I was gifted a shoe patcher machine. Just need help getting it to work well!

[Deanobambino]

First time posting! 
Today I met a cool guy through a Facebook purchase. Owns a Shoe Repair shop about an hour an away. I went to buy an old Landis 5 in 1, but left with alot more. 
He gifted me a shoe patcher machine, he said it was a singer or Adler clone. 
It’s not the green one that around $100, it’s the white one that’s around $400. 
It’s brand new, he just said the wants to lock up. I don’t have it threaded or anything. But the wheel cranks fine just meets a little resistance at first. But after a full rotation it seems fine. 
I’m so new, I don’t even know where to start. I’m really looking forward to for help trying to find some decent videos on them and such. 
I’m not sure on how to add a photo but here is a link to and identical one on Amazon. 
 

https://a.co/d/1q9SAgj

and and all advice would be appreciated. Just remember this was a gift, and I want to get this specific machine to work. I know I want a better machine in the long run! Haha

Edited 21 hours ago by Deanobambino
I dotted to add photo!

[fredk]

There nowt wrong with that s/m. They work great and last a long time. Plenty of folks on here use them or the Chinese clones. Somebody will be along to help you

[Deanobambino]

Thank you! Im so excited! I think it will be a good one to learn sewing machine mechanics on too! 

[friquant]

To find out what is binding up, you can turn the handwheel very slowly and pay attention to which part of the circle it binds at. Binding typically means something is trying to move farther than there is space to move. You can start taking inspection covers off to see the linkages that are at work. 

I've had a machine bind when it tried to lift the needle bar too high, and the needle bar ran into the head unit. Or when the latch opener tried to open wider than there was room for. Not sure what you'll find on this machine, but if you start exploring hopefully you can find some clues.

While you're at it, you can oil the linkages 😀

[Deanobambino]

I am literally reading through the manual now well trying to. But it says specifically where to oil and stuff! 
one thing read said, it may just need a break in period? Like to run consistently for a while. Could it just be that ya think?
This one has never really been used at all. It’s essential brand new, no one one just had time to mess with it. 

my biggest issue is I don’t know how it’s “supposed” to run. I’ve never used one in good working order haha 

[dikman]

Welcome aboard. That's a very nice bonus. Best thing to do is read the manual (more than once) and get familiar with how it operates, watch the movement of the various parts and don't force anything if something feels like it's binding. Fun times ahead.

[Tastech]

There is a break in period with them , I am sure the binding is in the upper pulley wheel .On the machine side of the upper pulley wheel you will notice an elliptical groove . the needle lifting arm ( the see-saw bit across the top) has a little bearing that sits in side the elliptical groove and this is what give the see-saw its motion thus lifting the needle . This usually needs a bit of time to bed in. You will probably notice the tightness occurs when the bearing is in a tighter radius in the groove . Some older singers still have that tight spot even after 30 years . Technically the machine is a singer clone in every way and should perform as one . They have not been around for that long so no one really knows how long they will last . My bet is at least a lifetime, where a singer might last 3 life times . I have 3 singers and one clone . the singers are well over 100 years and work perfectly 99% of the time . The clone is 3 years old and still a little tight but prefers a thicker thread than the singer . i ended up putting an original singer shuttle and bobbin in it and works better . I think the clone bobbin shuttles are not that good especially the tension spring on them  .

I think oil and putting it to work should sort it out 

[kgg]

13 hours ago, Deanobambino said:

It’s brand new, he just said the wants to lock up. I don’t have it threaded or anything. But the wheel cranks fine just meets a little resistance at first. But after a full rotation it seems fine. 

10 hours ago, Deanobambino said:

But it says specifically where to oil and stuff! 

I would forget about what the manual says about oiling locations until you are sure that everything is oiled properly. I would give it a good bath in synthetic oil to get oil in those bearings and all the places where metal rubs against metal and get any manufacturing debris out of the machine. I usually flood a new or new to me machine just to make sure there is oil everywhere and any garbage is gone.

It can be messy but it is worth it in the end. 

kgg

[Deanobambino]

6 hours ago, Tastech said:

There is a break in period with them , I am sure the binding is in the upper pulley wheel .On the machine side of the upper pulley wheel you will notice an elliptical groove . the needle lifting arm ( the see-saw bit across the top) has a little bearing that sits in side the elliptical groove and this is what give the see-saw its motion thus lifting the needle . This usually needs a bit of time to bed in. You will probably notice the tightness occurs when the bearing is in a tighter radius in the groove . Some older singers still have that tight spot even after 30 years . Technically the machine is a singer clone in every way and should perform as one . They have not been around for that long so no one really knows how long they will last . My bet is at least a lifetime, where a singer might last 3 life times . I have 3 singers and one clone . the singers are well over 100 years and work perfectly 99% of the time . The clone is 3 years old and still a little tight but prefers a thicker thread than the singer . i ended up putting an original singer shuttle and bobbin in it and works better . I think the clone bobbin shuttles are not that good especially the tension spring on them  .

I think oil and putting it to work should sort it out 

That so cool to me. There are few machines in this world that last like well built sewing machines. Mr James, the man who gifted me this machine(and unknowingly had now adopted me haha) has some that his parents bought used when their leather shop opened before he was born and he’s 77!!! 
 

You hit so many good points thank you! 
I’m 100% a newbie to sewing machines. I have a brother I bought from Walmart and a Consew CN2053R-1 I bought last month. I thought it was perfect and it is a great machine, but won’t sew through some of the leather seems I need it to. Anyways…

so when I’m looking for videos on how these are supposed to work and such, what do I call this machine? A Singer Clone? Better yet if I need to buy parts for it or whatever, what machine should reference to make sure the parts compatible? 
 

thank you so much for sharing! 

[Wizcrafts]

2 hours ago, kgg said:

I would forget about what the manual says about oiling locations until you are sure that everything is oiled properly. I would give it a good bath in synthetic oil to get oil in those bearings and all the places where metal rubs against metal and get any manufacturing debris out of the machine. I usually flood a new or new to me machine just to make sure there is oil everywhere and any garbage is gone.

It can be messy but it is worth it in the end. 

kgg

A well oiled older industrial sewing machine is a lot like an old Harley. They also mark their spot!