LindanHotAir

We have found the Groz-Beckert GEBEDUR titanium nitride coated needles to be good quality and very long lasting. They have significantly reduced thread shredding. The coating reduces friction and frictional heating.

The bobbin case opener adjustment is performed by loosening the screw holding the opener. Adjust it so it moves the tab away from the edge of the notch in the needle plate as the thread goes between the tab and the notch. If it is properly adjusted the thread will not hang up or shred.

Look up a Brother Luminaire combination sewing and embroidery machine with a scanning capability and a pattern projector. It is priced in the 5 figure range.

Normally the gears are greased and everything else is oiled with sewing machine oil. Red grease stays on the gears and doesn’t harden like some others.

The purpose of part 1 is to rotate the bobbin case to open a space for the thread to pass between locating tab 4 and the notch under the needle plate.

I have purchased from Bally Ribbon Mills for mil-spec tape and webbing.

I would suggest you use some sticky grease as part of the assembly process. I have had to use grease, tweezers, and a dental pick to assemble needle bearings.

One configuration that works well for me is a Singer 212W140 with a Galkin puller. It is a needle or compound feed and the puller provides a positive feed without marking the top of the material. The 212 lubrication system has a reservoir under the top cover with a weight on a spring that makes waves in the oil that transfer oil to the wicks. The hooks have reservoirs under them that are supposed to supply oil to the hook race but you need to check to see if it works and oil manually. There are several oiling points that the wicks don’t reach that must be oiled manually. There is no oil pan, just a drip pan.

You could also check out using a water jet cutter. It wouldn’t have the same thermal effects as a laser.

I see you were using this thread in a Puritan Low Post. Do you have any information about what Puritan needle size corresponds to particular thread sizes? I have recently acquired a blue Puritan Low Post but have not yet set it up. I have the parts catalog but no operator’s manual. The machine is mostly complete but has only one needle and one awl that are .050 diameter. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

When we order from Wawak we get shipments the next day from their warehouse in Sparks, Nevada.

On the Facebook Vintage Industrial Sewing Machines group Robert Collier posted a video of a machine demo attaching patches to hats. He is a good resource for determining the best solution for your application.

The 135x5 needle is available as a 134MR (multidirectional) which has an offset scarf and a stiffer shaft. It can be set with the hook closer to the needle and it will sometimes make the loop easier for the hook to pick up.

A thread sock is frequently used when the thread falls down the cone or “puddles”. It can add tension. An alternate solution is to use a foam pad under the cone to prevent the thread from catching under the cone. An unused mouse pad works well.

The titanium nitride coated needles run cooler and 5 to 10 times longer than standard finish needles. Groz-Beckert labels them GEBEDUR.

Normally the 135x17 will be textile point needles and the 135x16 will be leather points. Those are the only systems you should use in your machine as it is set up. The needle system determines the length, eye position, and shank diameter. The needle size in metric specifies the needle diameter in tenths of a millimeter. For example a 110 is 1.1 mm diameter. You can get those needles with titanium nitride coating for a few cents more per needle. Groz-Beckert calls their titanium coated needles GEBEDUR. They run cooler with less friction so they last longer and reduce thread shredding. The needle manufacturer web sites have a large store of useful information.

The titanium nitride coating is not a marketing gimmick for needles. Production sewing shops typically changed standard needles about twice a shift. They often reduced needle changes to once a week with the titanium coated (gold colored) needles. The coating also reduces friction and needle heating that can cause thread shredding. The increase in cost is a few cents per needle. We use the Groz-Beckert GEBEDUR needles for embroidery, in the long arm quilter, and for hot air balloon repairs. A needle will run for several quilts before needing replacement.

On the side of the bobbin case there is a flat spring. There are 2 screws through the spring. One attaches the spring to the case, and the other screw adjusts the bobbin thread tension. Turning it slightly clockwise increases tension.

The designation 135x17 is the needle system. The size is stated usually as 2 different numbers: 16, 18, we , etc which is a size that increases with shaft diameter, and a metric size which is in hundredths of a millimeter. For example, 110 is 1.1mm diameter. A 135x16 is the designation for leather needles that run in machines set up for 135x17, typically Singer 111 and the clones (certain models from Juki, Consew, Brother, Seiko , Mitsubishi, and others).

I have purchased from Hide House in Napa, CA. I was able to get samples and a match for a repair. They had a rough time with earthquake damage but they rebuilt and are up and running.

Often the limitations for thread sizes in a particular machine are dictated by clearances in the bobbin basket, hook, and the space above the bobbin case tab where the thread needs to pass through on each stitch, in addition to the needle clearance factors previously described for compound feed machines. Determine what you intend to sew and try out candidate machines to see if they work for your situation. You may eventually end up with several machines. I have a Singer 20u33 for zigzag and bar tacks, a Singer 112W117 1/4 gauge triple feed, a 212W140 3/8 gauge compound feed with a puller, and a 30 inch 1/4 gauge Singer 320W194 triple feed chain stitch machine. The chain stitch machine thread and needle size are limited only by the size of the needle holes in the feed dogs and the holes in the loopers.

In one of the photos it looked like the thread was going through both tensioners. Normally 2 tensioners on a single needle machine allow the operator to set them up for 2 different threads. Thread through the pretensioner which is normally used to control the cutting length, and normally starts out with the knob flush with the end of the screw. Then use one tension assembly, then thread the check spring assembly. The check spring should operate to prevent the thread from going slack between the tension and the take up lever.

You can buy extra slide plates and drill and tap them as needed. The 2 holes in the casting may be tapped. Make sure the screws don’t protrude below the plate.

If this machine has the stitch regulator with a knob in the center of the handwheel, check to see if it still changes the stitch length. That stitch regulator frequently is worn out. Many machines with worn stitch regulators have had their stitch length locked.

You might try a Harbor Freight tool magnet. We have found many uses for those.