mikesc

Hi Jollins, I don't make shoes, but I do know that Pfaff machines are very well made, but any spare parts or replacements parts for Pfaff are always expensive, if the machine is not in very good condition ( needs nothing replacing ) and does not already have all the parts ( feet and needle plates and bobbins etc ) that you would need for your shoe making, any parts that you might have to buy or replace would cost more than the equivalent parts of most other brands.. There are some shoemakers here, they can perhaps advise about the Pfaff that you have seen, or suggest alternatives..

Needle positioners..I have one ( EFKA ) on my Juki, which can be switched to varieties of "on" or "entirely off"..I leave it at "entirely off", better to control what the needle is doing yourself than allow the machine to decide that it needs to make an "extra stitch" so as to stop with the needle in the pre-set position of up or down..One day ( when I can access the Juki easily again, it is behind a mountain of boxes and stuff on my veranda at the moment ),I'll take the NPS off and sell it as a separate item..or more likely, just scrap it ( Eric "gottaknow" says it sounds like the noise mine makes indicates that, although it works, it is ready to soon join the great heap of scrap items to be used in sculptures in the workshop )..For high speed factory ( and especially textile garment work ) they are useful, but, most folks on here ( with the notable exception of "Trox", who uses some, and who seems to like them , especially the EFKAs ) don't use them even when their motors ( servo or clutch ) have them fitted.. But..YMMV :)

Edge guide feet wouldn't be so good for doing inside ( concave curves ) as the roller head on the guide that AEMCLain has, outside ( convex ) curves would be "doable" with edge guide feet, but a roller guide would be better, and any kind of compound curve set up ( like say "princess seams or armholes and side seams on fitted items ) or almost all kinds of seams on lingerie would be much easier to do with a roller edge guide than with edge guide feet..I have made magnetic versions of both roller edge guides and flat edge guides for myself..for straight runs, edge guide feet work well, as do flat edge guides, but curves ( if you wnat them to be really precise ) need a roller ( or a small contact area ) or a very steady hand and eye.. At around $50.oo ( plus the postage and the 20% VAT on the total of item cost and postage cost ) I might order one of these just to see if they are useful, at over a $100.oo ( plus postage and 20% on the item cost and again 20% on the postage cost ) I would be loath to do so in case I didn't get the use out of it .. Just noticed, like many Chinese ebay sellers, Free shipping ..will be ordering one to see..Thanks for "the pointer" AEMCLain

Thanks..:) You saved me a trip to the patent office..( insert "redface*" )..There you go, I mentally reinvented the flat edge guide ( insert second "redface*" ) *embarrassed reface" doesn't seem to be amongst the emoticons available on site..not that I'm a great one for graphical emoticons ( back in my day the internet was all steam and brass and we had to cut our own runic symbols into tiny tablets which we sent by post to websites and BB..hence the term "post", actually we punched holes into cards ) ..surprised nonetheless to not find an "embarrassed redface" amongst the choices on offer..

The Chinese manufacturers of anything make to a price, the price that the buying company is willing to pay, if the buying company doesn't want to pay the extra price for high quality, the Chinese ( or anyone else ) are not going to make high quality items only to be paid a low price..The Chinese can, and do make superb quality items, but they cost more than many companies are willing to pay, China is seen as "cheap manufacturing" that allows "end companies" to make high mark-ups, ( and thus bigger pay packages for the C suites in those end companies, and bigger dividends for the shareholders* ) in contrast, Japan is seen, as are Germany, Switzerland , The Czech Republic etc ( nowadays ) as "expensive manufacturing", and the number of customers that are willing to pay for that quality is smaller, most "end companies" would rather sell "clones" than "original", ( that makes the owners / C-suites / shareholders* more money for less outlay )..Very few of us ( and our customers ) value high quality enough to pay for it, very few people anywhere nowadays value the work of craftsmen and women or artists, more of the Japanese still do so.. I am reminded daily of the lyrics of this song.. "I used to work for Harvester - Don Henley".. http://www.absolutelyrics.com/lyrics/view/don_henley/i_used_to_work_for_harvester *In many cases the "shareholders" are investment funds and similar, whose C-suites get paid their bonuses based upon only short term gains, making and , or selling a high quality product is not their priority, but they do expect to get high quality goods when spending their own salaries or money, there is a dichotomy there somewhere..

blurry..( sorry, couldn't resist ) ;) I presume the darker metallic part nearest to the Foot lifter lever is the "adaptor plate ?" The thing I don't "grok" about edge guides which use a roller as the actual "edge guide", is that they would be so much more accurate for 90% of what they are used for ( belts and "long" straight runs ) if the part in contact with the "edge" of the work piece was a "flat" ( thus providing an edge guide that is parallel to the direction of the "feed" of the feed dogs ) and not a point on the circumference of a roller.. Unless I'm missing something and they have interchangeable "contact" heads and they do also have flat edge guides that keep the work piece parallel to the direction that the feed dogs are feeding ?..but that they all arrive with the cylinder part pre fitted and that is ( maybe ? ) why people only show pictures of the cylinder revolving edge guide..Whenever I see one , I think , "great for curves", not so good for straight lines ( which is what most people actually use them to stitch )..If I was going to make one ( probably will do , one day, they appear to be easy enough to machine ) , I'd make a "straight edge parallel" guide, and a cylinder end guide, and make them interchangeable ( the cylinder end appears to be attached to the adjusting bar with an Allen key type "grub screw", so maybe they do have "interchangeable heads" ? ) ..never seen one "in the flesh" ( only photos ) so may be mentally re-inventing something that already exists. Question..apart from allowing easier access to the bobbin ( because the hook/ bobbin cover plate is not obstructed by them ) why do people seem to prefer "swing down" edge guides to fixed to machine bed edge guides, seems "swing down" would get in the way more for the right "feeding hand" when it is being used, and because it is cantilevered away from the body, to be a little less precise and more prone to small lateral movements in relation to the stitching line than something fixed to the machine bed in front of and behind the stitching area.?

I used to have a great / grand uncle back in Ireland who toured around the country in a horse drawn wagon ( like a classical gypsy caravan ) doing just those sort of repairs and making things for sale at markets and horse fairs, did some farrier and black smith type work also..met him a few times when I was younger, seemed to be a very happy and contented man.. :)

"Something else".. When the reverse lever is down, ( machine in reverse ) it is at the bottom of it's "slot" in the machine head..measure the space in the "slot" that is left above it, make a wedge ( wood or brass, or thick hard plastic ) that will fit into that "slot" space..Thus the "wedge" will hold the reverse lever in the down position..make a "lip" on the wedge ( so as to stop it falling inside the machine head )..fix a ring onto the part of the "wedge" that is facing outwards towards you..( you could make it all out of brass in one piece ) so that you can pull the wedge out ( allowing the machine to run in "forwards" ) after the required stitches have been made in reverse.. You could even make it "spring loaded" so that you'd have to swing it down to put it into the slot, but that a quick tap downward on the reverse lever would release it to swing back up and out of the way.. Got access to compressed air ? or a low voltage DC solenoid ? ( or a scrap car door lock solenoid )..or a knee operated lever with spring return..even more possibilities open up..

Presumably the machine here ( about 30 minutes from me ) is the same sort of thing? The name may be "Black" or that may be just the colour ? They say it works, they say it is a chain stitch ( chainette ) machine..cordonnier ( shoemakers ) machine looks huge..and heavy..buyer collects..they are asking €600.oo

I have an oil drip pan ( actually it is an aluminium sump on mine, holds the half litre or so of oil for the pump which sits in it ) on the Juki DLU 490 too ( it is the standard fitting on them ) but the left side "end" of the pan is "open", there is a second "wall" that seals the oil splashing part of the sump from the hook assembly ( it is built that way, it isn't a "mod" ) so that the operator can reach under and change bobbins from that side under the table..You can even take the entire hook assembly off so as to be able to time the machine without tilting it back ( although doing so would obviously be much easier with the machine tilted ) as the hook end of the shaft is all in the "open easy access part".. The machine came with an automated "thread trimmer" and an Efka NPS..the "cut off thread ends" fall into the bottom of the open sided section of the sump, as do any broken needle tips etc..you might be able to "mod" something similar..easiest would be if the drip tray is plastic like on my Singer 211, just cut a section out..Aluminium would require a cut out and if it is a "sump" a second wall to protect the hook from the oily area, making out of plastic fixed in place with epoxy putty or similar..or even aluminium if you are set up for welding non ferrous metals.. Mine is attached to the table also, with a silicone "squashable" gasket to seal between it and the head..I have huge bunch of stuff in the way ( preventing me from taking a photo, or even touching that machine ) at the moment, I put the Juki 490 DLU machine on the veranda while I build the cinderblock walls and lay a concrete floor and tiles for the workshop I'm building onto the side of the house..if the weather holds, I may even get to put the roof timbers and the slate roof on before autumn ( the other machines, 5 of them ) are all in the living room ATM..but only the Juki has that kind of "cutaway" sump.. ...topic drift> @Joanna Hamberg..only way to know if the Juki will "skip" and jump a bobbin when sewing over heavy seams is to actually take something "difficult" to sew on it before buying it..and to try to sew over those kinds of seams multiple times..Eric ( gottaknow ) might have some hands on experience with that model.. The 206( "whatever" ) or a Seiko ( or any other machine ) you'll want to sew some trial pieces on anyway, before handing over any money .. Consignment ? I don't know what that means in this context..I used ( many years ago in another country ) to have a craft and souvenir shop ( had other kinds of shops and business too ) where I sometimes took items on "consignment"..that meant that I didn't pay the supplier until they actually sold..and if they didn't look to be selling I could call them and say "come and collect them" and they would have cost me nothing..normally "consignment" for machines would mean that the machine has a previous owner ( is a used machine ) and that the dealer is selling it ( and taking a profit on the deal ) for the owner..That would ( IME ) mean that there would be no more "after sales support" than if you bought a used machine privately..or any "after sales support"that you might get, you'd have to pay for..

@Hockeymender Possibly a dumb question ;) But can you not change the bobbin by reaching your hand under the table, like I do with my Juki 490 DLU ? I always figured the slide plate was to "let you see what you were doing"*, rather than the "entrance" for bobbin changing.. *I actually change mine by "touch", I don't need to look any more.. To the OP re choices ..I agree with Wiz.. NB..Not all of the Juki 1545Ss are made in Japan..nor are all the parts made there..

"Needle bar thread rack" part #213-38054 Parts manual here.. covers your model.. https://www.universalsewing.com/images2/parts_lists/all/32a8shbo.pdf Service manual here .. http://danreetz.com/juki/JUKI_DNU-1541-S-7EM01_SERVICE_MANUAL.pdf HTH

Yes, that part will affect the thread ( make it break occasionally , and give intermittent tension problems )..it should not be hanging loose( ish ) like that..and the cracks are not supposed to be there..if she goes slow..she may well get away with it..replace the cracked part as soon as possible..keep a "close watch" ( not with your eyes near it ) on it and the screw that goes through it, the thread guide ring that sits on the top of it and the needle in case any of them come loose..Personally I wouldn't use it like that in case something gets loose and causes damage, but..if you have to use the machine ..it is Sunday ..just go very slow and careful, and replace it Monday.. Ps..I'd also advise wearing some kind of eye protection anyway when using a sewing machine, domestic or industrial, ( at whatever speed it is running at even with a servo or a speed reducer or even hand wheeling ) even when nothing is loose etc..a part flying off can do a lot of damage to an eye..and a needle breaking..well, I'll leave anyone who doesn't sew using eye protection to think about the possible consequences of a broken needle tip in the eye..

Convex..it bulges in the middle ..That piece bulges..so is convex.. Concave.. goes inwards in the middle..like a cave..

Feed dogs ( yes, Constabulary's idea is good for feet, but not practical, ( nor did he suggest it for for feed dogs* ) I'd fill with resin / body filler rather than grind them down..it will make them smooth on top where they are in contact, need to "dress" the sides a bit to get the clearance back so that they'll fit through the slots..to get the body filler resin off after ( unless you have a spare set ) soak them in commercial car paint thinners( you don't need the stuff that the paint is diluted with, just the recycled stuff that the spray guys use to clean out the spray guns with ), beg a 100 ml ( 10cc ) or so from a car body shop or a car paint spray garage, it will be plenty..The stuff costs around $ 20 to $25 ( or whatever that is in GBP after Brexit ) for 30 litres, so a small bottle of 10cc or so isn't going to ruin anyone..the body filler can be bought from any car accessories shop..or scrounge up a dab of premixed from your friendly local car body repair shop :) *My error, I was watching the news here re the attack in Nice when posting, lived on the Riviera for many years, have many friends there, went to many of the 14 July fireworks displays there and at Cannes and St Tropez ,where we lived, in the past..

Constabulary had a neat idea in a thread a while back for smoothing the teeth of feet..heat shrink tubing..put a piece over the toe(s) of the foot..heat it..instant smooth foot..and easier to get the foot back to "normal" than filling and filing / dremeling..

Don't "fix" what isn't broken..

Indeed, thanks for clearing that up JLS :) ( I remember when I was last in the USA , a lot of the jokes went right over my head, as they required a knowledge of the cultural references of the moment and area, which even as a visitor of a few times, I did not always have )..the urban dictionary helps sometimes ( when I hear or read a word that I'm not expecting in particular context ), but they seem to have a one track mind..or ..every word has at least one xxx meaning.. ;) I do know someone in the US who begins many of his sentences with "whelp".. When I was a kid in Ireland, it was something the neighbours used to call me when I was less than good..as in "you young whelp".. ;)

Possibly a dumb question ;) But..Why would anyone want something made from this stuff anyway ? From what I can find out about it ( had never heard of it before, and I don't think I've ever seen any ), it appears to be a sort of polyurethane webbing with a plastic leather "look" coating..sort of a leather look without the leather ( similar to what the Chinese describe as "genuine PVC leather" when they are selling "leather goods" or "leather clothing" ) , if the coating is to protect the webbing, surely the act of stitching it, and so piercing the coating pretty much nullifies the protective element of the "sandwich"..does it have any advantages ? ( obviously one of the disadvantages is apparently it is "bastard to sew" ) ..Or is it just a kind of ersatz leather for vegans..Is it cheaper ?.. Not knocking anyone sewing it, customers want some weird things..But why would they want it ? Ps..the name Biothane made me think initially that it was one of the plastics made from seaweed ( some of that kind of thing is made near to where I live ) but it appears to be a US manufacturer, their website is not very forthcoming about any "advantages" that it might have..

whelp ?.. a young dog ? "predictive text" for "welt" ( the edge , where it appears really thick there, the 7/8" part ) I presume ? Don't get much call for handgun holsters here..and I can't find much about the technical names for the various parts, but I know that on shoes the edge area "sandwich" is the "welt"..

Yes..it can run even 207, but not all the time ( not enough clearance under the bobbin plate, so 207 is forcing it if done every day, but occasionally is OK ) But 138..no problems at all..I agree with Colt, if you have the chance of a cylinder arm model ( Singer 211 is flatbed ) then cylinder is more versatile as you can always make flat bed "add on" to fit around the cylinder arm..Or get a flatbed machine ( they are more common ) and later get a cylinder arm machine..one can never have too many sewing machines.. Post is more versatile than cylinder..but has more to go wrong, ( more "gubbinsses" and is going to be more finicky to keep tuned, that said, I wouldn't kick one down the steps if it came calling cheap or free, I might very well reach down and help it into the house ;)..But the one I'm looking for now is an "Irish" ( nearly had one last week but it zigzags from the left only, ( some of the early pre 1930 ones do, it was a 1929 107 ) I want a later "100" series central zig zag, or better yet a 20U63 would be nice, ( although the original 100 series "Irish" can punch through more leather thickness that the 20U series ) but 63s are as rare as hens teeth here )..12mm bight, and knee or foot control stitch width, that I'd carry over the threshold in heartbeat.

I would add this to Wiz's list ..Singer 211..G or U or A..( and the various sub classes, the letters G, U , or A indicate the country of manufacture ) I have one..compound feed, walking foot , updated version of the 111, equivalent to ( IMO ) the LU 563, or the aforementioned Seikos or Consews..

There appears to be a wheel missing ( as there was on the one we had when I was a child ), if I recall correctly, I was told that it was for catching young ducks.. OCYMMV ;)

The "head" normally ( on a "flat bed machine" ) refers to all of the sewing machine which is above ( on top of ) the table..and which tilts backwards ..Or, on a cylinder arm machine ( such as yours ) the entire part of the machine that you tilt back is "the head",the cylindrical shaped lower arm ( that does not tilt and is fixed to the table ) is "the cylinder arm"..So what do you mean by "the head" ( where it is "gunky" ) ?

Hah..I realised ( way after the "edit window" had expired ), that the link that you posted was merely truncated.. http://www.keysew.com/Webpages/DemoImages/206RB-5 SEIKO.pdf