Search the Community

Got my narrow foot set and feed dog set from @Patrick1 at HEP My ferdco didn’t come with a feed dog or plate. And also the narrow foot I have wasn’t open for visibility in the front of the toe. Patrick’s sets are beautifully made. Haven’t sewn more than a bunch of scrap yet as I just installed them but I really like having the feed dog for more positive feeding. I got the #25 set since I often sew heavier goods but I may get a narrow feed dog set soon. Over all a big improvement from the stock ferdco and I like it better than the cobra foot set I tried. The feed dog brings the most improvement in my opinion and since it’s beveled and polished doesn’t seem to mark much at all. Wouldn’t hesitate to get a set of you have a ferdco or any juki 441 clone without a feed dog.

This is a general question, that relates to a more "normal" sewing machines with ordinary drop feet (not walking foot). Most people with some knowledge of sewing machines know about, that the timing of the hook in relation to the needle is important. But the timing of the feed dog are not an issue in the domestic sewing maschine service manuals, that I have seen. I have checked the five sewing machines i got, and they all have a similar timing of the feed dog, and it seems to me that the timing is about 30 degrees late. I think that the designers of sewing machines must have a reason for that, I just like to know why. For domestic sewing machines, there may be some jobs of soft fabrics of high thickness, that a user may like to use the machine for. But this seems not made possible by the chosen timing. I made this video about the issue. I hope someone here may have an answer to the question - why the normal feed dog timing is like that? The cover picture of the video shows the measured position of the feed dog of my Singer 201k.

(I’m both a new leatherworker and a new sewing machine user so be careful not to underestimate my ignorance of either!) I purchased a Techsew 2750 before Christmas and have had a lot of fun creating a few handbags and smaller items with thinner leather. My problem, at this point, is that I want to sew thicker leather - for example, sewing two 1/8” thick pieces of veg-tanned leather - where both sides of the leather will be visible. When I do, the stitching seems satisfactory on both sides. However, the feed dog leaves fairly aggressive marks on the underside. And the presser foot leaves slight tracking on the upper side. I assume I can reduce the presser foot marks by reducing the presser foot pressure. But I haven’t figured out a way to reduce the dog feed impressions on the other side. Is this possible? Or do I need to learn to live with it?

As my new "monster" Adler 205/370, will be sewing thicker and larger items, I have bought an Adler 169/373 for thinner leather and material work. I spent most of the day trying to work out why the feed dog did not rise and fall as it should. Turns out that my machine was originally set up for binding, so the feed dog only moves back and forth.Thanks to a nice gentleman on the other end of the phone at Durkopp Adler for that info. To replace all the parts to make the feed dog rise and fall is going to cost several hundred pounds,(unless someone here has these items available used??) so my question is-what are people's opinions on what if any problems am I going to come across, or things that will be difficult to do, if I leave the feed dog as it is?

Can you help? Chicago member here and NEW on this machine, which I inherited from my mom. I'm a lifetime seamstress (about 38 years, I guess). Machine was not used for about 35 years so I oiled it up, all seemed fine, I knocked out a quilt, but then it seems to be sewing BACKWARDS. Feed dog issue? HELP! I've only used regular machines all my life so go easy on me, assume I'm a total beginner on this machine because I AM! Please help, I'm tearing my hair out.

So I have a Techsew 3650 HD that I haven't used in about 2 years because the feed dog leaves the ugly tracks on the underside of my work (I'm only using 5 oz. Leather) I was wondering if anyone has ever filled those grooves on the feed dog with epoxy or another sealant and whether or not that would still pull the leather through but without the gaudy tracks underneath? If not that, is there another way to avoid leaving the tracks?

Help guys! I'm in a time crunch and after 5 hours of trying to figure out what's wrong, I"m going crazy. Here's what happened: I replaced my hook and shuttle, and while the needle was just barely grazing the hook tip, it worked fine for about a week. I then started breaking needles, and my timing got off. So I opened her up. I loosened the three screws on the main wheel, and adjusted the timing. In the process I took of my bottom feed dog but put it back on. My timing is fine now, but my feed dogs are off. My stitch length is much shorter than normal, and no matter how I adjust the bottom feed dog plate (up and down) it's just not working right.... I fear that while trying to adjust the timing and loosening a few "other screws" (including the cylinder to the left of the big timing gear- altho i tightened it back up), I really messed up my feed. I have a Cowboy 227R (cylinder arm) and while i cant find anything online for it specifically, I've been looking at the Consew 227 which I think is a very similar/same machine? However I still cannot find a solution. My nearest repair option is a few hours away and I'm desperate here. ANY help you can offer is appreciated! Thanks so much everyone- Erin

Hi Guys Ive been looking at a few used machines lately and wondering if the needle plate, feed dog and cylinder cover plate for the pfaff 335, Seiko LSC and the consew 277 are interchangeable? Thanks. Marjan

I have an Adler 67 GK373. I'm using 138 thread top and bottom with 134-35LR size 21 needle. I'm sewing 6-7 oz vegetable tanned leather. Everything works fine until it is time to turn. Normally you would turn the work with the needle down but when I do that the bobbin thread ends up pulling through on the surface. So I have been running a number of tests trying to figure out why this is. It is probably worth mentioning that when I lift my foot there is not an automatic tension release on this machine. It has a thumb tension release lever. So here is what appears to be happening. The feed dog has a groove running in line with the direction of the sewing. It also has serrated teeth on each side of that groove. When I stop with the needle down and release the foot, the leather stays down snug against the feed dog. In fact the feed dog is in its highest position at this point and sets proud of the needle plate. When I turn the leather the bobbin thread hangs up on the feed dog serrations and a little bit gets pulled out of the bobbin, thereby changing the tension on the bottom thread for the next stich. So my work around is to turn work just after the needle has excited the leather. There is tension on the top and bottom, because the stich is being pulled tight. When I lift the foot the leather is a hair breadth above the foot dog because of the tension of the upper and lower threads. And also the thread is directly inline with the feed dog hole, so when I turn the work it doesn't catch. This is slower and my first stitch after the turns varies ever so slightly in length, but I don't get the knot pulling through to the top of the work. So I was wondering, if anybody else has had this problem and if there were different type of feed dogs that I should be looking into? In fact I woul appreciate any suggestion for the type of foot, feed dog, and needle plate I should be using to sew 1/4 inch thick leather for holsters. Thanks.Scott