kgg

I would not be pleased with that stitch and no it is not normal for any Juki. I have seen that stitch happen when the thread was seated properly between the main tension discs. A suggestion would be to check that the main tension discs are working properly and the thread is seated deep within. As a note I always thread through the discs with the tension on the discs released. To release the tension on the discs by raising the presser feet by using either the level on the back of the machine or the knee lift. For ease while checking the tension discs and re-threading lock the presser feet by using the rear on the rear. First remove the thread from the needle or you are going to have a real thread mess. First you should be able to separate the discs away from each other. If you can great, the thread may have not been seated properly. Then hand wheel the machine through a cycle or two, you should see that the discs tighten against each other and then relax the tension. If not you may have over tighten the main tension on the knob or there is a problem with the main tensioner / operating assembly. My understanding of the Mercury sewing machines is that they were clones back in the 60's, 70's before the Chinese made an art out of cloning. kgg

Sorry, but until you drop down in your absolute must thread size and dedicate some space for a industrial sewing machine and table there are not going to be very many options in your price range of $500. The portable walking foot sewing machines some can handle V138 with most topping out at V92 and the patcher machines like the Singer 29k top out at V92. kgg

Nice and compact. Do you know what the reduction is? kgg

Silverd I looked at your photo showing your thread path and have a couple of observations that differ from my setup: The thread from your spool to the double hole pin: You are entering in the bottom hole first the existing through the top hole before going to the first multi hole bracket. You should enter your thread through the top hole first then exist from the bottom before going to the first multi hole bracket. What I found worked best for me with both V46 and V138 is to just use the top hole and not snake around into/ out of the bottom hole in the pin. It just added to much tension on the top thread for those thread sizes. Thread size V69 and V92 I can snake the top thread through those holes with no noticeable thread tension problems. The multi hole thread bracket (4 holes) I usually use three holes for V69 and V92. Top thread down through the first hole closest to the thread spool then down through the third hole and up through the fourth hole before going to the 2 hole bracket on the tensioner. Using V46 and V138 I used just the first and fourth hole in that tension bracket. As a note the more holes your top thread snakes through the more tension will be placed on the top thread through added tension may cause problems that your main thread tensioner may not be able to compensate for. Another note is that I did see a youtube video on winding the bobbin thread a while back for the Juki 1541S that was totally wrong. If you are following that video for bobbin winding you will probably going to have poor bobbin thread tension and thread fraying of your bobbin thread. The correct way to thread the bobbin is to poke your thread through one or two holes of the double hole pin then thread it through the hole in bobbin tensioner bracket that is just above the tension discs. the bobbin tensioner is located on the top right of your machine. Then make a loop around the bobbin tensioner discs making sure the thread is seated between the two discs and back out the same hole that your thread entered. Then thread the bobbin and place on the winding mechanism. That funny shaped piece of metal that is mounted on the side of the machine is not a guide. It is a thread cutter that you can use to cut the thread once the bobbin is full which is usually set so the bobbin is loaded to about 80% maximum capacity. The tension of the thread for the bobbin can be adjusted by tightening the two discs together or apart by turning the white knob clockwise or vise visa on the bobbin tensioner. The above is just a starting point and may vary for your machine depending on the thread size (V46 to V138), type (bonded polyester vs bonded nylon), thread colour (white vs black), thread manufacturer (Chinese vs North American), thread spool size (8oz vs 1lb) and material being sewn. Your thread spool support frame, it wasn't really clear in the photo but it appears that the thread guide bracket that the thread exits before going to the double hole pin on the machine seems a little low. I think the typical way is to have your spool platform mounted fairly close to the table top and the thread bracket mounted at least twice the height of the thread spool above the spool platform. If your thread spool is 8" tall the thread bracket would be mounted about 24 " above the spool platform so the thread can unwind better from the top of the thread spool. There has been also been a fair bit of discussion on 8 oz thread spool problems and spool platforms that help. I think I saw a needle positioner on your machine. I don't have that feature so someone else can discuss the pros / cons / setup. kgg

Glad you got your money back too put towards another machine. What a cautionary tale for everyone. I bet dollars to donuts it well be on his website soon enough for the next unsuspecting buyer. kgg

Looking at your photo's I noticed the the thread bracket tensioner just before the main tensioner (the one with the white knob): Your photo shows the metal top of that bracket level with the top of main tensioner black body. I would loosen the screw in the left corner and move that bracket so it is at the 2 o'clock position. I think you have thread the thread through the square hole of the thread guide that is just before the needle. I found it better to not thread through that square hole. I would check two things with your bobbin: With the bobbin case out of your machine and laid in the palm of your left hand with the bobbin facing you. As you pull the end of the thread that is on the outside of the bobbin under the bobbin tension spring the bobbin in the bobbin case holder should rotate counter clockwise. A starting point for bobbin tension is to hold the end of the thread and see if you can lift the bobbin off the palm of your hand so the hold works can hang there with some slight spinning of the bobbin. If the bobbin spins freely and you can't lift it off your palm then add tension by screwing the tension screw for the spring in but only in 1/8 increments. No movement decrease bobbin spring tension. Every time you change thread spools (new or different colour), thread size, manufacturer or type (nylon vs polyester) check your bobbin tension. Bobbin tension will need to be changed when you make large changes in what you are sewing as well as the presser foot tension. If you could post a couple pictures of the thread from your spool to the first thread tensioner maybe helpful to spot any other potential problems. Do you mean 135 x 17 which is for fabric or do mean you need 135 x 16 for leather or the you have a 135 x 17 in size 17 needle? kgg

Your Maine Thread Company measures it's thread diameter in inches. So a .035 inch diameter waxed poly thread would be larger then the V554 thread listed in the Toledo chart with a breaking strength of 83 lbs. Need some serious iron to sew V554 thread. From the info I have, your .035" thread is approximately .889 mm and for poly it would have about 28 kg (approximately 61 lbs.) breaking strength. So working backwards you would need to use V415 having a breaking strength of 72 lbs. Once again some serious heavy iron. So for a start it really comes down to what breaking strength your thread and seam strength needs to be so your stuff functions properly. What strength do you really need for your seams which will then determine the thread size and from that you can determine what type of sewing machine is capable of handling that size of thread and do the job. Once you figure that out then you can select the best class of machine in your dollar range. There are other factors that need to be taken into account besides just thread strength such as UV resistance, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance and seam elasticity to name a few. kgg

I think maybe you could / should start a new topic related to your machine. Add detailed photos of your thread path from the spool to the needle, what the stitching looks like and list what needle (type and size) you are using. That way those of us with a Juki 1541S maybe able to guide you through setting the machine up so it sews properly. Who knows what was done before you got your hands on it. To answer your question the Juki 1541S will sew a very nice consistent stitch forwards as well as backwards in the same holes. My experience with bird nesting is that it has more to do with bobbin thread tension issues then top thread tension as long as all the tensioner parts are there. A lot of times it is as simple as the bobbin was been place in the bobbin holder incorrectly so the bobbin thread is unwinding in the wrong direction. Done that more then once when I was in a rush or not paying attention. The needle size should be a 135x 16 for leather or 135x17 for fabric and according to the Toledo Sewing Chart ( https://www.tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html ) you should be using a size 22 / 140 needle for V138 thread. kgg

Good for you, we all need time to do other things whether it's just chillin or working hard at a hobby. After I retired from the engineering gig I open up something that has always been my passion. I have set hours and don't dare darken my driveway before or after those hours or expect to be invited to leave. Have had people show up on Christmas day during the main meal. What a lot of people don't realize or care about particularly this age of order today here tomorrow is small business owners are not Walmart or Amazon and have / need a life too. kgg

I agree. Laws are different and can be applied differently from one country to another. Like in Canada you can record your own conversations with others without them knowing as long as you give yourself consent to recording it but it is illegal to record conversations between other people where you are not part of the conversation. Fine lines and how a court would apply could be quite different. Hope this gets resolved fairly and quickly. kgg

As machinehead noted and directed the search towards. What I found was it is probably a The Ross, Moyer Manufacturing Co. machine from the 1870's that came in three sizes A,B,C for light Vamping (Shoe work) to Harnesses, Collars, Trunk Handles https://books.google.ca/books?id=Y_c-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq=new+england+wax+thread+machine?&source=bl&ots=R6UtQCmDj1&sig=ACfU3U3lfXc7S29kw7341zNuDd9wooouvQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwig37iWvODjAhWum-AKHZ1BAMsQ6AEwDnoECGMQAQ#v=onepage&q=new england wax thread machine%3F&f=false Chances are that the one you have is for the heavier work from the 1870's. Notice the predecessor to the patcher machines on the bottom of the page called " Alligator or Arm machine". That's the era they made heavy iron. kgg

The OP wanted and bought what she thought was a genuine PFAFF. Otherwise she would probably have bought a Clone for probably less money. I hope this comes a good resolution. Makes us all aware of what to look for in general when purchasing a machine, new or used. The Clone casing is a pretty good exterior representation of the original machine which is probably made for several different Clone suppliers under different badges. kgg

I guess that would leave just the one arm bandits like the Tippmann Boss and Cowboy Outlaw. Still will need a good size bench or table to bolt them too. In working condition for that price is going to be a task in it's self. What are you trying to sew that will require the strength of V207? For what you have listed V138 should be good enough. If you can drop down to V138 need to keep your machine footprint small maybe look at the portable walking foot machines like the Reliable Barracude 200ZW ($500 US at Home depot). The spec can be found at https://reliablecorporation.ca/products/barracuda-200zw-portable-walking-foot-zig-zag-sewing-machine .This one can handle V138 not sure about the Techsew 611 or the Sailrite LS. kgg

That is what I would do and bring some of what you want to sew along. They may have other machines (new /used) that may serve your present / future needs better once you test sew on them. Buy Once, Cry Once. kgg

Thanks koreric75. kgg

From what I read online PFAFF are now owned by SVP Worldwide, a Kohlberg Holding company with their machines now being made in Asian countries. Quality will depend I guess on the actual manufacturer, only time will tell. However the cost between a PFFAF badged and others I would suspect to be fairly substantial (machine/parts/accessories). kgg

Have you checked this topic on the forum from 2016? " Zero-Max e1 Adjustable Drive (Speed Reducer) Any Info? " It my affect whether you attempt to install it. kgg

I totally agree. For the rest of us could you post a couple of pictures highlighting what you are seeing. It could be of great value for anyone in the market for a similar machine. The deception my go even deeper. The reseller my have been also duped. If a clone sells for $100 and a brand name sells for $300 some not so good people will try to dupe people. kgg

Believe me I have tried. Not that the hands are that big per say but thick fingers. A couple of years ago I had a Singer featherweight too see what all the fuss was about the featherweights. Nasty little machine. To get the bobbin in it was easier to flip it over with the front folded up and with a old VS machine had to use large twisters to get the long bobbin in. I think their isn't enough rubber for flexibility in the soles anymore like there use to be. If you have a good pair of work boots and can find someone to make soles from an old car tire they will outlast the uppers. Finding someone able and willing to cut soles with the heavy iron to sew them on maybe a problem. kgg

I have a 1541S and hate trying to change the bobbin from underneath. My fingers / hand are to large to get the darn thing in properly, so for me I just remove the knee lift and tilt the machine back. I need the extra hand space and I can see that the bobbin / case are seated properly. My 1541S will handle V138 top and bottom but prefers either V69 top / bottom or V92 top / bottom which are both within the sweet spot. I have also used on occasion with no problems V92 top with V69 bottom and V69 top with V92 bottom. Why, just to lazy to change the bobbin out. I haven't had the need really to spend the time to tweak the machine for V138 as for my stuff either V69 or V92 works. I have even tried V46 which is the bottom end thread size for both the 1541S and the 1508n. Yes V46 will work but it posed just as many problems, just different, as when using the V138. I cann't really think of a good reason why someone would try to use V46 thread with the aggressiveness of these machines feeding systems. kgg

I think the Juki LU-1508NS is a more sturdier built machine then the Juki DNU-1541S made for heavier needs. When I was looking for a new machine what I found when comparing the machines the differences to be were: Cost: Juki DNU-1541S ~ $1800 US vs Juki LU-1508NS ~$2600 US The Juki DNU-1541S is lighter built machine and weights in at over 13 lbs lighter (80.5 lb vs 93.7 lb) then the Juki LU-1508NS. Both look almost identical except the the bed size of the Juki DNU-1541S is 1.6 inches smaller then the Juki LU-1508NS, (477x178mm vs 517mmx178mm) Both have the same max thread size of V138. If you need / like to go to V207 you have to move up to the Juki LU-1509n Both use the same needle system 135x16/17 and both have the same max stitch length of 9mm forward / reverse The Juki 1541 S has a lower presser foot lift by knee 16 vs 18mm then the Juki LU-1508NS The Juki 1541 S has a horizontal axis hook assembly vs the vertical of the Juki LU-1508NS The Juki 1541 S has a greater needle distance to machine arm of 264mm vs 255mm of the Juki LU-1508NS The Juki 1541 S has a smaller needle bar stroke of 36mm vs 38mm of the Juki LU-1508NS The Juki 1541 S has a shorter amount of altering vertical movement of 2.5~6.5mm vs 2.5~8.5mm of the Juki LU-1508NS kgg

Ron, I do praise you on stepping up and helping Jason resolve the table leg problem. kgg

No, I think a decent new walking foot machine like the Juki DU-1181n ($1200) or one of the equivalent clone machines should be able to handle what you would like to do. A new portable walking foot sewing machine ($500 -$1500) like those of Reliable, Techsew and Sailrite to name a few would probably do for a low volume need. If you want to move up to the $1800 range for a compound feed machine you would be looking at something similar to the Juki 1541S or for less money you could go with one of the equivalent clone machine. kgg

Wiz has picked up on the thread size you plan on using. Why do you need such heavy thread, is it just for looks on your projects. You are going to need heavy iron to punch through with those large diameter needles that will be needed for those size threads. kgg

I guess your next step is to setup and thread the machine to do a test run, if you think the table is sturdy enough with those damaged legs. The machine probably won't be whisper quite but neither should it sound like a bucket of bolts banging around. kgg