shoepatcher

You oil the hell out of the race around the bobbin case first. I have take a small block of wood and tapped the bobbin case slight to get it to move. Be careful not to hit it hard enough to break anything. The key is to get the bobbin case to move slightly. Make sure the gib is off the bobbin case. glenn

That thread is big for the machine. Best you can do is #207 and I would only run that on the top. To run 277 thread, you normally need a harness class machine. glenn

Your feed dog is what i call a slotted feed dog. I believe they make ones that are not slotted with just a hole, not an elongated hole for the 341. Buy a new feed dog. A clone if need be. Try part# 212-25008. Quicker and less headaches. glenn

Pic of the hole in feed dog please. glenn

Any pics of it? glenn

so true C! glenn

#46 thread is smallest, #138 is largest. Needles #16-#23. glenn

The original set screws used by Singer in the 18-2 were #457. That screw is obsolete. It was either 3/16" x 28TPI or 15/64" x 28 TPI. Only way to know for sure is to try each of these size screws in the hole. I cannot find an original spec on the screw other than screw above or below it in the Singer screw chart. Hope that helps. glenn

B is the sub class. goes to C, C/D the D for heaviest. 6 is the max. stitch length.

It is a U so did any of the Japanese company make one like it? glenn

The guy who dropped it should make good on it or take it back. Idiot!! glenn

Contact Bob Collier at Collier Equipment. The sell and service the machine out of Alabama. glenn

Very Nice C!! glenn

Very good machine. The Juki 441 was converted to a Pro2000 by Ferdco out of Idaho. Company later sold to Hoffman Brothers in Chicago. They still do the conversions to a Pro 2000 but head come out of Taiwan. The machine you are looking at is an original 441, not a clone from Cowboy or Cobra. That head today is about $6,400.00. I would keep this machine. Ferdco never went to Taiwan. They only got heads form there or China. Changes to make a 441 to a Pro 2000 would be feed dog, throat plate, feet. Your machine could be converted back to a 441 like the Cobra and Cowboy. Chances are the original parts are there. Pics please for us. glenn

Yep bent shaft. Remove the crank shaft and wheel and lets see what is bent. glenn

Yep. That is what goes with the 205. You can sew with a smaller needle on the appropriate shim but you CANNOT sew with a bigger needle than the shim size!!!

too small a needle. Go to #160 or #180. glenn

What size thread you using? Is it bonded nylon or polyester? glenn

pics please

Weaver leather had 205-370 stretched before they got the 969-100 machines. They had about of them done if I remember. Keestar is making the 205 Clone is three lengths for Weaver- 12", 16", and 25". glenn

get her fixed? GLENN

Look at the manual for centering the needle in the inner foot. That may be off. I would check that first with the stitch length set at 0. glenn

weight of thread you are using?

something hitting inside the machine? a part against a part?

Looking at the comparison chart, none of those machines sew heavier than #207. If you are using 277, it is too heavy for that machine especially if you are trying to sew #277 and in reverse. The clearance is simply not there especially in reverse. Stick with #207 on top and #138 on the bottom. Some of the machines in your list will not sew past #138. glenn