MtlBiker

Why wouldn't you keep that machine? I have one (new a couple of months ago) and I love it! I just used it to sew through three layers of 8oz veg tan leather, with no problem. (Using the 135x16 leather needles.) I also have two other industrial machines, flatbed and cylinder arm, yet this LSZ-1 is pretty darn useful. I got the Premium package, and then a month later I added the compact folding table Sailrite offers. I didn't really need a zig-zag machine and I tried that just to see that it works. But I'd never imagined how useful that zig-zag feature would be in my sewing... you can set the needle position to left, center or right within the presser foot and that means without having to change presser feet for things like sewing zippers, etc. I just move the needle position and I can do it. And it sounds like you might have what they call their "monster" wheel. That too is great! Sometimes I don't even use the motor, preferring to just turn the wheel slowly by hand (depending on what I'm sewing). The only down side of this machine is the small domestic size bobbin. I'm used to much larger bobbins and I keep running out of bottom thread because of that. I'll get used to it I guess. And as far as needles go, they're really very cheap. Check out Wawak for good prices, and watch for when they have their sales which save you even more money. I mostly use v92 thread in mine, but Matt Grant of Sailrite assured me that the machine would also handle up to v138 with no problem. Oh, before buying I was a little concerned about the clutch motor as all my other machines have servo. But I found that it's easy to feather the pedal and for even slower sewing, I just use the monster wheel. Love the machine!

Are you new to industrial machines generally, or just new to that particular machine? Just in case you might be making the same newbie mistake as I did... make sure you are not holding the top thread too tightly as you try to pick up the bobbin thread. You've got to hold it, but it's got to remain loose enough that the hook can catch it and bring it around to pick up the bobbin thread. I felt quite foolish when I figured out what I was doing wrong.

The first two machines you mentioned are flatbed machines. The Techsew 2750 is a cylinder arm machine. Quite a different beast. Unless you have specific needs that require a cylinder arm, I'd suggest you stick with a flatbed to start. It would probably do just about everything for you, but like many here, if you really get into it, you may add machines of different types as your needs dictate. I started with flatbed and then added a cylinder arm machine, and now I'm drooling over a post bed machine. SIGH

While I have never looked at rivets from the companies you mention, I've been using the rivets (and snaps and press) from Kamsnaps for a year now. I've been very pleased with both the quality and the cost. And I've just ordered a second press from them so that I could keep my hole punch dies on one and rivet press dies on the other instead of constantly having to change back and forth.

Yes, you really need to hold the two threads when you start sewing. You didn't answer about what thread and needle you're using (other than to say it's what came with the machine). What is the weight of the thread? What size needle? I think your problem is really caused by improper thread tension. Are you confident that you've adjusted the bobbin (not "bobbing") thread correctly? It takes practice to learn how tight it needs to be, but basically you want to hold the end of the bobbin thread and let the bobbin and bobbin case dangle... with gentle bouncing the thread should just come out. The bobbin shouldn't be so tight that the thread doesn't come out or so loose that the bobbin just falls. Also, did you know that black thread usually requires a different tension adjustment than the other colors? I'm told that's because of the dyes used on the black. I generally use the same thread top and bottom, but I actually keep one bobbin case properly adjusted for my usual v92 black thread, and another bobbin case adjusted for the other colors. That way when I switch from black to something else, or vice-versa, I mostly don't have to readjust the bobbin tension. Only need to fine tune the top. You mention sewing leather... are you using leather needles (135x16) or "regular" needles (135x17)? But in any case, I think your problem is related to tension. When you stop sewing are you using the knee lifter to raise the presser foot or the lever? For awhile I also had a problem releasing the thread because I wasn't lifting the knee lifter high enough (got lazy). Make sure you've got it all the way up and the thread should be easier to pull out. Hope this helps...

(I guess you mean Techsew 2600.) I think we need a little more information in order to help you... Does that happen at the beginning of your stitching or somewhere further on? Are you holding the tails of the two threads at the beginning so they don't get pulled in/under? What thread are you using and what needle? Is this a new problem or are you new to the machine? Have you adjusted the bobbin tension properly? Is your needle worn? And how are you threading the machine? Photos/video would help.

Besides the possibility of the threading being wrong, I wanted to comment about your use of v69 thread with size 22 needles... Seems like you're really using a much too large needle for the thread. With v69 thread, usually a #18 or 19 needle is more appropriate. A #22 needle would be normally used with v138 thread. You are sewing leather? Are you using leather needles? That would be the 135x16 (in appropriate size for the thread) instead of the more common 135x17. With the assumption that your threading is correct, you should be threading the machine with the foot up. And then with the foot down, are you able to sew? I suggest you sew some material and check how the stitches are being formed. Have you adjusted the bobbin case tension properly for the thread you use? If you did, then look at the stitch being formed... if the top thread is being pulled to the bottom, you need to increase the upper tension. If the bottom thread comes up to the top, you loosen the top tension. My suspicion is that the bobbin case tension isn't set correctly for your thread.

I want to smooth out the fuzzy side of my veg tan leather using tokonole and a glass slicker, but I also want to wet form the leather. If I do the slicking down first, would I still be able to wet form the leather? If I wet form first, I'm not going to be able to get to the parts I want to smooth out. Any suggestions?

You were correct. I just didn't have the experience to figure out what exactly was wrong, and then I took a shotgun approach to fixing things when I should have been a lot more targeted. The hook was fine, and I had to work through all the steps in the maintenance video one at a time, checking and adjusting everything. Quite a learning experience, but now the machine is sewing as well as it ever did.

Very helpful suggestions, thanks! And your later repost of the photos likewise was very helpful. I do have the machine working fine again, and the hook did not need replacement. I had to work carefully through the maintenance video step by step to get everything correct. And your photo of the hook against the scarf of the needle was clearer than anything else I'd seen. Thanks!

Thanks for your help, Wiz! But my inexperience makes it difficult to understand what you are suggesting. Opener arm? Tab? In any case, tonight when I get home I'll remove the hook and examine it. But again without experience or something to compare to, how pointy should it be? How sharp? You'd probably know instantly. If I don't see anything obvious, I'll try to take a close up photo. I sure don't want to spend $400 for a new hook if it's not needed.

Chances are that my rotary hook is damaged, but I don't have the experience to know for sure. Nor do I have a new one to compare with. So I thought I'd buy a new one just in case. Supposedly it's part #18033. Online I see them for $35-50. My Consew dealer just quoted me $374 plus taxes! Is that even possible? Could there be some misunderstanding of "rotary hook part #18033"? Could the dealer be quoting me for some kind of complete assembly? Geez, that makes the hook about 30% of the price I paid for the machine!

That's the video I've been watching. But parts of it aren't entirely clear to me (novice that I am) and many parts are out of focus so it's hard to see exactly what's going on. But overall those videos (there are two) are superb. I imagine someone with more experience than I would have no problem at all. Still not clear on whether the pointy tip of the rotary hook is what has to be centered vertically on the scarf, or closer to the top of the eye of the needle. And if you advance the timing, doesn't it mean the point passes the needle sooner than if the timing is retarded? I gave up last night and now I'm at work all week with very little time in the evenings to work on this. Might have to wait until Sunday/Monday (which is my weekend).

I'm not sure what set screw you're talking about. Do you mean the 3 set screws on the shaft just by the safety clutch? That's what I need to adjust to set the hook timing, right? And I'm a little confused by what I've read in a couple of places... one said the point of the hook needs to be centered within the scarf of the needle (once the needle bar is properly adjusted) and another said the top of the needle hole. On the video it looks like it's not really the sharp point of the hook that's centered on the scarf, but a little ways back from the point that's centered. Obviously, I don't get it (yet).

Yes, it's there. (Took me a bit to find it, because I was looking right below the reset button on the flatbed. I didn't realize the safety clutch bearing was 3.5" to the right of that.) I had already adjusted the needle bar height according to the YouTube maintenance video. So as @kgg suggests, it might be that the hook is damaged, although it doesn't appear to be but I have nothing to compare it with, or something else.

Thank you! You were right (it seems) because when I held the little button on the top for the safety clutch and turned the hand wheel, I did hear/feel a sort of pop. It must have been out. And now it looks like I've really messed things up... I can pick up the bobbin thread but the machine isn't forming stitches. When I try to sew, everything is working perfectly but no stitches are formed. A little knowledge... is a dangerous thing. SIGH

Progress... of sorts. I can now pick up the bobbin thread, and can turn the wheel by hand or power, but when I try to sew something it's not forming stitches.

Thanks @CowboyBob If the safety clutch has activated, the machine wouldn't turn, right? It's turning and running fine, so if I understand correctly, the safety clutch is fine. I'm so lost with this at the moment. @SARK9 Thanks for that scan. Following the maintenance video, I've got the needle bar height adjusted correctly. And the clearance between the point of the hook and the needle is just like a sheet of bond paper. It looks to me that timing of the hook is also correct (although I can't say I'm 100% certain it is). But still I cannot pick up the bobbin thread. Dumb question time (again!)... is it the rotating hook that's supposed to catch the bobbin thread? It's not happening. The bobbin thread just hangs there, sticking out from the bobbin holder like it always has and like threading videos show. Something (whatever it is) just isn't catching hold of the bobbin thread. Or does the hook catch the top thread to form a loop to catch the bobbin thread? Neither is happening.

I'd never heard that before, nor had I ever even noticed those dots. I had to go looking for them and at first thought there weren't any as the only way to see them is to peek through the little oval opening in the belt cover. All the other things you mentioned check out, so I'm now in the middle of trying to check and adjust the timing, thanks to the YouTube maintenance video. I'm attaching a small video... I blackened the scarf with a sharpie to make it easier to see, but would you say I'm right that this looks like bad timing? Should the point of the hook be higher up centered on the scarf? @kgg - Thanks, that video was helpful earlier on when I had to remove/reinstall the hook to clear a jam. But now it seems the issue is that the timing is off. Could the timing get changed by having a jam? 1707321A-D266-4279-A4FA-0FE1D38E98B5_3.mov

I'm fairly mechanically inclined, but not with sewing machine mechanics, unfortunately. At least not yet. My Consew 206RB-5 isn't picking up the bobbin thread. And I don't know how to fix that, or even to figure out what the problem is. I have had thread jams a few times, usually caused by the bobbin holder popping out. Which seems to happen more often than I think it should. I always insert the bobbin holder until it clicks in place and even pull on the thread a bit to make sure the case is properly inserted. Yet from time to time it still pops out causing a jam. I've had the rotating hook out a few times to clear out threads and have always managed to put it back together properly, and this time I just can't see what's wrong or how to fix it. Could it be hook timing? (What would make that go out of adjustment?) Is there a way to check that without removing the needle plate, feed dog etc? What's the most common cause of not picking up the bobbin thread? Thanks for any help.

Thanks for clarifying what you meant. I really didn’t understand when you said a machine capable of sewing 10mm wouldn’t be a good choice for sewing 1cm.

Duh…. Typo… 1cm is 10mm.

Wizcrafts... I'm confused about your reply. 1cm IS 10cm. Are you saying that most upholstery class machines, maxing out at 10mm would not be able to sew 1cm?

Yes, with the PRO version of the Techsew 2750, the flatbed attachment came with it. But I've never even tried to install it. It's the kind of thing that you'd need to set up and adjust and then leave it in position rather than quickly change back and forth (as you might have to do when working on a bag). Since I do have a flatbed machine (the Consew 206RB-5) I really don't need to use the flatbed attachment for the Techsew. When I'm working on a project, I might move back and forth between the cylinder bed machine and flatbed several times per hour, depending on what I'm doing. And it would be too cumbersome if I only had the Techsew and had to install and remove the flatbed attachment. I got the PRO version mainly for the accessories like laser guide, swing-down guide, speed reducer, etc.

@homesewnrose - Funny, those are the exact same two machines I started with. I liked the Brother 6000i, but it just wasn’t strong enough for what I wanted to do. I replaced it with an HD3000 which I still have and use. But I only use it for very light sewing, such as masks, etc. and light repairs. It’s a surprisingly good machine. As I got more involved with sewing, using more webbing, heavy canvas, Cordura, etc. and many layers, I found I needed something a lot more powerful. Not knowing much about industrial machines, by luck I came across a dealer demo Consew 206RB-5 at a good price and now after more than a year using it, I LOVE IT! That’s a flatbed machine. I’m sewing primarily with v92 threads and use 135x17 needles for most fabric (usually size 20) and 135x16 for leather. (I’m just getting into leather but don’t have much experience yet.) About 6 months ago I added a cylinder bed machine, a Techsew 2750 Pro. And that’s really a nice machine also. But as KGG said earlier in this thread, it’s pretty hard (impossible?) to find one machine that does everything. I use the Consew for the vast majority of my sewing but the cylinder bed machine is great for sewing the openings of bags (which I’m making mostly these days). Now, after the few months of experience I have, if I had to choose only one machine, it would be the Consew 206RB-5 (or equivalent). That’s the one machine I really couldn’t do without. Best of luck with your search!