Consew 226 stitch length

[BrickCityBeasts]

I’m operating the Consew 226 with some success, but lots of errors.

I have two main repeated (if not constant) issues:

First is the stitch length. Set to the lowest setting of 5 (I assume thats to be 5 stitches per inch?) I get nearly 10 stitches per inch. I’ve tested by running it up to higher stitch count and it does change, but never really matches the number.

Second is the back side of the stitch… its… rough. I would include pictures but I’m having trouble getting low enough file sizes to add here. The leather seems to be compressed into the hole in the bottom feed dog by the needle so hard that it looks like the needle breaks the leather open rather than churning through (fresh needle). Added to that, I can’t seem to get top tension low enough to meet expectations and the threads almost disappear back into the leather.

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Down here in the sunshine state.

 

[CowboyBob]

36 minutes ago, BrickCityBeasts said:

I’m operating the Consew 226 with some success, but lots of errors.

I have two main repeated (if not constant) issues:

First is the stitch length. Set to the lowest setting of 5 (I assume thats to be 5 stitches per inch?) I get nearly 10 stitches per inch. I’ve tested by running it up to higher stitch count and it does change, but never really matches the number.

Second is the back side of the stitch… its… rough. I would include pictures but I’m having trouble getting low enough file sizes to add here. The leather seems to be compressed into the hole in the bottom feed dog by the needle so hard that it looks like the needle breaks the leather open rather than churning through (fresh needle). Added to that, I can’t seem to get top tension low enough to meet expectations and the threads almost disappear back into the leather.

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Down here in the sunshine state.

 

The best way to adjust this is loosen the screw in the stitch indicator,then push the button in & adjust the stitch length to full length.Then spin the indicator to the #5 & tighten the set screw on it.

[BrickCityBeasts]

10 hours ago, CowboyBob said:

The best way to adjust this is loosen the screw in the stitch indicator,then push the button in & adjust the stitch length to full length.Then spin the indicator to the #5 & tighten the set screw on it.

Thanks for the reply Bob!

I loosened the screw and rolled it back to the longest position, made the adjustment to the indicator. The number lines up in the window a better, but I'm still getting 10 stitches per inch at #5. I switched to #10 and get 17 stitches per inch. I also tried various materials and thickness all with the same result. Maybe I just misunderstood the number's meaning?

Also, the speed reducer you set me up with has been outstanding!

[CowboyBob]

@BrickCityBeasts Glad you like the reducer! You might need to adjust the reverse & foward stitch length ,foward stitch is the lower screw,loosen the locknut & turn the screw to the left,the upper screw in the pic is for reverse.You might need to ajust both so the stitch length is the same in foward & reverse.

[BrickCityBeasts]

Thanks Bob,

Getting closer. I backed that screw all the way out and realized that it wasn’t making contact even all the way in… tested with same results, so I backed the opposite screw out all the way as well… that got my front stitch to a perfect 5 spi. The reverse stitch remained at 10 spi, so I put the bottom screw all the way in again and found it made no effect on either stitch, forward remained at 5spi reverse at 10spi.

I worked the reverse lever enough times to notice that it seemed the lever wasn’t rotating the forward/reverse component as far as it looked like it should go… holding the lever down, I manually rotated the component and sure enough it turned farther until it made contact on the opposite side (lower screw which I had backed all the way out again). 
 

This I traced back to the shaft the lever is on where you can watch the shaft turning inside that component until the set screw there made contact and began to turn it, but losing easily 15% of the rotation. I’m now attempting to adjust that set screw for the better.

I’m guessing somewhere along the way the previous owner lost that reverse length adjustment and found a happy place in setting the forward stitch to match.

[CowboyBob]

@BrickCityBeasts Did you take the large screw out of this clamp? Or is it missing?

Edited February 15, 2024 by CowboyBob

[BrickCityBeasts]

I didn’t remove any… I’m not sure where one would go.

Oh wait, you meant the other picture… I guess it’s missing.

[CowboyBob]

@BrickCityBeasts

Edited February 15, 2024 by CowboyBob

[BrickCityBeasts]

Yeah, that one just appears to be missing

[BrickCityBeasts]

Success! Tightening that set screw on the lever shaft fixed the  F/R stitch length, though I imagine it’s a temporary unless I replace the missing screw Bob pointed out.

 But happy with the stitch finally!

[BrickCityBeasts]

Bob, do you know what screw I need to order before this thing comes loose again?

[CowboyBob]

20 hours ago, BrickCityBeasts said:

Bob, do you know what screw I need to order before this thing comes loose again?

Looks like screw #1365.See attached parts list.  226R-1.pdf (consew.com)