Tastech

Unfortunately new parts are not available .However i can still buy new needles. You best way forward is to buy a "spare" machine and keep it for parts . I believe that Pederson and Junker parts are interchangeable . I recently found a Pederson machine and bought it without hesitation . I knew what it was but the seller either didn't or did not value it as much as i do . My intention was to restore it and put back to work in my shoe making trade . I love the simplicity of the Pederson ( about 40 parts ) compared to my Landis (500 ) parts . The missing parts i made to suit my needs and the machine started its first day on the job today . I am very impressed to say the least . I will still be on the look out for a spare machine with all the parts . attached are some photos .

I just bought A vintage George Barnsley bulldog pliers in excellent condition on E bay for $50 Australian dollars That's about 25 British pounds . I saw them on Etsy for $455 AUD , so it was a no brainer to fork out for them . I will most probably use them every day till i retire . My lucky day . On another site today i bought 17 George Barnsley edge irons in various patterns and a welt plough for $150 AUD . 2 super bargains in one day , that never happens, to me at least . Now i'm looking at you Joseph Dixon .

Uwe , I just love your think outside the box mentality (pun intended ) Now you have opened up a whole new can of worms for me . Can't wait till tomorrow morning so i can go down stairs and see what i got and what i can do . I'ts good timing too .I am just about to order 6 new servo motors for a shoemaker friend of mine to upgrade his machines and if compatible i might use the UWE method .

An Update . After a bit if internet research i learned some interesting things Saps and black jacks are available for sale from Amazon , Etsy and Ebay . Patterns are also available . I found an article that gives a general rundown of different types from different makers .article below https://www.recoilweb.com/striking-distance-143325.html Upon searching the legality of such things in Australia i came across a list of illegal items but the blackjack is not specifically listed . this is the closest reference i could find Quote "Sap glove, or any other similar article, that consists of a glove (including a fingerless glove) that has a layer of powdered lead sewn under the outer covering and positioned over the knuckle area on the back of the glove. US members might find the web page where i got this quote very interesting . Some might die laughing and some might cry . Keep in mind in Australia we have nothing resembling the second amendment rights of the US. We have had to master the art of bare knuckle fighting instead . However i am still attracted to the idea of a black jack to even the odds . I would love to hear what the US members think of these laws The laws are in the link below https://www.criminaldefencelawyers.com.au/blog/weapons-licensing-laws-in-australia/ I did an image search for the cartoon /comic character with a striped shirt and black mask holding a black jack but nothing came up.

I think i would be charged for it here in Canberra as well , But then again our cops are useless these days . Given that at any one time i have in my apron a couple of knives an awl and a cobblers hammer, Getting black jacked could be considered the lenient option . 45 years ago while working as a paper boy on a street corner i would carry my coins in a sock that i could swing around to deter anyone who thought i might be an easy mark .With the coins in the sock you could argue plausible deniability however with a black jack maybe not ,as it does not have a duel purpose. But having said that how much damage could a black jack actually do ? Apart from stunning someone i don't think you could kill someone with it unless you were a blackjack ninja. I am going to do a bit of research and ask some of my police customers what their thoughts are . BTW the same shoplifter/druggo stole the tip jar from the cafe next door earlier in the week . I have printed out a still photo of him from the security footage and turned it into a wanted poster and put in up in the arcade . I await his next move .

I remember seeing them in cartoons 50 years ago ,i didn't realize they actually existed or what they were called . now i want one . I could have used it on a shop lifter yesterday .Instead i cracked him in the head with the heel of a boot i was repairing at the time .

To give a bit of confidence in what you are about to do .Check out a youtube channel called "elegant oxford" . He has a few videos where he dyes old shoes .His work is very impressive . Just follow his process .

Here's my 10 cents worth . As a shoe maker i dye a lot of shoes . Both new and old . As a rule you can only go darker than the original color . Oiled leather can be done and is easier than most shoe leathers .The process is as follows . I use a leather stripper not thinners or acetone . Its available from a shoe repair wholesaler . Get about 1 litre and you might use about half . Use a clean cloth and keep replenishing the cloth regularly as it gets dirty . Allow about an hour between each stripping action . When you are satisfied that you have removed enough color and oil and the boots look lighter give it another strip for good luck . I use a strong dye called Raven oil Its more concentrated than your average spirit dye . Shoe repair wholesalers should have it . It will take about 3 coats using a cotton balls and allow 2 hours between coats . Check for any streaking but don't worry because you always do . Allow to dry for a day . Buff up the boots with a cloth or brush . You then need to moisturize. Put the boots outside in the sun to warm them and apply a leather conditioner . The warm leather will absorb the conditioner . Buff off with a cloth and repeat . You can then apply a navy blue polishing cream . Don't use a wax polish that comes in a tin , that is for a different leather . the cream polish contains color pigment , conditioner and a light wax . any streaking should be blended in and will not be noticeable . If it is we call it patina . I prefer to use a brand called Saphir for the conditioner . Its called renoveteur its a mink oiled based conditioner and is the best i have used ,Its a bit pricey but not in the big picture of things . Use a navy blue Saphir cream polish if you can get it because it is higher quality and contains more pigment . Having said that the US brand Angelus is also good . Post a before and after shot if you can . Or post a before photo so i can check it out and advise you from there .

looks like fish to me , what species ? i have no idea

Reading these comments and the dilemma of the start up speed makes me appreciate the machines i have on treadles . mind you treadles are not created equal .Not essentially true but you need the right size fly wheel to suit the machine and your purpose . My favorite combo is my Pfaff post bed with a 29K patcher treadle which has been modified into a flat bed . The secret is the smaller diameter flywheel . 12 inches .. Nice and slow for doing the curves of shoe uppers . Above all they are reliable , 100 years old and still going . You also need the right chair /stool to minimize ass and hip cramps .

Very informative video Uwe . Is that a 45mm pulley on the motor ? That Adler runs at a perfect speed for doing shoe repairs You say you have 4 motors . The next time you fit one of the motors could you please make a video of how you installed the needle positioner .

Webicons. I am a shoe maker as are you . Although i have various machines the one i use for just about all shoe uppers is a roller foot post bed machine . The advantages are to many to name but mainly accessibility it also does curves really well where as a walking foot does not . When it comes to desired features i would go for a modern one with a servo motor that may have to have a reduction wheel fitted , Must have reverse and knee lift not a foot lift . Must be compatible with the fitting of a side guide ( the drop down roller wheel type ). The size needle i use is a size 16 with a T70 (# 30) thread . As for models .well they all seem to be clones of older machines with a couple of extra features . Go for quality rather than price . Consider buying local from someone who knows the machine and has the skill to service it as well . You may get lucky and find a second hand machine with all the feature you need close by . The seiko model machine you mention is to me a bag machine not really a shoe upper machine . The compound walking foot tends to leave footprints on the leather where a roller foot leaves minimum track marks that can be ironed out anyway . Maybe watch a few YOUTUBE videos of people using a post bead machine and it will dawn on you that it will do those tricky closing maneuvers that can cause you grief some times . There is still technique involved and you have to follow an order of process as in you do certain things in a particular order . You soon enough work it out and. then it becomes a no brainer . Cowboy might be able to better recommend a machine to suit you as he is in the machine game and in your neck of the woods.

I have never seen a 31K47 however the walking foot is an attachment to the 31K basic body There are a few variations of the 31K main body .I have a 31K20 and 2 31K48's . The 31K20 is just a run of the mill dog feed straight stitcher . The 31K20 is a roller foot with a roller feed . Looking at the photos of your walking foot mechanism it looks familiar to me . I am pretty sure the walking foot mechanism is the same as the singer 132K6 . Its a beast of a machine that can sew some hardcore materials . As with a lot of singer industrial 's the parts are interchangeable with other models or in other words they share common parts . Find a manual to a 132K6 and compare the part numbers to your machine and see what they have in common . The 31K47 is was not a common machine but the 132K6 was and there are still plenty around . Spare New spare parts might be a problem so are second hand parts from a dead machine , The K6 was built so tough they just dont die . I have waited 10 years to source a part so be patient . I agree with Cowboy bob . A high step is not a bad thing . If its working then just leave it . It wont be the first machine or last machine you own . But will be a niche machine as what it was intended to be

Who did you order the 120 mm pulley from? Hey Kgg .I got the pulleys on Ebay here is the link https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/314035306394?var=612710007766 Now in hindsight i should have got a few more in various sizes just in case . I have been using poly belts instead of fixed size V belts . They are a red color ,they come in various diameters can can be cut and joined with a little insert able 2 way plug . Pretty cheap at $3-4 per meter . They stick well to the pulleys therefore no slip and have a fair bit of spring in them so things are always tight . I measure the length i need and deduct 10%.and cut it at that . So far so good . I don't do astronomical speeds or use the machines for a very long time .However if i was working a machine in a sweat shop i would go the best belt i could get .

That is so cool. I love it . Thanks KGG dikman . I ordered the parts for 1 reducer last night after reading this thread . I have 12 machines with 5 different table variations . I have a plan in mind to make a "universal" type but i might opt for maybe 3 different varieties . I want to make them aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. I will road test the first one to make sure i have the pulley combination correct to suit the machine and base the others on that I am starting off with a 45mm and a 120mm pulley combo with my motor at 100 rpm i would be somewhere in the less than one stitch per second range which is ideal for wingtips and brogue stitching on shoe uppers .

Chisel , They are the videos i was referring to . I now realize that the new servo motors are of a different type and this modification is not applicable . I guess the only option is to reduce the motor pulley size or fit a speed reduction pulley . In relation to speed reduction pulleys . Why are they so expensive . ? There is nothing to them really .By the time i get one sent to Australia i am looking at over 300 bucks . Twice the cost of a servo motor . I need about 5 of them .As i am also a mechanical engineer i might just make up my own using off the shelf components and maybe just a little machining. I think i can do it for under 100 bucks a piece . The way i see it i will need 2 pulley wheels of different sizes , shaft to suit .( might need machining ) 2 bearings and the bearing housings , some grub screws and maybe 2 hours .

I remember watching a youtube video where this guy worked out how to make a servo motor variable speed without a reduction wheel . From memory he used a specific motor which i believe was a consew brand . What he did was quite genius in that the tweek was counter intuitive and used a simple piece of paper . The basic principle of what he did was fooling the machine . The motor speed is activated with a beam of light . When the light beam is broken the motor activates . The way it is on a standard motor is a piece of metal cuts the beam and it activates the motor . What the guy did was to either replace or extend the metal with a simple piece of copy paper . For some reason the paper cutting the beam makes the motor start of slow like the accelerator on a car . I have made a half arsed effort to find the video over the last couple of weeks but i would like to do it to mine so i will have a good search and if i find it i will post it . In the meantime if anyone else finds the video please post it as i am sure 50% of us will find it handy .

I am pretty sure i saw some on aliexpress but can't find them because i don't remember what they call them However i did find these on Etsy not cheap but made in Germany. have a good look at them and i am sure you could make something functional a lot cheaper they are a simple device https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1209759850/clamp-for-upper-crimping-crimp-screw?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=shoe+maker+clamp&ref=sr_gallery-1-18&sts=1&referrer_page_guid=f6856ef47c0.979b900b7b87c285dae2.00&organic_search_click=1

I have been seeing some very nice singer glove making machines on ebay and etsy lately. They seem to all be in England . They are beautiful machines and relatively pricey .However if you can make money from them then is an investment and not a liability . Here's the link https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1209196984/singer-91k5-post-extra-small-post-bed?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=singer+sewing+machine&ref=sr_gallery-3-5&referrer_page_guid=8704821a-3ea7-4f98-ab4a-5cf46da7c7db&organic_search_click=1

Necessity is the mother of all invention . Growing up with a tight arse old man ,If you wanted something you either saved up to buy it or you stole it . To save up was a lot of work for a kid and it taught me to think laterally ,be creative ,to believe in myself and just have a go . Once i got something i looked after it well . In the process you learn a few things and i think it shapes your thought process in the long term . I am sure just about everyone on this forum can relate . This is why we make things after all . The idea is conceived in the mind then broken down into components . The process becomes apparent and you have to do what you have to do with whatever means you have to make it happen . From fixing my own push bike to working odd jobs as a kid to doing my own mechanical repairs on my first car i learned things along the way . As i mentioned that my old man was a tight arse , I did not own a new pair of shoes till i was 16 . hand me down shoes , hand me down clothes , hand me down toys ,you name it . My first pair of shoes i had made for me in a style i designed . I paid for them by selling newspapers on a street corner after school . My second new pair of shoes i made myself under the instruction of the old guy who made me my first pair . Because i was footwear challenged as a kid i was attracted to the trade . With making shoes there is a lot of machinery that tends to break down and in my part of the world no one to fix them . So i would have a look ,find the problem and come up with a plan. The hardest part is finding parts . I love an old machine and can appreciative the work it has done and the money it has made over the years . I would not go as far as to say they have a soul but there is an essence to them . From the design and function to the people who made it to the people who use it . Keep in mind these machines were conceived with a thought , drawn on paper with a slide rule and pen . The measurements were calculated in someones brain and written down. The drawings presented to a foundry and machinist and everything was done by hand and brain .No CNC machining and robotics back then . When i see i tired old machine it gets into my head . I can see what it was , what it now is and what i can make it become . The machine possesses me and if i don't know what to do, the machine reveals its secrets and what needs to be done soon becomes apparent . The machine wants to be resurrected and i have no say in it . I am just the hands and the wallet that makes it happen .Along the journey you learn things about the machine and about yourself . The end result is very satisfying but what you always remember is the journey. Whether its a sewing machine , a motorbike ,a car or what ever . I try to apply every skill i have and then some . I like beautiful things so i try to make things beautiful ,not for anyone else but for me . Some how the machine finds its way to me and together we go on the journey . Its the state of mind i get into that is like a meditation and as a result is soul redeeming . Or maybe i just have a mental illness . LOL Reading what i just wrote i got a little philosophic there but i am not deleting . In short do what you love and love what you do .

My 10 cents worth . I have been pondering the servo motor versus the clutch motor for a couple of years now . I finally took the small plunge and got a servo motor . It took me all of 2 mins to realize i should have got one years ago . The clutch motor goes way too fast and even feathering the pedal it can still get away on me if i am not concentrating. I still prefer a treadle machine for detailed shoe upper work ( yes i am old school ) but my hip gets a bit crampy these days ,Actually it always did . I have 12 machines and i am going to replace 6 of them with servo motors because i am impressed with their variable speed and high torque . Your machine looks a bit tired and is definitely an occupational health and safety hazard with all those cables hanging down . By all means get the servo motor but i don't think the foot lift would be an issue unless you are doing a lot of production work Just use the hand lever on the back till you need a foot lift . keep the air lift fitting on there just in case you ever need it . I have an Adler 69 that has a chain to pedal lift , I think your machine might have the same set up . Have a look underneath and see if you can do it that way . My prediction is you will use the machine till you are confident in your ability then look into getting a better one with all the bells and whistles therefore relegating the current machine as a spare . I would not invest to much money into it but only some time to clean it up and making it functional and presentable . The machine is bullet proof but loves a good oiling .

Hey Glen. Yes its called a hammer tone finish . There is a hardware store type enamel but it is not as nice as the powder coat . The hardware store enamel has a bigger color range but lacks the depth or texture of the powder coat . Brush painting the enamel is more effective than spray painting though . If you are aware of what you are looking at you will notice quite a lot of machinery is painted in hammer -tone. I love the stuff especially on cast iron or metal that has flaws . There is also another similar type paint that is called "ripple effect" its usually available in auto shops but has a limited color range . The ripple is in a spray can and goes on like a normal paint it starts to ripple as it dries . Shake the can well for a long time or it may not ripple consistently as i found out once . I will attach a photo of the ripple effect so you can get the jist of it . Singer did a 29k71 in black ripple effect back in the 50's . You will see it on the rocker covers on engines built around the 60's-70's. I have only ever seen it in black . I just consulted my color chart and the Hammer tone silver/black is officially called Dulux " surreal effect" Aztec silver. There is an equivalent made by Interpon ( which is the one i had done on the frame ) called "interpon ripple Hammer mystique " If you have a powder coater near by go and grab some swatches , you will be inspired for sure .

Thats a nice color , Really nice . I see the machine like this . Main body and rocker arm in the bike color , Balance wheel and hand wheel in black . Treadle frame in black with the singer logo in the body color maybe even the belt wheel in body color . All the knobs , screws and shafts and cover plates in high polish metal . The make or break is balanced proportions . Too much of one thing is boring . What makes the bike attractive is the balance of color not the color itself . The treadle frame has it own problems with color as well because it is cast iron made in a mold it has flaws that cant be ground out and they will always catch your eye and annoy the crap out of you . Therefore i suggest a powder coated hammer tone which makes the flaws invisible . The frame needs a bit of grinder work to smooth out some burrs but not really that much . Break down the frame , get it sand blasted and under coated then hammer tone black . I have attached a photo of a frame i did which is hammer toned in a black/silver . It should be available in your neck of the woods .I believe it is a dulux color . the main body of the machine will also need some body filler to smooth out the casting flaws . That is easily done by yourself To show you what i mean about color balance i will post another photo of the aqua machine in full aqua , compare it to one of my previous photos and which looks so much sexier Chroming the parts would be expensive and over kill . Follow my acid tips and go the polishing process . I can explain the process and the materials you need on a later post . Anything you learn or have to spend would always come in handy for moto-bike restoration or detailing anyway so think of it as an investment . Don't worry if you balls things up , think of it as a practice machine for the next one that comes along . There will be another .lol You don't find the machines but they seem to find you . You are then obliged to the sewing machine gods to restore the machine or you will be forever tormented . Just one of those things .lol That poor old machine was just screaming out "Please love me ". looks like a few generations of spiders have been calling it home for quite a few years . Where did you find it ? whats the back story ? A good back story is just as good as the machine so always ask .

Hey Joe ,Do you have a color in mind? I love the old school engineering and quality of workmanship of these old machine yet i am not a traditionalist when it comes to color . The way i see it is that there are 1000,s of standard black machines in the world and will be for a long time so when it comes to a new paint job i try to think outside the square and choose a color to please myself . In many cases i work backwards and discover a color i like then find a machine to paint in that color. I have already chosen a color for my next machine but do not have the machine yet . The color is a metallic orange called burnt orange . I have seen a few pick up trucks with this color and i love it . If your machine is going to be just a looker then go all the way or 'Fully Sick' as we say in Australia Consider automotive paints and their vast palate of colors . I am excited for you because i know it will give you great satisfaction when the job is done . The philosophy of my restorations is i want the person looking at the machine to get the urge to lick it because it looks so good .lol I have sent you a Private message with my email and some instruction so check you messages Cheers Tas Some 100 year old shoe makers hammers restored from rusty junk to back at working making shoes They are both George barnsley's

From left to right .A douveknakel , a doohickey and a whatchamacallit