dikman

The sound quality on that video of Sam's is poor (very bassy).

The steel frame looks pretty reasonable, whether you re-paint it depends on how pretty you want it to look. Ditch the table top if it's warped, either make a new one (lots of posts about doing that), buy one or keep looking for a used one going cheap that you can adapt. The chain/pedal is used instead of a knee lift, but it looks like the bars and pivots to connect it are missing from the rear of the machine. I have an STH-8BLD, a slightly different model but I suspect some of the adjustments for timing could be the same (and the missing lift pieces). You should be able to find that manual (mine is 2.7mb, so too big to upload). I believe the machine may be similar to a Consew 206, the manual for those is readily available, and also the manuals for the Singer 111 series (111W153, for instance) may also be useful to understand setting the needle.

Seiko's are nice machines and judging by those photos $200 is a very good price. It shouldn't be too hard to find a manual for it. Looks like it probably just needs a good cleaning, oiling and adjusting. As for the epoxy, my guess is either the safety clutch had a problem or someone decided to stop it working by gluing it up solid!

Now I can see what you mean. That stand looks really nice, it would be a shame not to use it (I don't know how easy it would be to find a genuine Adler stand). If it will work with an adapter plate then I reckon you should give it a try.

If you're going to slow the machine right down then to a large extent that negates the need for a positioner as you can control the needle position fairly easily. You should be able to set any needle positioner for either stopping up or down, usually the controls will be "buried" in the menu system of the servo, so not just a matter of pushing one button. Some servos may allow you to set the pedal so that if you heel down on the pedal the needle will rise if the default is stopping needle down. Also, be aware that some needle positioners may not work if a pulley reducing system is also used.

I reckon he'll love it! I'll bet all his friends will want one too.

Welcome Steve. Photos are always nice, then people can see what you're referring to with the stand.

To set the stitch length lift up the lever to the setting you want then loosen the screw on the left and slide it up until the metal behind the screw touches the lever (you'll know what I mean when you try it) then tighten the screw. Now if you lift the lever all the way up for reverse it will return to your preset stitch length.

Most interesting. No measurements, he just eye-balled everything. That leather sounded pretty hard when he was bevelling the edges!!

Doesn't really matter what is used as the clutch is obviously not disengaging completely.

That label on the switch might just be referring to its maximum switching capacity.

Has the brake got enough tension on it and is the clutch completely disengaging when you take your foot off the pedal?

Quite a bit of machinery there! I'm also curious what the more knowledgeable folk on here will advise. Me, I would only have it if someone gave it to me as if something went wrong with it I reckon it could be an expensive nightmare to fix. And if that was the only machine you had and were relying on it......

" Try sewing a while with only one hand to guide the work and you'll realise why very few industrial machines were intended to be powered by hand" . When I got my 117 working it seemed like a great idea to fit a handle to the large pulley I fitted, so no motor needed. It didn't take me long to realise that unless I could grow a third hand it wasn't very practical.

Chris, it's all good fun...... Brian, maybe you could start a "new" career designing 3D files for those of us who are mentally challenged.

I'm not. Unfortunately 3D printing requires a fair bit of effort to sort out, as you're finding out. I suspect that for most it's either too daunting a prospect or they don't have the time. Brian, sorry to hear you've been on the sick list, hope you're on the mend.

Very nice, Peter, I like it! I shall file that idea away for future use.

That's a bit different. I like the "floral" design on the front, a very clever use of stamps. What colour is the dye?

There's no hope for you now..........

I'm certainly interested in how you made your template, while my method works I figure there has to be a better way.

If you look carefully it's not quite perfect....once you've tried it you know what to look for, but you have to look hard, and to the average casual observer they will never notice. I've done three of them, all hand stitched, and I'm not in a hurry to do any more! I forgot to mention, nice edges on the belt.

I've no idea how others do the stitch, but I made a template that covers half the stitch (top half, for example) extending from the pointy end of a curved part to the halfway point of the smaller diamond shape. I (lightly) drew a line down the centre of the belt then worked my way along with the template, alternating top and bottom. It would probably be easier to make a template for the top and bottom together, but this ensured that the top curve matched the bottom. It's still a pain to stitch, though, trying to get the stitches to line up with the pointy bits of the pattern.

Very nice, looks quite elegant, BUT.... more info needed, leather weights used, colour, finish etc. We always like to know these things.

Son-of-a-gun! Just what you wanted, must be Christmas.

I had a similar issue when making speed reducers. The only pulleys I could find were on ebay but had a keyway, so I drilled and tapped them for set screws. These were 45mm so pretty easy to do.