Sugarkryptonite

Thanks for your help! Yea I would like to get into knits, mostly trying my hand at some athletic/active type wear. I found another one in much better condition (looks almost new) for $400, and the guy is willing to deliver it, so maybe I'll go that route. Anything you say I should look for specifically on the machine? Things that are common to break?

Hi guys This is a looooong shot, but I'm looking at getting a coverstitch machine (more used for clothing not anything to do with leather). Local classifieds has a Siruba industrial coverstitch machine for $300, apparently in working condition. The brand is "Siruba". If anyone here has heard of Siruba or has experience with them in the past, this post is for you! Could anyone give me some info about this brand? Are they good machines? I have a walking foot industrial already (albeit Singer) so I'm not new to the industrial type machines, or working on them, but I am new to the coverstitch models. Any idea on parts availability? It's hard to get a read on the model, but it seems to be C007something Here's a picture of it. It does seem well used, but again, the price is reasonable. https://i.imgur.com/nmTDOe7.jpg[/img] Also if anyone knows of a forum that would be more appropriate for this question, that would be great as well. This is the only forum I know for industrial type sewing machines.

Thanks! That's what I did and it seemed to work well. I put on 3 coats, I hope it's not too much...4-5 oz veg tan.

Hi guys I'm new to leather working. I have made some pieces and I love the darker look of the veg tan leather after I just apply some neatsfoot oil to it...dark and very rich, but after a few hours it goes right back to the normal veg tan color...are there any other cheap methods I can use to keep that darker rich look without buying dyes? Thanks, Elliott

Thanks Katit!

Thanks guys. Constabulary, you were right! I didn't know you could raise it up higher like that, it always felt like the flat part of the lift lever was all it would go, but I just tried forcing it up higher now as you mentioned and it DOES go higher and sit on the right angle part of the lever, can easily slide the 3/8" aluminum piece under the foot now! I'm new to these industrial machines, this one being my first, so still learning Also, I had accidentally loosened the screw on the upper cam which times the presser foot with the needle foot, how are they suppose to be timed relative to each other exactly? I believe I just stuck a screwdriver under them until they were both at the same height relative to each other and then tightened the screw back up...the machine seems to work fine, but still have a feeling the back of my head that it's not set 100%. The screw labeled "G" is what I had loosened.

Yes I see what you men. I think mine is similar to the one on the right, though. I tested it out today, and trying to lift higher with the knee lift with the lever up does nothing to raise the foot higher. Here's some pictures. This is a 3/8 piece of aluminum I was using for reference to try and adjust it. If anyone sees anything out of the ordinary or that needs adjusting please let me know, much appreciated.

Thanks guys. I do have the manual and have looked through it all, but no where did I find where it says how to adjust the lift height to 3/8"... brmax I understand what you mean, I understand how to adjust the alternating feet (can someone explain why this would be done, and in which direction, if needed?). I did not notice that the lever on the back of the machine and the knee lift have a different lift height...I don't think mine does right now, but I fear I have adjusted too many things, and I'm not sure how they are suppose to be on an original working machine.

Hi guys Am I correct in saying a Singer 111W153 should have a lift height of 3/8", or is it suppose to be less than that? I've been trying to adjust it to do 3/8", but every time I do, when you put the presser foot down, it doesn't touch the base plate anymore, leaving a small gap. Any tips? And what should I be loosening/adjusting exactly to make these changes?

Thanks all, I got a 42" and it fits like a glove. Note for newbies, do NOT measure inside the sheaves like I did with your string if you do it that method. I suggest the calculators shown here and online for calculating V belt lengths (as well as lambchop's formula, calc is just easier).

Hi guys I recently installed my servo motor on my machine, having trouble measuring the belt for it. I used a string, got it decently tight wrapped around both pulleys in their loosest position (as in no tension would be on the belt), measured the string on the ground and got 39 inches. Later that day I went to buy a 39 inch belt, got home and it's not even close! A few inches short at least. It clearly says on it 39, and I measured with the string multiple times to be sure. Now after that, I used a couple calculators online for v belt length where you put in both pulley diameters and the center to center spacing between the two, and I get roughly 41 inches, which sounds like it could work, but why such a big difference with the string? When I measured the pulley diameters I used the outside diameter, not the inner sheave portion, it is unclear on all these sites where you must measure exactly. Any thoughts?

Not at all, Yours is still a simple, elegant solution my friend. I kinda wish I had made it wider now and put a real bearing in it. I think the larger surface area as seen in the posts above when rolling helps it out.

You're right that is another option! Albeit a more time consuming one and harder if you're dealing with bigger projects. I'd like to learn both ideally.

Thanks, that is a good article if you have puckering, but what if you don't? How do we know if the seams are tight enough? I've been attempting to do more of the back-stitching shown in my first post, but having a hard time getting the holes to line up when I go over it again...any tips? Or is it not 100% necessary?

Thanks to DSloop's idea, and seeing pics of the Consew 226B lift arm which has a similar bearing on the end, my dad and I decided to make our own. I included some pics of the machining process for those interested. Seems to work well. Also added its own tire on the wheel

Right, I have that under control. I was referring to a different kind of tightness in the stitch but I guess it isn't possible. Yup thanks, but I'm having trouble with that, see post 1.

Thanks. So if I increase the tension on the bobbin and needle thread (while still keeping them regulated in terms of loops in middle of material), the stitch will be tighter? How do I know when a stitch is tight enough? Never seen much info on that. I'm just testing right now on some thinner vinyl, as well as some thicker leather that I have, tried all 1 layer, 2 layers, etc. It seems to sew just fine, but not sure on the actual stitch tension that it should have. You're talking about moving the material back for the backstitch, right? Thanks I'll keep it in mind.

Hi guys I'm trying to do the techniques shown in Alexander's video here, specifically at time 9:28 where he lifts the foot up and moves it back slightly to sew over the existing stitch: Whenever I try to do that, I lift up the foot slightly as he did, but the thread feels tight in the material, and I can't move the material back like he does freely, maybe only half the distance that he does if I'm lucky. _____________________________________________________________________________ On another note, when I go to take my material out after a stitch is finished, sometimes I need to rotate the machine by hand until it seems the thread is released in the bobbin case area so that I can pull the material away to cut the threads, that's normal, right? I have to rotate it manually pretty much every time I'm finished a stitch. If it makes any difference I have a 111W153 which is a walking foot model, unlike the needle feed 111W151 like he's using the in the video. _____________________________________________________________________________ Thirdly, is there a way to adjust the tightness of a stitch in material? I have my tensions set perfectly to not have any looping showing, but if I put a pick under a single stitch say in the middle of a stitch I did and I lift it up slightly, that stitch will get slightly looser and stay loose.. Is that just built into the machine or something I can modify?

Great idea, thanks!

Thanks! and I believe he was talking to me Thanks my friend

Thanks. Did you use the fine stone on the top of the hook or the bottom curved portion?

Nice! Thanks for your help. I saw your thread about your rebuild, not sure if you painted yet, but when I do powder coating we use plugs like these ones: https://www.amazon.com/High-Temp-Silicone-Rubber-Tapered/dp/B00XYD2760/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1548300925&sr=8-4&keywords=tapered+silicone+plugs They're made for plugging holes temporarily while painting or powder coating (or anything else really). Just a suggestion from my experience. I just guess it would suck to have to wait for them when you already have everything prepped for paint!

You're right! I was just testing sewing some different stuff. I guess no reason to do 1 layer in the real world. I noticed that when doing pleats in for example, motorcycle seats, they use scrim foam as a backer behind the vinyl. In your case, when you sew it yourself, does it work good, or still some problems? And yeah I was just going with 92 for the "look" of the bigger stitches/thread.

Thank you Wiz and Katit. I saw the thread you made regarding tension issues...I can say you had a lot of the same questions as I do, and they were answered in a way by others that still left you and I both confused. Thanks for your tips about the vinyl. What do you mean when you say 1 layer is not a "real world" scenario? As in usually you will be sewing through 2 layers of something at least? I guess you're right. I have the machine sewing quite well through leather, 1, 2 layers quite easily. Even 2 layers of the vinyl I have it does OK (loops are still slightly visible on the bottom...but as you mentioned, thread might be too big, etc) And you're right maybe I should try a #19 or #18 needle, I have #20 right now (all I have, I just started).

So I timed the machine again just to be sure, it's not so bad now. I realize now why I couldn't pull the material out half the time...it's because you need to turn the hand wheel until the needle thread has come off of the hook (if you stop while the thread is wrapped around the hook, you'll never get it out). The machine sews through leather quite well, 1 layer, 2, even 3 layers without adjusting the tensions, but man, I have some lighter upholstery type vinyl (still not THAT thin), and I just can't seem to get it to put the lock in the middle. It's extremely finnicky, sometimes it'll be fine, then you do another row of stitch and the loops will be showing (on one side or the other), it's never consistent compared to the leather. Is it just the thread that I'm using? Too thick? I've seen others on YouTube sew this stuff easily with even larger thread than I'm using...boo. Like in this video, Alexander seems to be able to sew through many different types of materials without adjusting anything. Although we don't see the locks of the stitches in the video, I'm guessing there aren't any...