LederMaschinist

I got my first machine a few weeks ago, and am just getting it set up. First of all, let me disclose that it's a Singer 95-1. I am fully aware that this machine is in no way shape or form designed to sew leather.....yet. The reason I bought it was that it was on a table that's in excellent condition with a consew clutch and westinghouse motor.. I got the whole thing for $60, and figured it would be useful to have the table so I won't need one if I found an ideal machine without a table. Being a machinist and a tinkerer, I figured I'd use parts that I have laying around the shop to see if I can get this thing to at least be usable for leather and other heavy materials. So far I think it's actually doing pretty well. I put a 2" pulley on the clutch, and a gigantic 8" pulley in place of the balance wheel and a v belt instead of the leather round belt it came with. The machine looks ridiculous considering how small it is in relation to the pulley, but it is also very effective for manual stitching. Whoever decided that the top shaft on this machine should be .540" in diameter instead of a standard fractional size, made things somewhat more difficult. Just had to bore out the pulley hub and spacers from 1/2". I can now do about one and a half stitches per second with careful clutch control and with the flywheel inertia from the large pulley and the additional torque, it doesn't even hesitate punching through thick material. It doesn't seem to have an issue with #69 bonded nylon, and I think I can get it to work with #92 but haven't tried it yet. Good enough for wallets and camping gear. The issue I'm having is that it uses 88 x 1 (1128, DA x 1, take your pick of sizing convention) needles. I haven't even been able to find a leather point needle of that type, and selection is very limited. I bought some common 110/18 needles to study a bit.. It seems to me that the critical dimension is the distance from the end of the needle bar to the eye of the needle. The points of the needles in the 110/18's extend slightly further below the eye, that might cause a timing issue. The needle bar on this machine is a simple .250" rod with a needle socket on the end and a set screw. The 88 x 1 needles have a .0625" (1/16") shank, while the common needles have a 2mm shank. It would be easy to drill out the socket to the correct size and depth for the common needles to get the eye in the right position. Or I could make some new bars so I'll have an assortment. Is there any reason this can't be done? And if it can be done, what type of needle should I be designing the needle bar modification to fit? Thanks, I hope this isn't a silly question. So far I only have about $90 into this machine and some time. As usual the problem solving aspects have been pretty enjoyable.

It sure looks like you know what you're doing, but make sure the angle is dead straight before you use it to align the bed. The tolerances the mills use for straightness are nowhere near straight enough for this project. That doesn't mean they aren't straight, it just means they might not be straight enough.

Interesting. I just assumed it was reverse, because most of the old singer stitch length adjustments come out the front with a knob. I have very problematic feet, and the actual reason I'm looking to find a machine is so I can make the perfect work boot. I just wish this singer was a little more robust. Although, I doubt it would have much trouble with a couple layers of 6oz oil tan.

Would that simply be a spring replacement with one that's stronger and not worn out? I saw a picture somewhere once of a machine that had an external bungee cord holding the reverse lever down. Speaking of reverse levers, I also came across this post bed singer. It's a 51W30. The ismacs site makes no mention of a reverse lever for this model, but there is what appears to be a reverse lever on the right side. Is that a reverse lever? I also see no adjustment for stitch length.

Thanks, that's all good information. Incidentally, those are pretty much the same things I look for in metalworking machinery when I'm contemplating the purchase of a used machine.

Hi all, I'm new to the forum here, but have been interested in leatherworking since making a belt with my father when I was 6 years old. I'm just starting to look at sewing machines, and have found a Juki LU-563 in the area that's for sale at a pretty decent price, IF it operates as it should. It certainly shows some external wear (fairly worn paint, but no evident rust or damage), and it has been owned by an avid quilter since it was new. Can anyone give me any specific problem areas on this machine that I should inspect, and maybe some general pointers as well? Or perhaps a good resource that will tell me what to look for. I also have a singer 95-1 that I bought for $60. I am aware that it is far from ideal for leather working, but figured I could fit it with a wheel presser foot and use it for lighter items. Mostly I bought it because it came with a newer table with clutch motor in excellent condition. Now I don't have to look for a machine that comes with a table, and I have already sourced parts to build a reducer. I happen to be a self-employed machinist for my day job, so I am fairly mechanically inclined, and have a pretty capable machine shop at my disposal. In other words I'm not too worried about being able to service the machine myself even if it involves making new parts from scratch. Thanks.