mikesc

Most companies realise that you are not gong to order 100s of anything that is "expensive" "right off the bat"..IIWY I'd tell them that you are very interested to try one..you never know if you are really impressed and the price is right you might be able to buy more and start a small side business selling them to others, you can't be the only one in the USA that wants to reduce the size of their machine's "footprint"..Just look at the number of posts in threads here and elsewhere ( upholstery and sailing fora ) on the subject.. Don't tell them that you'll take more for sure..tell them that if the 1st is OK , then you may be back with a larger repeat order..most companies will ship 5 or 10 units a few times with their brand on them, as long as they are making a profit..and as long as you pay "up front"..Ask them how much to ship you one..Depending on your bank TT will cost you about $15.00 to $25.00 extra..( ask your bank, they will need to know the Chinese companies bank to give you the exact charge, it depends on if your bank has a "direct correspondence" with their bank, or if they have to go via other banks, each "hop" costs a few dollars extra ... What have you got to lose ..

Try searching this site:leatherworker.net stepper motor there have been some interesting threads about stepper motors here, frequently they have been used in a way that seriously reduces the "footprint".. Amongst the results for that search string above is this following thread http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/70144-new-to-sewing-leather/ some of the pics may give you some ides about alternative table and mounting methods that can save some space.. HTH :) BTW..the Chinese company that you linked to does say that they accept MOQ ( minimum order quantity ) 1 piece..Freight on a 3.2 kg package would not be much depending on how it is sent..even though they say FOB, most Chinese companies have accounts with the big guys like Fedex and UPS etc and have good rates for "including shipping" even on small orders..

Mods!!.."thing" ( "splinch" ) in aisle 5..

So..the machine belongs to someone else ? I ask because you say "theirs" What do you mean by "top stitching" ? ..post a picture if possible.. The outer foot should not touch the throat plate..nor should it touch the feed dogs..that would damage the foot and the feed dogs.. So..do you mean that it is not touching the leather or vynil because it is not lowering enough..or do you mean it is lowering enough, but that it does not have enough pressure? Pressure feet don't have "tension"..they have pressure..which on some machines is adjustable So what exactly are you adjusting, and where, and how is it "bottomed out"..do you mean that the foot is as low as it can go.. Or do you mean that you cannot increase the pressure anymore.. Can it sew correctly if you use place a piece of card, the thickness of a business card ( not a piece of paper ) where the vynil or leather would be sewn..

There is a huge amount here already on all those topics on each one and all of those machines..but you have to know how to search for it.. eg..if you are looking for threading on singer 111 you put this next line into google site:leatherworker.net singer 111 threading if you were looking for threads or posts where tension was mentioned on consew 225 you put the following line into google site:leatherworker.net consew 225 tension dozens or in some cases hundreds of threads and posts on the precise topics, already posted and sorted by the search engine, and all on the same page..you just have to hover your mouse over each one and right click and choose "open in new tab" to read each one without losing your place.. it is all here already..no need to make new "compilation threads"..just need to use a few "search engine operators" the site: "operator" gets you everything on the website whose name follows it.. then you leave a space and put the thing you are looking for .. so site:leatherworker.net juki lu 562 will get you everything Google can find about juki lu 562 that exists here if you want to know about clutch on a juki lu 562 you do this site:leatherworker.net juki lu 562 clutch but..clutch could mean the machine clutch..or the clutch motor.. so you have to tell the search engine not to give you results about juki lu 562 with clutch motors you do that by putting a minus sign - in front of what you want leaving out so site:leatherworker.net juki lu 562 clutch -motor gets you all the posts and threads about juki lu 562 machine clutch, but pre sorts , so that all the ones about clutch motors on a juki lu 562 are left out same principle applies to whatever you are searching for on this or any other site. search operators can be used in many other ways..that is just a simple example..GoogleFu :)

The bottom tension should be quite "slick"..not much pull needed to get the bobbin to revolve at all, but..only back off the tension at the bobbin by very small amounts at a time in between tests..tiny tweaks on the bottom tension are equivalent to a quarter to a half a turn on the top tension..and don't back off so much that you lose the tension screw on the floor .. just seen Bobs comment..went back up and looked.. Yep missed that..Bob is "da man"..your needle is indeed 180 degrees out..( red face )

Agree with everything wiz said..I was typing the same thing when the notification that wiz had posted showed up. re the thread tearing at speed with a clutch motor..that will happen..you need to get a servo motor and probably a speed reducer ( or make the speed reducer yourself ) then you'll have far better control...if you ew textile with the same clutch motor and set up on the machine it probably wont break the thread, but leather is "stickier" than textile and so the thread cannot get back up through the material as fast as it needs to when the speed goes up..using a bigger size needle can reduce that effect if you want to go fast, but apart from enjoying watching the needle smoke at high speed, why would you want to go fast..unless you are sewing loads of long straight lines like belts etc on a piecework basis.

Personally, I'd also drop down a size on the needle too, ( make smaller holes, the knots will be better hidden ) , reduce the foot pressure ( reduces the "pressed through" effect on the bottom ) and lower the feed dogs a smidgen ( if you can on that machine ? )..that with lowering the pressure on the top foot/feet will make the bottom look less "battered"*..the occasional knot on the bottom is probably down to the thread tension varying in the top thread path somewhere..look for small "snags" anywhere from how it comes off the spool right down to the needle eye.. and ditto ..what yetibelle said re "reverse" *Three layers of 3 to 4 oz is not thin in total, but each layer is pretty soft , and from your photos it seems to be the case..the pressure at the needle and around the needle and hole in the base plate when the needle pierces is actually "silly high" ( very tightly focused force at high pressure ) ..the bottom layer/ skin is trying to get out of the way via the hole in the base plate..which is affecting the stitch, the "knots", and the bottom layer outside face..which adds to the "shit" effect..many of us have seen / done far worse in "the early days"..:) ..you'll get there..keep your scrap leather ( even the small pieces ) to practice on ( even if only in runs of a few dozen stitches ) and to learn from ..

That is only because you are already being tracked by google via ll the scripts that you are allowing them to run on your computer.. *to access the link you posted to the manual one has to allow google.com to run over 20 scripts on one's computer..you are obviously allowing them all without realising it, so google is tracking everything you do and see and read, and watch , and search for on the internet.. wiz and I ( like wiz I also have a computer related / IT business..and have a great many websites , which I build myself, and run 5 servers here in France, have 10 computers here in the house, and have been working in IT, self employed or as a consultant, since 1970s, so I do know what I'm talking about here ) had a conversation about google drive here earlier this month, You'll note that wiz confirms what I'm saying about google drive.. http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/75644-prettiest-singer-111w155-biggest-pain-in-my-butt/#comment-498992 btw..for anyone reading, if the manual that Constabulary linked to on google drive is the same as was mentioned in the previous thread which I link to in this post, wiz linked to a copy of it that is hosted here on leatherworker.net ( where you don't even have to authorise g analytics that run here to be able to download it.. ) here is the link again 111W152_W153_W154_W155.pdf btw..I do not make websites for other people anymore, I do not have the time..so please do not ask..( wiz makes websites for other people still I think..so ask wiz ) nor do I tell which are my sites..so please do not ask..strangely a refusal to name ones sites publicly often offends, or makes others question if one has them.

I've mentioned this before re links to photos or manuals, but it is worth repeating.. Unfortunately reading a manual from that link requires signing up to, or signing into Google..thus giving Google your name, your location/ address, and your phone number..private highly identifying information, they then are able ( and they do ) track who you are and what web pages you look at , and what you have already looked at , what you search, what you have already searched..and their cookies ( used to track you ) last for 35 years..plus they will be tracking your unique IP address and browser footprint etc, via G analytics on all websites that run it ( over 80% of all websites do )..for the next 35 years..or more..Do you really want a private corp to have that information about what you see, where you go etc..

That which was once seen, can never be unseen.. "Frankenbuild"..~:o

made me actually laugh out loud there..I imagined the possible review on ebay.. "definitely worth a crap" :))

Another vote for the Pfaff 138-6..very solid machine. I actually have ( amongst others ) a Singer 20U ( wanted it for the freehand embroidery potential due it's variable zig-zag ability ) and the larger zig zag ( 8 to 9mm bight )..now looking for a triple step zig-zag ( hoping to find a Bernina 217..rare now ) to supplement it.

let me fix ( some of ) that for you.. "Do some research and see what machines* other professional leather workers** arw using." this part "I have read that you can use a more powerful aftermarket motor with that machine. Make sure you get a motor that fits the connector as there are variations between singer machines make sure the motor you get also includes the pedal" is irrelevant . as is all the rest ( it all relates to domestic machines ) ..if you want to sew leather professionally * and ** ..Hint..they don't use domestic singers ( or domestic models from other manufacturers )..no matter what foot , crank, motor etc you or anyone else thinks will allow domestic machines ( even those made from cast iron ) to sew leather..unless of course the idea is to sew leather badly..

Looks like it ought to be steam powered..ideal to have in the workshop window if you make a lot of steam punk gear.

That company is selling domestic machines ( both old singers and later plastic sewing machines from various manufacturers ) all over ebay and other similar sites , including their own website..always as "semi-industrial" or "heavy industrial"..their "speciality" is "pre owned". Their phone number ( if you search just the number ) appears to be registered to the same business , but at multiple different addresses around the UK Midlands. Maybe so as to be one jump ahead of the satisfied customers showing up with their "semi industrial machines" that broke when sewing into an eighth of an inch of veg tan.

I'd say a fork lift truck operator speared it by being careless..happens a lot.

;)

Looks like sewing machine pron / what you use to make really serious BDSM gear with..or what the alien and predator make their gear with :) Wait..it is in the name..they are what you use to stitch cyclones together.. Want one.. Hmm..Now..how to convince wife that I really need one..

You sure about those thicknessess ? That is about the mm count I use for lambskin or goatskin "clubwear"..in chrome tan. Lingerie uses thinner for some items, I have some 0.5 mm within arms reach as I type, which I'm cutting and making into "control samples", ( before sending them away to have the first production run of those items made ) this week, the garment cow and buffalo we work with ranges from around 1.0 to 1.5 mm at the thinnest up to around 3 mm. Of course straps , belts, restraints etc of various sorts are often made using heavier again. I've never taken any of the leather upholstery apart on any of the vehicles I have owned to see how thick the leather was, and if I start picking the leather sofa apart at this time of night my wife is not going to be amused, but I would have thought that anything that you sit on ( unless it was leather shorts :) would have to be made using heavier leather than around 1.0 to 1.5 mm.. Intrigued ..what kind of leather at that "thinness" do you use for aviation upholstery ? Have I been sitting on leather that is much thinner than I thought it was..although I did jump out of a lot of aviation over the years..maybe it was the seats :)

My 29k belonged to a Breton cobbler who used it to make shoes, boots and clogs ( sabots )..The soles of the boots a, shoes and clogs ( wooden soles in the case of the clogs were nailed onto the boots via a thinner sole which was sewn on to the uppers around the edges..kind of the way that a "goodyear" welt is made..and then the thicker "wear" sole was nailed onto it with "hobnails" the heads of which were turned over as they struck the "lst" which was inserted into the shoes or boots..then a thinner inner sole of leather was placed inside the boots or shoes to protect the wearers feet from the turned over nail ends.. The leather clog uppers ( boots and shoes were for richer folk , labourers and working people wore leather wooden soled clogs, with leather uppers..on sundays ) were nailed to the wooden clog soles..and in place of padding , or socks, they stuffed straw around their feet, come rain or shine, winter or summer.. Weekdays and for work..the non rich folks in this region of France wore clogs made entirely from solid wood, hollowed out with gouges..My father in law and mother in law both wore entirely wooden clogs all day every day except Sundays..as did many here.. I'll try to find some images, or take some photos of the wooden clogs and wooden and leather clogs and some of the old shoes and boots ( from when they had more money after WW2 ) we still have..but not right now as it is nearly 02.00 am :)..all were made by local cobblers or clog makers, and all the leatherwork was done on 29Ks or the equivalent models from other manufacturers..Life was very similar back home in Ireland for my folks too before WW2.. real leather shoes were a rich peoples thing..most sunday shoes ( if you had the money for shoes, might be made out of cardboard..or as it was called "patent leather" ) were worn until they near crippled you ( cos your feet grew ) and then handed down to the next kid in line..Irish and Breton French ( both catholic places ) had families with very many children..I had 15 cousins in one family, 19 cousins in another family, and 23 cousins in the largest family..and that is only the families related to me within a half a day walking distance from my folks house..real shoes were a luxury that very few could afford.My grandfather used to repair his own..and hand sew all the bridles and saddles and "tack" for himself and sell and repair harness, saddles etc..he bred and trained/broke horses , was a sort of "whisperer", well known in Southern Ireland..was his own blacksmith and farrier too..as were many poor farmers.. He grew up mostly barefoot, shoewearing ( if you had any , even handme downs ) was saved for putting on just before you got where the other church goers could see you..My wife says her grandparents had similar lives, a lot of the Bretons migrated..as did many of the Irish, we just had the famine as an extra reason. I did once see a singer treadle domestic sewing machine in Ireland when I was a child..belonged to what to us was a very rich relative ( one of the Kennedys, we all are from the same 2 or 3 square mile area of the Kilkenny / Wexford border )..no children allowed to touch it..twas a wondrous thing to behold, even when still :)

Thanks wiz ;) the direct link from "here" is much appreciated, I currently have 14 windows and nearly 2000 tabs open on this machine..logging into G would crash my machine as all the G analytics and their other scripts ran in each tab that has a page that calls to them. ..@yetibelle..yes..like wiz explained to get to the file that is uploaded to a google drive account, one either has to have a google account ( and log in to it ) or make a google drive account, and be logged in to it..and accept all the google cookies..and all their "tracking scripts", including their "ever cookie"..which they then use to "personalise" your search results ( skew them to what they want you to see ) and they skew ads that they show you when you go to any site that runs adsense or double click.. G are not the only ones who do this kind of thing..it can be a real PITA..means that unless you clean your cookies out that any searches that you do will be tweaked by them..you won't get "clean" results..facebook is even worse with their like buttons , which are really tracking buttons that log your IP address to facebook and that then spy on you and record every page that you go to on any site anywhere on the web that has a facebook button on it, whether you "like " something or not, they record what you look at and where you go..for years or even decades..even if you don't have a facebook account..sites that use google analytics allow google to do the same spying on your browsing habits to you..unless you block the calls to the "social" buttons etc and to ganalytics in your browser..easy to do..but a "how to" would be OT for this thread.. But the ads here on leatherworker.net do not allow the advertisers to track ..:)..and I always block the ganalytics.

Appreciate the thought yetibelle, But..I ( for one ) would rather see links to "guides " and pdfs" etc that do/es not require one to have google account, or create one, or "log into one" ( or an account anywhere else than leatherworker.net )..if any guide or pdf or file is too big to upload here directly,, the mods can do it.. Same applies to photos.. Lot of people recently are taking to uploading their images to other sites where to see them you have to accept a whole pile of 3rd party tracking cookies connected to the ads and or twitter, facebook , pinterest cr*p buttons on those sites ( and if you want to get rid of them afterwards they can take a long time removing all of them ) or to be forced to create accounts on those sites to see the images ( and all the ads from people who are not advertising supporters of this forum )..whereas we are all here with accounts anyway..and can upload the guides, pdfs, and photos right here.. Google docs and google drive ( and other 3rd party sites ) can, and have been used ( very recently in the case of google docs ) to serve malware ..not by you ;-) , but it is not advisable in general to trust links to google docs and google drive..or the MS version of it, et al.. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/03/google_docs_hit_phishing_email_campaign/ and search "google docs malware" for further reading.. and a huge amount of malware gets served by sites that run ads that are not hosted on the sites themselves..like all those photo sharing sites that people here like to upload their photos to.

DSR doesn't AKAIK apply to transactions between two private individuals..but yes..if Neil bought it from anyone registered as a business in the EU, a "chargeback" on the card ( or paypal if they were involved ) could very well work..I'm registered in both the UK and France as a business(es) and I have to abide by both UK and EU distance selling regs.

aside..So..what looks like the trig' point is constructed on previously delivered singers, but not on their packaging ;) I thought it looked like there were boggish parts, but in Ireland ( where I'm origanally from ) we don't do pristine peat bogs on quite that scale..ours tend to be worked ( peat extracted partially or entirely ) and full of my relatives ( small place, everyone is related somehow to everyone, 19th cousins twice removed etc ) posing with bepaniered[sic?] donkeys for tacky tourist postcards..You could make money with that photo, got any more of that quality composition, watermark them ( via a faded / ghosted method* through the middle , not the edges so your watermark cannot be cropped ) and make yourself** a site to commercialise them through. * and **Don't know how ? ..drop me a pm and I'll explain. /aside..