dikman

I'm not sure how you'll go with a small cylinder arm that can handle heavy thread, hopefully others with more experience can provide suitable models to look for. I think the 227r can handle up to 207, but my Pfaff 335 can only handle up to 138.

If you can find a larger pulley to replace the handwheel you'll slow it down even more.

One of the advantages of a walking foot is no slippage of layers if using multiple layers, with a roller foot you could get slipping/bunching. I've also found that it's fairly easy to get needle deflection and breaking (not nice!) when using a roller foot if the leather is too thick or moves in any way while sewing. As for seeing the needle where it enters the leather, yep, I know what you mean. I bought an inner foot that is slotted so I can see where I'm sewing, not perfect but acceptable.

Nice buy, and looks to be in remarkably good condition. Like that stool!

I have a 201K (similar, just a little bit later model) with the original Singer handcrank. It takes a bit of effort to get through thicker leather (I would say 4mm/10 oz is the comfortable max.) Plus with that homemade handcrank you have to turn it backwards compared to the Singer (geared) crank. A nice writeup, but a bit over-the-top in my opinion, and way to much money for what it is.

Looks good! That original setup would need to be bolted to the floor, I reckon, doesn't look particularly stable to me!!

Funnily enough, I've found I'm doing the same thing, always studying holsters and belts.

Wicked, there is a lot to learn about industrial sewing machines, particularly relating to leather use. Just keep reading, it took me quite a while to start coming to grips with the subject. For what you want to do any of the "old standbys" should be more than adequate - Juki 562/563, Consew 206, Singer 111W153/154/155, Singer 211G165/166, Seiko STH-BLD, all are pretty similar in operation and capability. Or a Pfaff 335 cylinder arm. These machines are all "oldies but goodies".

Fish-scale pattern? Makes a change from basketweave.

Nothing wrong with that video, Wiz, looks fine. Bit of a motley bunch you've assembled!

Paint it? Heck, it's in far better condition paint-wise than all of my used machines! I'd leave it like that (unless you want to change the colour). That little wooden needle holder looks OLD!.

Very nice, on the face of it looks to be in very good condition overall. You've done well.

Matt, I've made a few different ones and the one big advantage that one has, in my opinion, is compactness. To make one like that you have to either cast your own pulley stack or figure out how to join different size pulleys plus machine it to take the bearing - not impossible, of course, but a lot of messing around, and time as Darren said.

Nice. Just wondering what I could use it for. Might work for stitching bullet loops on gunbelts? Might have to make one anyway (just 'cos I can ).

Yep, first one is a basic edge guide. Only problem with attaching it to that plate is you have to make sure that plate can't slip back, otherwise the edge guide will move. I'm no expert on feet, I'll leave that to others.The hook thingy fits into a hole along the back edge of the bed and is a pivot for tilting the machine back. You can see the round bit screwed to the table that it fits in to. This is an older style of tilt. The roller wheel is a roller feed, used instead of a presser foot. Not a lot of use on a walking foot machine!

Nice! Now if it had more clearance under the foot and took heavy thread it would be nice for holsters, although it would handle belts as is. Mike, we use 230v/50 Hz single phase, 415v 3-phase.

I used British Tan on the second holster I made, it came out redder than yours!

That's a very generous offer, NC. Just goes to show, the nicest people use this forum...... Tom, thanks for enlightening me about the needle size (without calling me stoopid ). I was pretty sure that the ones I had were virtually identical, I'll have to have a closer look. Whilst I sort of understand the sizing numbers, I'm obviously still confused about system numbers and the point shapes/styles.

135/16 and 135/17 are virtually the same. My Pfaff is supposed to use 135/16 but I use 135/17 'cos that's what most of my other machines use. Dismantle the tension assembly and have a look at the inside of the pressure discs, sometimes they can get grooves in them. One of mine was like that, I smoothed and polished the discs with some very fine wet and dry paper and swapped the discs front to back (which changed the position of the grooves so that they didn't line up with the thread path). And yes, you can buy the tension assembly's pretty easily, but check out the one you have first and make sure it looks ok.

Yeah, Picasso doesn't do much for me, I much prefer a nice landscape myself. The loop, using screws or snap studs, is certainly easier as you don't have to worry about stuffing the holster down through those loops, and visually it has a flatter, smoother profile. Or you can make it as a strap with a buckle on front, which looks quite nice. But I'm determined to make a Mexican loop, in part so that I can say I've made one. It will take a while, as I have a couple of tons of firewood to sort and stack and need to make a pair of leather suspenders first for my new Cowboy pants .

Tkt 20 is close enough to M20 that any difference isn't worth worrying about. Servos usually just use the existing motor mounting holes, and depending on the type may have a separate control box or it may be incorporated in the motor housing. You would probably need a different length drive belt, most likely shorter. If you're not confidant about fitting it if you know someone who is an electrician/technician and owes you a favour () they shouldn't have any problems fitting one, it's not that complicated. That machine basically has similar performance to most of mine and they handle #69 and #138 with no adjustments needed, but if you're going to lighter weight thread it may need the timing re-adjusted. The manual says it can handle down to size 12 needles so I would think it should be able to handle that smaller thread, but it may need the timing, tension and checkspring adjusted slightly? Don't know for sure as I haven't tried lighter thread but I'm sure others who are more experienced will chime in. The fact it's working with the other thread/needle is good, as it means there's not much wrong.

I've just re-read Jim Simmons (sticky) tutorial, and he uses a slot, rather than a slit, to make the loops. Looks like I may have the wrong idea about how it's done, so shall defer to more experienced makers. I will, however, make the slots fairly narrow, I think, in the interests of aesthetics.

I'm with billybopp, I'd remove the head and pack separately if possible (that is the one part you definitely don't want to damage).

As Mike said, a servo is an excellent investment to "tame the beast". As for thread sizes, yep, it made my brains hurt for quite a while trying to come to grips with it! Here in Oz we generally use the Metric designations, so #69 (commonly used designation in the US) is M40, #138 is M20. These are probably the two most commonly used sizes of thread, from there you start getting into the heavy stuff (which is not easy to find here in Oz). What do you intend making/sewing?

Uwe, you've done it again! Much clearer than my attempt to describe it.