Constabulary

6mm ZZ is a good score already. There might be machines with wider ZZ (some Singer 20 models I guess) but most used industrial machines have 6mm ZZ or less.

Excellent machine - I once owned one. But there are differences some have 4.5mm or 5mm zig zag and only very few have 6mm zigzag. Mine only had 4.5mm (measured). I now have a Singer 307G2 and I do not regret. 307G2 also is an excellent machine but you barely find parts (feet, hooks, bobbins and smaller bits are available). Timing belts are no longer available - however I personally prefer the 307G2. Advantage of the 138 is that it has no timing belt but a problem with the 138 is that the Zig zag dial often is gummed up but with a heat gun and oil you can solve this. Other than that the 138 really is an excellent machine.

What means "normal sewing machine" - what machine do you have? Wall Mart plastic bomber, Industrial sewing machine...? Brand and model number would help very much...

don´t know if it was meant for trimming leather - but could be (depends on thickness I think) since it is an SV machine. The cloth trimmer (originally for trimming soft shoulder pads) was 132K12 - this one is 132KSV11 - who knows... but I I have no use for a trimmer...

NO WAY - ha ha - Jimi just bothers me a bit with this because I paint most of my restored machines silver and put on black decals. THIS one will stay as is and because the original paint job + decals are very nice I will try to turn it into a 132K6? Why? Because the parts for putting it back into its original configuration are no longer available and I have no use for a machine with a trimming device. BUT it has a lot similarities with the 132K6 and lost of K6 parts are still available.... sooo thats a future project.... This was my original post reg. this 132K. Your 45K looks very nice with this crackle coating But I think I would have painted the flat bed with glossy black Reg. 132K decals - yes shading looks gray. Most likely you would not see a black shading on a black machine.

okay could not really tell from the picture...

I have not tried it but there is some sort of special binding attachment for these machines. This is an extract from an Adler 5 manual which is pretty much the same machine as the 45K. It shows the attachment in use. So if the 45K25 comes with he attachment plate right of the needle plate you could use this attachment. Singer shows a similar attachment in their 45K25 parts list

or just shorten the peg a bit...

These are the decal from my 132K - its actually a 1948 made machine. Its a bit different but maybe it helps

Machine is located in Germany. I don´t think they will ship overseas.

I was not thinking.... I have a 132K on my shelf waiting for "modification" and it has a nice clear original decal - I will take pictures later and take some measures....

WOW - well done Tony the font looks awesome!!!

Maybe this helps you a bit: http://www.siruba.co.uk/partsls2d324.htm

Sure it´s personal preference I just wondered why spending so much time on decal details. Seems I had a weak moment - I should have been understanding - or it was too early in the morning . But of course the crackle coating makes it more difficult to apply. I think you really need a quite thin foil to "squeeze" the foil into the crackles. Even better would be some sort of "no foil decals" or what ever it is called. Is there probably some sort of gold flake / gold paint based decal foil you can run through a laser printer? BTW - I tried VHT crackle spray paint - takes looooooooooong time to dry but when you put the painted part into an oven or apply heat it crackles even better (unfortunately I do not have a sewing machine size oven) Will do some more testing. A lot seem to depend on how thick you spray on the single coats.

How close do you want to come? If you want a 100% restoration you already started with the wrong paint - I doubt (but who knows for sure) crackle coated 45K ever came with floral decals. So everything you do can only be a compromise or you just restore it "the way you like" and then most likely this machine will not look like the day it left the factory back in 19xx.... Its well possible that my decals were meant for bent wood cases but I do not know. But honestly - I would not spend too much time on decals. And before a machine looks stupid fancy I´d leave out the floral design. But thats just my point. When a sewing machines comes in a nice original finish (no worn or chipped off paint and decals and the like ) I would not change it but when you have to strip the paint anyway and de-rust parts and stuff I´d just make it look better than I found it and would not waste too much time because I KNOW it will never look as factory new again. It can look like new but not 100% original just like the day it left the factory. I usually paint my restored machines silver and add some sort of good looking decals. some samples of my "restoration crimes" - some like it some don´t - I do I put them in a condition I could sell the machines in just the other day because I never know if a better looking or better working or better for my needs better suiting machine pops up just around the corner - if you know what I mean. Some like worn looking machine that show their age - I don´t. If my machines shows signs of use It should be my signs.

Agree - BUSMC PILOT needle feed only machine, no feed dog. Machine has a barrel hook but of a bit different type compared with Singer 45K and the like. I also do not agree that any makers stamp or what ever has been removed. I have a manual + parts list for this machine I probably can scan it in the days to come (if you want to buy this machine). I would buy this machine in a heart beat if the price is right. I once missed one here in Germany - too bad. This actually is a British made machine - you should find IVI markings on the some machine parts (Hallmark of IVI Metallics, Leicester). These machine were sold by DVSG = Deutsche Vereinigste Schumaschinen Gesellschaft (German counter part of BUSMC = British United Shoe Machine Company). Could be the machine has been assembled in Germany but when the machine parts have IVI markings the parts for sure came from Great Britain. The original needle sytem is TS 883 - obsolete I guess - but I would assume that you can use 328 needles (very common) but I´m not 100% sure about it. Parts are no longer available but some old stock may exist f.i. at our LW member SINGERMANIA in Australia or maybe some dealers in the UK. But if this machine is in fully working condition you most likely will not need parts. These machines are tanks and will last almost for ever.

No manual with the machine? Are you sure you threaded the machine correctly? Since you bought it new (I guess its new) I´d check with the dealer first when I have problems with a new machine. These machines are China clones of singer 29K - so I´ll ad a 29K manual here. Should be pretty much the same with difference of the thread regulator (AFAIK). Usually bottom tension should be quite low but you should feel a light resistance when pulling the thread when shuttle is correctly threaded. The rest is playing with the upper tension. EDIT: http://www.leathermachineco.com/product/cobra-class-29-18-patch-machine/ Dealer site says up to #22 needle so max. should be 138 thread. I have the "original Singer 29K71" but that's the short arm version of your machine and yes I can run 138 thread top and bottom. 29K_Operators_Guide.pdf

I have some System 214 (328) needles in sz. 27 (250 metric) with S Tip, Round Tip and LL tip but. But I´m on the other side of the pond... But I´d check with Toledo Sewing Machines or Keystone Sewing Machines, I´d guess they have what you need.

downloaded it with FF add on: Video DownloadHelper - its very easy to use.

put a bottle opener on one end them its no longer "weapon"

this thread is almost 1 year old - I´d contact the seller directly by PM and check if the machine is still available

yesterday the media player on the website did not work - today it does - at least on my end - I will try to download the film for my records. Really worth watching!!! applying decals starts at minute 16:32.

Is it a new or old casting Pfaff 335? Old casting 335 clones with large bobbin you find on my side of the pond for approx. 1000€ incl sync. binder bracket - not sure how the market in the US is but Altlas Levy is offering this type of machine too: http://www.atlaslevy.com/-Cylinder-arm-walking-foot-Industrial-Sewing-Machine-AT335_p_4148.html Its of course a "private label" machine but I doubt there are many differences since most of the "modern" machines come from China anyway. Don´t expect the Pfaff 335 to be made in Germany - these days are gone! I would guess the Jukis are still made in Japan and that would make them pricier I think (though not sure, are they still made in Japan?)

my original decal are actually gold foil - I once applied one to a cast iron table just for testing them - did not turn out very well. Thats why I never used them. When the right machines turn up and will maybe try again.

its an Adler 9 embroidery machine