kgg

Thank you. The reason I'm keeping it on the machine is that the thread guide on top of the wax pot is directly inline with the guide for the top thread tension disc. I'm waiting for the 3D printer to finish off a new support for the top thread pin to keep the thread in a nice straight line along the top of the machine and inline with the wax pot guide. If I'm not mistaken most clone machines mount the thread spools parallel to the machine along the rear edge of the table top and then go directly from the thread spool guide to the top thread tensioner. Me being me I want as few angles so the thread is as close to a straight line as possible from the thread spool top guide to the tensioner. My spools of thread are going to be mounted under the table top so I can make better use of the table top for other things. I didn't get at cutting the table top today as I had to pickup a new 100 tooth blade. kgg

Nice job. kgg

As all as it works for your needs that's the main thing. I do appreciate the suggestion but my main consideration is the machine has to be topple proof because I have dogs and when they get rough housing I don't want them to be able to tip the machine from any direction. Odd need I know other wise I would have probably considered a pedestal style stand. As an update: i) The redneck bath and oiling is done. ii) I threaded some V207 on top and in the bobbin, stuffed 12.5 oz (5mm) of leather under the pressure foot and said it's make or break time. The photo (ko13.jpg) shows the first seam sewn with the machine, top (shiny side) and bottom. The photo (ko14.jpg) shows the bottom. I am surprised on how quiet it was as it sewed effortlessly through the leather and that was with a unknown brand of needle that came with the machine. The 800 watt brushless servo motor and machine is quieter then my KOBE LS-1341 with a 550watt brush motor. iii) The other photo (ko12.jpg) is showing the comparison between what I would consider a poorer quality bobbin and a good metal bobbin side by side. I'm actually impressed, so far. The servo motor showed no signs of struggling with what I was sewing and the speed is very controllable to control. I may not have to put a speed reducer on. iv) Made a wax pot insert. Since for my needs I can't see myself needing to fill the pot with any fluid so it is or should I say was a waste of space. It now holds two bobbins and some needles. Photo (ko15.jpg) shows the wax pot with the cover closed. Photo (ko16.jpg) shows the wax pot with the cover open and with a few needles and two bobbins inside. Photo (ko17.jpg) shows the wax pot insert sat on top of the cover. Next step is to cut the table top, maybe tomorrow and if my calculations are right the machine won't wind up going through the floor into the basement. kgg

Put it on toboggan and ride it down. kgg

Yes, the plan is to make a cutout under the cylinder arm but I'm slow. I'll get to that part after I complete the "redneck" bathing process. The first bath, a mixture of synthetic oils, now is complete and the presser foot lift pedal has been installed. Once the synthetic oiling is finished and the machine is running properly the next step will to remove three of the four bolts from the base, remove the drive belt and swing the machine 180 degrees so I can do the cutout. I really don't want to remove the machine from the table, it's to hard on the old back. kgg

For V69 the needle size should be a #18 or #19. The #22 would be for V138 in thin or V92 in thick material. A good reference chart for thread size to needle size can be had at: www.tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html You are going to have stitch alignment troubles should need to move the stitch in or out farther on the binding tape as someone welded the KH 90 degree raw edge binder to the bobbin cover plate. Getting this arrangement to work properly is always going to be a chore at best. You are now limited to that size of binding for that particular plate with the stitch in that location. Should you need or want to change binding tape size you are going to have to get a new plate and binder. Those 90 degree binders are expensive at about $90 CAD ($70 USD).

I wouldn't count on salvaging any of the existing parts. I would replace all the safety clutch parts with new parts if they can be tracked down. You are going to have everything apart anyway. If you don't have a parts list here is a pdf of the parts manual. kgg Consew_244,_244RB,_255,_255RB-1.pdf

First off a couple of questions: i) What machine are you trying to use the binding attachment on? ii) What size of thread? iii) What size of needle? iv) What type of binding are you using? v) How thick is the material you are trying to bind over? Leather or fabric? vi) Which style of binding attachment, inline or 90 degree? I agree with @AlZilla the bird nesting is usually related to tension issue but also can be related to other things depending on the thickness of material and needle thread combination. For my needs I never have to change the outer or inner presser feet or the feed dog to do binding on my machines. The only thing I may change is the outer presser foot to a left or right toe depending on what I am sewing. A couple of photo's of how you have setup the binding attachments would help? kgg

Thank you. I did try and tip it in all directions and it doesn't budge. Now if was Singer black, hum. Airbrush anyone? kgg

I have been slowly putting together my new 441 Class sewing machine. Only a couple of minor things left to do. Install the presser foot lift pedal, figure out how much I need to cut out of the table under the cylinder arm without weakening the table top too much, redneck oil bath, and mount my under the table spool holder for the top and bobbin threads as I hate those spool holders that are typically supplied with all the industrial sewing machines. i) I chose to use a standard industrial sewing machine table 22" x 48" with a 3/4" table top and modify it to suit my needs. That saved me about $200 CAD. The table top had the standard belt slot and the three servo mounting holes already cut out. ii) I placed the sewing machine about 1mm to the left of the belt slot cut and set it back 26mm from the white table top edge (ko4.jpg). iii) I cut the top long end off the third K-leg and mounted it backwards so it would fit in front of the motor (ko7.jpg) then placed it so it was slightly off center of the sewing machines mounting base. The motor is a 800 watt brushless servo motor and came with a needle positioner which I am not installing. iv) I bolted all three K-legs so their top cross braces were inline with the frond edge (ko7.jpg) of the table top. This provides better weight distribution and strength to the table. The machine weight, about 50 kg (110 lbs), is more towards the front edge of the table and directly over the third K-leg. v) I also bolted the third K-leg to the foot pedal bracket to add extra strength to the frame (ko6.jpg). So far I am pleased with how the machine is turning out. kgg

I agree. Just measure the existing leather with a mic and then compare it to a leather weight chart like. Weaver has a good chart ( www.weaverleathersupply.com/pages/leather-thickness ) with both Imperial and metric measurements. kgg

What machine do you have?? I would be easily to identify knowing what machine and model. kgg

I use bonded nylon and bonded polyester thread from A&E as @MtlBiker has suggested, in sizes V92, V138 and V207 in 1 lb spools with no problems unlike the cheap Chinese stuff that is just an exercise in frustration. I haven't used the Polyamide 66 sometimes referred to as Bonded Nylon 66. The selling points that I see being advertised are: i) Stronger ii) Less friction, iii) Higher heat tolerance when compared to standard Nylon thread. However, I can't find information to support those claims. The best I can find ( Dunmore Thread Size & Thickness Chart on the www.buckleguy.com/dunmore-thread-bonded-nylon-66-color-size-card/) is V69 has 0.5 lb more breaking strength then bonded nylon while V92 and V138 have the same breaking strength. Typically the cost of the thread is a lot more expensive then brand name threads. For my stuff I really can't justify the major cost difference without technical information. In the case of the Black Crown Thread in V92 it costs $25.50 CAD for 4 oz or $102 CAD for 16 oz (1lb) whereas I can get 1 lb V92 spool from A&E for $60 CAD. Also A&E threads are made in both Canada and the USA. Another Canadian alternative would be Cansew ( cansew.com ). kgg

I do agree the SS pins do a wonderful job but IMHO SS birdshot does a much better job especially around the and in the primer pocket. I went back to dry for couple of reasons. i) The SS pins work better at cleaning the inside of the straight wall cases (44mag, 45-70, etc) rather than rounds with a shoulder (556/762/etc) ii) They have a tendency to get stuck in sloped wall rounds like 9x19. iii) The toxic slurry water is a PITA to get rid of safely (full of everything from bismuth to nitrates to lead to mercury) compared to sand. Mostly though I went back to sand + NU FINISH because I reload a lot and after ~200K reloading with wet I noticed that they degrade the brass wall more than sand, and they can damage the primer pocket’s flash hole. IIRC it worked out to be about 1 to 2 less reloads per brass than with dry. Plus while they look shinier with wet tumble… the drying process can leave spotting AND the lack of film means they do not stay as shiny as Nu-Finish’ed brass… and with hotter loads they stick more than nu-finished brass and yet also stick more at the low end (ie less damage to the rims on +P and more vigorous ejection w/ powder puff IPSC loads). Just my thoughts, kgg

I do have a piece of angle iron that may fit the bill, just going to depend on the size of the actual cutout. The head weights in at about 55kg (120 lbs) and it took two of us to move the head, while still in the carton, into the house. A lot of different table configurations are available from mounting it on a flat table top to the pedestal style just depends on someones needs / wants. the Juki. Yes I have multiple dogs and with 55 kgs (120lbs) of unbalanced weight dangling my concern would be a couple of them roughhousing could accidentally topple it. If everything goes well I am hoping to get a start on assembly it tomorrow. I have always named my machines with some not being able to be repeated in public. kgg

I finally, after a long wait I got my new TSC-441 clone fresh off the boat. I drove 300 km (~185 miles) each way and that took about 8 hours today to bring the new toy home. I could have had it shipped at a cost of about $250 - $300 CAD or spend less then $50 CAD in gas and use my little Honda Fit which gets between 55 - 60 miles per US gallon. For my needs as I have dogs I went with a standard table top and 3 K-legs rather then a pedestal stand for stability. The top I will cut a semi-circular section out under the arm similar to what is normally done on the LS-1341 tables. The center of the machine will rest over the middle K-leg. The servo motor is a 800 watt with a 45mm pulley so with the motor running at 100 rpm the hand-wheel should be around 28 rpm without a speed reducer. kgg

With some of the generic / no name / unbranded equipment like for servo motors the information isn't included other then the very basic. Technical information like how many coils the motor is constructed with or the torque rating probably will be non existent. kgg

We all have to start somewhere and as your needs / wants / ability changes you will probably either replace or add another machine. Being new to this venture or should I say addition I would get the 550 watt servo motor and not bother with getting the speed reducer for now. My reasoning is that I think you will find that just changing to a servo motor from a clutch motor you will be able to control the sewing speed fairly easily. The advantage is that you will very quickly figure out the sewing ability of the machine without the worry of over torquing the machines internals because of the additional torque (punching power) that the speed reducer will give you. Try some simple sample items in fabric and then leather. Give yourself a month to figure out the basics and quirks of your machine. Figure out how thick of what materials the machine can handle, best thread size to needle combination in different material of different thicknesses and what type of accessories that would make your projects easier like presser feet, binding / folding attachments etc. If after a month you are still struggling with the sewing speed and not what the machine can punch through then add a speed reducer. If you are unable to sew certain projects chances are the machines internal parts weren't designed to handle them and forcing the machine to do so by adding a speed reducer then nasty / expensive repairs are probably going to happen. The 750 watt servo motor I think is more suited to the upper end of machines in the upholstery class like the Juki DNU-1508 (and clones) and the 441 class machines like Juki TSC-441 (and clones). kgg

I agree that is a decent price. kgg

What is the price for a 550 watt servo motor? I can see going with a 750 watt if their is only a few dollars in the difference but for your machine which appears to be very similar to the Juki DU-1181n a 550 watt should be able to do the job nicely. kgg

I like the KISS solution. Cheap, simple, effective and functional. kgg

I think the slight difference between actual vs the program is the program numbers are based on the inside diameter of the pulley rather then the outside dimensions. I did edit my previous post to show I assumed a 85 mm diameter hand-wheel pulley. kgg

Excellent information, thanks for sharing. kgg

The main stress will be caused by putting too thick / tough /sticky of material under the presser foot. I am going to go on the bases your machine is rated for 2000 stitches per minute (spm) in lighter thickness material. If you exceed what the machine is rated for ( sewing capability or speed ) then chances are you are going to have a problem and bust something. The speed reducer will provide both slower speed and more torque ( punching power ). The torque if you exceed the limits of your machine mostly in thickness and type of material being sewn that is when nasty things are going to happen. Keep in mind you do not have a safety clutch on the sewing machine to prevent the bottom end of the sewing machine from being damaged. Speed reducers are like a double edged sword, providing slower more controllable sewing speeds and with that you get more available torque which can damage the sewing machine internals if not cautious. Depending on the servo motor you purchase the minimum startup speed rating will be probably be 200 or 300 rpm's with a maximum speed rating of 3000 to 5000 rpm's With a 45mm small pulley installed on the motor and a speed reducer with a large 150mm pulley and a smaller 50 mm pulley here is what you can expect as far as needle speed goes. So you can see for doing thinner items you will never come close to exceeding the speed rating of the machine but be cautious on how thick and type of material you plan on putting under the presser foot because of the addition torque available. These sewing speeds would probably drive an experienced production person nuts at how slow they are. These are based on a hand-wheel pulley size of 85mm. Motor speed (rpm ) setting --------------------------------------- Needle speed (SPM) 200 rpm ------------------------------------------------------------------------35 300 rpm ------------------------------------------------------------------------53 400 rpm ------------------------------------------------------------------------71 500 rpm ------------------------------------------------------------------------88 600 rpm ------------------------------------------------------------------------106 700 rpm ------------------------------------------------------------------------124 800 rpm ------------------------------------------------------------------------141 900 rpm ------------------------------------------------------------------------159 1000 rpm ----------------------------------------------------------------------176 2000 rpm ----------------------------------------------------------------------353 3000 rpm ----------------------------------------------------------------------529

That would be you least expensive option if you are going to pay a labor rate for someone to install it. To keep your labor cost down have the technician do the full install all at the same time. It will involve i) removing the old motor with a new servo motor ii) removal of the factory 75 mm pulley on the servo with a smaller 45mm pulley iii) installing a speed reducer and iv) installing the two new pulley belts, one belt from the 45mm pulley to the large pulley on the speed reducer and one belt from the small pulley on the speed reducer to the hand-wheel pulley on the sewing machine. This is not a difficult task but does involve removing the sewing machine from the table and tipping the sewing machine table over so the old clutch motor which is heavy probably around 25kg or so can be more easily and safety lifted off the bottom of the table top. Even the new servo is probably going to weigh around 10 kg. This would be the cheapest option by far. Waiting for the parts to arrive is probably going to take awhile due to shipping to your location. Once you have the parts you are probably looking at a couple / three hours of work to remove the old motor, install the new servo motor and speed reducer. It would be much easier and safer if you have someone to help with the heavy clumsy lifting. Once the motor and speed reducer are installed all is left is getting the right size of belts to install on the pulleys. kgg