nylonRigging

Pretty sure the 146's are Double Needle, Needle-Feed machines . Needle Feed lays down some nice stitching .The 146 should do good on smooth upholstery leather or fabric. Do you own other sewing machines ? . Auto upholstery gets into piping and a seams where a owning a single needle is needed . I can see where a double-needle would do good for some french seams. Auto Upholstery not my discipline, & I not into the Pfaff double needles, I into the double needle needle-feed Singers 112 /212, and Juki LH3528's. They all share same needle gauge sets, and are always pretty easy find and easy on the wallet. So.. If you buy it. When you getting into Double Needle machines, always take in consideration that Gauge Sets always play into the equation. So look into the the Needle span you needing for seams, plus feed-dog, needle plate. Press-foot . .

Pic. of your machine to get look at your feet . I not positive ? , looks/resembles the Consew Feet like a ( 205 RB ) but you might start your search for compatible Foot-Sets on Ebay . Low Price-$ sets to see if the Feet shanks are good to go for a match.to your feed . .

Looks like machine head been sitting around for several years, needs good cleaning and oiling maybe ? it looks neglected but not that rough. Appears to be a Drop-feed Walk. nothing wrong with that feed, as you said Leather not your primary need. you are just limited to less selection of foot options with that feed . For your said.. ' home hobbyist needs ' like, vinyl, cordura, webbing.. etc. it do pretty good . . should handle #69 E/t-70 and #92 F/t-92, and lighter weight threads . .

Rolfini has been around for long time . also down South your way in Salem. There is another guy I have used over the years . Name ' Bricio ' , he also pretty good, and i have called him a few times when I been in a Jam with something I can't get a handle on . .

HEY brand me the optimist .. ( my opinion ) Buy It .. It runs and looks like complete,clean machine . It is well worth picking up @ only 155-$, if you got the space to keep it for use. It WILL come in handy for something I am sure. They were design for fabric and higher speeds .There are many Models of those DB's . There are many machines better sewing to own than a Old Mitsu. DB Bottom Feed to sew leather, and heavy fabric with . I Don't have a DB-179 . But I got a old 1980's Mitsu. ( DB-170 ) . It handle text70/#69 nylon thread pretty great with the Tension, but it wont do heavier thread weight . I just changed out the feed dog and throat plate with heavier courser feed dog. Slow it down with a Servo, and It can sew threw several layers of 1000 Denier pretty easy with nice stitches . Also you can get a Roller Foot and feed Dog/ and needle plate, and it will sew great also . Negative -- It is just a Bottom Feed machine . Bobbins are smaller size . Can't do heavier than #69 nylon/poly . It won't stretch out the stitches. the Max I can get is ( 6 stitch per inch ) . - OK.. here you go . With text70 nylon thread and 'Leather' . Also. here is the old DB Bottom Feed doing 8 layers of 1000 den. US mill nylon . Bottom and Top stitches look exactly the same on both these Pic's. Used round point needle, and I didn't change adjust anything. I just moved from sewing the leather right into sewing the Nylon Cordura. - -

Mitsu. DY337 .

AHhh, i see what saying now . I just looked at Artisan Website . I have not paid much attention to their machine sales for last few years . Looks like they did do a change with their 3200 Drive going in a different design direction. Rather than traditional under table drive w/gear reduction . I would be curious to actually see with my own eyes the drive system they chose, and what kind of control and torque it has. The drive motors they choose to use on different models I have seen and sewn on seem to be good runners. I seen a lot Artisan branded machines being here on US. West coast . 3 out of the 10 machines I have set-up and sewing on are Artisan branded. I think their Brand saturation higher in this area of W. USA. as they import straight into Bay area California, and sales based there. The Interstate Hwy. I-5 corridor on shipping is convenient into CA. OR. and Washington States . .

Here Also...KH is the 1st place I check to look for feet and other options, and they got quick delivery across the pond with their speed-pack shipping . Good machining and well thought out designs. .

I put a lot of hours on one of them over last few years, I got one of the Artisan 3200 sitting in back of sew room, and it just kept setup seam binding 1" type ll nylon on heavy bags for it's life. The Artisan 3200 is basically shorter arm 441 clone . work area of ( 12.5 long x 8" high ) . It has a large 12" hand-wheel w/ 10" pulley . Has under table speed reduction, and also a pretty decent servo drive. Artisan 3200, It would be great machine for smaller goods like holsters, small bag/wallets. but for bigger items, 16" arm would make your jobs easier with lot less folding or rolling up items you are trying to turn . here a crappy quick pic. - -

One other thing popped into my head this morning about your stripped thread problem . ( If Possible ? ) My 3rd suggestion is simple and direct fix . if the clearance is there on underside of the stripped-out screw hole ? , I saying if area bottom-side of the hole is clear of interference with any other mechanics of operation. This may sound like true garage macgiver'ing .. but sometimes the simplest direct method may not be the one of proper aesthetics, beauty and craftsmanship . But sometimes .." You got to do, What you got to Do". . the old machine keeps sewing, and you keep using it for some more years. And that would be just simply doing a nice straight clean pass-threw cut with a bit, just to clean cut-out the fouled threads, and then using a small machine bolt with keeping nut on the bottom side . maybe with use a trim small button-head/Allen drive machine bolt or...? .

Screw that holds the saddle stripped ? man that sucks, probably need to drill and tap new thread for machine Screw just slightly larger in size. The threads are stripped-out, so that leads me to believe ?..that the metal area is not that hard of temper in the Cast . So tapping new threads should be doable . I have drilled and taped some screws in Head and Beds of machines, and I find that most cast heads when tapping thread. The cuttings from Tap cuttings are kind of loose dust because Cast is soft . also.. you might have to just hand File the slot Diam. just a little if the it needs to be slightly wider to make slide movement with new size, but that would be easy to do. - Or.. you might drill and Tap for a machine thread size Heli-coil thread insert . Then use a ' similar ' Diam.Size screw, as the factory size . I have heli-coil threads on other metal repairs, and they are pretty good hold strength. - -

I wonder if you could get by using a Roll-Pin ?, they strong, pretty common and easy find . selection of Roll-Pin punches are cheep purchase also . Only thing is you will have to remove the item, to lay flat on a backing, and tap in the roll pin . . -

Basting Tape not sticking very well, or loose bonding to Webbing Poly's, Urethane's, Nylon . Thinner Synthetic fabrics it does well and strong till it stitched, but on the heavier weight weave of webbing's it does Not hold very long for waiting around to get sewn. The Basting Tape after pealing off the backing is 'ultra-thin' so it really only meant for thin light materials seam fold . ( Me ) , This----> if I got a layers of any 'heavy materials' that need to be held firm and strong for critical placement. I will sometimes use a dab of Silicon Stick, Hot Glue Gun, it holds firm, the Silicon stick is soft, Needles and thread easy go threw the Silicon for stitching after cooling . Heavy wraps/folds/layers hot glue gun works great, been doing it for many years. .

All I know, is that having that particular tension plate assembly ( double knob ) is great because when swapping off from t-70 to #138 . All I have to do is just run thread routing off to the 2nd tension knob for that is already pre set . change needle, and I am sewing. I am betting that any recent production 1541s cast head with the single-knob . Can be easy swapped off to the other double knob assembly plate . If you look at the OP's pic. of his machine . You can even see the recessed indent in the casting above the assembly plate, for the small 'manual tension release lever' to fit into . .

- also, work on accumulating some assortment of different presser feet, and pick-up a couple the factory center and outer foot sets, to cut and trim to your liking. I keep an extra bobbin case in the drawer also. it is pre set on the tension, to #138 . So it easier to just swap off bobbin thread going from t-70 to 138 . 1541s is a great everyday workhorse machine and versatile, never a day regret adding it to my stable. Your machine tension setup on yours, looks different from one I have . my setup looks like this one in this Juki 1541S cut/paste pic. - - .

Advertiser made a Typo with his fat fingers on keyboard , punching #6 instead of #5 ... as it does look like a factory w151 in the Pic. I cant see the prefix of the blurry serial #, in your Pic. .. but Have you checked singer serial # database ? .. for a w161 model and year . .

Or... ? you hit the button sequence to, ' run Reverse direction' in your Servo Drive . What Cylinder bed machine model, are you talking about ? . I not familiar with that model .. Is your Reverse lever in the UP position ? .

Is not the 1508 a Vertical 'top-load' . and the 1541 a Horizontal 'under table' side-load ? .. One is a LU/#model juki.. other is a DU/# model juki . The question you asked, sounds like you asking if you can convert the 1508 that you own. To a 1541's bobbin assembly ??? .

I used to buy a lot of SS longneck grommets from them. might try giving them a call to see what in-stock size#'s on Snaps . - -

' Zippo lighter ' .it a very High flash-rate, so it evaporates Super fast out of fabric, and I have never noticed it leaving any odor/smell afterwards . It a overlooked gem that cleans great, and not Hot that it remove any color or melts any synthetics/nylon or poly . Just spray some out of the can on a piece of fabric and leave it till Dry, and take a 'sniff ' . .

wow .. Acetone I would think be a little hot for nylon/poly weave . ( me ) I would recommend what I have cleaned a lot of Nylon gear and Para Gear fabric for stain, using Naptha/ Zippo Lighter Fluid . I have even had good luck even removing Black Creosote off of Nylon rip-stop fabric with it . .

several questions asked ... That particular machine has primarily only sewn 1-k denier Nylon and webbing it entire life . . Like I said, I never used # 138 on it before only text 70 and 90 . Right now today me sewing on it, and not really trying hard to tune it for everyday running #138 . The way machine is normally setup with 135x17 22 needle, strung up with #138 on top and bobbin . It has ZERO problems handling 1-k Den. Nylon heavy Urethane backed, ( 8-layer stack ) with good looking stitches top and bottom using straight and Zigzag . I running a 750W servo with no speed reduction setup on that machine . Not trying to compare fabric to leathers, but multiple fold layers of quality Heavy denier Nylon weave with Urethane back, can start putting a machine threw some tough work . . There really only 2 Hard drawback/limitations with the Consew 146RB . In It's design, it Can't stretch-out Big SPI length on the straight-stitch . . It is Very limited with what you can do for Feet Selection . 146RB is FAR from the your end search for 'perfect do all machine' . BUT.. I really see no reason you can't tune the machine for #138 , and then put it in a station to do certain specific jobs sewing Leather. It a good machine to have in your stable of collected machines. . Threading - I put a tall thread-post on top and use 2 hole . and on the 3-hole L-bar in front i use all 3 holes for 2-wraps . . You like pneumatic lifts ?? . I never really cared for them much, because it always 'all or nothing' with them when you engage, always a full lift with thread tension released . majority of the time sewing, I like to slightly knee lift not pushing the Disks Pin, and move material and not lose tension . . on ZZ-width . It might do 12mm ??? . but I never measure it for MAX width . ( for me ) My needles Scarf determines my ZZ width . When I tune it, after I center the needle . I only pay attention to the Needle on the Right - Left stroke move . I pay extremely close attention to the Hook passing back and forth in relation to the top and bottom of the needles Scarf . So when I see the Hook get to near touching inside top/bottom edges of Scarf.. That Where I Lock it Down on the width . I don't like tapping the Hook on each end of the Scarf cut-out, as it just promotes excessive Hook wear in the long run. So I Really Doubt, I am pushing the factory 12mm width advertisement propaganda ...LOL .

OK.. I have a 146RB that I bought new about 22 years ago, A japan made, and Consew has made the 146RB for Loooong time, so it nothing less than a solid design straight/zigzag stitch industrial workhorse . I still sew on this thing regularly several times a week. I am only one who has ever tuned it up every few years, and about the only thing I changed on it since bought, is a few new needle plates, and I did put a fresh new Hook/bobbin assembly in it . On the tune-up . If the machine stitching will move threw Strait and Zigzag stitch, both forward and reverse, and in all the SPI adjustments, Without dropping stitches in any. Then it Good To Go . I have a couple other machines that I will sew # 138 thread with . The 146RB, I Only Sewn using text 70 and 90 nylon thread with it since the day I bought it. It lays down nice stitches on about everything you feed threw under the feet with 70 and 90 like a champ. BUT today .. I was curious about using #138 reading your problems. So today I stung it up with 138 to see if I notice anything obvious as your culprit . ( only using the straight Stitch ) not ZigZag stitch . The times I used 138 today it was always hit or miss on what your describing on the upper thread tension being constantly difficult to pull up a good centered knot . Sometimes the the knot was hidden, and sometimes it was sitting proud exposed when going threw some different bobbin and top tension adjustments. I don't exactly know what to tell you for a sure fix . The machine is heavy enough to handle 138 . ( I think ) if you wanting to it to sew 138, you can dedicate it to sew138 with the proper top thread tension adjustments . The machines top tension Definitely lacks the tension adjustment to do it properly . 146rb only has one tension disk assembly, It Is a little on the wimpy side for factory tension assembly, and factory tension, and disks spring ( for Sure ) is way to weak . The Bobbin Case is GTG with using #138 thread size going threw and under the leaf spring and routed across threw the bobbin case back-cut . The Feed design of 146rb is, Drop-Feed/Walking Foot . it not Unison/triple feed . But that the nature of the beast if you want a combo straight/zigzag stitch machine . The 146RB does not have a big foot lift height, and the center needle foots 'needle hole' is pretty big long and width . The Needle-Plate hole is the same with a wide long cut hole, It has to be because of being a Combo stitch . for leather I would bet that be another problem, as you going to get a lot of bottom pucker with that big needle hole on the needle-plate, with needle and thread pushing material on the down stroke . Also with Needles . I like to buy the ( Organ brand ) . The needle Scarf on Organ is cut long enough to take advantage of the full width of zigzag adjustment the 146 can give you . If you do sideXside comparison of different needles, the Scarf length will vary with the manufacture . .

Does your manual read like this ? - -

Your choices of 'lighter' 2nd machine choice . I have both RB and 1541 . Both good machines . Both will sew same as far as your 1000 den. or lighter weight. But both will easy sew threw multi-layers of urethane backed 1000 den. with #69/t-70 , Both lay down nice stitching. both have under-table bobbin load assembly . Between the two, RB feels smoother on sewing when you let it roll and punching . 1541 feels little different with tiny more 'lope' going into it's down-stroke when rolling . The 1541 has a double-tension disk setup, and the RB does not . 1541 will sew comfortably sew 138. just route the 138 over the other 2nd tension disk/change needle, and sew . 1541.. I never tried, but 'I suspect' will do 207 on some materials with taking more time for setting it up proper . if can be done ? , then I sure someone here on this forum has done it . .