Constabulary

When you are holding down the plunger and turn the hand wheel you sooner or later you push the plunger in a notch. Then when you look at the lower shaft while turning the hand wheel the entire lower shaft with clutch and hook gears are moving. Inside the stitch length adjustment "thing" is a kind of wedge thats regulates the stitch length. But this should not throw off your timing. Is it possible that your safety clutch has released?

Glad you stitches look better now. Cleaning an oiling your machine is quite important. Size 69 to 138 thread should work w/o problem. I usually sew with 138 thread.

This looks more like a timing problem rather than a tension problem. Seems your hook is not catching the top thread. Open your bobbin cover and watch the hook while hand cranking the machine. I assume you either have to reposition your needle bar or your hook is too far a way from the needle. Or maybe the needle scarf is not facing straight right. Do you have a manual for your machine?

I´d remove the bobbin case and the tension spring and check if you there is some dirt or lint under the bobbin tension spring. Or maybe the spring is broke or has a groove and you have to replace the bobbin spring and / or the tension screw. What thread needle are you using? Have you threaded the machine correctly? Are you sure the top thread travels freely w/o getting caught somewhere? Is the thread coming off the spool straight above the center of the spool?

Thats BTW the "old type" and not the 441 clone. Glenn said he had problems with it (see 3rd post). So he probably can give some answers....

No I have never tried it and I will not try it. I can sew up to max. 9mm materials w/o problems but I seldom do. I usually sew 4-6mm with it. For thicker materials I have my Singer 133K3. The 111 is an upholstery machine and not meant for heavy leather work. Someone posted some pictures of a n oil soaked 111G156 manual somewhere but the pages were translucent so it did not help much.

The 1st stitch usually is done by hand cranking the balance wheel because you have to position the needle at the right spot and then you start sewing. With other words you always start sewing with the needle down in the material. Or is someone starting with the needle up?

I stubled over this craigslist add when I googled: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/for/5117730732.html I wish I could buy it - too cool !!!! The Luberto #9 / Classic are more or less a BUSMC #6 with barrel hook, aren´t they?

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Keep the parts from the old tension assy - you never know...

I love this machine!!!!

The tension spring on the bobbin case is held by 2 screws - the left one if for tension.

New tension units are about $12 - $20 on Ebay or at about the same price at most machine delaers. These TU´s fit on many many machiens... Singer, Dürkopp, Consew, Seiko, Juki - they areall using this tension assy. Look for a Singer 111 tension assembly or tension unit and you´ll find what you need. scroll down http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=111+tension&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X111w+tension.TRS0&_nkw=111w+tension&_sacat=0

If the machines is in proper condition and set up well I´m sure it will serve you well. But keep in mind the 155 subclass has no reverse. As a newbie I´m sure the clutch motor will be too fast for you and you have to switch to an energy saving servo motor. You will have a better speed control. What you mean with "pulley to slow it down" - has it just a small motor pulley or a complete speed reducer installed? The Singer 211 is the successor of he Singer 111 but it takes the same feet. User Manual, spare parts list l and service manual should be available online.

I´d ask for the most powerful servo motor they have or can get. It should have at least 550 Watts but the more the better. I have two Servo motors with 750 Watts. I´d also ask for the smallest motor pulley they have. A small pulley gives the motor a bit more torque. I´d recommend a 40 - 50mm pulley if available. AFAIK in ZA you also have 220V power supply, right? So if they can´t supply a proper servo motor buy one from College Sewing in the UK: https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/JK-561A-220V-750W=1HP-SERVO-MOTOR or with needles positioner: https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/JK-561A-1-220V-750W-1-HP-SERVO-MOTOR-WITH-NEEDLE-POSITION

Yet I have not seen the Movie but the machine seems to be a COLIBRI Patent Elastic.

The 225 has no reverse and a small bobbin (if not modified). Advantage of the Pfaff 545 is the larger bobbin and it has reverse. The only advantage of the 225 I see is that you can use the almost everywhere available accessories of the Singer 111w type sewing machines like presser feet (there really is a wide range of em) and so forth. The Pfaff has it´s own feet and parts are more expensive. If I had to choose I´d take the Pfaff because of the reveres and larger bobbin.

3/16 (approx. 5mm) slop seems to be a lot. I have approx. 1mm in my very old Singer 111G156. When I rock the NB back and forth and watching the parts. I´d say the worn parts are #4 and maybe #1 and possibly the part with the wick which is on the needle bar. But thats just a guess.

Its a clone of the JUKI 441 made by a well known manufacturer - I´d buy it asap before someone else puts his hands on it. But test it before you buy it - you never know what people have done with it. http://www.consew.com/View/Consew-Model-756R

approx. 9-10mm as most machiens of this class but it depends on how it is set up. I´d test sew it so you know for sure. Here is a manual - 1st hit on google when searching for a consew 225 manual 225.pdf

Too much top tension I´d say. Do you have a manual for your machine? http://www.consew.com/Files/112347/PartsBooks/227R-2.pdf

I hope this helps: http://sew24.blogspot.de/2011/10/manual-for-adler-class-104-and-105.html

I´d guess for some oiling purposes - I also have notches in my Singer 111 hook. They are normal.

THATS pretty much a difference! $12.500 is probably the "be the first to own" price and I´m sure some will pay the price just to have it - same as with the Apple products or similar stuff - Ha ha! Or maybe they have ordered and paid the machines when the € was high but now that the € is very low they have to ask that much - don`t know.... I`m sure these machines will not live as long as my Singer 133K3 from 1932. It will cost a month salary if you have to replace the electronics and several hundred $$ for the internal motor - not speaking of the accessories. But as a hobbyist I for sure have a different point of view. Old Cast Iron Rocks BTW - do these space ships take the same accessories as the 441 clones?

I think for most leather workers this thing is too far away from realty. For sure a nice and well developed machine but I think less than 1% of the registered LW members can afford it or really have the need for such a machine. But I´m sure some "machinesters" will buy one w/o even having the need. It´s the same with mountain bikes - some 250 lbs "bikers" have $15.000 bikes but they are unable to cycle up the hill.