CampbellRandall

Please contact us so we can discuss your problems. The surface rust on the machine, chips, and blade position could be due to handling, as I assume this was the machine shipped to Singapore? We no longer leave the roller unfinished, but have instead opted to tool black the surface to limit corrosion. This will not effect the performance. Burrs? Please email pictures if you can. I apologize for the gold paint. The lettering is still hand painted, and I can assume the mechanic was not steady in his work. We actually have chosen to stop painting the letters on future models as it is too hard to do free hand. The blade was mounted true and fully sharpened - sharp enough to shave with. We test every machine before it leaves our doors. I can only assume the machine was handled roughly and the blade was knocked out of alignment. The roll has a groove for alignment. Do you need us to send a wrench for adjustment? Please le me know how we can help. - Dan Naegle

Water based dye you might get away with... but alcohol dyes and oil dyes can be dangerous! Keep in mind you have a contained chamber filling up with flammable vapor (fuel), with a lamp (ignition source) and a suction system that is not using an enclosed motor (another ignition source).

If you use the PLUS paint, you can get a good smooth finish (with a burnish or glaze process between applications), in just two coats.

For better coverage with fewer coats, I would recommend trying the PLUS version of the paint.

We stock an Italian line of Edge Paints, a flexible latex base, in various colors both Glossy & Matte Finish. I would recommend the thicker viscosity PLUS paints for soft leathers. Edge Paint Color Chart - Dan Naegle Campbell-Randall Machinery

Our standard solution to this problem has been the rotary phase converter. Of course any solution not properly matched to load will not work. A single motor application is debatable, but for heavy or multiple loads like a band knife splitter, RPC is the way to go. The rotary converters are available in 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, & 10 HP. You need to add 50% to the rating of the converter, if you have 1 HP motor on the ATOM, you need a 2HP RPC ($600) The VFD is not something we have tried as a single phase solution, only for variable speed drives. I understand the rating of the drive has to be increased because the single phase will double the amperage and burn the diodes. The cheapest VFD I could fined rated for both 3ph and single was $360, so in this case its cheaper; however if your have an application over 3HP, a RPC is cheaper. I would warn that not all motors can be used with a VFD. A VFD-driven general purpose motor can overheat if it is run too slowly, and voltage “chopping” can lead to premature failure of the motor. As Art said, the best solution is to replace the motor. In this case the ATOM uses an IEC motor which are only commonly available in 3-phase, so a converter will have to work.

I think the confusion is in what kind of converter to use. A static phase coverter is a small box wired in line with the machine. This is the cheap solution, but due to the way it functions (it shares the 2 wires from the single phase source among 3 wires in the machine) you will loose 1/3 to 1/2 of your HP. In other words the machine will not perform to its full potential and you have the possibility of damaging the motor.. I only recommend a static convertor for small load, continuous run motors where you can afford to loose the power. A Variable Frequency Drive will work, but only for motors that are rated for the application. A VFD is normally intended to adjust the speed of a motor in a drive system. VFDs are not originally designed to function as phase converters, and you will again loose the HP rating. The best solution, but not the cheapest is a Rotary Phase Converter. This will allow your machine perform without and risk of damaging the motor. If you compare the cost of a VFD, a Rotary Converter is not much more.

You could try a flamethrower... at least that's what the Mayor of Boston requested from the president of MIT. No joke. Use Flamethrowers to Melt Snow?

Bob: That is actually a Union Lock-Stitch (made by Randall). All of the Wilson NFL footballs are made with the Union, while the general production balls are done on the Puritan (there should be another video with the Puritan). They use the Union since the stitches are cleaner and pull tighter than a single needle machine can sew. Otherwise, the seams would bulge under pressure. - Dan Naegle

Try threading the top thread under the first take-up roll and over the second. You have it over the first, therefore the machine will not pull enough thread, leaving the large loops.

The orginial motors are not Baldour, and most of the Baldour IEC line is 3-phase. We work with EIS, I'll see what I can find. I can also check what the cost is from ATOM. If you are missing the motor, do you have the flange and coupling joint?

The motor is an IEC metric frame, and it will be hard to find a metric frame in single phase. If you are so lucky ( I haven't found them yet), you will have to try and retro-fit the flange mount from the original motor. It would be easier and probably close to the same cost to just get a rotary phase convertor.

Here is an interesting article on cross marketing leather bags in the NY Post. Restaurant sells you a leather bag from the cow you just ate. Instead of "slaughter free", its "slaughter-eat-&-wear" leather.

Kronic: I didn't see your email. Did you send it to info (a) randallmachine.com? If you need some basic instructions on setup and adjustment, take a look at the videos below. Best Regards, Dan Naegle

My 2 cents - The coating is more applicable in high speed sewing or abrasive materials. It makes the surface harder and reduces friction, but it will not increase the strength (flex resistance) of the needle. TiN coated tools usually have a coating 2-4 microns thick, which is a fraction of a thousandths of an inch.

The big advantage to the Landis is you can still get most of the replacement parts. The blades are identical, and function is about the same. I think the Landis model 30 has a better thickness adjustment (ratchet style) vs the wing nut style on the American, Champion , and old Landis. They are all good machines if they are in good repair.

Thanks for the kind words, but we can only take credit for packing the box. Glad USPS got it to you cheap and fast! - Dan Naegle Campbell-Randall Leather Machinery

It may just be coincidence, or an "old leather workers tale." It made sense to me. If the oil smelled more like food, I would think the rodents would be more prone to take a nibble. My background is in metal and grease, so I'll defer the last word to the guys with the experience.

My father is an old saddle maker, and he has used a variety of oils over the years, including neat's foot, olive and even vegetable oils. Pure neat's foot is a good oil, but expensive. He would often use olive oil as an alternative for some projects; however vegetable based oils have one flaw - they can attract rodents. This might not be a big deal for a hobbiest or holster maker, but a big problem for an expensive custom made saddle that is stored in a barn.

Needles Needles (PDF) See the above link. The pictures for the S and P point are inversed, but that should be a good representation. - Dan Naegle

Crossdraw: Don't be afraid to call. Even if we are busy, that is no excuse. I won't be happy until you are comfortable with the machine. I'm not sure when you bought your machine, but we might not have had a DVD at that time. We just started sending DVD's out with machines for the past few years. I'd be happy to send one to you. Also, if there is any part of the manual that is not making sense, let me know and we will re-write it. There are things that may seem obvious to us that are foreign to a beginner. Once you understand the basic principles, the machine should not be that hard to operate. Give me a call Monday, and ask for Dan (that's me). 1-800-327-9420

Aquaman: No hay problema con su Inglés. También hablo español, así que voy a contestar en espanol. La máquina Campbell esta fabricado por la empresa de mi familia. Es la máquina más antigua de de este tipo que todavía se fabrica y se ha perdurado a lo largo de los años debido a su durabilidad y calidad de la puntada. Las máquinas que vendemos estan reconstruidas. Fabricamos todas las partes internas, y maquinamos de nuevo la fundición de las máquinas existentes a las especificaciones originales. Una máquina reconstruida se realizan como nuevo. Calidad de la Puntada Lo que distingue la Campbell de otras máquinas , y la razón por la cual no ha sido reemplazado después de 125 años, es la calidad de la puntada. Campbell fue diseñado para coser cuero, y se replica el proceso de costura a mano por primera perforación de un agujero y luego se hace la puntada con una aguja de gancho. El diseño de la punzón y aguja hace mi agujero más pequeño y más suave que una máquina con una sola aguja. Máquinas de una sola aguja fueron diseñados para coser las telas y correas, y dispues están adaptadas para coser cuero. Si se compara el tamaño y la forma de una aguja en comparación con un Campbell, es fácil ver la diferencia. La calidad de la puntada de la parte inferior es comparable a la parte superior del material. Al coser cueros más duros en una máquina con una sola aguja, es común ver a marcas en la parte inferior (el agujero explota hacia afuera ) debida a la presión que require de cortar el agujero y con el hilo en un solo paso. Cueros más suaves cubrirá este problema, pero se puede ver una diferencia notable en el lado inferior. La Campbell se alimenta el material con el punzón, y utiliza un sola pie. El pie es más adaptable a coser cerca a el hardware y los bordes que máquinas que utilizan dos pies. Las tensiones de la Campbell puede hacer un puntada más apretado que otras máquinas. Campbell utiliza un sistema de frenos que encerre el hilo. Otras máquinas utilizan una sistema de resortes y discos de tensión. El sistema de frenos tirará con más fuerza, lo suficiente para enterrar el hilo en el cuero. La muestra en la imagen se podría haber hecho mejor, pero si usted compara la puntada de los dos tipos de máquinas en la misma piel, se puede ver la diferencia. Para algunos, la diferencia no es importante y se prefiere utilizar una máquina de una sola aguja que es más fácil de manejar y más barato. Para aquellos que exigen lo mejor, y la calidad es más importante que el precio, la Campbell seria la opcion preferida. Control de la Máquina En este momento vendemos las máquinas con una mesa especial, equipada con un motor con embrague y sistema de poleas para reducir la velocidad. Se puede seleccionar la velocidad al cambiar entre 3 tamaños diferentes de polea. Hemos experimentado con los motores servo que estan utilizados en la actualidad con otras máquinas, pero no estuvimos satisfechos con la fuerza que producen. Una máquina como la Campbell pesa alrededor de 200 libras (cabeza sola), y el motor servo no produce tanto torque en velocidad baja como el motor con embrague. Por esa razón, utilizamos el motor con embrague, aunque estamos abiertos al cambio si un sistema mejor se desarrolla. El diseño de la mesa permite que el operador aplica toques al embrague, tal como el embrague en un coche, y es posible manejar la máquina puntada por puntada, sin tocar la rueda. No podemos competir con el costo de las máquinas hechas en China, pero nuestro equipo está cerca de el costo de las máquinas de marca como el Adler 205-370 y la Juki TSC-441. Fabricamos la máquina en los EE.UU., tal como los repuestos. Como se trata de una máquina especializada, no vendemos cientos como otras marcas que se pueden adaptar otras aplicaciones además de cuero. Por eso el costo será más. La calidad sin embargo, será difícil de igualar, en comparación con otras máquinas. Si lo desea, podemos coser muestras en nuestro cuero o el suyo.

Aquaman: Your English is fine. I also speak Spanish, so I'll post in both languages. The Campbell machine is manufactured by my family's company. It is the oldest machine of its type still made today and it has lasted through the years due to its durability and stitch quality . The machines we sell are factory rebuilt. We manufacture all the internal parts, and we remachine the casting of existing machines to original specifications. A rebuilt machine will be perform like new. Stitch Quality What sets the Campbell apart, and the reason why it has not been replaced after 125+ years is the stitch quality. The Campbell was engineered to sew leather, and it replicates the process of hand sewing by first punching a hole and then making the stitch with a hooked needle. The needle and awl design makes a smaller and smoother hole than a single needle machine. Single needle machines were first designed to sew fabrics and webbing, and they are adapted to sew leather. If you compare the size and shape of a threaded needle compared to a Campbell, it is easy to see why. The stitch quality on the bottom is also comparable to the top of the material. When sewing harder leathers on a single needle machine, it is common to see pucker marks on the bottom from the pressure of cutting the hole and threading in one pass. Softer leathers will cover this up better, but there can be a noticeably difference on the under side. The Campbell feeds the material with the awl, and uses one presser foot. The presser foot is more adaptable to sewing closer to hardware and edges than walking foot machines that use two feet. The tensions on a Campbell pull tighter than walking foot machines. The Campbell uses a systems of brakes that lock the thread while walking foot machines use springs and disks for tension. The brake system will pull tighter, enough to bury the thread into the leather. The sample in your picture could have been made better, but if you compare the stitch of the two types of machine on the same leather, you will see a difference. For some the difference is not important and they prefer using a single needle machine which is easier to operate and cheaper. For those that want their sewing to be noticeably different, and quality is more important than price, the Campbell is best option. Control of the Machine We currently sell the machines with a custom table equipped with a clutch motor and pulley speed reduction system. You can select the speed by changing between 3 different pulley sizes. We had experimented with the servo motors commonly used today with other machines, but we were not satisfied with the power they produced. A machine like the Campbell weighs about 200lbs (head only), and the servo motor dose not produce as much torque at slow speeds at a clutch motor. For that reason we continue to use the clutch motor, although we are open to change if a better system can be developed. The design of the current motor table allows the operator to “feather” the clutch much like the clutch on a car with a manual transmission, and it is possible to run the machine one stitch at a time without touching the hand wheel. We cannot compete with the cost of machines made in China, but our machine is close to the cost of name brand machines like the Adler 205-370 and the Juki TSC-441. We manufacture the machine in the USA, including all the parts. Since this is a specialized machine, we do not sell hundreds like other brands that can be adapted to applications besides leather, so our costs will be more. The quality however will be hard to match when compared to other machines. If you would like, we can supply sample sewn on our leather or yours.

The Juki Lu-563 won't handle thread much larger than 138 thread on top. Sewing capacity depends a bit on the material, but I would say for leather, you would be maxed at 5/16" to 3/8" (~ 20oz). They are popular machines for upholstery, bags, chaps, belts, etc. Part are easy to come by and fairly priced.

Chris: I'd rough out the profile with a larger end mill, but use an engraver for the detail. Google "engraving cutters" or "engraving bits" . - Dan