silver, some cream with brown and some greenish. Can someone arrange the colors depending on approx age of machine. Thanks...

Final question before purchase... If you had the chance between the above two machines, which one would you go for ? The Pfaff is Made in Germany where the SEIKO Made in Japan. Thanks...

The company I bought it from are very helpful and I have sent it back to them for replacement. I have no problem with support. As far as I know the "official" highlead vendor in the UK, if really exists and it's not just a big shop with a Highlead sign on it, will not service any machines unless you purchase the machine from them. This shows me they are not representing Highlead in the UK as it seems to me quite unlikely that Highlead would only allow a single shop to sell UK Highlead models here in England. I'm really confused with the whole thing. I think my next sewing machine will be second hand, saving the company up to £500 or $720!

Does it matter that the SEIKO is a bit tatty...looking very used? I also understand that SEIKO still makes this model but in white colour(see attached photo), is the machine internally identical with the modern version or with every revision the machine's internal parts are changing? Thanks.

I'm about to purchase a used cylinder machine with a binder and I have found these two: The Global WF 9335 B-LH which the shop seller said had very little use with the first owner and it is in very good condition priced @ £1075. The other one a used SEIKO LSC-8BV at £900 .The SEIKO looks like an older model. The photos are of the actual machines for sale, taken from the two different shops. Which one would you recommend from the two? Both have standard clutch motors but I'll change it to a servo at some stage later on. ( The Global in the photo is missing the foot but it will be complete before the sale) The machine is to be used for leather bags, rucksacks, satchels etc, using 2-2.5mm thick leather. Thanks...

I've got a decent guarantee and the tech guy from the shop came to fix it, the problem is the clutch keeps on jamming and it takes 20 minutes to get it back to where it should be with a screwdriver and a hammer. I've contacted Frielander in the US but the shop here in Manchester told me that they also received my email as they are all connected. I've also contacted Highlead in China but had no response and their website seems incomplete. I've got the feeling that there are no official distributors here in the UK and instead anyone can purchase a machine from Highlead direct. I have no doubt, the machine is genuine, just the shop in Manchester, UK, (sewingmachinery.com - Braithwaite) claims to be Highlead, want to sell their products and calling everyone else's fake. They've asked me if instead of Highlead the machine has "Highlead" in chinese characters above the serial number and claimed they sell the UK model which says Highlead in English. My machine does have the Highlead badge in Chinese as per photos but wondering if that would make any difference. It does look identical to the one in the showroom so why a badge difference would make any difference? Any ideas? I attach photos of my sewing machine. Thanks

I know you are saying you want a Made in USA motor but you can't go wrong with a Hohsing HVP-90 motor. You don't need a gear reduction as it is programmable and can set speed from 50-2500! Tried it on a clone to the singer machine you are having from highlead and it can do a stitch at a time, incredible precision. It also has ability to add synchroniser, needle positioning, needle foot lift, stitch count etc...not sure fo the price in the US but not too cheap really.

I'm wondering if anyone has a contact for Highlead sewing machines in China or Taiwan or perhaps an email address. Bought a sewing machine from the internet and this shop in Manchester is telling me it's a fake. However the highlead.co.uk here in England is owned by the same shop who suggests it's a fake and is trying to sell me another machine so can't really trust them either. I've made a Whois search and discovered that. As far as I know there are no official partners here in the UK. Can anyone help. Thanks...

I'm just about purchasing a cylinder sewing machine and I'm between the: Highlead GC2268-1B , Highlead GC2698-1B and also this SEIKO machine used: SEIKO LSC-8BHC Question A: How important is the diameter of the cylinder and do I really need a larger cylinder diameter( not cylinder length). Question B: Both the Highlead GC2268 and the SEIKO LSC-8BHC do not have a binder option, can I instead use one of these: Binder in which case I can save some money by going with the SEIKO. Just to give you an idea of what we are doing, here is an Alder machine we are already using in the factory. The machine on the video is an Adler, it says Made in West Germany! The leather we use is between 1.8 and 2.2mm Thanks.

Thanks a lot Gregg, your reply puts me at peace, I'll get this issue sorted. I need a cylinder sewing machine with walking foot and a synchronised binder for leather, would you recommend the SEIKO brand?

I understand that Gregg, however these new machines are equipped with a safety clutch which should easily engage and disengage by the press of the clutch release pin. My point was that if it doesn't then the safety in place is not working properly.

Hi Guys, I went and bought a brand new Highlead GC20618-1 walking foot heavy duty sewing machine for our leather manufacturing. Now within the first week it jammed after some thread got stuck underneath the bobbin hook. Now, this machine has a clutch safety mechanism that will engage in case of a jam to protect the rest of the components. Usually to unlock the machine you have to press the safety pin etc... However this machine when it jams instead of engaging this safety pin, it instead jams the clutch by the cog belt at the right of the machine. Then we have to bang with a screwdriver and a mallet the spring on the clutch in order for the machine to be released from the jam. Please see video: I've had the engineer here on Saturday, spend 2 hours and said these machines do not get jammed that badly and once it starts working it should not happen again, however straight after he left I've had another jam as the needle got stuck inside the feed dog and we are back at square one. What would you advice, sending the head back for replacement or just replacing the clutch mechanism would be ok. Also, I could hear a slight grinding noise from the bobbin hook, the engineer took it apart on Saturday, oiled it, serviced the timing and then said there was nothing wrong with the hook it was a tight belt that created harmonics(noise). Then he loosened the belt the noise went better but i still here a slight grinding noise at extremely slow speeds( a stitch at a time speed). By the way I have a HohSing sevo motor which is fantastic. Have I been extremely unlucky with this machine or this is common with the Highleads? Any help would be great. Thanks Yanni