480volt

Was a good thing up till the neo debacle. I was annoyed that the serial# data base that I’d been compiling was (I think) wiped out and gave up shortly after that. Still have an 8 1/2D though.

Totally off topic, but are you the same Vinito that owned the Gorton Mill Yahoo group?

Might be a regional difference. Here in the SF Bay Area, you have backhoes (rubber tires, arm swings 90 degrees left or right) and excavators (tracks, house rotates 360 degrees). Backhoes are all similar in size (Kubotas don’t count) and excavators come in many sizes, from the little “Fisher-Price”-sized mini-ex to so big the tracks hang off both sides of the low-boy when they bring it on site. The contractors I usually use for trenching prefer an excavator for digging and a bobcat (skid steer) for moving spoils and placing backfill.

Given the mechanics of handsewing, the fit of the blade and handle to your hand is more important than the profile of the tip, as long as the blade is sharp and polished. You can drive a slightly rounded point into your thumb just as easy as a sharp point.

The challenge with brass rivets is trying to make a nice shop formed head. Copper can be domed pretty easily, but brass doesn’t move around nearly as easy.

It’s very bad ju-ju to try and regulate the speed of an AC induction motor by varying the voltage, regardless of the means. The speed of the motor is determine by the number of poles and the frequency of the source, hence the need to regulate speed by changing the frequency. You lower the voltage, the motor will still try to run at it’s rated speed and it will begin to draw more current. Torque will drop off as well. AC motors not rated for variable speed (inverter duty) will also not cool themselves properly if run at less than design speed. I’m not saying that there aren’t AC motors with enough margin designed into the windings that they can tolerate what is essentially a continuous overload situation, but I am surprised that someone identifying as an electrical engineer would suggest it. And good luck trying to explain it to your insurance adjuster. Some home shop machinist types have adapted DC motors and controllers from treadmills, these motors are designed to operate under load at a wide range of speeds and can sometimes be had for the effort of hauling it away.

Bruce Johnson has a Rose, a Gomph, a couple Osborne Newarks and an unmarked on his site, currently. Always been happy dealing with him

This site works well because members generally do not bring politics into the discussion. The OP was simply about cost impacts on sewing machines due to the ongoing tariff situation in the US. If people want to talk politics or state opinion as facts, than they should start another thread.

You should ask him, not all of his inventory is on the site.

Bruce Johnson had one listed for sale on his site for months, you should check with him.

I own a set of the Osborne irons and find that the teeth are a bit too wide and the angle not accute enough (not parallel enough to the stitch line). The geometry of the teeth on Blanchard irons is much better. I can’t speak to Wuta, Crimson, or KS Blade, as I try to keep my purchasing to old line companies that I hope will stay in business. I imagine VB will eventually succumb to the downwards pressure from the Korean and Chinese competitors much like Dixon did.

Search lift-the-dot snaps. Looks like there are many suppliers for these.

Threaded rod bends easy and is cheap. It’s like grade nothing on the SAE chart, but will be plenty strong for what you are doing.

How about a little Loctite red on the bearing when you assemble it to encourage it to stay put?

In my neck of the woods (SF Bay Area) those would be extremely reasonable prices. I wouldn’t haggle, I’d buy both and keep whichever one performed better.

Discussions about power requirements are speculation without seeing the rating plate on the machine or on the motor.

What’s Inox?

The threads on the screw in the photo don’t look damaged, are you replacing it for cosmetic reasons? If you want an exact replacement, you may have to get one from a donor tool. If you just want a functional replacement, than what baroness said, the hardware store is your friend. If it is 1/4” diameter, it may be 1/4-20, which is common as dirt, or 1/4-28, which is not. Blanchard may also have made proprietary thread forms like Singer frequently did. The comical point implies that this is a set screw. If so, you should replace it with a set screw with a similar point to avoid damage to the surface it bears against. Set screws are also typically hardened. If it is just a cosmetic issue, could you just dress the heads with a file?

Everything I have ever made has at least one flaw in it, none of them deliberate...

What lubrication inadequacies are you addressing by using Marvel Mystery Oil, which is mostly mineral oil and Stoddard solvent?

If you really want to dig deep on this topic, search lubricants over on the Practical Machinist site. I have heard of the effect of gears creating a void in the grease referred to as channeling, and there are definitely products designed to avoid this. There are also greases designed to be used on open gearing, like the spur gear on the top of a “camelback” drill. The problem with many of these specialized products is that they are packaged for industrial use in 5-gallon and 55-gallon drums. In the end, like Bob and Constabulary said, just keep oil in it.

This the machine that was listed for $500.00 in La Honda, Ca, last week?

I don’t believe I’ve ever heard the words “Grainger” and “Great Price” used in the same sentence.... Nice press though.

Since Henley swivel knives get occasional mention here, I just want to confirm that Louis and Tom Henley are still in business. They were quick to reply to emails, and they built what I ordered and shipped on schedule. Beautiful tool, great people to deal with. You do need to contact them directly to purchase, and they do not accept credit cards.

Why buy a Chinese copy when you can buy directly from Bob? He’s still in business and making tools.