Jump to content

mixmkr

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    165

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by mixmkr

  1. mixmkr
    That seems to be a drastic reduction. I'm not experiencing that amount on my 562. Just the wacky tension changes!
  2. mixmkr
    So, of course I broke my needle bar thread guide on my JUKI LU562, trying to open it up a bit, as I was beginning to have problems feeding my 138 thread into it. The machine has been able to sew fine without it, albeit I'm taking it slower, as I have projects I MUST complete asap. Ordered and on the way. So...other than help guide the thread into the needle groove, (use a zip tie..ha!), am I missing an important function?
  3. mixmkr
    I really like the JUKI LU 562, but a larger bobbin would be nice. After scouring Ebay, Craig's List etc now for many, many months, the cheapest "deal" seemed to pop up... a LU563 for $500 shipped on Craig's List. Too far to go look, as it's 6+ hrs away. My gut tells me this isn't the best solution and paying $500 just for a larger bobbin on an unseen machine seems risky. But, it's by far the best machine for the price I've seen in a 1/2+ year or more. Where are people finding good purchases in the <$750 range? I'd love to land a 1508 and I'd up my offer. But, they don't seem to show up used. Guess I'll just keep sitting back and waiting and looking. Nick-0-sew is basically the only place within driving distance for me, and they weren't interested in my 562.
  4. mixmkr
    Thanks! Thats exactly what I do...imagine that!
  5. mixmkr
    Jim....here's how the thread ends up after "popping out" or as Gregg states riding on top of the discs. Seems with the 3 whole guide higher than the tension discs, this would be a common problem. But with my old Poly thread, it doesn't happen. ONLY my really slick PTFE thread.
  6. mixmkr
    Seems to be that the top load is slightly more heavy duty....whatever that might mean in this level of machine. At least I've heard that from more than a couple of places. The 1508 has the capability for a higher presser foot lift and longer needel....or is that just the 1508 NH?? Any rate, I've heard all kinds of opinions regarding these two machines. As recent as yesterday, talking to another marine canvas guy, he says his JUKI DNU 241 bottom loader hates binding attachments and has a top loading Consew set up just for that, but uses his DNU 241 (1541 predecessor?) for the bulk of his work, pointing out that you don't have to remove the project to insert another bobbin, in most cases. But then he added he thought the 1508 was the better choice between the two machines in this topic...even thinking my top loading LU562, disregarding bobbin size, was even a better machine..
  7. mixmkr
    How much oil is required in this "cap"? There's a wick in there and I've only been putting in a couple drops just to soak it a bit. I oil about every 8 hours, but notice that my machine does tend to get a little oil-y underneath and if I don't sew for a couple days, oil will collect at the needle as well. I watch oiling that backside too much also, as the material might bunch up and rub against the rocker bars in the back, staining whatever I'm sewing on. But I try for ONE drop at each place with a couple in the cap shown in the picture. The machine is a JUKI LU562
  8. mixmkr
    Thanks Jim,... neither to add nor remove tension. The problem I was having (using a very slippery ptfe thread) was the thread was wanting to "pinch out" when the discs were opening and closing and not stay put. Once "popped out", of course then I basically had no tension, immediately seen in my stitching. Gregg... this pic shows how I originally threaded, but like my latest solution (pic in the first post in this thread)
  9. mixmkr
    Thx Gregg. I initially had the pin in play but coming off the top disc rather than using tbe pin BEFORE the disc like you suggest. Not running a lot but maybe 1500 yards of ptfe thread a week, I felt best not to use tbe pin at all because of wear
  10. mixmkr
    Im having a time finding axle mounts and associated. Maybe just drop the $150 for pre made
  11. mixmkr
    Do you want curley fries with that? I got a servo and it crawls ok, but it could use some oomphf if I stop before riding over a thick seam. I presume the reduction pulleys in addition will help that.
  12. mixmkr

    Uwe, your photos (frame grabs??) and videos are some of the technically best ones I've seen on the internet.  Your vids are crystal clear, totally in focus, and the lighting is superb.  I dabble in some YouTubes myself, and found that good "daylight" lighting...either natural or bulbs is very important...done "correctly" too..  However, yours take the quality to the next level.  At some point, a video on how you DO your videos, explaining some of the technical stuff, like frame rate, lighting, cameras, etc would be EXTREMELY interesting to watch and learn from.  Again I only say this because your quality is A+.

     

     

    Here's the quality I'm getting, using a $300 Canon camcorder at 1080p @ 60 fps and a bunch of daylight bulbs along with using Sony software to sharpen it up and for editing.  The background floor lamp is just for "looks".

     

    1. Uwe

      Uwe

      This status update area is a public messaging area, by the way. You'll have to use private messaging if you want to communicate in private. 

      My technical macro videos are quite different from live action people subjects. My lighting approach may not translate well to your studio sessions.

      My camera is a bit more costly than yours, but mainly because I have a good macro lens to get very close to things. I use a Canon 70D with EOS 100mm F2.8 L macro lens, about $2K for the combo. My "video lights" are super cheap in comparison. I use Feit LED shop lights I got at Costco for $25. The tubes are made of plastic and flex a little. I often point my lens between the two tubes to get a cheap ring light of sorts that has almost no shadows.

      I always use manual focus when filming technical stuff. With close-up macro photography, depth of field is often very small - sometimes less than a centimeter (1/2") or so of depth is in focus, everything else get super blurry real quick. Sometimes that's useful, sometimes not. To get around that I crank up the ISO sensitivity setting to 6400 or so that I can stop down the aperture to around F/22 to get maximum depth of field so that (most) everything is in focus. The high-ISO video is a little more grainy but the sharpness more than makes up for it. The camera records 30 fps, with 1/30th second shutter speed, at 1920x1080 resolution. I edit in iMovie for the simple stuff.

      Here are a few behind the scenes photos of my high-tech studio setup :blink: with the Cowboy 4500 ready for its close-up. 

      I used four LED shop lights (one is out of the frame behind me) for the lighting setup. You can see how I splayed one set of plastic tubes apart at the top and point my lens right between it. One light points at the white background to make it bright white. 

      IMG_7495.jpg

      Here's the view from behind the camera:

      IMG_7496.jpg

      And here's a close-up of the screen:

      IMG_7498.jpg

  13. mixmkr
    This has been suggested and it seems to be working best with this really slippery PTFE Tenara, 138 equivalent thread. If threaded per normal, (and the 3 hole thread guide horizontal) the thread just "pinches" out of the disks at any tension adjustment. This way it isn't going anywhere. Anybody else find they have to do this for some instances?
  14. mixmkr
    wiz...definitely on the long arm. Fortunately new Sunbrella or marine canvas rolls up pretty easy and it comes in 60" widths typically as the max, so you always work on the "short" side. I'm always on the lookout for a great value on a long arm. That Tuffmaster I mentioned in a thread awhile back peaked my interest, but it seemed too alien and was a good 1/2 day drive for me. The Apex Tuffmaster 30" long arm that Uwe thought was an Alder clone. Nothing on the internet about it. It was only $650, but I shy'd away from it because of its' unknown attributes. Dang if those long arms aren't expensive.
  15. mixmkr
    I called them up asking about an upgrade from my LU562. They totally weren't interested in it for trade in, but willing to sell me a LU563 for $950. Or...the 1508 for $2850, I guess presuming I needed a new table, etc. Nice enough on the phone, but it kinda diminished my desire to take my JUKI head to them and see what I could walk out with. Also, dickering on price seemed out of the question as well. But...we're only talking about a single phone call too.
  16. mixmkr
    thx Trash. I'm not going to get into new sail construction, but I certainly repair them...mostly wear points and stuff worn out by UV. Too many good sail manf already doing it "right" and the effort would pay off probably if you're doing it for your own boat. I've looked at those sites too, however my typical orders are per project, rather than stocking a bunch of fabric. I'll keep zipper pulls, snaps and grommets...stuff like that, but I'm pretty set up for that now at this point. CD...yeah those larger projects are more about getting it under the presser foot, rather than just sewing!. Space AROUND the machine is a premium. I've wrestled with some 45' long headsails and such, re-stitching the UV sacrificial strip and seams and getting a number of awning, biminis and dodgers under my belt Making them wrinkle free, without being overly tight seems to be the trick. 1/2" difference over a 6 foot span with a seam allowance can mean a lot it appears... and stretching out a seam running joining panels together so that area isn't shrunk up. Any rate...looking for ANY tips, feedback, shortcuts or sources for learning.
  17. mixmkr
    Sailrite is top notch. I've got their wholesale account and the service is stellar. Their pricing with some items is really good too, when compared to other similar sources, like West Marine, etc.
  18. mixmkr
    Who else sews marine canvas? Using Sunbrella, Top Gun, etc? Bimini tops, dodgers, pedestal covers, etc? PTFE thread, binding, hemming, etc. I know many here gravitate towards leather projects (and I actually sometimes use it for preventative abrasion patching), but it seems there are also other "non leather" projects that many do here as well. After A LOT of searching online, this forum seems to be the best that I've found as far as talking about "heavier weight" sewing machines, especially walking foot machines, which are pretty much an essential doing marine canvas work (8 layers of Sunbrella and 2 layers of clear vinyl?? :-) Any rate, I'd LOVE to be able to bounce some marine specific questions off others...and offer my experiences as well. Thanks!
  19. mixmkr
    thanks. it's still a 4 hour drive at least, but it sure peaks the interest. Worth a call probably for sure.
  20. mixmkr
    That's what I thought. Has some Consew 226 for $400 too. But none have reverse. Where is the reverse on this...or would you think not on this one too?
  21. mixmkr
    I sew large projects sometimes and the larger underarm area could make things easier for sure. What can you tell me about the Adler? Looks like a walking foot which is a must. I need 138 thread too. Doing sails and marine canvas. 3/8" would be OK.. So...it could do what my ole LU562 could do?
  22. mixmkr
    Model TU-36R....30" long arm. Anyone know about this machine? Picture doesn't do much... local Craig's list for $650
  23. mixmkr
    Nice machine. I use its' grandchild, a Juki LU 562. It's good your tech lubed it up, but consider that you'll want to also do so in a semi regular basis as well. One drop at the metal to metal moving places and a bunch of those little holes located thruout the machine.
  24. mixmkr
    I'm thinking either a DC battery and an inverter to run the sewing machine motor, which now has an extra long shaft to provide a 2nd pulley. Of course you know where the belt on the 2nd pulley now goes to. :-D >>>hhhmmm steering.... have to think that one out. Clever idea with the hinges. Regular Nascar type car jack might make install a one man-er.
  25. mixmkr
    My plate had the numbers 98-11 and the slots didn't quite line up with the holes in the bed.... so a little dremel-ing fixed that as you can see. Earlier in the thread I had a picture before, where I just used one screw with the tabs not really doing anything, hanging off the side. After a bit, it tended to shift, but won't now. And yeah...why drill the machine bed when you can drill a lesser expensive bracket instead?
×
×
  • Create New...