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I would tackle this machine. The 45k pictured was in similiar condition. I will posted refurbished if post is still up. These machines helped me make a living for 25years, starting with a $25 garage find. Start with spraying with BD Blaster on all moving surfaces, every few days. This can take weeks. Then remove any parts like bobbin winder and screws. Done worry about hook and bobbins are cheap. Soak small parts in The Works its a drain cleaner and is disposable. I than tum parts in a cheap HF tumbler with a little dishwasher soap and water. (doesn't foam up). Now once it's all cleaned and turning try to stitch and see if it works. If stitches are short or it won't sew, now is the time to research. Restorers are shimming gears and other parts. Facebook has "Singer 29k and other cobblers" which has good info. Don't remove main shaft, and I hope flywheel isn't wobbly ( this too can be fixed). Personally I'm not a fender polisher I clean oil and use my machines. I like those old stenciles.

If I had to make a choice for just one machine it would be a singer 144w with reverse. (or adler equivelant) 25years ago my 206's would not sew certain parts on our mc chaps. We bought a 144w103 We called it T Rex pressure feet adjustment is easy, which makes different thickness material easy. Stitch length is more difficult (screw adustment} in top of the head. Parts are available. Another choice would be a singer 45k with the walking foot. These machines have a front stitch length lever making locking a stitch if you slide to zero or close. Thats how embroidery machines lock stitches between jumps. Both machines are available down to #20 needles. I'm currently modifing a $50 45k to sew shoes soles.

www.ameriken.com has been my choice for many years.

Hello I would go to the facebook china leather shoe patcher. This will usually work good out'of the box with #69 or #46 without mods. For a better machine which has been checked out and adjusted go to bantamsaddleandtack I think they are a moderator on site. There is enough info on that site that you don't have to fiddle and screw up.

I'm 76 with good eyes and hands but take the easy way out. Those punches don't have a lot of leverage. They do work good and the dies are durable. I would recommend them. tx lynn

I use this style for 2pt. steel rule dye. mount firmly and hit handle with rubber handle. For thicker steel I use the big boy a Roper Whitney long arm.

I have been experimenting with Rit dye both in powder and liquid form. Did you know they have formulas for hundred of colors, just by mixing a few colors. Most of my edge dying is on Chrome for wallets and purses. I use veg for shoe soling and of course dye and burnish the edges. The dye is very cheap and very concentrated. The carrier whether water based glues or synthetic mixes well with the powder. I use Mod Pog exterior. Titebond 3 or Aleene's leather glues. They all have long shelf life vs. some of the other hyped glues. I usually dye edges, let dry and burnish with bee's wax or gum t. Hope to have comments on this? tx lynn

I use a 5/8" welt foot for making windlass for car interiors and purse handles. Go to E-bay type in welt feet.

I will give my experience. 50 years of leather and sewing. Less than 10 years of making shoe and boots (hobby) . My choice for insole is veg belly. I find this conforms to the feet very well. I sew the insole thru the upper and into the midsole. The midsole is than sewed to outsole in the traditional manner. I use this method so I can use the belly for the insole. I find cutting the insole to prep for welting compromises the leather. The replacement of the outsole can be done in the traditional way. See George Koleff you will have to go to the Tim Skyrme YouTube site to access his videos. thehcc.org is maybe a good choice for your needs. The listing on this forum for shoes and boots is well worth reading.

Welcome to the battle. I have one machine (out of 5 that does it) In this case the needle assembly has a little play and I have adjusted the needle down a few .000. The needle plate arm (the point where the stitch is formed) has to be smooth.. There are forums on facebook and Youtube.

Hello This boot upper was sewn on Singer 44 20 with a Teflon foot. The insole to mid sole was sewn with a saddle stitch and mid sole to the out sole doing a lock stitch with a jerk needle. Handstitching on the outsole takes about two hours (tv time). The lining was butt stitched together using a 20u zig zag, you can also do the same with a shoe patcher. The cheapest way to go would be 31 or 44 singer. Any old singer with a front mounted stitch regulator can be locked at the beginning and end by simply moving to zero and making 4 or 5 stitches. My embroidery machines does this automatically between jumps. The cheap way chinese shoe patcher ( beginners frequently forget something on a upper and have to resort to a patcher). If you can find a Singer 29K newer version that will work) The use of a teflon pad on a shoe patcher rely helps.

Hi I have moved machines 100's of times .I set up at MC shows selling and installing patches and selling our leather products. The table goes in upside down ( we screwed thru the table to the floor.) The head goes into a purpose built box with rigid foam insulation. I've seen fellow vendors arrive with the legs thru the floor and heads with broken take-ups.and bent flywheels, especially shoe-patchers. You can't be too careful. tx Lynn

My suggestion. Turn till needle is at bottom, raise . .100" or 1/10 of inch needle should intersect 1/32 above eye. If this is okay and is stitching then fine tune up or down in fine increments. In the early 70s I did the same and had to put on a bus for a 600 mile trip, after that I learned fast. If this doesn't work go to YouTube and view Uwe Grosse Consew 225 timing video tx Lynn

This is only my opinion after many years of experience working in the sewing trades. A singer 111w155 would be the cheap used choice, with a long stitch and 1/2" clearance I bought one for $10 at a auction and put in a belt and it worked. But remember if it's used there is a reason. My choice for new would be the Consew 206rb or it's relatives. You get a high lift, long stitch, horizontal hook , large bobbin, safety clutch, reverse and good parts availability and no belts to be replaced. However I have seen new machines with tight clearances which may require clearance around hook . My sister in law and I bought new ones in 1976 and she didn't oil it for 20 years, yes it was noisy but still sewed good. I still have 2 Consew 206rb the Seiko version however my personal choice is a Nakajima 280L more lift and will sew 207 thread all day.

If it came from humid states and has been sitting it is probably all clogged up. My machine had been sitting outside in Florida for three years and was a mess. Download the manual listed on this post. Lube the bearing on the flywheel hub and back off the big nut a few clicks. Oil clutch, just squirt the brake band. I think the brake may be a little snug from grim are debris. Follow instructions for lubing the motor. The flywheel should spin very easily. There is also some posts on facebook clicker die swap and sell.

I have had 29-4's and latter versions and a Adler 30-1. The Adler is very close to the 29-4 with the addition of a eccentric adjustment in the base for hook timing. The sweet spot is 69 or 92 thread. If the shuttle, hook and carrier have a lot of wear it may take 138. You can buy 138 from Lu Thread and Bantam Saddle and Tack in small spools at good prices. The only shoe patcher that will sew long stitches 1/4" is Claes ($5m) and Chinese shoe patcher ($120) Both have almost 1/2 lift. A 1mm pc. of Teflon glued to the foot will work wonders to stitching quality. Good Luck Lynn

Hi I have had one issue like this on the 206. The hook assembly would sometimes jam even on 92. Suggest try 69 thread. If it works that's your problem. Suggest you ask one of our dealer about new assembly. I have had some luck running valve grinding compound to polish assembly. Good luck Lynn

Regarding rattle. These machines of this type singer 3115, 44s and others have conical type bushings (bearings) on rotating and oscillating mechanisms. By loosing the nut you can tighten the bushing this will reduce clearance. Also oscillating parts like feed dog shaft can be also adjusted. Also in many cases the stitch length can be lengthened by grinding the stitch length slot. (make sure you center feed dog first) Did you know you can lock starting and ending stitches by simply moving lever to 0 or close to 0. My commercial embroidery machines do this between trims and color changes. I program at 6 stitches. As to tension my embroidery machines run bobbin tension at about 25% of top tension. These are really lock stitch machines with fancy electrons xyz axis. Looks like you are on your way to a good machine. tx Lynn

I just finished a 44-20 very similar a crank oscillating shuttle machine. My problem was shuttle carrier driver and side play in the shaft. This made stitching irregular. The cure was bushing the shaft to eliminate free play. The driver had a set screw and was also pinned and hook had to be re timed. The pin was out slightly to the shaft. Time by rotating needle to bottom and then raising 1/10" should just be meeting hook. Hook should then meet needle sightly above eye. Depending on material slight adjustment my be required. Harry Rogers on YouTube has a good article on 331k. Describes problems with substandard hooks and shuttles. I've seen these machines rattle like crazy and still make a good stitch. (there is a fix for that) good luck Lynn

I'll try to help. I have had these machines continually since 1974 and have done my own service. Do the following remove throat plate (needle plate 2 screws). With the needle bar at dead bottom, move up .17" take a picture of hook under throat plate this will give me a idea of timing. Also need picture of threading. tx Lynn

I regret not helping you more, but my model c is still in front of the box truck which I moved to Colorado. I have had the clicker for so many years that I operate by muscle memory. I can tell you that double clicking is a result of heat built up between clutch surface and flywheel. Properly adjusted I was able to do about 750 clicks before double clicking. This was on small steel rule dies. A fan on the flywheel helped on warm days. The range on the adjust wheel on the top was only about 4" from stuck to not cutting. Your machine looked like mine which had set outside in Fl. for 3 years. You may want to invest in a Helmold steel rule bender and some 2 or 3 point .937 die stock. The proper way to release a stuck die is backing up the small flywheel at the top. I however use a 4' pipe wrench which came with machine. There is a video on the Red Wing site a 1953 film. good luck lynn

I would check proper needle position, may be to far down. Loosen gib screws on hook and see if rotation changes. Check belt for obstruction. Remove throat plate to see if hook rotates normally. If non of these help pull belt off bottom sprocket and rotate upper and lower shafts to find blockage. Next next next If you are not experienced go no farther and re post for help if you have found blockage. tx Lynn

I think you have a singer 111w155 There are variants. This version has a high lift 1/2" and a 1/4" stitch. Things you need to check, condition of belt (look under cover plate in front of the fly wheel) No hinge pins so you can't tip it up. The hook should be sharp with a good point. A belt is around $20 A generic hook around $20 A thread tension assembly about $15. A new real wood top with a laminate surface around $125 Profession labor around $250 The machine has no reverse, most factory operators know how to back tack (lift the foot with the knee slightly, slide the material back a few stitches and sewn forward, do this simultaneously while sewing, lifting material and pushing material back and forth) A skill I never acquired. I consider this machine as good as any of his competition and with good parts availability. Uwe Grosse has great videos on YouTube

We use .5mil vinyl to heaseal the back of our patches, this seals the threads and adds body to the patch. I also do this on bonding leather together for wallets and purses. This can be tricky because the heat transfer through the leather can be variable based on thickness. Base line for patches is 350 degrees for 30 seconds For leather it can be 60 seconds or more. There are variables. However using top grain chrome leather in most cases will work. ( Euro leather can be a problem because it has some veg properties because of regulations) One neat property is the ability to mold while hot. The best method is having thinner leather close to the heats source. The leather is protected on each side while bonding with parchment paper. tx Lynn

Your close, make sure the hook guard is not pushing the needle away from hook. You can bend the guard. Make sure the feed dog needle hole is polished, Mitchell # 52 cord can be your machines best friend. Is the belt tight, worn sprockets can affect timing (has to be really sloppy to be a issue) Try this formula for hook timing radius (hook to bobbin case center) x2 x .10x .90 = height of needle bar from bottom position. The hook should be passing the needle scarf at that point. Then adjust needle bar so hook is in the scarf slightly above the needle. Make sure bobbin case allows proper thread path with no restriction. Your at the point you are very close.