Searching for a 3/8” gauge set for Mitsubishi LT2-230

[pgc]

Hi all! I just received bought a dual needle, needle feed machine. It is a Mitsubishi LT2-230 BIT. It has a one piece needle bar (no split ) and a thread trimmer (I explain why this matters below)

I’m looking for a 3/8” gauge set. I’ve searched the internet exhaustively, including  this forum. Here’s what I’ve found. The Singer 212 style fits the model 220 (like mine, but with no trimmer) but does not fit my model with the trimmer. The parts book has a table for gauge parts and it includes part numbers for the needle clamp (DN260-20) and presser foot (DN275-20). Unfortunately, it says “Special” for the feed dog and needle plate, and I don’t know what to do with that. My local industrial shop is also stumped, but they don’t sell Mitsubishi, so I understand.

Do any of you happen to know what gauge set fits this machine?

Thanks in advance!

[Constabulary]

can you post a picture of your gauge set so we know how yours looks like and compare it with a 212 gauge set. maybe it´s just a minor difference and the 212 set can be modified. Just a guess.

[pgc]

10 hours ago, Constabulary said:

can you post a picture of your gauge set so we know how yours looks like and compare it with a 212 gauge set. maybe it´s just a minor difference and the 212 set can be modified. Just a guess.

Thank you! The photos appear to be too large to post directly. I’m posting several close ups to this link on Imgur.

https://imgur.com/a/C5kw13i

[pgc]

Also, now that I look closely, I note that the presser foot and needle plate have both been ground. I’m not sure what they looked like to start with. Adding a couple close ups to the album above. 
 

I’m going to get my hands on a 212 gauge set today and compare side-by-side.  

[Constabulary]

that to me looks like a plain 212 set, foot looks a bit different but I would give the 212 set a try. They do not cost much on Ebay or so.

EDIT:

when I look closer I think the needle plate underside is different - I guess because of the thread trimmer knife.

BTW - the needle plate may have a longer cut out for the feed dog. The 212 I have just has 5 SPI and I guess your may have a longer stitch length. Not sure though. But that could make a difference too.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Constabulary

[pgc]

I got my hands on a 3/8” gauge set for a Singer 212. With the exception of the needle clamp, it does not appear to fit. The Singer presser foot is 1/2” too tall. The needle plates have the screw hole on the front and the recessed bit on the rear edge different relative positions, and the feed dog screw holes attach to a different part of the piece (it attaches lower on mine, meaning my feed dog sits about 1/4” higher.

I’ve attached a picture of the sets side by side in the album here:

https://imgur.com/a/C5kw13i

I’m going to keep looking and will check back here to see if any new info is posted. 
 

Thanks!

Edited July 28, 2022 by pgc

[Constabulary]

I don´t know how your machine looks or how it is setup (maybe with bells & whistles?) but usually you can raise the presser foot bar. The position of the screw holes may look different cause the needle plate is wider at the 3/8 plate. Hard to tell from the picture but the feed dog height should be measured from the bottom side of the screw hole and not from its bottom end. But again I only can guess cause I´m not in front of your machine.

Keep in mind that you have to move the two hook saddle sideways when using the 3/8 gauge.

BTW - this was my Singer 212G141 project.

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by Constabulary

[CowboyBob]

Here's a better parts listhttps://www.supsew.com/download/Mitsubishi/Mitsubishi LT2-2230.pdf with the # for the BIT model the feed dog is #MN52K1104,plate MN52K1101,foot MN26K1105,ndl clamp MN57K1102 ,if I remember correctly no other brand will interchange.We can order them if you want.

[pgc]

5 hours ago, Constabulary said:

I don´t know how your machine looks or how it is setup (maybe with bells & whistles?) but usually you can raise the presser foot bar. The position of the screw holes may look different cause the needle plate is wider at the 3/8 plate. Hard to tell from the picture but the feed dog height should be measured from the bottom side of the screw hole and not from its bottom end. But again I only can guess cause I´m not in front of your machine.

Keep in mind that you have to move the two hook saddle sideways when using the 3/8 gauge.

BTW - this was my Singer 212G141 project.

 

Thank you! I think I could adjust things to get some of this to fit. But I can’t see how the feed dog is going in. 

The project you posted looks awesome. I’m going to read that thoroughly and perhaps try it down the road. 
 

Thank you!

3 hours ago, CowboyBob said:

Here's a better parts listhttps://www.supsew.com/download/Mitsubishi/Mitsubishi LT2-2230.pdf with the # for the BIT model the feed dog is #MN52K1104,plate MN52K1101,foot MN26K1105,ndl clamp MN57K1102 ,if I remember correctly no other brand will interchange.We can order them if you want.

Hi there and thank you! I’d like to follow up with you about ordering. What’s the best way to reach you?

[Constabulary]

1 hour ago, pgc said:

Hi there and thank you! I’d like to follow up with you about ordering. What’s the best way to reach you?

https://www.tolindsewmach.com

 

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by Constabulary

[Josh518]

Hello!   Were you able to order the parts and how much were they?  I have a couple Mitsubishis and I found the same problem for some selected parts. 

[CowboyBob]

11 hours ago, Josh518 said:

Hello!   Were you able to order the parts and how much were they?  I have a couple Mitsubishis and I found the same problem for some selected parts. 

The parts are crazy high $$ the above parts are $728.00

[pgc]

On 11/19/2022 at 8:26 PM, Josh518 said:

Hello!   Were you able to order the parts and how much were they?  I have a couple Mitsubishis and I found the same problem for some selected parts. 

Hi! Sorry, but I did not see this question until now.

I did not order OEM parts. As noted earlier, they are very expensive.

I ordered this feed dog, needle plate, and needle clamp for a Juki LH-3578A-7, as it appeared to have the correct dimensions. It fits perfectly and I am now running a 3/8” gage. It was $32 USD.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144330362304?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=srvQhjPuSfm&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=6ukoqdfzqwq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[Constabulary]

@pgc That is a great information - I love figuring what parts are interchangeable between different brand machines. Often the Japanese brands and a lot of nowadays Chinese made machines seem to have a very similar "standard" (if not the same) and are often Singer based.

The gauge set you linked (just from looking at it) looks pretty much like the Singer 212 Gauge sets.

Thanks!