Dave9111

Here are some pictures. The pictures with the straight binder are using some of the thin garment polyester tape I bought off Wawak and Amazon. One was a single fold polyester which just is a flat strip with both edges folded towards the center. The other has, I believe, four layers of polyester folded over. Both work fine with the straight binder but wont work at all in the synchronized binder. The very thin polyester just cant maintain its shape as it goes through the right angle binder. It rolls around and unfolds in the right angle binder head. I would only use the thin polyester binding to hide raw edges that were not subject to much abrasion. The milspec 5038 and 4088 tapes are much heavier and more durable. That said, the thin polyester looks pretty good and would be ok for some uses. Cost wise the milspec tapes are about the same cost as the cheap garment tapes which really doesn't make much sense. The Wawak single fold polyester tape was about $36 for a hundred yards as was the Amazon multifold tape. Milspec tape seems to be not much more expensive. I'll probably stick to the milspec tapes for my uses which is mostly covers and some bags. If you guys see anything I could be doing better. Please comment. Thanks.

I got out my other Pfaff 1245 to set it up for binding. I fitted a servo motor to it for better control and tried to attach the feet, dog, and needle plate that came with the new synchronized binder. The needle plate wasnt quite right but I had another needle plate that came with the original right angle binder I bought 10 years ago or so and that worked. I had to grind the front foot so it didnt hit the left toe of the rear foot. Also the new feed dog was a bit off to one side and it has a small needle hole so I had to move the feed dog mechanism to the right slightly to keep the needle from bending. Whew! A fair amount of work to get everything right. The synchronized swing binder works nicely with milspec 5038 and 4088 herringbone binding tape. The 1" 4088 can do a 1 inch radius with this binder setup. Very nice. Remember that I had bought some cheap polyester garment binding from Wawak and Amazon and that did not work in my original fixed right angle binder setup, well it doesn't work in the synchronized swing binder ether. So thats consistent. At this point I had many hours into trying to get this right. I bought a $20 straight binder off of Amazon and thought I would try it as well. I got it positioned and ran some milspec 5038 1" through it. It worked ok if I didnt make too sharp a turn. Same with the milspec 4088. But the synchronized binder is easier to use. Then I tried out the cheap garment quality Polyester binding with the straight binder. It works! So now at least I can use the 150+ yards of cheap polyester binder I bought. Regarding the platter to feed the binding, I drilled another hole for the wooden machine rest pin on the back of the table and I'm using the pin and table to hold the flat reel of binding. So far, so good. Ill add pictures tomorrow. Anyway, I think Im set. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

I bought the folder head for 3/4" tape after your comment. It was about $11 with shipping. Crazy cheap! I'll start looking for some 3/4" tape as well. Its refreshing to have something that looks half way decent as a result! I'm hoping the new binder can get results similar to what you are doing. But there is some substantial skill involved which I still need to learn! I fought with my old 100 yard roll of Rochford straight cut binding tape for years. This 5038 tape that I bought off Amazon is like night and day compared to the crappy Rochford tape. Its an entirely different game with the better tapes. When I bought the bias binding tape at Sailrite, I only bought 10 feet of it and that cost about $7.00. Just enough to figure out if it would work or not. I think most Sailrite buyers are hobby folks making a few pieces of canvas for their boat or project and that's about it. Their fabric prices are not low. I could not afford to do what I am doing if I had to pay Sailrite prices for everything. I buy most of my fabric off Ebay. Some of it has minor defects, but since it is for me, I can deal with that for the lower prices. When you buy binding tape, are you ordering it 100 yards at a time or a lot more than that? 32 to 34 cents per yard seems like a good price for real milspec tape. What is a good price for 3/4" 5038 grosgrain if I am buying 100 yards at a time? Does the 4082 herringbone tape lay down better in the curves than the 5038? How do you determine when to use the 4082 vs the 5038? Thanks!

An update on my binder: I bought some 5038 tape off of Amazon. It says mil spec but the tape is not marked as such. Still, it works well in my binder. Its quite slippery so it glides through the folder very nicely. 300 yards of black 1" was $35.00 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPK36VBK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title I also obtained some Sailrite bias binding, 1" black polyester. https://www.sailrite.com/Top-Notch-9-Polyester-Bias-Binding-Tape-Black-1-Inch This also worked well and it laid down a bit better than the 5038 in the curves. The problem with the Sailrite tape is cost. $136 for 100 yards, vs the Amazon 5038 tape which was $35 for 100 yards. For my needs, which does not require showcase quality, the 5038 is very adequate. I think if I used a more narrow 5038 tape I could get better results around the corners. However, this is with my existing fixed binder. I did order a synchronized binder off Ebay. It should be here in about 3 weeks. Apparently it is shipping from China. They had the same items on Amazon and those also shipped from China. It costs $130 including the bracket, feet, dog, and needle plate and folder. Thanks for the help guys! I really appreciate it! Here are some picts:

These guys don't say their tape is 5038 but they have a lot of colors. Does anyone know anything about this company? https://americanplastics.com/collections/narrow-binding-tape I bought some black tape that said it was 5038 spec tape on Amazon but the tape itself does not have that marked on it. I suspect it is Chinese tape but it worked well in my binder.

Got it. It would be worth it to me to spend a couple hundred on a setup that works properly. Ive been tossing money into the wind and getting nowhere, $35 at a time. Ill do more digging. They must have some other things on ebay that I missed. I saw the knurled screws on the bar and was thinking that was for something else rather than the binder throat sheetmetal. In the kit that came with the binder I have, it included a smooth feed dog with a hole in it for a moving attachment, it also included a needle plate (that surrounds the dog) but the bobbin housing doesnt engage the needle plate properly from below. This Pfaff 1245 is automated and I think it had a thread cutter/trimmer on it but it was removed before I got it. That just complicates an already complicated situation. Thanks

This synchronized swing binder is on ebay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/166181002954?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=gU3nAcQKSqG&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=FGCZDBBTSMO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY But it doesn't actually contain the folding device? Why would they not sell that as part of this sale? This seems odd. So, due to the compound feed, it appears that the Pfaff 1245 is not a great machine for binding?

I meant an Adler 98 Zig Zag. Not 69.

NylonRigging: I dont need to use a pre folded tape. Grosgrain type tape would be fine. I just have no idea what Im buying! I did pickup some folded polyester bias binding from Sailrite yesterday and I think it will work in my binder. But its not cheap. $140+ for 100 yards. Nicer than I need! Ill look for some of that grosgrain. Thanks for the picts and explanation. I dont have a needle feed machine. Other machines I could use with a binder: a Chandler lockstitch industrial machine, a two needle machine like the Consew 339 walking foot, a Singer 143W2 zig zag, and an Adler 69 zig zag. I think the Adler was rigged with a binder but it didnt come with the machine. I have looked briefly at the little Sailrite machines, but I didnt realize they arent like the Pfaff 1245 feed. That explains how they can use that binder as they do. Wawak is just a big distributor I believe. Actually a pretty good one. Rochford is also a distributor but I think they are also a manufacturer. I think they may be making fabric now? I thought I read that. Thanks

Great.. I need to pursue one of these!

I can do that. Does anyone make relatively inexpensive binding platters? Thanks!

Looks like you have binding down pat! I never thought about using a double needle machine to do binding. Is there a definition someplace which defines binding types? "type-lll grosgrain's, and I use Herringbone Bias binding" etc? I see grosgrain binding mentioned but it doesn't specify weight or thickness. When I bought the Wawak bias binding I had no clue as to how heavy the binding would be. My order at Sailrite is ready for pickup so I will get that today and try it next weekend when I return. Thanks!

The tape is called a single fold bias tape by Wawak. It is a strip of material with both edges folded inwards. No matter what I do with that binder, the tape is pulled down towards the bottom of the binder. I can apply tension to it, wind it through the tension wires, try and tension it back and up. Yet, the tape is still pulled down towards the table. That tape just doesnt seem to work at all with this binder. The heavier Rochford binding doesn't do that at all. I did order one of those CKPSMS binders that KGG mentioned. I might try that as well with the lighter Wawak binding.

It has some but not much. I can twist the binder on the two screws that go into the bobbin cover plate and there are two screws hidden but not much. It came with binder feet but I could not get the binder to the left enough without hitting the binder so I used a different front foot. I could have cut off part of the foot but that seemed harsh for a test. As it turned out the bias tape I had wouldn't feed properly. Its not an ideal setup for sure. The cup and dowel worked ok for my reel of Rochford binding but I agree wont work long term for this flat wound binding. I would need to make a support plate / platter beneath the binding. I would like to be able to bind a 4" circle of material. Even smaller would be better.

I was looking at Sailrites binder. It says its suitable for gentle outside curves. They only have a straight binder for sale. No right angles which I have been told is required for tight inside and outside curves. But they do have heavier bias tape, which Rochford does not. Rochford only has straight cut tape, which seems strange. Perhaps I need to simply buy some of Sailrites bias tape and try that with the binder I have. Im going to drive right by Sailrite tomorrow. I think Ill place a pickup order and try and get it tomorrow. But I wont be able to try it for several days since Im driving to my daughter's house in Chicago.

Ill look. I buy from Sailrite occasionally. They are about 45 minutes from me. Good idea.

I received my Wawak 1" binding so I decided to try it. The pictures mostly show the Wawak Bias Tape Binding. The picture with the cylindrical roll of Rochford tape is what works in this binder. The picture with the coarse tape in the binder is the Rochford tape. The Rochford tape is straight cut and when sewn doesn't want to turn corners. I was hoping the Wawak bias tape (the flat roll) would turn corners, but I can't get it to lay down properly properly prior to stitching. So the Wawak Bias Tape binding was an utter failure. It won't work in this binder. It slides and then rolls one edge before it gets to the right angle turn. I tried several things and the binding will not track straight in this binder. I think this binder is simply not compatible with thin bias tape. It works well with the Rochford tape, but the Rochford tape is probably made out of 6 oz canvas. The Wawak bias tape is probably 1-2 oz fabric. Huge difference. I think I am trying to run light clothing tape in a binder made for canvas tape. I thought Rochford might sell bias cut tape similar to what works, but they do not. Its all straight cut. NylonRigging... if I buy some mil spec binding, which I think is similar to molle tape/webbing(?), will that turn corners? Do you think it will go through a right angle binder? Or perhaps I should get a different binder and put it on lighter weight straight stitch machine? Most of what I want to do is bind 2 layers of 8 oz canvas. But I need to be able to make inside and outside turns. Similar to a safety vest binding which was mentioned. I have a common, straight stitch industrial machine, non walking foot, which could be setup with a different binder. It isn't getting much use anyway. In many cases I really don't need heavy binding. Its fairly expensive. The cheaper Rochford 1" tapes are about $75 for 100 yard. The more expensive tapes are about $150/100 yards. The Wawak tape was $14.00 for 55 yards and it is heavy enough for a lot of what I want to do. I was hoping I could run the light, cheap binding in this binder, and be able to turn corners, but apparently the binder was designed for 6-10 oz fabric binding. Buying a $400 binder setup doesn't make sense since I don't do that much binding and for the most part I am not getting paid for my work. I've sold some covers on Ebay, but the sales are not significant. This is primarily for my own use. I have a couple of boats and a bunch of equipment and I seem to constantly be making covers or bags for this and that. I made a large cover for a trailer recently that was 15ft x 46 ft in size. I need to make a sailboat cover and there are places on the cover that I would like to be able to bind and there are many tight turns. You might notice in the picts that I am not using a stubby binding foot for the front foot, I have one, but it was interfering with the binder bracket. So I changed it to a small regular foot to try and figure out what was going on. What do you guys think? Thanks!

Thanks for the replies! :-) I'll get you guys some pictures today. I have several of those safety vests so I know exactly what you are talking about. Some of those binding curves are rather tight. This binder setup was made specifically made for the Pfaff 1245. It has a boss brazed to a new bobbin cover plate and the right angle binder is screwed to the boss. I think it cost $80 or $90, 10 years ago, so maybe $150 or more in todays money? It very well may be a China cheapie on a custom cover plate. I'm thinking that the binding material I have been using is simply wrong. I ordered some medium weight bias tape from Wawak and it was supposed to be here today, but the freezing rain and ice is delaying the shipment delivery until tomorrow. My tape feed to the binder consists of am inverted plastic drink cup with a hole in the bottom ( custom! ) , and a 1/2" dowel sticking upright in my tool holder block on the machine table. The cup spaces the reel off the tool holder. That actually works pretty well! The tape falls maybe a foot from the right side of the table to the binder.

I am using a Pfaff 1245 walking foot and I purchased a right angle binder setup probably 10 years ago and I have never been able to master this thing. I bought 100 yards of polyester single fold binding from Rochford supply years ago and it works ok on straight runs or large curves. The Rochford binding is rather stiff so I have to fight it when doing tighter turns, about 6 inch radius and less. So I thought I would try and buy some double fold polyester binding off Amazon, it was cheap. Its a thin material but it doesn't work well in the binder. Somehow it rolls sometimes after making the turn in the binder. My guess is that it is not stiff enough. So what next? Rochford, Wawak, and Amazon all have a lot of binding, but I have no idea what will work well in this binder. Do I just keep guessing and buy a few different kinds? Wawak offers heavy, medium and light single fold binding. Is there any standard for what is Heavy, medium and light? Would woven, unfolded, twill binding possibly work? I never thought that binding would be this challenging! Are there any how-to's written on how do run a binder? Are straight binders more forgiving than right angle binders? Thanks, Dave

This has worked very well. When I move the machine, I hook the "pedal" brake lever on the back frame crossmember and roll it around. I have my machines on casters. I thought I might need to weld a cross bar on the brake lever as you did, but just using the brake pedal as is, works fine.

Good idea!

Here are some pictures. The cable goes up through a small hole, slightly larger than 1/16", which was drilled up into the plastic boss. The cable housing (black vinyl covered) simply sits up against the plastic boss. The cable then goes into the backside of the left most hole, comes out the front and then goes into the rightmost hole. A screw and nut was used to clamp the cable to the plastic arm. The screw is smaller than the hole, so both the cable and the screw fit through the hole. I ran the loose end of the cable around to the front and tie wrapped the loose end to the arm so it wouldn't get in the way. I think that is a 10-24 flat head screw. The base of the brake lever was a chunk of scrap steel I had laying around. It wasn't heavy enough, so it skittered around the floor when my foot touched it. I welded a chunk of 3/4" steel to the bottom plate to give it some weight. The tape wrapped around the base was used to create some friction so it stays in place. That is white Gorilla tape (thick duct tape). I did have to lubricate the cable in the cable housing at the brake lever end due to intermittent sticking. I sprayed it with some chain and cable lubricant. The lube got rid of the sticking issue. The servo motor is an Enduro unit I bought off of Ebay. It has a needle positioner. It says on the unit that it is setup for 220 volts, but it runs like a champ on 120 volts with no changes, other than a different plug on the cord. It has more than sufficient power. I have run hundreds of feet of fabric through this machine.

I like the idea of your tilt hand truck! That's a lot better than what I tried!!! I have a hand truck that is aluminum and it converts into a flatbed, but it won't do what your truck does. The kickstand with wheels is really nice. Thanks for the idea!

What would it cost to add a commercially available puller (Racing or otherwise) to a Pfaff 1245 walking foot machine?? An educated guess is ok. Most of the Racing units I have seen have a mechanical geared connection to the machine and the transmission and shafting is quite elaborate and it looks like the shafting might get in the way. It seems like an "electronically geared" connection to the machine should be possible. I've worked on industrial machine control systems that do that. I have a puller which is built into a Pfaff chainstitch machine and it is really nice for longer runs. I have less material slippage issues when I use the puller. It seems to be noticeably better than a walking foot setup alone.

Just a follow up: I did attempt to make a lifting dolley that lifted by the table top. It failed. Turns out lifting from the top requires a rigid frame (heavy steel) which was in opposition to my goals of a simple compact dolley. As I result I put all of my machines on casters. That is the way to go for me. If I need to move a machine outside, I have a small steel top trailer that tilts to the ground to create a ramp. The trailer was built as a rototiller trailer, so it is small, but large enough.