kgg

One of my recliners is fabric and the foot rest material wore out and looked terrible. I could have stripped it down to the board but if I reupholstered it with fabric it would eventually wear out and it would be a one of. So I finally decided on making a simple functional leather veg tan sleeve that could be reused on another recliner at some point in the future. I used: i) 3 oz natural colored vegan tan ii) Fiebings Pro Dye in British Tan iii) Udderly Smooth (cream consistency ) iv) Mink Oil (paste consistency ) v) 1" Velcro vi) V138 thread vii) copper rivets viii) 1inch "D" rings ix) 1" foam x) LS-1341 clone cylinder arm xi) heat gun I would have poured the dye the leather by soaking it in a container but I didn't have one that was wide enough so I used flat plastic butter container and used paper towels to apply the dye directly by hand. I was surprised at how good the paper towels worked on a large surface of spreading the dye around. I hand rubbed Udder cream on after I dyed the veg tan when it was almost dry which did create a tan colored foam on the surface of the leather and left it to settle overnight. The next day I then wiped off the excess and applied the first heavy coat of Mink Oil paste letting that dry for about 12 hours before using a heat gun to force it down into the veg tan. I then let it sit overnight, re-applied another heavy coat of Mink Oil and hit it again with the heat gun to force some more into the leather. I then wipe the access oils off and did notice there wasn't any British Tan dye on the paper towels. Which I figure is good a thing as the British Tan sort of matches the color of the fabric but might not go great with white pants. Any comments / suggestions are always appreciated. kgg

@Handstitched I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you during this troubling time. kgg

My take on needle positioner: The controller is basically factory set so when it receives a input signal of a certain time duration in milliseconds from the needle positioner that is basically monitoring the position of the hand-wheel shaft. From the position of the hand-wheel shaft the position of the needle can be determined as it goes though it's up and down cycle. From the position of the hand-wheel shaft the controller then knows the distance that the motor has rotated and where it needs to be for the needle to be in the up or down position. When you throw in a speed reducer it changes the distance the hand-wheel has traveled (rotated) in a certain time frame (msec) so the input signal back to the controller from the needle positioner now is off as compared to the factory settings. When that happens the controller assumes the hand-wheel is in certain position hence the position of the needle but in reality the hand-wheel is in another position which means the needle is also in another position. Some people love the needle positioner and others not so much. I happen fall into the not so much group myself but that will depend on what you feel best suits your needs. kgg

I assumed the ragged thread was just that the end raveled out for an unrelated reason. At the 20 sec mark you can see the needle plate has received a few strikes over the years for one reason or another. Were any as a result of this incident who knows. If the top thread is allowed to flap out from the needle like in the video any top tension the top thread may have had is lost. Since bird nesting is usually an indicator of inadequate top thread tension I think it would be my first place to start. So I would replace the needle, re-thread the top thread from the thread spool to the eye of the needle, examine all the guides and tensioners. It appears to be V138 thread maybe V207 but it is hard to tell the size from the video so I thinking a #23 or # 24 for V138 or #24 or #25 for V207 depending on leather thickness. I would also replace the bobbin with a fresh bobbin just to make sure it was installed, tensioned properly and inspect for any old thread. kgg

Just to add here is a good video of threading the Rex 26-188: Note the video at 2:11for threading just before the threading the eye of the needle verses how your video shows it threaded at 09 sec. kgg

In the video at 09 to 14 sec you can see there is no tension on the top thread. The top thread is not in the round guide at the top of the needle on the needle bar. Did you thread this guide with the same result? Did you replace the needle with a new one after the original problem happened? kgg

I looked at your first video as the second video seems to be not working. A couple of points I see: i) you are not holding the bobbin thread and the top thread you seem to be holding it forward ii) the top thread should go through the last guide just before going to the eye of the needle. Suggest checking your top thread path. What size of thread and needle combination are you using. I'm assuming you are using the same size thread in the bobbin as for the top thread. kgg

You could try a automotive supply house or a local body shop. A couple of manuals that may help you in the future: kgg 111w152,153,154,155 (2).pdf Singer_111W155_Parts.pdf

I would try holding it at a different angle and see if that works better. If the holding angle works better the question is it uncomfortable for you to use in comparison to your other edger or is it that the new one isn't sharp. If the holding angel is uncomfortable you will probably revert back to your other edger and the new one will just gather dust. If it wasn't properly sharpened at the factory I wouldn't do any resharpening. I think when you pay a premium price for a hand tool it should be ready to work right out of the box. For me the bottom line if it is uncomfortable to use or the edge wasn't sharpened properly I would return it for a refund, but that is just me. kgg

As with all of us as we get older things get more difficult. It does sound like a interesting project and if you can figure out a system I would be interested in seeing the setup. A cable system may work on thinner materials but on thicker / tougher items is where getting enough power transferred from a foot operated setup I think will be a problem. You maybe able to be overcomed that with using a weighted wheel in a treadle setup but then you will have to contend with overrun momentum of the wheel. Why not sell the Boss and move into something like a CB3200 type machine and save the shoulder? kgg

Found this as it sparked my curiosity : Leather Bag with Wooden Sides https://www.instructables.com/Leather-Bag-With-Wooden-Sides-/ kgg

I would suspect the leather is glued to the wood with a contact cement type glue and then nailed. kgg

You may want to first compare the parts list for the H2 and H3 and see what parts are the same that you need. It maybe cheaper to buy the H2 just for the parts rather then buying new parts. kgg

To me a custom boot would mean constructed to fit my two pegs perfectly. Just like having a tailor made suit, it fits only one person perfectly. By "volume" to me is just another way of saying "off the rack". Have you search for a boot-maker close to your location or maybe ask a pedorthic clinic for recommendations on who could make a custom boot for your needs. kgg

To be sure drop Atlas Levy ( atlaslevy.com ) an email or phone call. To me it appears to some clone of the the older Juki LH-1182 expect for the oil level window. kgg

I would also do a test in combination with the kevlar lining and thread that you are plan on using. Personally I think the domestic sewing machine is going to struggle if it will do the job at all. Remember the thicker the leather the better the protection. Yes the thicker the leather the heavier weight wise the jacket will be but the last time I dumped a bike in a bend the pavement burned through the chaps, jeans, medium duty leather jacket and the 4mm thick belt I was wearing. Road rash is a nasty thing. kgg

What machine are you planning on using? kgg

I'm going to assume your "Heavy Leather" measurement is in inches so 0.175" is 4.45mm which is about 11.5 oz thick leather. The needle size for V138 (T135) thread should be good for thick/tough leather. However the bobbin thread being 75 which I'm going to assume is T70 which is V69 is the smallest size really for industrial sewing machines. I think some of your problem is your bobbin thread is two sizes smaller and flimsier then the top thread. This I feel is causing / related to your stitching problems. Why are you using a smaller bobbin thread? Normally the bobbin and top thread should be the same size and type of thread (bonded nylon or bonded polyester). The left twist thread is the standard twist direction sold today also known as Z-Twist, or Standard Twist. Mixing thread colors and types of thread can also pose problems as darker threads like black are stiffer then lighter colors like white and bonded nylon is also stiffer then bonded polyester. kgg

Measuring any thread is difficult at the best of times let alone cotton which can absorb moisture and swell. That doesn't even account for what changes it has be exposed too for the last 30 (??) years. kgg

A true flat felled seam not the mock flat felled seam sometimes referred to as a military seam. An example can be see in this video as the first seam done with jeans materials (www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1vJzVW2lLk) kgg

My understanding is that for cotton thread it is converted to sort of Tex measurement by dividing 1000 by the size of the thread. So in this case it would be 1000/24 = Tex 41.7 or somewhere around V40. Braking strength for cotton is less then bonded nylon or polyester. kgg

For a start the 160 (#23) needle is only good for V138 thread in thinner materials. If you want to use V207 you need to go to at least a 180 (#24) needle and maybe a 200 (#25) in thicker / tougher / sticky materials. If you use an underside needle like the V207 thread with a 160 needle the hole the needle punches isn't big enough to allow the top thread to form a proper loop on it's upstroke so the hook can catch it. You may be able to use one size of needle up from the machines rating but two sizes or more probably not. My take on thread is V69 is the largest thread for domestic sewing machines and the smallest thread size for industrial sewing machines. The V138 thread is generally the max rating for most upholstery class machines while the V207 thread seems to be the cross over point from upholstery class machines to the heavy stitchers of the 441 Class machines. kgg

I agree with @Constabulary that this motor is not safe and should be replaced with what in North America is generally referred to as a Universal sewing machine motor or a servo motor. My experience is when a motor has the plug cut off like what is shown in your first photo it means the motor has a problem not worth fixing for one reason or another. kgg

Under the section Hints in the manual " In operating the machine always turn the wheel from you." From that statement I would assume the hand-wheel turns in the clockwise direction. I have attached the manual. kgg 46k15.pdf

The Juki LS-1341 or similar clones should fit what you want to make. When the time is right it and you feel you can use a machine, manual or motorized, at least now you have a starting point of information. kgg