Uwe

Thanks for adding some pictures of the Ferdco original, Tor! I've had a piece of stainless steel angle iron sitting in my garage for months now. I bought it intending to machine some of these needle guides from scratch. I may still do it. The part looks simple enough, but making a few dozen with the required precision is not so easy in my experience. I have a contact in Taiwan who is looking to make custom sewing parts, but their minimum order quantity is 300. That may be more than Ferdco ever sold of these things - I think you'd be lucky to sell 30 of these over a few years.

Can you post some close-up pictures of your tension release unit and also the back of the machine? There were some subtle variations on the Adler 69 over time and I'm not sure exactly what your machine has installed. The problem you experience may actually have to do with the thread tension release slider on the back of the machine. It looks similar to this Juki version: This part slides up and down as you lift the feet. The ramp indicated in the picture pushes a large pin through the body to release thread tension up front. There's nothing you can adjust here. The position of the ramp determines when your thread tension starts to release as you lift the feet, and also when thread tension engages again as you lower the feet. This unit may be worn or it may have been replaced at some point with a similar one that works, but isn't quite right. If the ramp position is too high, it will release tension too early as you lift the feet, and tension will re-engage too late as you lower the feet,which sounds a lot like what you're describing. In the long run it may be worthwhile replacing this unit with an OEM new part. The part is itself is cheap but replacing it requires major surgery (I made a video once about replacing this unit on a similar machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aSNYzUTnW4 ) The video also shows how this slider works. This may end up being your long-term fix. As an interim work-around to get you back in business sewing thick dog collars, you can disable the automatic thread tension release. If your machine has the convenient manual tension release tab on the bottom right like this unit: ... then you have the option of disabling the automatic tension release while keeping the convenient manual tension release. You'll loose a minor convenience feature but in return gain maximum sewing functionality. In reality the automatic thread tension release does not work on about half of the project machines when I start working on them. Many people never notice that it doesn't work. To disable the automatic thread tension release mechanism, you can remove the big pin that goes from the back to the front of the machine. This disables the automatic part but keeps the manual tab functional. Removing the big pin is not very hard to do and takes about two minutes. I tried it out on my project machine with an Adler 69 head:

@dikman It's really the slotted throat plate and removing the feed dog that turns the machine into a needle+top feed machine. The addition of the lower needle guide is just a small improvement on that. @Constabulary It is the inner presser foot that helps feed the material, the outer presser foot just holds the material in place. @RockyAussie The hole size in the needle guide is a balancing act. It's exactly the same size as the feed dog, so it's no worse than the original feed dog in that regard. The smaller that hole, the bigger the chance of the needle striking the edge, which is usually a show-stopper. That slim in-line feed dog you described sounds interesting and like a good candidate for some prototyping. My smooth feed dog has a much larger, elongated needle hole compared to the toothed feed dog - that's why I decided to use the toothed feed dog as a starting point. The addition of the lower needle guide only helps feed the material in extreme situations where the needle gets deflected enough to make contact with the guide/brace. It's like the weight lifting spotter buddy in the gym - they don't help at all and just watch you suffer unless you get really wobbly. It's an incremental improvement - better than having nothing at all underneath to help feed occasionally, but not a good as a proper feed dog.

I've been meaning to make a lower needle guide similar to the ones Ferdco used to sell. I have some spare toothed feed dogs and fired up the grinder and polishing wheel. I think it worked out okay and it certainly seems functional. I'm still wondering how the Ferdco version described in Ferdinand Jeanblanc's patent (which expired in 2003) really differs functionally in real life. In case somebody actually wants to make and use one of these things, I made a video showing how it works and some before-and-after shots of the feed dog turned lower needle guide. Here's the video for your entertainment:

Here's one more candidate that comes close to your specs (except for price): HighTex 9204ZZ Full specs are on this page: http://www.cowboysew.com/product4.htm Here it's sewing a zigzag over a thick rope:

If the price is right and it's in good condition, just get it. It'll be a good "original" reference machine to judge other machines by - you'll be hard pressed to find something better engineered in that class and vintage. Page 9 of the Pfaff 145/545 manual (Pfaff 145 545 User Manual.pdf) shows the needle sizes supported by the A/B/C/D versions of this Pfaff 545 H4 machine. The Model "C" version you are looking was designed to support needle sizes 110Nm-140Nm.

This Hightex Model 9366-12 is probably close to what you are talking about. I, too, have little hope that this is available for AU$3,000 (US$2,200) or less. This Hightex/Cowboy copy of an Adler 366 has 14mm foot lift and up to 12mm zig-zag width. On the plus side, there's a service manual available: https://www.duerkopp-adler.com/export/sites/duerkoppadler/commons/download/public/366/s_366_gb.pdf If you find one of these things new or used and within your budget, you might want to also play the lottery, because that will be your lucky day for sure.

Has this machine ever worked in this configuration? Perhaps the previous owner sold it in frustration because he couldn't make it work. Your machine is very likely is a Pfaff 146/546 class machine (Flyer: pfaff-0546.pdf) and was designed as a dual needle machine. This means it had special feed dogs, throat plates, needle holders and various other two-needle specific parts. I'm not convinced that this two-needle design can be made to work properly if all the two-needle parts are replaced with single-needle parts. Hopefully I'm wrong and it will work, but sometimes mix-and-match parts combinations add up to a no-go configuration that cannot be adjusted to work properly. The partially removed automation parts are adding to challenge. The parts manual for the Pfaff 146/546 (Pfaff 546 Parts List.pdf) has a whopping 132 pages, hinting at the complexity and number of variations covered by this general design. You might be able to narrow down what subclass your machine is by looking for tell-tale odd parts (e.g. that bent-looking horizontal manual foot lift lever). The Pfaff 146-546 users manual (Pfaff 146 546 User Manual.pdf) may help answer a few key questions, too (needle system etc.) That bobbin and cap in your picture don't quite look right. Are you sure you have the right size bobbin? The bobbin+cap should fall into place inside the bobbin basket and the center lock tab should flip down to hold the cap in place.

I had ordered from aaasew.com on a few occasions. They do have parts nobody else seems to carry, but it took 3-4 weeks for parts to arrive. Your order may be quicker, of course, but you're still dealing with international shipping from Canada.

Welcome to Leatherworker.net Stanislav! There are MANY possible reasons that top thread tension may not working properly. Please post some pictures of the back, hook area and underside of your machine - it may allow us to narrow down what model your machine is. It's not a standard Pfaff 545 - of that I'm quite certain. Your machine looks like a two-needle machine that was converted to single-needle. Your thread tension assembly is also a dual needle tension unit with parts removed. The thread tension unit on my single needle Pfaff 545 looks like this (also Pfaff 145 and Pfaff 1245): On the two-needle thread tension units the tiny pins inside the post that push the tension disks apart are NOT the same length. If the tiny pins get swapped or the wrong length is used, they will not work right (I just worked on a two-needle Pfaff 120 where exactly that was a problem.) Make sure your tension disks are not permanently pushed apart by a pin that is too long. The tension disks have to press against each other to put tension on the thread. Make sure the threading is correct and that all the thread tension parts actually work the way they are supposed to work. The top thread may get caught somewhere and cause it to get pulled and loose tension. Open the right slide cover and turn a few stitches by hand. Observe the thread getting wrapped around the hook - it should be smooth, not snapping. I made a video with a Pfaff 1295 post bed machine recently. The Pfaff 1295 post bed machine has a different bed than yours, but the top portion of the head and the hook are the same as the Pfaff 545. The threading, bobbin loading, and thread tension release (pushing the tension disks apart when lifting the presser feet) should also be the same as your Pfaff 545. Some tension release parts on the back of my Pfaff 1295 are customized, but the effect of pushing the tension disks apart and letting them close again is the same (see 7:58 mark in the video below.) Make sure your tension unit works the same way when you lift the presser feet - your tension disks may be stuck apart for some reason. Here's my Pfaff 1295 video - compare top and bobbin threading, thread tension release, and hook movement to your machine.

I'm not aware of any clones of the DA 269 design. The 269 series is still in production, so you can get original DA parts (the 269-20-00-10 throat plate should come in under $200 retail). College Sewing the U.K has a few 269 parts listed as well, including throat plates and feed dogs. Kwok Hing makes some aftermarket parts for the DA 269, including a standard feed dog and throat plate. KH parts are usually nice quality and considerably cheaper than OEM.

Nice machines! There's a topic discussing this machine That topic mentions a general price range of $2000-$3500, depending on condition. With machines that hefty, location also factors heavily, so to speak, since shipping will be an issue. Just like real estate, they are worth precisely whatever a buyer is ready, able and willing to pay at the time you put it up for sale.

Well, somebody got the Singer 97-10 for $743. Good for them! I have parts, if they need any.

Sounds like something I would say, too.

The are no new machines in that class and price range unless you live in southeast China. The cheapest new machine (short-arm 441 style machines) that covers your application range in the U.S. runs about $1,600 before shipping. You may be able to find a used one if you're extremely lucky. Without knowing where you live, it's hard to make more specific product suggestions.

The Adler 167/67 model brochure leaflets (Leaflets_Adler_Class_67_part2.pdf ) show this machine on pages 15/16. There are seven different sub-classes that belong to this group with slight variations in technical details. The big hook makes it one of the "167" models. The Adlers are generally very nice machines.

A simple inquiry to the Oracle on Mount Ebay (a.k.a. search for "Juki 241 feet") reveals listings that suggest that the Juki DNU-241 shares feet with: ARTISAN : 618-1, 4400RB BROTHER : B837 CONSEW : 206RB, 225, 226, 226R, 277 JUKI : DNU-241, DNU-1541, LU-562, LU-563, LU-1114, LU1508, LU-1510, LU-1560 MITSUBISHI : DU-100, DU-105, LU2-400, LU2-401 SINGER : 111G, 111W, 153K101, 153W101, 153W103, 168W, 211G, 211U, 211W TACSEW : T111-155 YAKUMO : 260L

Probably not. The flat-top plate and the standard curved throat plate have the same thickness in the middle.

If you're worried about pitfalls and condition of used machines, get a brand new Consew 206RB5 with a servo motor from Miami Sewing. It should be very close to your price target (you can get one shipped from California for $1350 on Ebay so local pickup hopefully will be a cheaper.) The Consew 206RB5 is a very good, capable design and a great starter machine. Having a dealer and service option within driving distance is a big deal. Go local if you can.

I'm not sure. Some of the Ferdinand Bull machines are modified original Juki TSC-441 machines which may accept this plate, but other Ferdinand machines are not compatible.

That Durkopp Adler 272 is a fine machine for its intended purpose, but being a good starter machine for sewing leather is not its intended purpose. The 3-phase power requirement alone rules it out for nearly all domestic settings. This Juki LU-563 is an example of what many people here on LW want to own and work with: https://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/hvo/6013897271.html These machines are very capable and well made, cheap parts are readily available and the servo motor provides good low speed control.

I finally found some screws (Juki part number SS-6121050-SP) to install this throat plate on 441 class machines without requiring washers:

Now I'm curious how you defied gravity on your machine! Would you mind starting a new show-and-tell topic in the leather sewing machine forum telling us what you did?

Nice work 1CJK, looks very solid! One drawback with having the lever point down when the feet are up is that you can't lower the feet again using the foot pedal (while holding the material in position with both hands), because the lever won't "fall" back up to the normal position. But that matters only if you're even using the foot pedal release method. There are many options, you just have to pick one that works for you. Thanks for sharing your solution!

I made a small batch of the extension lever that replaces the original manual foot lift lever on the Juki TSC-441 class of machines, which include Cobra Class 4, Cowboy CB4500, Techsew 5100, and many others in that same class. The main advantage is that you can use it along with a swing-down edge guide like a KG-967 or KG-867. The original lever gets in the way. I call it UX441 and I'm selling it to the general public on Ebay for $59 (http://r.ebay.com/sVhPDU) LW members get $10 off, just send me a question through the Ebay listing and tell me your LW member name. You can also contact me via personal message (PM) right here on LW to avoid Ebay. For folks outside the U.S., shipping really is cheaper if you go through Ebay. Of course you can make one of these yourself if you're handy and motivated. Here's a picture of my UX441 version with fancy packaging and a cute red dot. Here's the promo video I made for the extension lever: