picked up my Cowboy 4500

[bladegrinder]

Picked up my 4500 today I bought from Toledo industrial, had it shipped to a truck depot and save a lot of money. pickup went smooth and no damages.

took it home and got it together. note: this friggin thing is heavy, it was going straight into my shop from the truck, it's best if two people manhandle these things but after I got the stand off the truck and the castor wheels on it, the stand was almost level with my tailgate - I pulled my truck right into my shop - then I just manhandled the machine onto the stand and bolted it down.

First, this is just one good looking machine. got it all set up and ran off a couple pieces of three layer 7 oz. then made a little adjustment to the stitch size and speed at the motor control.

man, this thing is sweet!  I hand stitched my sheaths for over 30 years and never ran a machine until today and just my first couple practice pieces looked great. I'll probably have a few knife sheaths to stitch up next week, I'll post pics.

[Dwight]

I got the table attachment with mine . . . loosened up those height adjustment bolts . . . let it ALL THE WAY DOWN.

Then . . . I removed the two pedals . . . re-drilled the mounting holes for them . . . moved them as far back as I could on the platform.

Got me a stool . . . and life is so much better.

I also got this   https://www.ebay.com/itm/164394345099?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649    to hold extra spools of thread . . . was cheap enough  . . . and I've got all my most used threads out front there . . . just grab the end and thread it.

You'll really like that if you are any relation to me . . . one heck of a great machine.

Holler at me some day if you get interested in doing some smaller stuff and start thinking about another machine.  There's an attachment you can get from Australia for a hundred bucks . . . lets you do small cases with thinner thread . . . etc.  Makes your machine a WHOLE BUNCH more useful.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Northmount]

@bladegrinder Moved your post to Leather Sewing Machines

[dikman]

Bladegrinder, it's a bit like comparing a small car to a muscle car -  as you Yanks are fond of saying, there's nothing like cubic inches! As Dwight mentioned, get the modified needle pale and feed dog from RockyAussie on here, it will let you use from #138 thread up. In my opinion it should be the standard fitting on these machines as it makes them far more versatile.

[bladegrinder]

Thanks guys, I did order and have the narrow plate and feed dog, I'll probably install it this weekend.

Edited July 13, 2022 by bladegrinder
speling

[dikman]

[Handstitched]

On 7/13/2022 at 9:31 AM, bladegrinder said:

this friggin thing is heavy

Yeh, don't we all know it  

For me, that height is too high, I'm short anyway , but a chair or stool will come in handy, as @Dwight mentioned standing up to sew is not good. Get a good strong one ....o'h, and a good  adjustable light.

Congratulations on your purchase . 

Good luck and happy sewing with your new machine   

HS

[RockyAussie]

11 hours ago, Handstitched said:

For me, that height is too high, I'm short anyway

Gotta get your eyes checked mate. Even his fold up table has extended legs and that beautiful machine already has a good adjustable light. Only thing missing as yet I can see is a drop down guide in place.

 

11 hours ago, Handstitched said:

Congratulations on your purchase . 

Good luck and happy sewing with your new machine   

Double ditto on that.

@bladegrinder on the back of the head you may see 2 screw holes already waiting for a drop guide as this pic below shows. I just finished modding a heap of these guides up for them so they can be a straight bolt on.

Edited July 14, 2022 by RockyAussie

[Tequila]

@bladegrinder congrats on your new machine.  I think you dun did good and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!

[Doc Reaper]

It’s fan-effin-tastic, congrats on a smart purchase! I have one that was made without the two pre drilled holes for a drop down. When you see fit get a flat bed and the in-line presser foot from Uve Gross. 
just so you know it’s ready to sew 3/4 of an inch thick items when ever you are ready (something I found out 7 years after purchase) 

[bladegrinder]

1 hour ago, Tequila said:

@bladegrinder congrats on your new machine.  I think you dun did good and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!

Thanks, yea I'm liking it alot. one issue I had - I assume cause I don't know anything about sewing...is when I would reverse, sometimes I would get a jam in the bobbin area. then after running in slow motion I noticed what happens is when the needle comes all the way up and rests the lever continues to pull the thread up, once it appears taught I then switch to reverse and never had that problem again.

it is fun just practicing on scrap and I think I'm ready to do a couple sheaths next week. I'm thinking of going with a right paddle foot in the future so I don't leave any marks on any border stamping, or possibly an inline foot.

One other thing, I noticed in some videos the operator can hand turn the wheel relatively easy. mine is tight and really hard to turn, looking under the table the speed reducer is adjusted to the far end for loosening the belt, I'm thinking of a longer belt and then adjust the reducer so I can turn the wheel easier to sight the needle right where I want it. am I on track with that idea? the belt now is really tight.

Rocky, the sliding adjuster came with my machine and it seems like it should work me.

Handstitched, I have an adjustable stool and it seems to be working for me pretty good, I just have to be careful where I put my big feet around those pedals.

[dikman]

Rocky, it sounds like you're running a bit of a sideline, going into the accessory manufacturing business for 441 clones.

[Handstitched]

On 7/15/2022 at 7:41 AM, RockyAussie said:

already has a good adjustable light

Its ' camouflaged'  in with the black fabric   . Should have gone to ' spec savers'   

HS

[RockyAussie]

On 7/15/2022 at 12:59 PM, dikman said:

Rocky, it sounds like you're running a bit of a sideline, going into the accessory manufacturing business for 441 clones.

Yeah it does a bit. When I see that I need something better and I work out a solution I figga a few other could use the same thing also so I just share it around.

 

3 hours ago, Handstitched said:

Its ' camouflaged'  in with the black fabric   . Should have gone to ' spec savers'   

HS

That's alright mate. Friend of mine awhile back ran his Harley into the side of a bus. His missus said "How did you do that?" he replied he didn't see it. Quick as a wit she holds one hand in front of her eyes and moves her other arm around and said "BUS... WHAT BUS" Twas a bit hard not to laugh at him lying down in that hospital bed all wrapped up an all. 

[Tequila]

On 7/14/2022 at 8:24 PM, bladegrinder said:

 

One other thing, I noticed in some videos the operator can hand turn the wheel relatively easy. mine is tight and really hard to turn, looking under the table the speed reducer is adjusted to the far end for loosening the belt, I'm thinking of a longer belt and then adjust the reducer so I can turn the wheel easier to sight the needle right where I want it. am I on track with that idea? the belt now is really tight.

.

I think I’d try taking the belt off and try turning the wheel by hand and make sure that it’s the belt.  If you do find that the belt is the problem call TechSew they should be able to set you up with a better fitting belt. 

4 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

That's alright mate. Friend of mine awhile back ran his Harley into the side of a bus. His missus said "How did you do that?" he replied he didn't see it. Quick as a wit she holds one hand in front of her eyes and moves her other arm around and said "BUS... WHAT BUS" Twas a bit hard not to laugh at him lying down in that hospital bed all wrapped up an all. 

Now that’s funny!  Gotta love a woman with a sense of humor 

[Northmount]

On 7/14/2022 at 7:24 PM, bladegrinder said:

the operator can hand turn the wheel relatively easy

Some servo motors have a brake.  It may release if you press down on the pedal a bit.  Some fellows have disconnected the brake.  If you do a search here, you may find those posts with more info.

[bladegrinder]

I found the brake, it's right behind the cover. looks like a smart car brake pad. so it's directly connected to the go peddle lever, to disengage it regardless if the motor is powered up or not just takes about

a 1/2" press of the peddle and the wheel turns easily. I left it in place now that I know that's all it takes to operate the wheel by hand.

I'm still practicing on scrap and will probably do some sheaths next week. since I'm starting to feel comfortable with it now I ran this thru it and the machine acted like it was just stitching a couple layers,

I was impressed...this is seven layers of seven ounce. I goofed in a couple spots but hey, practice. practice, practice.

 

[dikman]

Yep, it's very impressive when you sew through the max that you can squeeze under the feet, it treats it the same as the minimum thickness - no effort!

[bladegrinder]

I know one thing...you'd never hand stitch this

I'm really liking this machine!

[Handstitched]

11 hours ago, bladegrinder said:

I was impressed...this is seven layers of seven ounce

I couldn't help myself but see how thick it can sew  when I first got mine . I just wanted to see if the ad in the magazine matched the performance....and the chunk of leather under the foot when it arrived ..Yup  around the 21-22mm . Ye Gods !!! ....  it blew me away . I went slow . 

I've never had a job that needed that thickness, but nice to know it can do it. 

On 7/15/2022 at 9:24 AM, bladegrinder said:

One other thing, I noticed in some videos the operator can hand turn the wheel relatively easy.

Although I don't have a servo, I have found that it will turn better after use ( warmed up perhaps? ) but harder to turn  when cold. Strange. 

Have fun  

HS

[Tequila]

Ok, Ok, I’m officially jealous now.  

[Wizcrafts]

The most thickness I have sewn on my Cowboy cb4500 is 1 inch, in January of 2015. I had to increase the height of the presser foot and reduce the alternating height. I think I also removed the feed dog and curved throat plate and installed the thin slotted needle plate. It was difficult and left some top and bottom drag marks that I was able to smooth out.

The photos show the holster I sewed along the outside edge, which with the inside welts measured 1 inch along the stitch line.

[RockyAussie]

Hey @Wizcrafts, You did not stitch that 1" part that close to the edge when you sewed it did you? It was sanded back after stitching somewhat was it not? I hate to think of the consequences of trying to go that close to the edge on anything near that thick, especially for a beginner.

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, RockyAussie said:

Hey @Wizcrafts, You did not stitch that 1" part that close to the edge when you sewed it did you? It was sanded back after stitching somewhat was it not? I hate to think of the consequences of trying to go that close to the edge on anything near that thick, especially for a beginner.

No! lol

The edge stitching was about 1/4 inch in. Then I sanded, slicked and dyed the welted area.

[bladegrinder]

Well after some practice on this machine I did a knife sheath. I've never done a pancake style so that's what I tried for a small skinner I finished recently. first, the design is a little off with the vertical stitches not close enough to the knife so I ended up with bad retention. lesson learned. I messed up one of the stitches on the top left going around the belt cut out, and lastly... there's not a 2" oblong punch available on the planet right now so I tried hole punches and cutting them out with a razor.  that doomed this to some kind of tool holder for around the shop but things are going to get better each time I get on this machine I can feel it. I've got a pile of scraps with all kind of mistakes so I'm learning!