dikman

I'm assuming this is the manual that you have - http://www.keysew.com/Webpages/DemoImages/206RB-5 SEIKO.pdf. I'd suggest that you work through the adjustments to make sure that everything is set correctly. I did this with every machine I bought to try and understand how they work and to have some idea what to do when things go wrong!!

Rocky's right, if the needle (which is very hard steel) has been hitting the bobbin case then that's why you've got burrs. Sounds like the timing needs resetting. You should be able to find a manual to download on the 'net if yours doesn't explain how to do it.

I was already thinking of getting out the Dremel, as you suggested. If I can see where the needle is going (as in hitting my guide line) then it will be easier to adjust the spacing at the belt tip. The last belt I used my Pfaff cylinder arm, but I'm having problems with it using #138 thread - it doesn't seem to like it - whereas the Singer is quite happy with it. I'm thinking though that perhaps I should have used #69 thread and closer stitching as it may have looked neater. A bit of experimenting is called for. Wouldn't mind visiting Rocky, but timing would be critical as my wife and I dislike hot weather and humidity (has to do with getting old, I suspect ). My daughter worked as a Pharmacist up there quite a few years ago, thought it was pretty nice.

Yup, that was me, lots of naughty words (luckily my shed is far from the house). I think the "thread bunching" underneath was due to me lifting the pressor foot too much while trying to see where the needle was going while trying to adjust the stitch spacing. It just shows how easy it is to stuff up the stitching if the tension is let off at the wrong point. The inner foot only has a hole in it for the needle, I think I need to cut a slot at the front so that I can actually see the needle point as it enters the leather (the foot on my Pfaff is like that).

I did some experimenting, using the Singer 166 with #69 and #138 thread, and stopping at the bottom of the stroke, part-way down and with the needle just through the leather. All worked fine with no dropped stitches. So, feeling confidant, I stitched a dress belt that I promised a club member (I'd been putting it off due to dropped stitches on the last one I did for him). Got a dropped stitch at the turning point on the belt tongue () and some thread got caught up at another turning point on the pattern (). AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!

Dave, it's a great idea but I wonder if you realise just how big a job compiling this list this would be? Singer alone has a huge number of models, not all of which have information available (you mentioned an SV model, they made an awful lot of SV models but no-one appears to know exactly what the SV models are). For your idea to work it really needs to be a searchable database, and that is starting to get complex.

Groan......

I agree with Hockeymender. They're a very basic (some might call them agricultural) machine, but pretty solid. I stripped mine and spent some time smoothing various parts, while it may not be necessary it's the sort of thing I do. The bobbin winder is pretty useless so I made a replacement from bits and pieces of some domestic machines I'd gutted for parts. Possibly the biggest issue might be the foot, the teeth are pretty vicious on it, but nothing that can't be overcome. There's a couple of usefull vids on youtube about them, search on boot patcher.

Danny, you won't find a pulley that is much smaller than the 2". As Floyd said above the best way is a servo or a speed reducer (not that hard to make). I've fitted a servo + reducer to two of my machines and a servo + larger head pulley to the Pfaff. (Even with a speed reducer I still couldn't control the clutch motor enough for my needs).

You still have hair? So it sounds like the optimum time to turn material is just before the needle exits on the upstroke? (But while the needle is still below the needle plate so that the needle is still supported and won't bend/break). That will ensure that the loop has formed, I guess. Looks like I'll have to experiment with my machine to see what it's happiest with. Thanks for starting this, Uwe, lots of good info has come out of it.

Rocky, having the needle barely in the material on the downstroke also makes sense, although timing it might be a little more critical. Ensuring the thread is taut when twisting the leather is probably very important, as I'm sure what you describe was happening to me. I'll have to do a bit of experimenting now that I've got some ideas where to start. I wonder if it makes a difference whether the shuttle/hook is horizontal or vertical?

Looks like a lot of work, Dwight.

Cute little machine, though .

Now THAT is something I never thought about!

Uwe, I've wondered this too. The last time I had to regularly stop and turn material I was sewing an "infiniti" pattern on a gunbelt using my Pfaff 335. Every now and then I would get a dropped stitch and couldn't figure out why (it was always at the turning point). I've been pondering this for quite a while, trying to visualise the hook/needle operation when stopping. The only answer I could come up with is that sometimes the needle may have been on the upstroke and turning the material twisted the thread and prevented the loop forming properly. With this in mind I figured it's better to stop right at the bottom of the downstroke, before the loop can form (although stopping on the downstroke, as you say, also makes sense). Don't know if I'm right, but it sort of makes sense to me. I shall await, with interest, comments from the more knowledgeable here.

I tend to agree with your wife. It's still a perfectly functional holster, and let's be honest if these things are actually used they will inevitably end up getting marked/scuffed/scratched etc. So let someone who can appreciate it have it at a good price.

Yep, forgot to mention that I mostly used air fittings/valves/hose and assorted brass plumbing fittings.

Thanks Forester, excellent reference should I decide to have a go myself. Will save me having to spend hours researching it .

I cut the fingers off an old pair of (riggers) gloves and use one on each little finger. Helps to protect the fingers when pulling the thread (until your fingers toughen up ).

Very nice. Do you have a photo of the back of the holster?

Simple and elegant.

I built a vacuum system some time ago to stabilize wooden knife handles - never used it! The pump was made from a stand-alone single cylinder compressor head, belt driven from an old motor. I modified the input to the compressor head so that I could couple an air hose to it so it became a vacuum pump. It can pull 28" of mercury, which is the max vacuum I can get for my elevation. For the tank I used a 20 lb. propane tank, cut in half and welded a ring around the rim to fit a rubber seal. The top connection was adapted to fit a vacuum gauge and release valve and a nut was welded on the bottom half to fit the evacuation hose and a valve to close it off. I also made a wooden plate to fit in the bottom half so that I could use it for vac-forming, but haven't had a need for it yet. I suppose I might find a use for it one day.....

One of my machines came with a very old Singer clutch motor, it looks a bit the worse for wear but still works well - unfortunately, I lack the skill to control it, even with a speed reducer!! As Eric said most of these Chinese servos are perfectly adequate (and affordable) for we hobbyists. While it would be nice to have a high-end servo, needing three meant it was not even a consideration. I'm more than happy with my $200 Chinese servos, they're perfectly adequate for my needs.

I found the same thing with the needle positioner and because I sew very slow decided to remove it. I can control the needle position well enough without it. Interestingly, I can't do the "pencil mod" on mine because the design is different (doesn't have the gradient piece inside). I have 500W and 750W motors, same brand, and at least the 750W is physically bigger on the outside .