New Sewing Machine GA441 Sewing Machine

[TomE]

Thank you, @CowboyBob. No problems at present, but I have the manual and understand how the adjustment can be made. 

[Tim Schroeder]

Ok after figuring out the diameter of the needles, going from a #25 to a #21 there would be a .35mm difference and manual calls for a .25 to .35mm clearance. That would be within the tolerances. I had read you could go 3 needle sizes, but it looks like 4 is still within the manual's specs so you should be able to go from a #21 to a #25. 

You can visually see the needle in the picture move as the hook passes it. The needle is at 0 on a #23 needle so there is a .2mm deflection.  It's a #25 in a #25 Hennigan narrow plate. If I move the needle to the left to clear the hook do I have to start shimming the feed dog. Is the plate still gonna fit. 

 

 

[RockyAussie]

As long as Pats needle plate can move a little to the left when done up then you can adjust the feed dog as I show in this video -

You could also file away some on the left inner edge of the needle plate if needed.

[Doc Reaper]

On 2/1/2023 at 7:15 AM, TomE said:

Tim Schroeder said:

You are not gonna sew with a #25 needle and then change to a #21 or #20 needle without changing the inner race or at least shimming it. I don't think you are gonna sew 346 thru thick nylon webbing with a Hennigan #23 needle plate and feed dog.   Looks like the perfect solution is a different inner race for every other size needle. 

Awww crap, just when I think I can get off the short yellow bus for sewing y’all start talking about different races and shims!!!! I have a Cowboy that I have become very close with, my wife thinks the machine is “the other woman”. Somebody enlighten me on the extra races & shims please. 
and on top of the crud cold I have to deal with 76 year old plumbing in the bathroom while it’s raining  like Noah is on his way!

[Burkhardt]

13 hours ago, Tim Schroeder said:

There no shim behind the back plate. Shims would move the hook closer to the needle. 
If I move the needle over will the needle specific plates and feed dogs still work. Right now the needle is middle of the feed dog. I was trying to find the diameter of needles.  I understand it will sew 3 or 4 needle numbers down. If the hook is 0 on a #28 needle is it still gonna sew with a #20 needle without any adjustment. Machine can use #19 up to at least #28   

 

Once it's set right the only thing you should have to adjust is the tension.

[Tim Schroeder]

Yes, You are CORRECT. I zeroed the needle on the needle (250) that came with the machine and then put a 21 needle in it, and it didn't skip a stitch for 20". Sorry, I had to prove that to my hardheaded self. Hard to believe it would sew with the hook that far from the needle. 

[Tim Schroeder]

Thanks for the help @CowboyBob.  I knew I was on my own to get it going when I bought it. It was almost half what ANY dealer would sell me one for.

@DocReaper there's no different size back plates or shims. Although the manual says there's 6 different sizes. CowboyBob said if he could get a shim, it was $350. Not sure why you would ever need the shim although this machine is made in china. If the housing was machined out to far you might need one to push the back plate back over towards the needle.  I thought this was the same machine Cowboy and Cobra are selling. I saw Uwe pull the back plate out of a Cowboy machine on YouTube. That's how I learned how to get it out. The Cobra manual tells you to take it out when cleaning the shuttle area. 

 The new method of shuttle to hook clearance is really cool. You could change the clearance every time you change the needle if you wanted to. It takes less than minute to make that adjustment. I understand @TomE that you don't have to even going from a 28 to 21. But you could in a matter of a minute or less. I set my machine up to just clear a #25 needle and I know it will sew just fine with a #21 just like your machine @TomE. That adjustment should be in the manual you get from the dealer. Even if it will sew going from a 28 needle to a 21 needle you should make that adjustment. I think you could just lower the needle until it comes back up the 3/16" and make that adjustment just by pushing on the needle.  

[Tim Schroeder]

Thanks @RockyAussie I have watched that video before just forgot about it. 

[TomE]

@Tim Schroeder, sounds like you're up and running with the new machine.  Have fun with it.  I spent most of the past year hand sewing but with all the narrow plates, etc. now available I am learning to do finer sewing on my machine.  It's great to have both options.

[Tim Schroeder]

Thanks @TomE  pretty good learning experience. I had a Class 4 before the narrow plates. It just wouldn’t do what I needed to. I trade it for that 26 I have. 
Do use the narrow plates?

[Tim Schroeder]

I never would have believed you could put a #28 in it and then change to a #21 and sew with no problem. I proved it to my self without a doubt it will do it. 

[TomE]

@Tim Schroeder Yes, I've been using @RockyAussie's narrow plate for over a year and like how it feeds heavy and light materials.  Recently bought @Patrick1's extreme narrow plate/dog, and the holster plate with feed dog, to go with #21 needles that Leather Machine Co recently got back in stock.  Looking forward to trying out his narrow "in-line" foot set for raised leather pieces.   I'm going to need a heavier splitter to make purses out of the leftovers from the 9-10 oz bridle leather sides I typically work with.  

[Tim Schroeder]

I think I finally got it all right. 

[Tim Schroeder]

On 2/1/2023 at 1:14 PM, Tim Schroeder said:

Bob also sent me this.

So when I moved the needle to left, using this method, it left play in the walking foot bar.

[CowboyBob]

16 minutes ago, Tim Schroeder said:

So when I moved the needle to left, using this method, it left play in the walking foot bar.

That might be because you didn't loosen screw #31 & move part# 30 to the left.

[Tim Schroeder]

I did loosen the screw but I didn’t push that part over. One of those I D 10t errors. Thanks @CowboyBob

[Tim Schroeder]

I was watching videos of the Cowboy and Cobra machines. I had a Class 4 at one time. It sewed absolutely awesome, and I loved it. I noticed watching Pat Hennigan's videos you never saw any slack in the thread as the needle was about to make contact, I would have a little slack sometimes. Sometimes see a big loop while just sewing. I noticed in a couple of videos I saw people running these machines skipping that last thread guide. I noticed on the Cobra's the thread guide is mounted in a completely different place. I tried to mount mine there, but it wouldn't fit so I mounted it to the inside of the faceplate instead of the outside and it made a noticeable difference in the way it sewed. 

Just curious if anybody has tried this. 

[Tim Schroeder]

Just curious if anybody else thinks moving that thread guide would make any difference. 

[kgg]

37 minutes ago, Tim Schroeder said:

Just curious if anybody else thinks moving that thread guide would make any difference. 

The possible down side of moving the thread guide to the inside of the face-plate is the thread may rub on the cutout in the front of the face-plate. By moving it to the inside you did change the angle of the thread to the needle guide, making it less restrictive. A photo of the front of the face-plate would be nice to see.

kgg

[Tim Schroeder]

I think I'm thru adjusting anyway. Max stitch length forward backwards and forward again,10 stitches No skip stitches No knots. 138 in 5 to 7 oz of chrome tan. 

With the guide there the thread doesn't rub on anything, even in max stitch length position. 

[kgg]

19 minutes ago, Tim Schroeder said:

I think I'm thru adjusting anyway.

Nice clean thread path so it should be good and your results are good.

kgg

[Tim Schroeder]

On 2/2/2023 at 7:29 AM, CowboyBob said:

On 2/2/2023 at 7:28 AM, Tim Schroeder said:

DO NOT TOUCH THIS!!!

This is where@Uwe is adjusting the timing of the hook in his video posted on this forum right now. When CowboyBob posted this, it was way to late, I had already done it just like Uwe told me to in the video. It's the same video I was using to set up my machine.  The pointer and 2 dots on the handwheel make it much easier and faster to make the adjustments. It's where the Juki manual tells you to adjust the timing.  Is that the engineer's manual everybody talks about. Cobra manual and the manual that came with my machine says do it in the front. Yet nobody who actually knows will come on here and clear this up. aaronthearcher"s machine got out of whack and needed adjusting. Anybody know what the Cowboy manual says. Probably says do it in the front since Bob posted this.