DonInReno

Getting a first industrial will make you wonder why you didn’t get one sooner! One thing to keep in mind is that Industrials are not built like a domestic machine - they are made to run all day long, week after week, month after month - for occasional residential use you’ll never wear one out if it’s oiled correctly. I don’t believe there’s some problem specific to the series 26 - the design is nothing new and their parts are comparable in quality to the better clones. I’ve read the belly aching of a dozen different series 26 owners and every one of those seemed to resist common sense - I think the problems you’ve heard about are more a function of unfamiliarity with sewing in general, a resistance to help offered, and the buyers are trying to sew maximum thickness leather with maximum thread thickness, and not knowing what the problem really was so they blame it on timing. If you live near Leather Machines that would be a big advantage to a 26 - any issues would be quick to get advice or warranty work done. If a cobra 26 is like a Toyota, then the Juki or phaff would be a Lexis - the fit and finish are better, the components are slightly better, options are fancier, it would be slightly smoother, and it would last slightly longer. You would have to sew 6 hours a day for two decades to see the difference though. I’d warn against putting too much weight on one manufacturers options over another unless you know for sure it’s something that would affect you. For instance smaller diameter cylinders often mean your giving up something in return - make sure that tradeofff makes sense for you. If you are risk adverse and want to avoid troubles keep in mind less common clones like Kobe, Thor, and Techsew are known as being more likely to have problems than Juki, Cowboy or cobra unless that’s all that’s in your budget. There’s no free lunch - if a machine is significantly cheaper some corners were cut somewhere. I’ve sorted out issues with those brands that were just crappy quality parts. Maybe they are better now, or those machines just slipped by quality control, but I doubt it.

The differences in the various generations of the 206rb are pretty slight. The 206rb and 206rb-1 and 206rb-2 are more or less the same. The 206rb-3 on up have a different stitch length and reverse mechanism. Starting with the rb-4 they went from being made by Seiko in Japan to being made in China. The Consew manuals are not great - I’d suggest downloading a manual for the same machine made by Seiko. I don’t know the Seiko model off the top of my head, but it shouldn’t be hard to find.

I have one of these, and find them interesting, but it rarely gets used. It is a fun project, but they are rough - the parts are, well, just rough - the tolerances are rough, the machining is rough, the finish is rough, the operation is rough, and materials like screws, bushings, bearings, etc. are not the best. I think the upgrades, custom parts, and elbow grease that are being put into these are awesome. It sews, and I have no plans on getting rid of it, but I predict it will go to a friend or relative that gets interested in sewing and isn’t bothered by the roughness. Smooth high quality machines have spoiled me.

I predict you’ll end up with one of these. They sew quite well with 277, but once you have one of the big machines you’ll find a number of projects that benefit from thicker thread that haven’t been on your radar. Same for thickness - 1/2” seems like your maximum now, but once you have the ability for thicker leather (and synthetics) you’ll find a number of projects that benefit from the extra presser foot lift. Personally, I don’t use my big machine with thread below 138. For 90 or 69 size thread it’s just more enjoyable to sew on a smaller machine, and it avoids having to change a lot of settings. Having said that, there are a number of guys in here who have sewn 69 on the Cowboy 4500 and it shouldn’t be hard to find those threads.

The biggest risk with clones nobody has ever heard of in this condition, is that the parts were never great to begin with and it’s been used in a production shop until it is worn to the point it doesn’t sew correctly. Some clones are as good as the machine it’s a copy of, that doesn’t appear to be the highest quality just based on the shortcuts taken on the fit and finish of the components. I’d say it’s only worth $100 if it sews ok, unless it can be shown to have good quality components in very good condition, then I’d not suggest paying over $200.

It looks like the needle is pretty well centered on the feed dog and like kgg said your feet need to be adjusted, not the needle. Keep in mind there is a lot of variability in replacement presser feet - if it never quite aligns as well as you’d like, a different set of feet will fit noticeably differently - for better or worse. Another option is making any needed adjustments to the feet rather than replacing a set that not quite shaped correctly. Many of us sand or file down areas of presser feet that rub or otherwise could function better with slightly different shape.

I’ve never worked on that model, but there many guys in here who have. Makes sense to check all the adjustments - it’s had a number of decades of people knowledgeable and not messing with it.

Oh good - I’m glad this is helpful. I love looking for bargains and a lot of the information on ideal leather machines includes the latest greatest expensive machines. To complicate things for you, also keep in mind that there are many variations of any given model and you might be happy with any of them. The ISMACS list is a good one to check on old Singer models you aren’t familiar with - not all models are in there, but hundreds are. Not all descriptions are correct, but it’s a good starting place. https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/model-list/index.html Also, google specific information (even if you know it’s on leatherworker), rather than use the Leatherworker search function. 95% of the leather machines you might be interested in will have a walking foot - when looking at photos that’s a quick way to tell if it’s worth digging into. Of the walking foot machines you find some that have bottom feed and walking foot, some are needle feed only, and the most desirable ones usually have bottom feed and needle feed and walking foot (triple feed). Some of the oldest walking foot models are obsolete and literally aren’t worth trying to fix because the parts just aren’t there - it’s tempting to buy one you don’t know anything about if the price is cheap, but a quick search will prevent getting something that can’t be fixed. Since you’re interested in those that are both cheap and old, you’ll get good at cleaning and minor adjustments - the key is to not adjust anything until you know what the adjustment does. Many adjustments aren’t intuitive and a lot of people new this sport mess up minor things until a good machine won’t make a single stitch. Lol Assume every machine you come across has been messed with by people who don’t know what they are doing - it’s just human nature I guess. Have fun and let us know how your patcher turns out!

A little heat from a propane torch - just enough so a drop of water will boil - and the old dried up oil will let go and a good fitting screw driver should get it to turn. Unfortunately, the shaft is most likely bent, and the handwheel may be bent as well, although the handwheel design is pretty tough. The shaft bends relatively easily and a block of wood to cushion a hammer blow will bend it back, but you run the risk of making things worse and cracking the handwheel, or housing, or who knows what else depending on how and where it’s hit. I’ve done it, but wouldn’t do it for someone else in case something breaks in the process. A $30 dial indicator and holder is all you need to see how well it’s going, but a wire finger just touching the handwheel should also show changes in the wobble. It’s very easy to overshoot what’s straight. Of course the proper way to fix it is remove the shaft and straighten with a press. You probably want to put a straight edge on the bed - if it was crushed at all a bend or crack will start just in front of the vertical portion of the head and that causes rotational lumps since the lower shaft would also be bent. Good luck - let us know what you end up doing to fix it

Buy the way, if it turns out your new patcher has a fatal flaw and can’t be fixed, those big wide hand wheels can have a belt groove machined into them for use on other machines to help reduce the speed. I just like the feel of them.

Nicely done.

I also have one and really like the bullnose shape and battleship gray color. However I never seem to have a real need for it and they don’t seem to sell for much, so eventually I’m thinking of giving it to a new young sewer when one shows interest. As a double needle it’s not ideal for a first machine, but the 1/4” gauge set with zipper foot and a single needle on the inside makes a fairly good general purpose set up, and is quick to add the second needle back in if need be. Any machine is better than no machine My biggest complaint is the amount of oil it leaks all over, so I store it with as little oil in the reservoirs as possible and manually oil most of the things the auto oiling system is designed to hit as well as enough to wet the wicks fed off the reservoirs.

I see the 44-10 has the same part numbers on the shuttle as the 31-15. If you ever want to run thicker thread, up to 138, and your current parts won’t allow it, the shuttle, bobbin and case from a 31-20 are easy to swap in. These are just enjoyable machines to run - basic, smooth, and easy to operate - the machine I like to teach basic sewing on.

Your post reminded me of what it was like making sense out of all the different kinds of machines - it’s not easy - there isn’t a better way to learn what’s what other than finding a machine and learning what that specific machine is good for, then repeating dozens of times until you get familiar with the most common ones. The variety of makers and machines make it hard to generalize and there are exceptions to every rule, but this is how I tend to see the world of old cheap machines. Patchers - they are just cool, if they have a use or not. Everyone should have a 31-15, or similar fabric machine - these are often sold for well under $50 - trying to sew anything heavy will quickly remind you why it’s worth it to get a more expensive walking foot machine. The flatbed upholstery walking foot machine such as the 111w155 is another that everyone should have - it’s ideal for heavy canvas, vinyl, and leather belt type projects. With a bit a patience you’ll find one for under $200. Everyone should have a big leather machine that sews thicker thread than 138 - it’s a huge relief to have the ability to effortlessly stitch something thick - even if you don’t need it often. About once a year I see one sell for under $500. At first, it’s not bad to get one basic industrial table (often free or nearly so) and adapt the various machines to it. Better to have a crappy table and use money on a new motor. $100 speed reducer and $200ish servo motor is well worth it. Few inexperienced sewers enjoy using an older clutch motor - it’s human nature to try, but most find it frustrating. The better you get at finding good deals, the more you’ll have to sell or give away - passing up a duplicate $10 to $20 31-15, or $150 walking foot is very hard to do, but soon you’ll have too many.

When I pulled a similar machine apart, the experience was about like yours - it was firm to remove and the attached bearing caught me by surprise.

There’s nothing wrong with paying top dollar for a good machine, but be careful because it could have much more wear than the exterior condition would suggest. It has a new table and perhaps a few new bits to make it appear younger than it is. If it was used in an industrial setting it could have had something like a binding setup that could protect the finish from obvious wear and tear, but it could have been going full speed three shifts a day 365 days of the year. If you’re new to inspecting machines it would be time well spent to look at a few slightly used machines to see normal light wear on things like needle and walking foot bars, thread guides, etc. Since you’re buying it from a dealer I wouldn’t go by how clean it appears since they most likely have cleaned it. I always bring along a good strong flashlight and look very closely at every inch that can be accessed for small cracks or anything that looks out of place. Take off inspection covers - it’s not a bad idea to download the owners manual to see how things come apart, what good adjustments should look like, and what’s where. Juki has very good manuals. Even if it sews, I’d want to look at the hook and needle timing and gap, not to mention the condition of the hook. If it needs adjustment you’ll want them to fix it now. Finally, I always remind myself that there is nothing special about any given machine - if anything seems odd on a top dollar deal it’s better to walk away and another will pop up soon. The flip side of that is there’s nothing wrong with a machine that’s done some production work and is still in usable condition - but you wouldn’t want to pay near-new prices for it. It’s always fun looking at a potential purchase! Have fun and good luck!

These are great machines - you’ll love it! Keep in mind this design was and is sold by a number of manufacturers and there is a lot of good information out there, but the Consew manuals weren’t the most detailed. Is it the Seiko STH-8BLD that’s about the same machine? Anyway, your machine was made by Seiko and will have Seiko cast into the underside somewhere. The two quirks about this machine that are different from those based on the Singer 111w155/Juki Lu-562, etc. are how the hook is adjusted and the interaction of the needle with the hook. If someone who isn’t familiar with this design it’s very easy to mistakenly use the screws on the hook to adjust needle-to-hook timing. That’s a sure fire way to have problems even if it sews for a while. These screws are for hook to needle spacing, but timing is handled back further on the shaft where there are three screws on a hub. The other quirk has to do with the orientation of the needle and hook - if someone doesn’t watch for it and the hook is damaged slightly (bent inward slightly) or not made correctly, the tip of the hook might not be able to get close to the needle before it’s deflected by the body of the hook. This gives the impression that the hook should be moved closer to the needle, but no amount of adjustment will reduce the hook-to-needle gap further (in just bangs up the needle) and the hook should be replaced. Don’t believe anyone on Amazon or EBay that claims to be selling Genuine Seiko hooks - they aren’t. Aftermarket hooks may or may not fit your original bobbins - some are just small enough that the bobbins are a few .001” too large. Other than that, most adjustment information for other machines that look similar to yours are usable. ….oh, and if you are new to Consew, don’t try to wind the the top thread in and through all the holes in the thread post - just once through is enough. Good luck and have fun with it! edit: It seems like the 206rb-1 ended in the late 80s, but how long the -2 lasted is beyond me.

What about the “bumps” are you having problems with? We normally talk about leather here, but triple feed machines are not limited to only smooth feet. Most professional vinyl sewers I’ve come in contact with use a triple feed machine because it feeds all kinds of difficult material well. My experience with rather hard and shiny vinyl such as for outdoor spa covers and such, with matching thread color so stitch uniformity isn’t an issue, is that it’s a constant struggle to keep enough traction to climb up and over thick seams. The triple feed was noticeably more capable than the walking foot that lacked needle feed. Both machines had rather aggressive feed dogs and serrated feet. If you will be sewing canvas or vinyl regularly it comes in handy to invest in different feet/feed dogs for that vs. leather. Feed dogs will often be labeled inconsistently as to how aggressive they are - one company’s heavy/coarse model is another’s medium. I’d get two heavy sets - leave one for heavy canvas and things that don’t show teeth marks at all. The second would be sanded down somewhat so the teeth aren’t sharp and won’t leave marks on vinyl. Even if you like to keep the same feed dog for everything from leather to canvas, definitely invest in separate feet. Canvas and vinyl feet can, and I’d say should, be serrated for extra traction - I have one set that is so coarse it can only be used on canvas and another serrated set for vinyl. The seams on outdoor vinyl are often quite large so a bit of angle on the nose isn’t a bad thing to help getting on top of things, whereas leather feet often benefit from being rather blunt to have better access for tight areas that are difficult to maneuver around. Foot pressure needs to be heavy enough that the serrations can get a grip. If you are having a hard time getting on top of seams keep technique in mind. As the nose of the walking feet contact the seam you need to carefully pull on the material enough to make the stitch, but not so much the needle bends or stitch gets out of alignment. On really big seams it’s not unheard of to go one stitch at a time and lift the feet if need be so the needle goes where it should. On the downhill side it’s lazy sewing to just let the foot slip off creating an extra long stitch - pull back on the fabric as need be and always watch where the needle is going. I’ll bet your seams are thicker than they need to be. Layers of material under the surface layer of things like multi layer handles and loops can often be trimmed back directly under the seam reducing bulk and not affecting long term strength. While it may seem cleaner to double fold an edge to hide the ends, it greatly increases bulk and might be better to sew tape on the edges. Often handles and loops are added after seams are sewn so there’s no need to sew up and over them. Same with leather - areas that create a large bump are often shaved down to reduce it. Best of luck and don’t get too frustrated - it all seems difficult until it doesn’t. :-)

I couldn’t find it, but once upon a time a photo popped up that showed two opposing sewing machines adding binding tape or some other trim to a wide roll of fabric as it came off the roll. At the time my mind imagined it was for some kind of tall curtains, but who knows what it actually was. I would guess that to keep both sides sewing at the same rate an operator would occasionally give the fabric a slight pull to slow down a bit. The only other time I’ve seen an industrial left hand machine that was purpose built for left hand operation was in a new Asian online catalog, and it seemed to be for some kind of industrial woven strap, where it was wide enough that a single double needle machine wouldn’t be wide enough, so the synchronized opposing machines would sew long straps in tandem - essentially a sophisticated double needle. Come to think of it, wasn’t there an double setup with little singer short cylinder arm machines that would sew the upper and lower sides of a mattress at the same time? I can’t find a picture of that either so maybe I just imagined it! Lol

Thanks for those videos - for some reason I missed the original video in this post, but it was very interesting seeing it now!

Great job getting it sorted out! In a previous post you asked how to tell if the bushing on the hook shaft is worn - the short answer is to compare the upper bushing inside diameter with the lower since the upper wears faster it will give you a rough idea of the amount of wear. If your hook is a replacement part there’s no telling what the diameter of the shaft is - many are undersized. Same for replacement bushings - you might get one on the loose side or tight side. The guys making these parts are using metric machines and tooling so it’s no wonder few things are spot on the original dimensions. If parts you’ve adjusted keep moving slightly it might be the torque on the screws. Sewing screws are quite tough. Unfortunately it’s difficult to explain how tight is too tight. If you ever run across an old sewing machine headed for the dumpster it’s quite informative seeing how tightly different screws can be tightened before they snap or strip out. The big screws on the hook saddle can take a lot of torque. All screws on a singer 111w should be available from an shop that deals with industrial sewing machines - at least I’ve never heard of one that wasn’t readily available.

Unlike household machines that are used relatively little and have few owners fiddling with them, over a long career industrial machines may have been adjusted by dozens of people with different abilities, knowledge, and access to the proper parts. While it’s possible the wrong parts were assembled at the Singer plant, it’s far more likely sometime in the past the mechanic working on it used the part he had in front of him to get the machine going. Given the choice between not working/not getting paid, vs having to use a machine without thread release, I’ll bet most operators would just put up with having to pull extra thread past the tensioner when finishing. Hopefully it’s not too hard to drill, but if you are able to drill it, the pin can be most any diameter that fits between the slot in the post. The shank off a dull 3mm drill bit would probably be the first thing I’d try. Good luck - let us know how it turns out!

Any machine that can’t sew well is only worth half the price of one that will - even if it’s operator error. Unless you enjoy troubleshooting and are okay with the possibility it may never sew correctly, this is not a good purchase. Paying someone who may not be familiar with patchers to throw parts at it in hopes of getting it to sew perfectly only has a 50/50 chance of success. Some of my best deals have been repair shops that have botched something on an industrial machine they aren’t familiar with.

It’s been a while, so last night I scanned for a double needle to see what pops up. I found a few that were mislabeled as single needle, and a few more that the owners didn’t know what they were at all. Some of the best deals that have popped up in the past were long arm machines in the $500 range - at that price they get snatched up very quickly so you have to be quick. Lol Now that you’re getting farther in the search, keep in mind that most older Singer models have a near duplicate Consew, juki, or other lesser known brand.

Once you have a double needle, there are a number of fun projects that you might never have thought of - I like the look of a 1/4” double seam next to some heavy duty zippers, and it holds heavy material flat if nothing else. Sometimes a single exposed row of stitching just looks sparse and if the rows are close together a second row has to be exact or it really catches the eye. Also be on the lookout for zipper feet - essentially just a more compact foot with less side clearance - these are my favorite for general use. At least I’ve never thought to myself, “It would be nice if this foot was bigger and more clunky.” Lol Ive been a fan of Cechaflo on YouTube if you haven’t seen his videos.