kgg

With a budget of $500, with a walking foot and not an industrial sewing machine I only know of one that in it's spec lists that it can handle V138. The Reliable Barracuda ( https://reliablecorporation.com/collections/sewing#US ) at $499 US. The Sailrite and the Techsew are rated for V92. kgg

I agree with Constabulary. Remove the all the belts and narrow down from where the noise is coming from and readjust position of motor. May need longer belts. kgg

Nicely executed. kgg

Think you be much better off with something else rather then a domestic sewing machine. Look for a walking foot sewing machine it will serve you much better. If you need a portable machine look at machines like the Sailrite or Reliable Barracuda which have walking foot. kgg

I do find the thread, haha, subject interesting as it may not be so important on industrial machines that have greater punching power to overcome some tension related issues. I think the principals can be well applied to improve the domestic machines sewing abilities. Now if someone could figure out how to put a real walking foot (not the domestic walking foot attachment) on an old iron that would give real life back to some of the old stuff. We all have our own pet peeves and quirks, one of mine is improving / eliminating thread backlash mostly by redesigning the cheap thread stand and how the thread spools are held in place ( New accessories for my Juki 1541S and sewing Table, #3 ).

I am glad you found a machine that fits your needs and within your budget. Whether you are buying a brand name or a clone where a dealer / reseller shines is how they make you feel, selling the right machine to do the job and ensuring that you understand the workings of the machine. There is nothing better then good old fashion knowledgeable personal customer service. kgg

You could maybe try a sample piece and play with the amount of pressure that you have set the presser foot at. I am going to assume that you are trying to sew across a hump of multi layers of denim. Any hump is always going to try and tilt the heel of the presser foot back. For that I would use a wedge. The wife's thick nail file /buffer would be the first likely candidate. As you are coming up to the hump, lift the pressure foot up with the needle in the down position through the material as if you were going to make a turn, slide the wedge under the back of the presser foot and let the presser foot back down. That should keep the pressure foot level and allow it to sew over the hump. That combined with a little tugging on the thinner material to prevent over feed of the material should help. I would also experiment with adjusting the amount of pressure on the presser foot (thicker materials need less pressure foot pressure then thin). kgg

If it is the Juki LS-246-4 listed on their site I would be wary of all the electronics related to the stitching and motor controls from a parts replacement point of view, cost and future availability. Juki's are excellent machines which a lot of the clones copy but I like basic no frill type machines, they are simpler and cheaper to repair when something goes wrong. All I need when I turn the motor turn on is for the machine to stitch in forward and reverse when I push the peddle, don't need a whole lot more then that. The extras are I think more suited to production situations not the hobbyists needs. I hope someone with more experience jumps in on this point of seaming purses. I think it comes comes down to whether you are going to do 90 percent wallet type stuff or 90 percent purses. If it is mostly going to be wallets then I would suggest going with a new compound feed flatbed, like a Juki 1541S or clone and repair/ modify your Singer 29k71. kgg

I agree with Aven. If you know a dog groomer they maybe able to help. I would try a #40 or a #50 blade with a attachable comb sized to the height that you want the length to be. A lot is going to depend on how curly and intermingled it is and how large an area you are trying to cut down evenly. If it is just the edges it shouldn't be too difficult but getting large areas to look good can be a challenge. kgg

I did enjoy your youtube videos. kgg

The problem maybe due to presser foot pressure. The setting to get good presser foot tension on the thick stuff maybe to light when you drop down to 2 layers or the foot is partially resting on the thick stuff while trying to sew the 2 layers. kgg

Let us know if you decide on a machine. kgg

I would suggest taking a visit to a brick and mortar that is fairly close to your location with a sample of what you want to sew. Two places come to mind Artisan Sewing Supplies and Atlas Levy Sewing Machine Company. That way you can test drive a machine, clone or brand name with your stuff, within your budget and with local support. kgg

I think you have topped out your machines sewing abilities. As a possible solution to the bending and braking of needles I would try a large diameter needle by moving up to a size 22 or 23 needle for the extra needle strength and increase the stitch length. If that doesn't work I would probably would look at investing in a different machine. kgg

I have two question:. What is the combined thickness of all the layers of leather that you are trying to sew through What machine are you using? Also I don't see any attached pictures in your post. kgg

I meant to say "about 70 percent used". kgg

I do change thread size (v69/v92/v138), type (bonded polyester/ bonded nylon) spool size (8oz / 1lb.)and most importantly manufacturer (branded/cheap Chinese). I have noticed variations in stitching even with colour changes, white vs black. I have never done an actual bobbin tension measurement but do the bobbin drop test, adjust bobbin tension as needed and do a test stitch when I make a change to size, type, colour, manufacturer or size of spool. I have found that threading a bobbin from a spool getting down close to about 70 percent will have developed spool coil memory or if has been left on the bobbin for an expended period of time the thread will also develop a bobbin coil memory either is a royal pain. kgg

The question I have is what size of thread are you using or planning on using in the new machine. Then decide on what diameter size of cylinder would be best with patcher type machines nose diameter being the smallest. From that the field of machines could be narrowed down. I do agree with dikman that you probably looking at a 335 type machine. Then decide on brand name or clone, new or used. kgg

I am so glad that you found the Singer 29k to be usable and put some enjoyment back in sewing stuff. The only other suggestion I can offer is maybe fitting the Singer 29k pr similar machine with a table top extension similar too something like Harry Rogers shows in his youtube video called "Simple DIY Conversion Singer 29k Patcher Cylinder Arm to Flatbed". kgg

The old ones may have been able to do V138 thread I can't say for sure but it probably changed when production moved to Shanghai, China. Pfaff now is part of VP Worldwide the same ones who now own Singer. When I checked the Pfaff site ( www.pfaff-industrial.com/en/portfolio/sewing-machines/cylinder-arm/pfaff335 ) in the spec section I found that it uses a 134-35 LR needle system with needle sizes from 80 - 100 Nm and thread size of 40/3. Then I went to the Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines thread chart ( www.tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html ) which list a 80 needle at V33 and a 100 at V69 . If I am reading the chart right the Pfaff would have to be able to handle a size 140 needle to get to V138. kgg

Typically where I am, Pfaff's are more expensive for parts thus repairs and are not that common while Brother machines / parts are as scarce as hens teeth. The short answer is yes using a speed reducer. The higher wattage motor doesn't relate to speed rather it will have more torque (diesel vs gas engine) thus more punching power for going through thicker items while better maintaining your stitch speed / motor speed which may cause a lesser rated motor to stall while going through the same stuff. kgg

I think the Pfaff limits you to V69 thread with a max foot lift of 14mm while the Juki can go up to V138 with a 16mm lift. For me V69 is usually the top end of domestic sewing machines and the bottom end of industrial sewing machines. Parts and accessories for the Pfaff maybe more expensive / harder to get then the Juki. Since there is no shipping for the Juki I am going to assume Bills is fairly close to your location. If the Juki 1341 is in good condition. and you can find out what parts / adjustments had to be made and Bills can do any future repairs / adjustments I would definitely go with the Juki but I wouldn't consider the Brother. I did notice no tax amount for the Pfaff machines, why? kgg

From the info I have seen Dick McGahen founded the Craftool company in 1947 in South California and later sold too Tandy in 1959 with some Craftool's still being made in the USA until about 1999. After that they are made in Asia somewhere. Maybe not all the stamps are being made in the same factory so that may explain why some are good while others not so much. With the invent of the CNC machines, 3d printers and computer design programs one would think the stamps could / should be of superior quality to the originals. kgg

If you are planning on sewing seal fur in any amount I would check with the Sealers Association as they would be able to put you in contact with someone close to you. That way you could probably visit and get them to show you what machine works best for seal. Seal is one of the best and heaviest furs out there. The hide isn't the problem for sewing its the fur thus the horizontal edge sewing. kgg

The short answer is yes. Most of the Singers 201's you find in North America are the pot mounted gear driven version (201-2). There were other version of the 201 which were hand cranked (201-4) or belt driven motor (201-3). A good location to look at a 201-2 to 201-3 conversion would be ( https://www.flickr.com/photos/kpinkert/sets/72157622825563869/) or search Treadling a Singer 201-2. If you wanted too you could put a servo motor and or a reducer on it. Hope this helps. kgg