shoepatcher

rac1812, You can either get a speed reducer to go with your new motor or get a servo motor that can be turned down as tot he speed without loss of torque. As to thread, I would think you would want to use #92 or #138 for sizes. I would use a cotton wrapped polyester which is a more waterproof thread. I would use #21 or #22 round point needles. Size #22 is about the smallest needle you can use with #138 thread. Just suggestions. glenn

rac1812, Needle bars used to have two timing marks on them. The top mark was the bottom dead center mark (BDC). the mark just below that was the timing mark meaning you ran the needle down to the top mark which was bottom dead center than raised it to the bottom mark which was the timing mark for the needle bar that you used to time the hook to. sadly, almost nobody puts those in anymore. Adler on their new M series, i..e. 867, 868, 869, 969, has a pin that you can put into the front of the machine . One place gives you top dead center for the take up lever, one for bottom dead center and one for timing the hook. This makes it so much easier because you have a point of reference to start with. glenn

Stoner, I may have an extra pan for a 1508. Let me check. Where are you located? glenn

Uwe, You will have problems bind around corners with seat belt webbing because it is not able to stretch around corners. To do that, you must have a bias material that will stretch. Even though your binder seems to be a symmetrical feed ( in that the binder walks with the feed dog), if the binding material will not stretch, you will not be able to do corners very well. Trust me on that. Straight lines, no problems. glenn

teched, I would replace the light with a new LED light. Those Singer lights never gave off much light to begin with. I may have a few in my shop. Also, blow the dust and lint out of the motor. It is packed in there pretty good according to the pictures you posted. Those model of Singer clutch motors are like tanks and will run forever if you take care of them. Great Find! glenn

Nice find on the machines. "One mans junk is another man's treasure" certainly applies here. glenn

rdf1967, Couple of questions. -How thick is the leather you are using? -Is the Artisan 1508 anything like the Juki 1508. What are the specs on the machine, i.e. how high is the lift, how thick a thread can it use, etc. We need to see pics of the machine. That will help to answer your questions. glenn

MoMatt, Did you purchase this machine new? If so, I would be bitching like hell to Nick-O-Sew. Clone or not, a new machine should be set up and check even if it is not made great. To me, from you description, the machine was not set up properly to start. If you bought it used, that is another thing. You normally get machines as is when you purchase them used unless stated from the start. There has been a few cases on the forum with used machines being sold as "reconditioned" or having been "gone thru" from Nick-O-Sew. We need to find out if these are isolated cases or the norm. If the norm, I would deal with them. I had a friend of mine a couple of years ago purchase an Adler 467-373 from them. Supposed to have been reconditioned. It was not and he had to go thru it himself after he got it plus it was almost 11 weeks late from the promised delivery time. He would have cancelled the order but already had money down and paid to them on the machine. Nick-O-Sews' reputation is starting to go down based on a few cases here in the forum. glenn

For info, I found a parts list for the 38 class Pfaff on Universal's web site under the Pfaff manuals. glenn

dikman, Singer used the SV notation in the model number plate for special versions of that particular sewing machine. The changes could be anything from one or two different screws, bearing vs. bushings, to a total change. You never knew. There was very little if any paperwork on the SV machines. Some became later models in production. To my knowledge, I have never seen an instruction manual or parts list for the SV models. glenn

Contact Pilgrim Shoe in Massachusetts. Harris there has manuals, parts and tools. The curved Landis #12 machine started with the Model A and went from there using the alphabet for newer models. The last ones made were the Model 12 L. glenn

Alexitbe, Obviously, when it goes in reverse, the tension is much tighter in the bobbin area which would indicate that the top tension is being released. I would check the take up spring and also make sure the tension discs for whatever reason are not being pushed and released to start. I would also look at the thread coming out of the bobbin case when in reverse to make sure something is not tightening that tension. I believe the problem is in the top tension somewhere and that would be the take up spring. glenn

Wishful, An Adler/Chandler 67GK373 uses a "G" size bobbin. The 167GK373 and the 267GK373 use the bigger bobbin. That is an 'L" size. glenn

SARK9, The Singer bobbins should work in a Consew 29 and visa versa. The Consew 29's was modeled after the Singer 29's. glenn

soccerdad, Any machine I have changed to titanium needles has not gone back to regular Chrome Schmetz. I will go to titanium if an operator is having trouble breaking needles. Other than that, we keep the machines with titanium in titanium. glenn

Contact Hoffman Brothers in Chicago. They now sell the Ferdco line, Perhaps they can answer your question. Also, send us a few close up pics of the machine so we can see how the pressure is adjusted on the machine. glenn

scoccerdad, I work at Vaughn Custom Sports here in Michigan. We are one of the premier goalie hockey companies in the world. We build goalie equipment, i.e. pads, gloves, arm & chest, pants, cups, collarbone protectors, All the high end gear in the US is built right here. Senior gear, junior gear, bags, masks are built off shore. Sticks are built for us in Canada. Anyway, 85% of our machines are walking foot Adlers; 767's, 867's, 205's, 269s', 869. We have some Juki's and Pfaff's. Because we sew a multitude of materials, needle breakage is a concern. We use Titanium coated needles on all the binder post machines and most of the walking foots in system 134-35 and 135x17. I cut our needle breakage down by at least 50% when I went to TI coated needles, either Organ or G-B. Stitching is just better because the needle does not heat up as much as the Chrome plated needles plus it is less likely to deflect as much and burr. Both the Organ and Grotz-Beckert needles have held up well. Schmetz does not build a Titanium needle. Some of my ladies prefer the Schmetz so we use them. Still a great needle. Titanium is not available in a lot of systems. My advice is get them when you can. They are just a better needle to sew with. glenn

I think the only way you are going to get a welt foot for a 4500Cowboy is to have one made. To my knowledge, there are none out their in the market place as standard. glenn

For info, Schmetz needles are not made in Germany anymore. They are made in India my sources tell me. Groz Beckert needles where ever they are made I have found to be as good as Schmetz. We use both in our factory. Both Organ and Groz Beckert make Titanium coated needles in certain systems which are great. I have found them both to be superior to Schmetz needles in those systems. Schmetz does not make a Ti coated needle to my knowledge. This info based on day to day use in our factory over the last 5 plus years that I have been there. glenn

The Techsew 1660 looks like a clone of the Juki 1508. If it is anything like that machine , (and I own one) it is a good machine for what you want to sew. glenn

Uwe, Juki normally publishes the specs on the screw in their parts catalogue. Do you know what machine this screw came from? If so, the parts book will tell us the specs on the screw. glenn

Joe, I second this post on this day of Christmas. The Leatherworker is a great example of people ( leather workers and sewing people) working together to help educate and promote the skills of sewing and sewing machine knowledge in general. There was nothing like it 40 plus years ago when I started out. As I tell people, experience is something you can only do two things with: "Share it or take to the grave." As I get closer to retirement, I prefer to share it! glenn

That is an Adler head. Someone put in a Singer race to make it work. As Uwe said, some parts are interchangeable or will work. To me, the head looks like a 20 class Adler. The 120's replaced the 20's. A parts book is available on Adlers' blog site under "Downloads" which covers machines no longer in Production. I would download that when you can. Great help. glenn

I had a woman who worked for me in the late 1980's as cutter and prep person in B.C. Canada. Her dad did taxidermy. They did polar bears. They used a heavy Bonis sewing machine and it worked great. This machine looks just like it. Hope that helps. glenn

The 29K58 head was attached to the base with screws that are 9/32" x 20 TPI. You can order generic Singer screw #50632 which is that size and pitch and it works fine. That is what I use now. The former screw is no longer available. Early Singer 29's used a 3/16" x 28 screw to fasten the head to the stand . I believe it was screw #122. The #128 is the same screw only shorter and that is still made because it is the screw to attach the end of the head to arm. glenn