have a machine to do each job you do

[Art]

Hi Oscar,

I'd like to cover the machine more than the actual work to start with. I kind of assume you purchased this from Artisan and the manual that came with it is ok and you should read it, especially oiling and threading. The machine should come threaded and look very carefully to see how this is done AND make a diagram. If it runs well the way it is threaded, then that is the way you should thread it, if you thread it differently, the tensions will change.

Now, you stated you want to sew everything from 1.5 oz to saddle skirting. The 618 will probably come with a 140 needle in it which should be a 135x16TRI or D system. You will need the proper system to sew leather. The 140 (or #22) will support 92 or 138 thread (use Coats poly or Eddington poly if you can't get Coats) and is ok for sewing together two 3oz to 7oz pieces however every leather is different and your mileage may vary. If you want to sew 1.5oz or 2oz pieces together, you might want to go to a 120 (or #21) needle and 69 thread, however, the 140 will do the job but you won't be able to sew as short a stitch as the 120. For saddle skirting, well, this ain't the machine for that; however that being said, it will sew 28oz combined but you will have to use a 180 or 200 needle with 207 or even maybe 277 top 207 bottom, but this is at the way far edge of what this machine can do. If you can pick-up a Artisan 3000 then you will have the combination for everything.

With commercial machines, the idea from way back is to have a machine to do each job you do. You buy the machine for the job and the setup never changes. For amateurs or hobbiests this may be somewhat of an overkill, however for the serious, more than one machine is more the norm. I have 5 (or more, usually more).

For most leather construction, it is better to glue together then sew. Sewing without glueing usually requires a thrid arm for most projects and there are few of us equipped that way. Try and hold both the top and bobbin thread when starting sewing, sometimes not necessary with smaller thread where you are not running the tremendous tensions you run with the big stuff, but I do it out of habit. Also, keep your speed down to start, it is easier to correct a low speed than at high, and if sewing thicker leather the needle may get VERY hot and melt and break the thread.

Remember to be setup for what you are sewing. When poeple have problems with their machine they start fiddling with tension and want to retime it and the only thing wrong is the setup. Sharp, straight (new) needle of correct size for the thread and correct system for the material and machine.

The work "system" just means the 135x16D or 135x16TRI for leather or the 135-17R for synthetic fabric.

We're here for questions. You should go to your supplier with questions and there is Artisan who know the machines well.

Art

[Oscar B]

Thanks Art,

Guess will still do the heavy stuff by hand for awhile. On start and Finnish do a three four stitch back, but don't like how this looks and wonder if doing something wrong? This leaves a bunch of junk looking thread.

Oscar

Edited March 14, 2007 by Oscar B

[Art]

The 618 and it's brethern was designed for an industry where they just want to back tack and they really don't care what it looks like. Few of the machines (read none probably) in this class sew the same stitch length in reverse as they do in forward. In the big machines where the stitch length and reverse are basically the same mechanism, they put a "wedge" into the reverse lever to compensate for the difference in geometry.

With most machines you can manually lock the stitches by staying in forward and manually lifting the presser foot while the machine is all the way up and lowering the needle into the previous hole and lowering the foot and continuing on. If you are using the correct thread, this will always look a little "bulky", but not much more than a reverse back tack. Another way is to not back tack and use a small drop of thread locking glue, then cut the ends off after it drys. Don't use too much as the leather won't take stain if and where you get it all over the leather. Another method is to use a heat source (I use an electric cautery knife) to melt the fibers together in the first hole (and last), you have to go lite so as not to burn the leather. I have seen some manufacturers (boots) use a torch to "flame" the thread ends and that works although it takes a LOT of flame for thick stuff like 277 and up. The person who does this is called a "flamer" which doesn't necessarily connote a bad attitude on the Internet. There are some folks who use a small crochet like hook to come up through the second hole and grab the corresponding thread and pull through from each side then lock them off. I've also seen them use small harness needles to pull the thread through. For production (some of their machines especially needle and awl machines don't have reverse) they just run a tight loop and cross their main seam to lock, then flame or trim the ends. You have to make sure you don't get your tails in your stitching when doing this. After doing a couple hundred of these things in a row, you get pretty good at it.

There are probably a couple of dozen ways to skin this cat, so everyone chime in.

Art

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Thanks Art,

Guess will still do the heavy stuff by hand for awhile. On start and Finnish do a three four stitch back, but don't like how this looks and wonder if doing something wrong? This leaves a bunch of junk looking thread.

Oscar

[Hoyden]

I have an Artisan 618 that I got last week to stitch leather, nylon & polypropylene dog collars, harnesses and leashes.

I had a few tension issues, but got them squared away and have been stitching away on all the scrap leather I have been collecting.

I finished up a collar for a Mondio Ring Championship last night and was thrilled to get it done so quickly.

The biggest issue I have is my dumb dog sticking his nose near the belt and getting it clipped. Scared the hell out of both of us. Good thing Petey is a pit bull, so a skinned nose didn't bother him a bit. Will be building something to enclose that area soon.

Edited to add: Art - Thank you for this reply! I am going to print it when I get home and put it into my binder with my manual and the other notes I printed from you.

Edited March 14, 2007 by Hoyden

[Art]

Hey Hoyden,

Artisan does have a guard for the speed reducer that screws to the bottom of the table, however I haven't seen anything for the main machine head belt which goes through the table as the winder usually goes there. Artisan may have those lower guards in stock, contact Steve at Artisan.

There has been a campaign of late to "safetify" almost everything even things that poke holes and cut stuff. The sewing machine is not escaping this epedimic. They now come with guards on the presser foot bars to keep you from becoming part of your work. For machines that run close to the speed of light I can maybe understand this, but for a function where you actually have to see what you are doing it is more of a hazard than not. I wonder what they would have thought of those old 5 inch wide line shaft belts in the old factories. On the bigger machines they run belts on the outside of the wheel and I can see covering that, but belts on the inside of the wheel like the smaller machines are hard to cover.

Art

I have an Artisan 618 that I got last week to stitch leather, nylon & polypropylene dog collars, harnesses and leashes.

I had a few tension issues, but got them squared away and have been stitching away on all the scrap leather I have been collecting.

I finished up a collar for a Mondio Ring Championship last night and was thrilled to get it done so quickly.

The biggest issue I have is my dumb dog sticking his nose near the belt and getting it clipped. Scared the hell out of both of us. Good thing Petey is a pit bull, so a skinned nose didn't bother him a bit. Will be building something to enclose that area soon.

Edited to add: Art - Thank you for this reply! I am going to print it when I get home and put it into my binder with my manual and the other notes I printed from you.

[Oscar B]

Thanks for the tip on burning the thread. This is a nice lock and the project looks better.

Oscar