gottaknow

You can get a new one for a bit over 1700. I would want to see it sew for sure. I'm thinking even for 1400 it would need to be in near new condition and been taken care of. Check the point of the hook. It should be very sharp and not flat on the tip. It should poke your finger if the hook hasn't been abused. I find many of these machines don't have the needle guard set correctly and the hooks get beat up. Regards, Eric

If you find one, make sure it's a 281-22. The other 281 series are not needle feed machines. As for the motor, I'd go with a recommendation from one of our dealers here. I deal mainly with high speed motors for factory use. (I disabled the speed adjustment on our Juki's so the operators couldn't slow them down.) From the reading I've done here, there are good choices at a reasonable cost. I think Wiz has used several of them. Have fun! Regards, Eric

Another option in an older Singer is the 211 series. They will easily handle the thickness you want, but will be a little tougher to adjust because of the differences in how the hooks are oriented. Both the Juki 5410 and the Singer 281-22 have horizontal hooks. All that means is the stitch pulls up different and has an easier time running lighter tension on lighter thread. The Singer 211's and all the clones have vertical hooks which set the stitch different, not as nice on lighter fabric. I do sew lightweight nylon for the kites I make with my older version of the 211, the Singer 111 just fine, but then I work on machines all day. The best thing about the older Singers is how inexpensive they are. There are warehouses full of them from factories that have closed. There should be a lot of them in your area. The sales value of the 211's and 281-22's is around $300 with the table and no motor. Keep in mind, both the Juki 5410's and the Singer 281-22's use an oil bath for lubrication. Can be a bit messy in your home. Regards, Eric

I have at least 20 of the Juki 5410's in service in the factory. They are a good machine for the price. Be aware there is a problem with the oil pump tube that runs from the submerged pump up to the top shaft. In at least half of my machines, this tube was too short from the factory and ironicaly rubs against the shaft that drives the oil pump. The result is over time the tube gets a hole in it and the top shaft no longer receives any oil. It's an easy repair, but if the machine has been run in a factory, there's a risk the top shaft hasn't been getting oil. I had one machine that seized a bearing and burned up the servo motor. On the plus size, we sew anything from two ply of lightweight Lycra up to 1/4" of heavy nylon webbing with basic adjustment. Another older machine worth looking for is the 60's era Singer 281-22. It's a needle feed machine that sews lightweight fabric nicely as well as heavier. It's much more solid than the newer Juki's and they are inexpensive. Regards, Eric

Glad to hear it's working better Vince. I've got a general outline completed for the videos and will start putting them on youtube as they're made. I'm pretty excited still about the project as there are lots of folks keeping the older machines in service. I really do enjoy doing what I can to help. Regards, Eric

Sound like you've been a busy guy Tom. Must be the season. We started a large Jeans contract which required resurecting several machines that haven't been used since we made Levi's back in the early 90's. I hired an old friend of mine that I actually worked for back in the 80's. He's in his 70's and works about 15 hours a week for me. He's an absolute genius with machines and even though he works for me now, I feel like a newbie. We rebuilt 2 Reece 101 keyhole buttonhole machines just for starters. They are a beast of a machine. We're also making welding jackets for the Navy out of 5 oz. suede. I'm using a 60's era Singer 300w two needle chainstitch machine as we re-engineered the jackets. I built speed reducers, installed air needle coolers, and silicone lube resevoirs for the needle threads and looper threads. I'll put some pics up when time permits. We've been hiring steady for the last couple of months. We're also doing some waterproof garments for Filson. I'm sure you'll get your machine humming along as time permits. Take care. Regards, Eric

Without the benefit of seeing your machine, it's difficult on a machine of that age to determine where the problem may lie. There's one thing that comes to mind that you didn't mention you checked. That would be the take up lever cam located on the left end of the top shaft. It's the funny shaped cam that actually drives the motion of the take-up lever. It is possible that cam may have shifted on the top shaft to throw off your timing efforts. Some of the earlier 111's had this cam pressed on to the shaft, later on they began putting set screws in them. By the time the machine became the newer 211's, they always used set screws. Even if the set screw was slightly loose, it would put your top shaft slightly off, even though the lever is all the way up. On the machines that had the shaft pressed on, they will loosen and turn slightly. Machines that are used hard will usually present a problem in the weakest area. Singer began using set screws for this take-up cam when the pressed ones were slipping. I've seen them welded. If your timing belt was worn out, you'd still be able to line up your marks. There's enough adjustment in the hook gears to get a decent sewing machine even if you're off a tooth. Those machines are forgiving as far as the hook timing goes. Given the choice, place your timing belt on when it retards the hook (comes in lower on the needle). You hook timing is likely advanced to the point where it's picking up the previous stitches' loop before it's pulled up. You also need to check your latch opener on the hook to ensure the needle thread's not getting hung up as it tries to set the stitch. The older the machine, the harder it is to try and recreate the abuse or lack of maintenance. I've seen plenty of twisted top shafts in these machines, not so much the bottom shafts. The timing belts will work until they break, even with some slop. As a side note, I ordered a bunch of Singer timing belts and returned them. They were worse than what I was trying to replace. Best of luck. Regards, Eric

Couple of other things to check. The presser foot has to remain firmly on the leather. When turning around to back stay, make sure there is no space between the top of the leather and the bottom of the foot. Likewise the leather should be flat against the throat plate. Also check to see if the tension is releasing when you lift the foot to turn. It's fine if it does, but before you start sewing again make sure the needle thread is seated back in the tension. If not, set the foot back down and pull the thread all the way back into the disc before you start sewing again. Regards, Eric

Yep, that's what it means. Regards, Eric

Absolutely a must to do this on high speed machines. Right on Wiz. It helps prevent "backlash". The machine stops and the momentum of the bobbin keeps it spinning. Some machines are very unforgiving if the backlash isn't controlled. Alluminum bobbins help a lot because they're lighter than steel. As Wiz mentioned, there are several ways to control it. By far the most effective I've ever seen was made by Union Special. It was a standard small steel bobbin and the case had a small magnet recessed in the back. It's about the diameter of a pencil. Regards, Eric

Yeah, I have units I just use a bridge rectifier to convert ac to dc. I do have some knife actuators that are ac on my Brother 2 needle machines. Regards, Eric

They are likely DC. AC solenoids hum and buzz when the solenoid is activated and held in the energized state. Regards, Eric

Really nice. I love the finish on the revolver one. Regards, Eric

I'd love to see some pictures if you any Dwight. Regards, Eric

We have about 50 people sewing right now. I've worked in factories of over 300. The operators are paid piece rate. I haven't look at the operation sheet for the jacket yet, but I suspect it'll be about 20 minutes per, not including cutting. We'll probably put about 6-8 people on it. The delivery schedule isn't that aggressive. Regards, Eric

We buy most of our thread from A&E thread company in Mt. Holly, NC. I toured their factory years ago. It was amazing to see how they make thread. I attended a technical seminar which included a machine with a high speed camera mounted down by the hook. It showed the brutal thrashing that thread takes for each stitch. Amazing the abuse that thread takes, I'm amazed it doesn't all break! Regards, Eric

We have secured a contract with the US Navy to manufacture leather welding jackets. The other day we recieved 6 pallets of 4-5 oz dyed suede. It's really nice stuff. I'll get some pics when I get a chance. We're now making jeans, Goretex jackets, some lycra goods, and some jackets. We have some say in how we construct the welding gear, the only spec we have to adhere to is using tex 69 Kevlar thread and the seams will be double stitched. I'll be deciding in the next few days if we use a 1/4" gauge double needle lockstitch, or my heavy Singer 300W's two needle chainstitch machines with a 3/16" gauge. I've done initial testing with both machines and they'll easily sew 2 ply of the suede. For the shoulder seams, I'll use our Singer 153K's with walking feet. We'll be leasing a 22 ligne snap machine for the detachable apron. This should be a fun project, but I've been putting in 10 hour days getting our jeans line up and running. I might be calling some of our sponsors here to talk about my needle needs. I have a decent supply of 135x16 wedge points in assorted sizes, but this suede is real "sticky". We haven't recieved our Kevlar thread yet, so I've been testing with bonded nylon. My first choice of machines will be the 300W's because there won't be bobbin changes. I sewed 4 layers without having to use the puller. We use the same machine when sewing heavy nylon webbing for tactical gear. The machines are beasts. Once I start setting up the leather line, I'll share some pictures. Regards, Eric

I haven't made any holsters yet, though I've done a fair amount of leather work. I bought a new 9mm specifically meant for concealed carry and I like the idea of a holster that goes on the inside of my jeans in the back waistband. The gun is a Beretta Nano. I have experience molding knife sheaths and tool holders. I have industrial machines at work, (I'm the head mechanic in a sewing factory). I have a lot of machine to sew leather with, so no limitations there. I guess I'm looking for ideas as to what might be a comfortable design and I'm open to whatever seems reasonable. Budget isn't a problem. I can incorporate Kydex if needed as we make tactical gear at times, but I'm thinking that wouldn't be real soft inside my jeans waistband. Thanks in advance. Regards, Eric

You won't be dissapointed. We still use them in the factory. Regards, Eric

We usually have 200-400 cones of various threads in use at the same time on any given day in the factory. Some machines are forgiving of over-twisted thread, some not. Years ago I toured a major thread manufacturer in North Carolina. I learned a ton about making thread. As an example, if I determine I've got a bad cone of thread, I'll note the lot number. If the same lot number causes problems on different machines, we'll pull the case back and return it. A sales rep told me that in order to save thread, they'll sell the returned cases to smaller outlets, figuring they'll end up at an upholstery shop or some place else not sewing at 3500 stitches per minute. These unbalanced threads find their way to the consumer. Black threads are often re-dyed to black after a dye failure. It's like coloring your hair twice. I usually use silicone spray on black thread as needed. Sometimes I get stuck having to use bad thread. In the case of over twisting as you describe, I keep a supply of plastic drinking straws on hand and run the thread through them between the machine and the top of the thread stand guide. No need to fasten it anywhere, just let it sit there. As was stated earlier, use all available guide holes on the machine. I've attached an explanation of how to test your thread so you know what you're dealing with. Regards, Eric

Yep, message set Tom, and ONLY postage will be charged, not negotiable. We got in 5 pallets of leather for welding outfits for the Dept. of Defense. It's a 5 oz grey suede and will be sewn with Kevlar thread. We got our jeans line almost set up and everything looks good for us to have a good year. The contract for the leather welding gear just fell into our laps as another contractor did the dreaded "failed to perform". That's about the worst thing you can do as a DOD contractor. Regards, Eric

Nice work Martin. Oil underneath is good! Oil on fabric not good. This is a common issue on industrial machines. As they age, they tend to throw more oil from looser seals and shafts, so the oilers need to be turned down. Regards, Eric

Happy New Years all! Back in town after some much needed time off! Back to the grind on Wednesday, and back here! Be safe everyone! Regards, Eric

Good to hear you got it taken care of Mark. I wouldn't worry too much about the machine history. Oiling the hooks is important as is the needle bar bushing. Oil the hooks most often, everything else will stay good for a long time. The bearing on the top shaft where the handwheel is should have some oil now and again, but I've pulled those old Singer bearings out that are 50 years old, bone dry, still smooth as silk. On the bed of the machine, you'll have a bunch of little holes, on the top you'll have a little resevoir that has a bunch of felt wicks in it. No, those little gib screws don't have to be pop a vein in your neck tight. Snug is good, as you'll likely have to clean them out again. I use SnapOn Screwdrivers which have really hard tips. Klein also makes some good ones. It only takes 3 or 4 different screwdrivers for those machines, so spend some money on some good ones with hardened tips. You should be using your right hook since most all thread is left twist. The left hook rotates in such a manner that it will on occasion untwist your thread and you'll get more breakage and not as pretty stitches on the left. Obviously you can use either, or both, but you'll usually have less issues using the right hook. Have fun! Regards, Eric

You know, I always forget the belt part...heh. All my 112's and 212's have clutch motors and I work with my foot on the pedal with the pressure taken off the brake (in neutral so to speak). Good way to sew your finger if you're new to it, and it doesn't work with servo's. Thanks Bob. Regards, Eric