kgg

Sadly, I haven't been able to find any independent comparison side-by-side reviews of the various industrial sewing machines whether they are brand name or clone. This is a real shame as most people really don't know the difference of one class of industrial machine from another, the difference between a domestic / domestic heavy duty from a industrial fabric or industrial leather machine, the various machines abilities or their short comings. The consumer is then left with few options of having too decipher specifications on their own and take a best guess stab at it which can be a costly, frustrating mistake or rely on less then stellar reviews. I think the more informed consumer at least asks here on this site for some guidance when wanting to purchase a machine (new or used) for their particular needs / wants. This form has a lot of individuals from around the globe that have a lifetime of hands on experience, many with different classes of machines manufactured by just about every company out here. kgg

Sorry to hear that you didn't get a good feeling particularly when you are wanting to buy an expensive machine. What are you planning on sewing? Have you thought of visiting a couple dealers in your area to see if they have something or considered whether maybe a 1341 class machine would suit your needs or even one of the one arm bandits. kgg

They dropped the price to $1750 and now the add has SOLD listed. Got a be something in the water down around Toronto. kgg

Poor review. kgg

Christmas madness in the greater Toronto area is here for sure. The perfect little stocking stuffer, a cute little traditional black Singer Featherweight 222 for sale for a Xmas price of $1950.00. www.kijiji.ca/v-hobbies-craft/city-of-toronto/singer-featherweight-222-sewing-machine/1597434189 kgg

Greases are better for leakage control and provide better seals against contaminants. Grease can remain in equipment longer and tolerate a variety of conditions. ... Oil is also better for extending the life of bearings, as oiled bearings can last twice as long as greased ones. Personally I wouldn't and don't use grease in any of my machines. Grease does a great job of sealing out contaminants from the teeth of the gears but doesn't provide the slick factor that synthetic oils provide. You could windup with pockets where the grease has been forced out and leaving the teeth of the gears dry but encapsulated in a bubble of grease. But then again I don't use sewing machine oil in any of my machines not even on the China Patcher. My experience is that my blend of synthetic oils makes gears run smoother as it creates a film between mating gear teeth which in effect reduces the load on gear teeth and hopefully increases their life. kgg

The things to consider before buying the Alder is the cost of the machine, cost of the replacement timing belt which I think is going to be closer to $100, cost to have it installed and the machine re-timed, cost to put a 120v servo motor on it so you can use it at a controllable speed verses getting a good used refurnished machine from a dealer. kgg

Your industrial upholstery class machines like the Juki 1541S can handle up to 3/8" thick or 9.5 mm. To regularly go beyond that you will need to move up into the 441 class machine. The price of a Juki TSC 441 in North America is north of $9000 cad. So a more reasonable cost option for the a 441 class machine are the clones like Cowboy or Cobra to name a couple in the $2500 cad to $3500 cad range. Another option may also be the one arm bandits like Cowboy Outlaw or the Tippmann Boss both around the $1500 US price range. To help with machine suggestions, what do you want to sew and with what size thread? Remember no one machine will do everything. Buy Once, Cry Once kgg

The Tinkers delight is delegated to the basement as I have a couple of more things I want to try before it makes it's out-the-door journey. What are you planning on sewing and what is your budget. I'm sure someone could offer suggestions as what maybe a good match for your needs/wants. kgg

What did you find out about the machine? kgg

Have you checked the top tension discs for wear? kgg

Looking at Lial website (en.lial.biz/thread-polyart-20-1500m) in their specs it lists the thread as #20 but lists it as Tex 154 which would be closer to a #15 (V207)thread rather then a #20 (V138) which may have to do with it being a looser polyester thread. kgg

My plan of attack is to use a metal lathe that way I can use either wood or metal for the burnisher. My main shaft on my burnisher / polisher is 3/4" that tappers down to a 5/8"-11 threaded section. So far me thoughts are: For a aluminum: Drilling a 17/32" hole almost to the end then drilling a 13/16 " hole so far down and then tapping the 17/32" section for a 5/8" - 11 bolt thread. Once that is done cut the grooves in the surface, drill and tap a grub screw in the 13/16" end. For wood: Round and mill the grooves into the wood to the correct diameters, drill a 11/16" hole completely from end to the other then drill a 1 5/8" hole so far down to accommodate a 5/8"nut and on the other end drill a 1 3/8" flat washer to butt up against the 3/4" shaft.

I couldn't find a email address or whether the burnisher was aluminum or steel. So me being me I called him, a really nice guy. He confirmed he made it out of aluminum as steel will turn the leather blue. kgg

Thank you, I haven't been accused of that before. HaHa kgg

The Alder is not a post bed, it is a cylinder bed machine. Do you know what model it is, do they have the manual? The machine looks in pretty good shape. kgg

Did you check the nameplate of the motor too see what voltage the motor on the machine is rated for? kgg

What size of thread are you using? If you are using V69 you should be able to get a pretty good selection of colors in the domestic sewing machine size spools at most sewing supply shops. kgg

Maybe I'm just cheap but I love to tinker and for the most part I have the time. I approach things where if I need / want something simple I'll usually give it a go first. Sort of jack of all trades, master of none approach. If I fail well then I'll buy a tailor made. kgg

Your dryer receptacle is normally a four prong 220v, 30 amp so first check the voltage and amp rating of the motor. Typically the 50 amp 3 prong plugs are meant for 220v where you have two hots and a ground. I would suspect the motor on the Alder is 120 v. kgg

Thank you. That is a nice burnisher as it stays close to the body of the machine so you can apply a lot of pressure. kgg

Aaron Martin Harness Ltd. in Ontario and their website for those needles is aaronmartin.com/product.php?cat_id=989&catview=20&submit=View kgg

I think the the problem of missed stitches and catching on the back stitching is the size of needle for the size of thread you are using. A good reference for needle selection would be the one Toledo has on their website ( tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html ). For V207 you would need a #24 or possibly a #25 needle for thick / sticky / multi layers to create a hole large enough so the top thread can be caught correctly by the hook. kgg

Nice work. kgg

There is no question the Proedge are nice looking burnishers. They are on the pricey side for someone who can turn their own with either a wood lathe or metal lathe. I am planning on turning one using a metal lathe that is also another reason for the question about using metal as a burnisher. kgg