Cobra class 4: Shuttle hook assembly

[DieselTech]

Guys & gals I recently bought a new cobra class 4, I would like to have at least 1 spare shuttle hook assembly. In case something happens. 

My question is: Are the shuttle hook & assemblies plug & play so to speak? 

Can 1 just swap between shuttle hook assemblies, or does each & every shuttle hook assembly need timed everytime 1 is changed? 

Thanks. Any & all help will be greatly appreciated. 

[Wizcrafts]

  On 4/4/2024 at 2:14 AM, DieselTech said:

My question is: Are the shuttle hook & assemblies plug & play so to speak? 

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Some are and some aren't. Several years ago I invested in a spare hook assembly for my 441 class machine. It was a slightly higher end aftermarket brand name hook. It only picked up the thread reliably moving forward and dropped most stitches in reverse. Try as I may, I could never get it timed properly in forward and reverse, and it has been sitting in my spare parts drawer ever since. I don't know or care why it didn't work.

I'd recommend buying any spare parts directly from the company whose name is on the machine. In your case, that's Leather Machine Company. Even then, you may have to tweak the timing to compensate for manufacturing differences.

[DieselTech]

  On 4/4/2024 at 5:09 AM, Wizcrafts said:

Some are and some aren't. Several years ago I invested in a spare hook assembly for my 441 class machine. It was a slightly higher end aftermarket brand name hook. It only picked up the thread reliably moving forward and dropped most stitches in reverse. Try as I may, I could never get it timed properly in forward and reverse, and it has been sitting in my spare parts drawer ever since. I don't know or care why it didn't work.

I'd recommend buying any spare parts directly from the company whose name is on the machine. In your case, that's Leather Machine Company. Even then, you may have to tweak the timing to compensate for manufacturing differences.

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Thanks. @Wizcrafts I was kinda figuring it was a hit & miss type thing. 

If a person was to install the spare shuttle hook assembly & the machine dont sew correctly, then there is probably a good chance it will be re-timed. 

If I install the spare shuttle hook assembly & it sews good, what would be things to do to make sure? Should I try forward stitching, then reverse & back stitch. 

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.

[kgg]

  On 4/4/2024 at 2:14 AM, DieselTech said:

Guys & gals I recently bought a new cobra class 4, I would like to have at least 1 spare shuttle hook assembly. In case something happens. 

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I would suggest that before you go installing another shuttle assembly first make sure the original setup sews properly first. When in the reverse the needle drops down into the same holes made in the forward motion. The best and simplest way is with a sheet of heavy paper and without the needle threaded.

kgg

Edited April 4, 2024 by kgg

[DieselTech]

  On 4/4/2024 at 11:06 AM, kgg said:

I would suggest that before you go installing another shuttle assembly first make sure the original setup sews properly first. When in the reverse the needle drops down into the same holes made in the forward motion. The best and simplest way is with a sheet of heavy paper and without the needle threaded.

kgg

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Thanks. I appreciate the tip on checking/testing the shuttle hook assembly. 

[DieselTech]

No my hope & thoughts was to buy another shuttle hook assembly from leather machine co.  & set it up for 138 thread. This is if it dont need re-timed from 1 shuttle hook assembly to the next. 

[JLSleather]

UNLIKELY that your machine sews back into the same holes as it made forward.  More reliable... when you get to the end, TURN THE PROJECT AROUND and sew a few holes back in FORWARD.

[dikman]

  On 4/4/2024 at 3:15 PM, DieselTech said:

No my hope & thoughts was to buy another shuttle hook assembly from leather machine co.  & set it up for 138 thread. This is if it dont need re-timed from 1 shuttle hook assembly to the next. 

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Why? I just swapped the thread, needle and bobbin from 277 to 138 and it sewed ok with only minor tweaking to allow for the variation in material thickness.

[DieselTech]

  On 4/4/2024 at 9:50 PM, dikman said:

Why? I just swapped the thread, needle and bobbin from 277 to 138 and it sewed ok with only minor tweaking to allow for the variation in material thickness.

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Thanks. I appreciate it. I keep finding with 138 thread I need to increase bobbin tension & then back my tension disc's off to almost nothing, when switching from 277 to 138 thread. 

I'm not going lie, I am a newbie to these big sewing machines. 

[DieselTech]

  On 4/4/2024 at 9:36 PM, JLSleather said:

UNLIKELY that your machine sews back into the same holes as it made forward.  More reliable... when you get to the end, TURN THE PROJECT AROUND and sew a few holes back in FORWARD.

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Thanks for the tip. So far my cobra class 4 is sewing back into the same holes in reverse. 

But I do like your tip/method a lot better, so I am going to adopt that method. 

Thanks. 

[Tim Schroeder]

You can make these machines sew backwards in the same holes. Here's 13 stitches forwards at max stitch length then backwards then forwards again. This is 2 layers of 2/3 oz. chrome tan with #138 thread using HE&P #25 needle plate and feed dog. The back looks pretty much the same. This the only machine I have been able to make stitch backwards in the same holes and the back looks like the front. Not sure how the little slide plate that comes in the top of the stitch length adjuster works but I removed it and started shimming the bottom until I got it right. 

  On 4/4/2024 at 10:08 PM, DieselTech said:

I keep finding with 138 thread I need to increase bobbin tension & then back my tension disc's off to almost nothing, when switching from 277 to 138 thread

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Just curious if you are going thru the eyelet then around the tension disc and then back thru the eyelet again like Cobra says to thread machine. That creates unwanted tension you can never get rid of. Try threading the machine without going back thru the eyelet on both the top and bottom tension disc. 

[DieselTech]

  On 4/5/2024 at 9:23 AM, Tim Schroeder said:

You can make these machines sew backwards in the same holes. Here's 13 stitches forwards at max stitch length then backwards then forwards again. This is 2 layers of 2/3 oz. chrome tan with #138 thread using HE&P #25 needle plate and feed dog. The back looks pretty much the same. This the only machine I have been able to make stitch backwards in the same holes and the back looks like the front. Not sure how the little slide plate that comes in the top of the stitch length adjuster works but I removed it and started shimming the bottom until I got it right. 

Just curious if you are going thru the eyelet then around the tension disc and then back thru the eyelet again like Cobra says to thread machine. That creates unwanted tension you can never get rid of. Try threading the machine without going back thru the eyelet on both the top and bottom tension disc. 

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Thanks for the tip & tricks on the cobra class 4. I'm glad you shared this with me. I'm glad to see this & you were willing to share it. Thanks.