111 Presser Feet fpr 441 Clones.

[Tim Schroeder]

Just curious as to why there's no talk about 111 size presser feet for these machines. Don't know who came up with idea of little tiny feet on one the biggest machines you can buy.  I'm sure there is a place for them, but we have taken a bigger machine and put these little, tiny feet on them. If you are sewing 277 thru 5/8" of veg tan do you not get presser foot marks with the tiny feet. If you had the blanket foot set on it would just leave different marks. Unless you had ground the teeth of the bottom of the blanket foot. The first thing I did when I got this machine was to take the blanket foot and make my own outside left foot. It is in the standard 111 position. Just a little more than .110 from the needle. A standard 111 center foot is about .220". These little tiny feet offered as the only alternative to the blanket set are .190.  I think @Patrick1 makes one smaller. It's the narrow set. That garbage in the third picture is the stock little, tiny feet with the biggest throat plate you can buy thru some 6 oz. veg tan. Cobra's stock set up. Shame on Cobra Steve for letting somebody on facebook tell everyone who bought one of his Class 3 or 4 machines that these narrow needle plates and aftermarket presser feet are a waste of time when they are actually the ONLY reason why people like me and a lot of others on this forum are even able to use these machines.  If Cobra just substituted the #25 round plate and feed dog instead of the worthless plates in the premium package he would really help his customers. Then offer the flat plate as an extra or give them @Patrick1's contact info because he has a lot of aftermarket parts that are VERY VERY USEFUL, just the opposite of what Cobra Tips and Tricks would have you believe. How about the people on facebook who aren't on LW.net where there's somebody to dispute the misinformation being spread on facebook by Cobra Tips and Tricks. 

You would have a better chance of sewing 92 thru 6 oz. with the GIANT blanket feet made to sew 415 thru horse blankets or 7/8" of nylon webbing. 

Not sure when anybody would ever choose the set up in the third picture. For any reason. That is exactly how my Cobra 4 came. Just don't see how that would EVER be the right set up to sew anything. Anybody have any suggestion. 

Should the outside foot ever be over the feed dog?  I don't think it should be able to push what you are sewing down in the feed dog slot.  

The fourth picture is sewn with my Class 26 with the little, tiny cobra center foot but I put a standard 111 outside foot. I knew from my Class 4 these little, tiny outside feet make marks in veg tan. You can see every step made by the little, tiny center foot that came stock on my 26. Imagine trying to convince a customer that's how it supposed to look.  If you had the little outside foot on, it would have marks from it as well.  And that really looks like HAMMERED cat feces. You can see in the 6th picture the pressure adj. on top is ALL the way up. One more turn it comes out. All my machines have as little pressure as you can get on the feet. 

The fifth picture is sewn with my Class 26 with standard 111 center and outside. There's not a mark in that wallet. I would tell anybody that bought my 26 to make sure you buy a standard 111 set of presser feet. You don't have to throw those little, tiny Cobra feet away, just through them in back of your acc. drawer. You might find a use for them some day. 

We have a member right here on LW.net who can and will make these if there is enough demand. I would think almost everybody who owns one of these machines would buy a set. Why wouldn't you want a set between the smallest and the biggest. 

[Tim Schroeder]

No edit button again.  I have a Mitzi compound feed machine for sale on this forum. I also have a Class 26 for sale. You can look at the sewing samples I posted and see exactly what I'm talking about. Unfinished veg tan doesn't show it near as much. As soon as you dye it and clear coat it looks like my belt in the pictures above. 

[kgg]

56 minutes ago, Tim Schroeder said:

How about the people on facebook who aren't on LW.net where there's somebody to dispute the misinformation being spread on facebook by Cobra Tips and Tricks. 

I did read that post that you are referencing and was disappointed in seeing that comment. It reminded me of well it was good enough for my great grand pap attitude. Without people like RockyAussie, Patch1 and others helping to push the boundaries too get the most versatility out of machines we would still be using treadles and machines without reverse. To me it was a little closed minded but each to their own.

kgg

[Wizcrafts]

I also would like to see more presser foot options available. One of our members is about to try using a roller foot instead of the single toe foot. We will see his results if/when he posts them. There is lots of room for aftermarket feet to go along with the feed dog/throat plates by @RockyAussie and @Patrick1.

Aside from wishing for other options, here is how I deal the foot marking issues.

1. First, reduce the presser foot pressure screw to the minimum force that keeps the leather from lifting with the ascending needle. It sometimes is easier for a 1 size larger needle to form the knots than the usual size. That translates into less foot pressure needed. This tip is from my own experience!
2. Reduce the thread tensions on the top and bottom so it is easier to pull up the knots.
3. Next, let the leather dry so it can offer resistance to the inner and outer feet trying to emboss it.
4. Be prepared to run a modeling spoon, or bone slicker, or glass slicker over the stitch line after you're done sewing.
5. Run the top thread through liquid silicon, or sewing machine oil to make it easier to bring up the knots.