dikman

Ok, looking at the website the Cobra's don't normally come with a synchronizer so I'd say you don't have one (it sticks out from the end of the flywheel). Can you tell us what brand the motor is? Can you post a photo of the "piece of paper"? A photo of the motor and front of the control box? If we can work out what the motor is - brand, type etc - it shouldn't be hard to find the instructions. On one of mine the codes etc were stuck on the side of the control box.

Yeah, that's what quite a few do. Guess I'm lucky as being a new machine I don't want to be drilling holes in it (yet). I have no idea what the holes are there for but are very convenient.

I can't help with the identification but it looks pretty clean. I reckon you did real well for $150.

Toxo, I just searched through Aliexpress until I found one that was reasonably priced (quite a bit of variation). They call them a suspended guide, by the way. There are two types, one is the "usual" fairly solid looking unit and the other is a cheaper flat steel type. As for the bracket, my CB4500 has two vertical mounting holes at the rear of the head so I simply made an L-shaped bracket to convert the vertical mounting to horizontal holes.

I assume you actually bought it with a synchronizer fitted? Sounds to me like the problem you get when there's no synchronizer fitted but it's turned on in the control box. You should have a "manual" for the motor to explain what the codes are and how to access/change them and turn the synchronizer function of.

I just ordered a drop-down edge guide from Aliexpress, cost me about AU$26 delivered, which I thought was pretty good. I had to make a bracket to fit it to my machine but that was no big deal.

Well, at least the price is right. Are you saying the table is too long at 48"? Easy fix, just cut the end(s) off, I've done that before.

I generally have to jiggle the handwheel back and forth a little to release the bobbin thread when I've finished sewing.

Have you read Wiz's sticky at the top about what you need to sew leather? It should be compulsory reading for anyone wanting a leather sewing machine. You'll also get lots of opinions, including mine. With 3/8" clearance that would equate to your typical upholstery-class (medium-weight) sewing machine, and probably limited to #138 thread max. You mentioned the magic word - holsters. That immediately puts you into the heavy-weight class. If you look up the Cowboy 3200 the specs are probably the minimum you would be looking at, next up is the Cowboy 4500. There are other equivalent brands, of course, I only mention these as a starting point. There are other options, of course, as some of the older Singers can handle heavy leather, but finding them could be an issue. You will be faced with the same problem all newcomers face, there is no one machine to do it all. If you want to make bags, purses, wallets, dress-belts then an upholstery-class machine will be fine but once you decide to move into heavier stuff (gunbelts, holsters etc.) you WILL need a heavier machine - or handstitch them.

Actually, the thought that I don't need it 'cos I've got the foot lifter had occurred to me, but where's the fun in that? I'm always looking for an excuse to turn things on the lathe. Your second option might meet with a bit of opposition from my wife!

Could also mean that you have the top tension too high.

I've ordered a drop-down edge guide and knew i would need an extension for the lift lever. I bored out a suitable piece of steel rod to fit over the existing shaft and tapped it for a couple of grub screws. So far so good. My intention was to refit the original rod/knob assembly by tapping a hole in the end of the extension but then I found it's an odd-size (to me) thread - M6x0.7. The closest I had was 0.75 pitch! I was faced with making a new shaft/knob, not difficult but more work. Then last night it suddenly occurred to me that all I had to do was turn down the end of the shaft to take the original fitting. Doh!! Sometimes I just miss the obvious by trying to be too clever. The bracket at the back is waiting for the guide before drilling any mounting holes.

My glass plate is clipped to the bed with a couple of spring binder clips. When the print is finished I remove the glass to loosen the print job. Works for me and doesn't affect the bed alignment.

Interesting, although it doesn't actually say what it converts from and to, just says it can read a heap of different file formats?

At least it was an easy fix.

Wiz, can you lock this? Might be a good idea.

Photos might help?

Another option. Get two pieces of wood that are flat so they fit together nicely, lay the tang on one, draw around it and then chisel out just enough to lay the tang in. Glue the tang and both pieces together with epoxy. When dry saw/file/sand etc to the shape you want. You won't have a ferrule but it's not needed anyway as it's only there for decoration. Later on you can always break this handle off if you decide to fit a ferrule and "traditional" bored handle.

Bear in mind that lacking a speed reducer may not necessarily be an issue, depending on what you want to sew. Plus one can always be fitted later and you can make your own if you're that way inclined.

So what was the problem?

Good on him for changing it. And just think how much you've learned already.

No worries mate, its just an idea at the moment.

About 1/8", the top loop has to be at right angles to the bottom loop, the bonus of making a replacement is that I could make it fractionally shorter which would give a little more lift. Something to ponder.

My Pfaff 335 has a manual tension disc release and that's exactly what I get if I forget to release the lever and run it with no upper thread tension.

Only good thing about the heat is my tomatoes and cucumbers are finally starting to grow!! I've been thinking about that wire link and I'm wondering if it will be possible to make a replacement out of steel stock. I'll have to see how much room there is.