Need advice for Singer 29-4

[t20sl]

My 29-4 was well maintained and not worn in any common areas.  I tried some light naugahyde upholstery  material and it seems to cause the top fabric piece to slightly gather.  Have tried different adjustments on foot tension but makes no difference.  Any ideas?  Sews leather saddlebag material great though I wish it had a longer stitch.  I get about 7-7.5 to the inch.

Edited July 21, 2023 by t20sl

[ljk]

"ken's life singer 29k13" google or needlebar. Good article with images.  If it sews but has short spi or foot not lifting high this will help. Shimming ladder gears can improve hook rotation.  Make sure the bushing on the cam rotates smooth. I would think the experts will post. You can buy 1mm shimstock at NAPA

 

[chrisash]

The 29 series is not designed for light fabrics, That's like using a 40 ton lorry as a taxi

Edited July 22, 2023 by chrisash

[Wizcrafts]

You have two things going against you when you sew thin or flexible materials. 1: the feed is strictly on top. 2: the gap between the toes is too wide to hold down the material as the needle comes up with the two threads overlapped.

Here's what you can try to do. 1: use the thinnest needle and thread combination that will secure the seams. 2: Add some liquid steel between the legs to reduce the width of the gap. It would be safer to do that to a new, aftermarket foot than an original Singer foot. File the gap smooth and use Emory cloth to slightly radius the top, and smooth out the bottom. Also, reduce the bobbin and top tensions to the minimum that will form a decent stitch that lays tight on the material.