Darren Brosowski

As long as you are cofortable with changing the plugs.

The 227R - built by Seiko - is a great machine but keep in mind that many on the second hand market are ex factory machines and have done a million miles. A new machine with servo is often not much more by the time you get the old clunker, add a servo, fix all the problems and then PAY someone to help you get it going. I have a customers 227R here where there is significant wear in the shuttle and drive gears. For the cost of fixing it I can just about supply him a new Chinese version of the Seiko CW-8B.

Amazingly the 45k and similar machines have been in use for leatherwork for over a century and yet all of a sudden in the last few ears they are not suitable for sewing leather? There is a technique to using the 45k and simple feed machines to get even stitches and that involves using both hands to assist the feed. I know master saddlers who use the 45k to do the bulk of their sewing and stitch length is not an issue. The feed dog marking is mostly because people screw down the presser foot tension to compensate for the fact that they do not assist the feed correctly.

The Singer 45k25 does not have reverse. As much as I love the old machines I have to sell the GA5-1R due to parts and availability. It has reverse and roller feet are available. The 45k and GA5 can be made into a hand crank by drilling and tapping a hole to fit a handle on the balance wheel to make them portable. It is something I offer as a standard product.

High Tenacity Polyester - Amman Serafil - is a good option

You would need to change the plugs on the foot control to suit the US

The drill is not included in the kit - you supply your own.

In the last few days I have listed a range of spare parts, accessories, bobbin winder and manual on my ebay store; http://stores.ebay.com.au/Able-Sewing/ABLE290-/_i.html?_fsub=6149943015&_sid=47422815&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322 Despite being rather crude these machines work very well when they are set up properly and the manual will help. If you are looking at buying a full kit then email me direct darren@ablesewing.com.au and I will do you a better price. To anyone who sells this machine please note that the manual is subject to copywrite and legal action will be taken if I find that my manual has been copied in part or full.

I am only mentioning this here because there have been a few threads about the crude little Chinese patchers. In the last few days I have listed a range of spare parts, accessories, bobbin winder and manual on my ebay store; http://stores.ebay.com.au/Able-Sewing/ABLE290-/_i.html?_fsub=6149943015&_sid=47422815&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322 Despite being rather crude these machines work very well when they are set up properly and the manual will help. If you are looking at buying a full kit then email me direct darren@ablesewing.com.au and I will do you a better price. To anyone who sells this machine please note that the manual is subject to copywrite and legal action will be taken if I find that my manual has been copied in part or full.

The 31-20 is almost identical to the 31-15 except that it takes a larger bobbin case and bobbin - both still available It is probably the second best flat bed singer after the 42-5

Just a bit more free thread below the work. May not make a difference. Depending on the behaviour of the thread raising the needle bar a touch may help

Try running it with the needle bar a touch lower

Fine looking table mate

21 or 22g needle is what you need

Recently I had a 441 set up with a good quality clutch motor, 40mm pulley and no speed reducer. About a dozen saddlers played with the machine and all found it to have great control. Most saddlers I talk to with 441's have disconnected the EPS if they can. Steve, this is not a criticism of your setup on your machines, I am just pointing out the feelings of Australian saddlers. Keep in mind that most of these guys were taught on a Pearson 6.

Interesting that Neels are the importer and also sell direct then complain about other people who hold multiple agencies. I do not doubt their quality of service but I wonder how his resellers feel when he deals direct?

The bobbin case in a 16 class is really only designed for #92 thread but will take #138 if you are prepared to have the bobbin case fail every couple of years. If you want to run heavier thread then you need a machine with an open frame shuttle such as the GA5 or CB3200

I have feet but contact Bob at Toledo. If the specific foot is not available then you just cut and grind one down I have feet but contact Bob at Toledo. If the specific foot is not available then you just cut and grind one down

205RB only has about 6mm foot lift by the hand lever so forget the bullshit from Jim Beaton about sewing 18mm. Less than 1/4" is all you will sew

Pick the thread up and see if you get any movement. Why is the tension different when the machine worked properly before? What did you change? Could be as simple as a badly wound bobbin

Tension is not a reason to spend money on service. Take the bobbin case and put it on your palm with the bobbin facing up, tilt your hand at about 45 degrees and pull the thread. The bobbin should start to turn at about the same time the thread starts to pull through. I really think your problem is on the top end

As they say in the classics - we have good news and bad news! The good news is that there are only two areas that could be the problem but the bad news is that you need to work out where the problem is. First question I always ask is what did you change just before the problem arose? If you rethreaded the top end then check the threading. Usually the problem is that you are behind the tension discs and not running through them

Every sewing machine ever built - including toys - will sew leather but the trick is knowing how much they will sew and with what thread.

If it is a binding machine then it will always be slightly compromised when it comes to normal sewing

According to your chart the 8/3 is #345 but that does not sound right to me as I would have said 415 The /3 tells us that it is a three strand thread. Because of differences in density there are differences between thread types that hurt the brain BTW 5/3 is rope - not thread