Setting up your sewing machine guide for no hands sewing

[Tequila]

On 6/11/2022 at 10:42 PM, RockyAussie said:

The thread is a metric 40 (TKT69) and the needle is an 110/18 schmetz

 

Thank-you good Sir!

[CowboyBob]

On 6/12/2022 at 6:57 AM, Matt S said:

Brilliant bit of work Brian! I mostly use spring-guide feet rather than drop-down guides but think that the same idea could be applied.  Then all I need is a limit switch and servo to turn the piece when I reach the corner... 

BTW you mention overheating needles. I generally use quite waxy/oily leathers so can get away with running my machines 2000+SPM. I think the heat dissipates by evaporating/burning off some of the excess oil  but I expect that's not great for my lungs. Have you much experience with the needle cooler units? There's some neat little kits available that only switch on the air when the go pedal is down, to avoid wasting air. I'm tempted to try knocking one up with an aquarium air pump and bit of copper tube.

Yrs ago we sold some Juki 563's to a place that sewed binding on them & they wanted to go fast,the thread was burning when they stopped so we rigged up an airline that aimed @ the lower part of the needle when it was all the way up & it worked.But the air was blowing all the time.

[Matt S]

11 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

I might have to have a look into it. It sure would help at times. I think I just got into the habit of slowing down when I see the smoke forming. I make a habit of slowing down as I reach the last 6 inches or so because if you stop while it is smoking it will burn through for sure. I found by slowing down slowly I get away with it. Another thing that seems to help is running the thread through a felt kept wet with oil. That helps to reduce any glue coming up and sticking to the needle as well.

Oiled thread felts certainly help with friction and sticky glue. What oil do you use? I like silicone, but it's a swine to clean up if/when I spill it on the floor.

52 minutes ago, CowboyBob said:

Yrs ago we sold some Juki 563's to a place that sewed binding on them & they wanted to go fast,the thread was burning when they stopped so we rigged up an airline that aimed @ the lower part of the needle when it was all the way up & it worked.But the air was blowing all the time.

This is the kit I was thinking of, and while I think that College Sewing is an excellent company I'm sure similar setups are available elsewhere. The nozzle looks pretty compact and I like that it comes not only with the valve but a regulator too.
https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/ka-cns-needle-cooler-single-needle.html

Alternatively I wonder if one of those ball-joint coolant nozzles would work? Should be long enough to screw it directly onto a solenoid valve or pressure regulator mounted directly to the back of the head.

[CowboyBob]

1 hour ago, Matt S said:

Oiled thread felts certainly help with friction and sticky glue. What oil do you use? I like silicone, but it's a swine to clean up if/when I spill it on the floor.

This is the kit I was thinking of, and while I think that College Sewing is an excellent company I'm sure similar setups are available elsewhere. The nozzle looks pretty compact and I like that it comes not only with the valve but a regulator too.
https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/ka-cns-needle-cooler-single-needle.html

Alternatively I wonder if one of those ball-joint coolant nozzles would work? Should be long enough to screw it directly onto a solenoid valve or pressure regulator mounted directly to the back of the head.

It looks like the kit only fits an Adler or Pfaff,the flexible nozzle should work,we made them out of 1/4" copper tubing & fastened them to the end plate.