Bernina 217 advice

[Runamuck]

Hello everyone, 

I've been wanting a machine to do lighter materials than what my Cowboy 4500 is ideal for, and came home yesterday with an early 217 in a table with the cam box on the back. Came with boxes full of feet and plates and a bunch of stuff I don't even know what it is for. I am thinking light leather, Cordura, and waxed and non waxed canvas. What size and type of threads should i be using for these materials?  Alot of 287wh 120 and 287 1738 needles in the box; are these any good for what I want to do? I have no thread other than the big stuff for my Cowboy, so will have to order some; what do I need that will stand up for outdoor and hunting projects? Best sources?  I'm also wondering where I could get some pattern cams for the back of this machine. There is one on it with # 21 on it, I don't know what that means. Hope I didn't make a dumb purchase, but the price was right. I would like to put a servo motor on it, as the speed of this thing looks scary. Any advice or input as where to start with this thing would be greatly appreciated. There is an impressive wealth of knowledge here so figured this was the place to ask. Thank you.

[suzelle]

Hello Runamuck,

The Bernina 217 is a really nice machine. The one with the cam box on back and the cams are a bit harder to find. I used to have a Chandler 217, which is basically the same machine. I recall that the hook was very expensive at one point, as mine had broken and I was having a hard time with the idea of spending hunddreds of dollars to replace it, so ended up selling. Then a Company called "Global" started making that model machine again, and the prices on the hooks came down quite a bit. So search for Global and see if any parts are interchangeable for the Bernina 217 you have. I think your machine has a fairly long stitch and a fairly wide zig zag stitch, which is nice. For weight of thread, I think I was using v69 poly. It may take a heavier thread, not sure if you would have to put a heavier weight tension spring and/or other beefier arts on it to handle heavier threads, but something to consider anyhow. If you got a good price on that machine and it runs, I think you got a nice machine for light to mid-weight leathers and canvas work.

[Runamuck]

If I were to order some v69 polyester thread, is there a brand that's better than others for strength or longevity? Will my size 120/19 needles will work with that size of thread? There are a few needles in sizes 14, 16, 18 also. With no thread, I ran the machine by hand through doubled 3-4 oz veg tan scrap and it seemed to go through like butter. I did notice the cord prongs are worn and corroded very thin, so that will have to be first thing. When I got home I felt some resistance rolling by hand; opened to clean and lube and found it was plum full of dog food! Evidently,  someone was using it for a home. Cleaned and lubed everything runs nice and smooth without thread.

[Tejas]

I had a Bernina 217 with a cam reader that I wish I'd kept. The original cams were steel, but I found an after-market for some kind of plastic-like cams that worked quite well . Most of the cams are decorative-stitch cams, but there are two cams you might be interested in -- a three-point two-stitch zig-zag and a four-point three-stitch zig-zag. Both are used for sail making. I'll try to find and post a link to the vender later.

I had a few manuals that went with the machine -- Adjustment Manual, Instruction Book, Owner's Book, and Parts Book. I had scanned the books and if you're interested, send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you copies.

Edited January 8, 2023 by Tejas

[Wizcrafts]

8 hours ago, Runamuck said:

If I were to order some v69 polyester thread, is there a brand that's better than others for strength or longevity? Will my size 120/19 needles will work with that size of thread?

Actually, a #18 (metric 110) needle is best for v69 (T70) bonded thread. I would only use a #19 needle if the machine struggles to pull up the knots with a #18 needle.

[Runamuck]

Thank you for your input guys, I ordered a couple spools of v69 bonded poly from amazon; hopefully it's ok. Are there any brands you prefer? I hope to at least get it spooled up and make sure it works within a few days. If anyone knows where to find some cams, please let me know.  

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, Runamuck said:

Thank you for your input guys, I ordered a couple spools of v69 bonded poly from amazon; hopefully it's ok. Are there any brands you prefer?

I use a variety of brands, some of which are listed below.

• Cowboy bonded thread from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines
• Superior bonded thread
• Amann Strong-Bond from Wawak.com
• QTC Hi-Spec thread
• Miscellaneous brands from The Thread Exchange
• An occasional spool of Weaver bonded thread

With all of these brands, there are bound to be good spools and bad spools. A good spool is well bonded, but not coily like a spring. The bonded thread should stay together when you clip the end with a proper thread snipper (aka: Wiss). If you buy a brand that works well, stick with it as much as possible. If a brand keeps separating, move on.

[sandmanred]

Maybe picking up a dead thread but I too just picked up a Chandler 217 with the cam box but only one cam.  I'd really like to find the 3 and or 4 point zig-zag cams if anybody knows of a source?

[Tejas]

Global makes what seems to be a Bernina 217 clone with a cam reader. The video in the link below shows the machine sewing multipoint zig-zag stitches.

https://globalsew.com/product/zz-217-series/

Here is a link to the zz-217 Service Manual that shows a picture of one of the cams, that might be compatible. Perhaps you might try contacting Glogalsew.

https://globalsew.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/service-manual-Global-217.pdf

[Quade]

Neat looking machine.