Weird and frustrating obstacle Setting up shoe patcher

[Annikita]

Apologies if this has been covered in previous threads but....I couldn't find them.

I was all prepared to set up my much-anticipated and very cheap Chinese Shoe Patcher this evening, but I've run into trouble very early - considering the lack of info available on this particular issue, I'm guessing it's either not common or I'm missing something obvious. (Normally I'm pretty handy, but tinkering with sewing machines is a bit new to me.)

I'm trying to mount the hand wheel - I realize where the inner/outer bearers are supposed to go (as well as the small niche) but....I think the inner bearer is in the wrong place? I'll attach a photo. There are some screws to the left of it that I thought perhaps might shift some pieces, but so far none of my tools can budge them.

Help would be VERY appreciated. My new hip bag isn't going to sew itself!

[Wepster]

I am sorry, I do not understand the problem, not do I see any screws.

A wild guess, yes there is a notch that fits over the protrusion on the shaft, then the roller to the left must fit in the groove on the back of the wheel, as does the roller on the shiny bar above, that is what drives the machine. If you already know this, please forgive me, I am not trying to be snarky, I just do not understand your question.

Edited April 30 by Wepster

[chuck123wapati]

there are two grooves in the hand wheel the lower bearing goes in the smaller inner groove the arm bearing goes in the larger outer groove. the two bolts adjust the timing. you may have to adjust that but not right now, It appears you have a c clamp holding the main shaft you need to move that to fit the wheel and bolt the machine to a table.

There are tons of you  tubes on adjusting and using this thing just look for Chinese shoe patcher.

[Mulesaw]

@Annikita I think that the two bolts/nuts on the left of the sliding bar are for adjusting the timing of the shuttle. So I wouldn't start moving those around yet. My guess is that the machine is set at some coarse adjustment so that it should be possible to sew with it. But you could make small adjustments with the timing later.

To me it seems as the inner bearing is in the correct place. It is supporting the shaft and it is held in the main casting, so that looks good. as @Wepster says, the two smaller bearings should most likely go into a groove on the backside of the wheel. 

Did the machine come with an installation manual or some sort of assembly instructions?

Brgds Jonas

[chuck123wapati]

i can shoot some pictures if you need them.

[Garyak]

10 hours ago, Annikita said:

Apologies if this has been covered in previous threads but....I couldn't find them.

I was all prepared to set up my much-anticipated and very cheap Chinese Shoe Patcher this evening, but I've run into trouble very early - considering the lack of info available on this particular issue, I'm guessing it's either not common or I'm missing something obvious. (Normally I'm pretty handy, but tinkering with sewing machines is a bit new to me.)

I'm trying to mount the hand wheel - I realize where the inner/outer bearers are supposed to go (as well as the small niche) but....I think the inner bearer is in the wrong place? I'll attach a photo. There are some screws to the left of it that I thought perhaps might shift some pieces, but so far none of my tools can budge them.

Help would be VERY appreciated. My new hip bag isn't going to sew itself!

Nothing is wrong with the machine. Turn the shaft till the rocker arm Bering lines up with its slot, and the slot on the shaft lines up. You gotta work with it. You cannot hurt that thing so don’t worry about breaking something. 

[Annikita]

20 hours ago, Mulesaw said:

@Annikita I think that the two bolts/nuts on the left of the sliding bar are for adjusting the timing of the shuttle. So I wouldn't start moving those around yet. My guess is that the machine is set at some coarse adjustment so that it should be possible to sew with it. But you could make small adjustments with the timing later.

To me it seems as the inner bearing is in the correct place. It is supporting the shaft and it is held in the main casting, so that looks good. as @Wepster says, the two smaller bearings should most likely go into a groove on the backside of the wheel. 

Did the machine come with an installation manual or some sort of assembly instructions?

Brgds Jonas

It didn't come with anything, but I found a manual for the same type of machine on Scribd, as well as some diagrams/videos etc. 

[Annikita]

20 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

i can shoot some pictures if you need them.

That would actually be helpful - I realize the bearings are supposed to fit into the slots at the back of the wheel, but the inner bearing appears to be too far away from where the wheel is attached....

[Mulesaw]

Just now, Annikita said:

It didn't come with anything, but I found a manual for the same type of machine on Scribd, as well as some diagrams/videos etc. 

OK, I am pretty sure that those Chinese patchers are more or less the same, so the manual you have found should be good.

Brgds Jonas

[Wepster]

The bearing on the shaft looks fine it the pic. just behind the the little protruding screw that the notch in wheel fits over. Did you fit the wheel notch over that?

[Wepster]

Does anyone other than me wonder if this post is a legit inquiry?

[Wyowally]

Oh, I think it is legit. As a very successful owner of one of these things, I've spent a lot of time getting mine right and trying to help others. There are many people with limited leather and sewing experience who buy them hoping they are a shortcut to getting away from hand sewing, or will help them get started on the cheap. There is a lot of frustration and disgust expressed by those hoping for plug and play. I believe our poster is legit and sincere, and just trying to tap whatever resources can be found to get it going. Success depends on the person and attitude, willingness to learn and listen and spend the time it takes. Many machines have been dumped or trashed. Others have been turned into smooth working motorized acceptable units by those with a lot of patience, money, and ambition. I haven't gone that route - mine does the limited non-production work I want without trying to make it something it is not. I try to follow advice from a friend - "just stay in your lane". !

[chuck123wapati]

7 hours ago, Annikita said:

That would actually be helpful - I realize the bearings are supposed to fit into the slots at the back of the wheel, but the inner bearing appears to be too far away from where the wheel is attached....

here ya go i can pull the thing apart if you need but you can just see the lower bearing in the first pic it rides about halfway out of the groove. The lower bearing runs the bobbin back and forth so it should slide easily back and forth while the bearing arm runs the needle arm up and down. You should be able to slide the bobbin shaft and bearing back or forward to get the bearing into the inner smaller raceway. If it wont move something is wrong. As Wyowally said these things need to be tinkered with a bit before they run smoothly and there are tons of youtubes on that subject.

[chuck123wapati]

once you get it figured out how to put it together then you will need to take it apart and polish the arms where they make contact as well as the cams and bobbin shaft. The hole in the arm where the thread goes through should be polished. The foot needs work as well they usually are so roughly made they tear up the leather. There are several ways that people have fixed the feet but what i did was to clean up the teeth with a jewelers file so they didn't have the ragged edges now they grab fine and move the leather but don't scratch or rip it up.

[Annikita]

On 5/1/2024 at 10:27 AM, Wyowally said:

Oh, I think it is legit. As a very successful owner of one of these things, I've spent a lot of time getting mine right and trying to help others. There are many people with limited leather and sewing experience who buy them hoping they are a shortcut to getting away from hand sewing, or will help them get started on the cheap. There is a lot of frustration and disgust expressed by those hoping for plug and play. I believe our poster is legit and sincere, and just trying to tap whatever resources can be found to get it going. Success depends on the person and attitude, willingness to learn and listen and spend the time it takes. Many machines have been dumped or trashed. Others have been turned into smooth working motorized acceptable units by those with a lot of patience, money, and ambition. I haven't gone that route - mine does the limited non-production work I want without trying to make it something it is not. I try to follow advice from a friend - "just stay in your lane". !

Thank you for having faith in me...

[Annikita]

On 5/1/2024 at 10:53 AM, chuck123wapati said:

here ya go i can pull the thing apart if you need but you can just see the lower bearing in the first pic it rides about halfway out of the groove. The lower bearing runs the bobbin back and forth so it should slide easily back and forth while the bearing arm runs the needle arm up and down. You should be able to slide the bobbin shaft and bearing back or forward to get the bearing into the inner smaller raceway. If it wont move something is wrong. As Wyowally said these things need to be tinkered with a bit before they run smoothly and there are tons of youtubes on that subject.

OK, so I took some pics that I think demonstrate the dilemma I'm having. See where the bearing is located in relation to the inner circle? It can't possibly fit there because of the distance between the wheel mounting point and the bearing. I was able to get the wheel on (with the notch in the right place) and both bearings fit into the OUTSIDE ring, but once I secure it the wheel no longer moves....I have yet to determine if that's because of the bearings or some other issue, but I feel like the bearings are bound to be a problem. 

[Annikita]

On 4/30/2024 at 6:15 AM, Mulesaw said:

@Annikita I think that the two bolts/nuts on the left of the sliding bar are for adjusting the timing of the shuttle. So I wouldn't start moving those around yet. My guess is that the machine is set at some coarse adjustment so that it should be possible to sew with it. But you could make small adjustments with the timing later.

To me it seems as the inner bearing is in the correct place. It is supporting the shaft and it is held in the main casting, so that looks good. as @Wepster says, the two smaller bearings should most likely go into a groove on the backside of the wheel. 

Did the machine come with an installation manual or some sort of assembly instructions?

Brgds Jonas

So, here's the issue I'm talking about. I should have posted this first. The bearing that is typically supposed to fit the inner groove (according to the manuals/videos I've seen) can't possibly align with the groove properly. It fits the outer groove when I try to put everything together, but I think it may be inhibiting the wheel from moving properly?

 

[Annikita]

On 5/1/2024 at 4:58 AM, Wepster said:

The bearing on the shaft looks fine it the pic. just behind the the little protruding screw that the notch in wheel fits over. Did you fit the wheel notch over that?

So here's the issue with that - my understanding is that the inner groove is supposed to fit over the bearing to the left. Well, as you can see in the pic below - that isn't possible. It does fit into the outer groove, but then once I put everything else into place, the wheel doesn't move....

[chuck123wapati]

14 minutes ago, Annikita said:

So here's the issue with that - my understanding is that the inner groove is supposed to fit over the bearing to the left. Well, as you can see in the pic below - that isn't possible. It does fit into the outer groove, but then once I put everything else into place, the wheel doesn't move....

if the wheel wont move then the bobbin shaft or something inside the arm is jammed up.

ok if the bearing and shaft its connected to wont move freely back and forth then you have a problem inside the arm. the bearing isn't the problem you should be able to easily move it back and forth. you are going to have to take it apart to figure out what is jammed up. 

[GerryR]

You need to slide the shaft out manually so it does fit in the inner groove.  Once you have both bearings in their proper grooves, the handwheel should be in alligmment with the pin on the shaft.

[Tastech]

Just wondering . Do these machines perform as crappy as they look ? Man where is the workmanship in those machines . Looks like it was made by a one armed and one eyed grandmother with an irritable bowel  living in a dumpster .

[chuck123wapati]

9 minutes ago, Tastech said:

Just wondering . Do these machines perform as crappy as they look ? Man where is the workmanship in those machines . Looks like it was made by a one armed and one eyed grandmother with an irritable bowel  living in a dumpster .

actually they work well if you know how to finish the manufacturing process. They cost about a hundred bucks so workmanship isn't figured into cost.

[Tastech]

 That thread tension bracket looks like it was bent by using someones teeth  or put in a vise and beaten over with a hammer .  I wonder what they could do with 200 bucks or even 3 . Still cheap .

 The mechanical concept reminds me of an old werthiemer.  I am not very familiar with either but they have some things in common.

This old werthhiemer was going for $1200  And i passed it up because the seller would not budge $1 .  I so out of spite i knocked it back . In hindsight it is a beautiful machine and worthy of a full restoration .  

 

[Southerngunner]

Everyone can't afford to drop 3 to 5 grand or more for a sewing machine. I bought one when I finally decided that hand stitching wasn't working any more. I gave it to my daughter for a no power required sticher. 

It took a lot of tinkering to get it to work but if you don't push the limits its a good inexpensive option to sew  with.good luck.

Edited May 3 by Southerngunner

[GerryR]

2 hours ago, Tastech said:

Just wondering . Do these machines perform as crappy as they look ? Man where is the workmanship in those machines . Looks like it was made by a one armed and one eyed grandmother with an irritable bowel  living in a dumpster .

Actually, I had very little clean-up to do on my cast iron unit, which I then motorized.  It sews better and has a higher lift capacity than a 153W103 Singer that I had.  It sewed so well that I sold the Singer.  I also came across a cast aluminum version of the patcher, which was a little more refined, that I made into a portable version (picture attached) that sewed just as well.  The downside is the small bobbin size, but for what I do, it is no issue.  (more pictures here: 

 

Edited May 3 by GerryR