Binding attachment from China.

[toxo]

Just received from where I got my JL341 inc 10 more bobbins.  £55 delivered.  Now to work out how it works. I do love playing. 

[toxo]

On 8/7/2025 at 1:18 PM, toxo said:

Just received from where I got my JL341 inc 10 more bobbins.  £55 delivered.  Now to work out how it works. I do love playing. 

OK, so it took a bit of fettling but from what I've learned ALL binders need some fetting. For starters, in my ignorance I asked for the wrong folder and it was too small.

I had a couple of this type to play with and they seemed a bit simpler.

Took a bit of working out to get it in the right place whilst retaining all the up/down backwards/forwards options. I also wanted to keep the original bits in case I need them later.

Yay! My first ever bind. not perfect yet but definitely progress. I won't show you the back side just yet

 

[toxo]

So near and yet so far. Epic fail. How do I get the tape to come out of the folder the same on both sides of the leather? Is it a question of what type of tape is used?

[Northmount]

2 hours ago, toxo said:

So near and yet so far. Epic fail. How do I get the tape to come out of the folder the same on both sides of the leather? Is it a question of what type of tape is used?

Hi Toxo, moved your post to leather sewing machines.  I think you might get the attention of the right members here.

[toxo]

8 hours ago, Northmount said:

Hi Toxo, moved your post to leather sewing machines.  I think you might get the attention of the right members here.

Thank you. 

[kgg]

On 8/8/2025 at 11:39 PM, toxo said:

I asked for the wrong folder and it was too small.

12 hours ago, toxo said:

How do I get the tape to come out of the folder the same on both sides of the leather?

I think you need:

i) the right size of folder for the size of binding tape,

ii) the folder has to have the correct size opening / pathway for that thickness of binding tape,

iii) the correct amount of back tension on the binding tape.

[Wizcrafts]

@toxo

I went through a big fight with binder attachments before I got the one that worked for our applications. It was custom built for the job and the edge binding we picked. The results was a perfectly placed double-folded edge bind on both sides.

If you can't find someone to build you a binder, choose the width based on the material you will be running through it. Decide if you want a single or double folded edge. Most binding material is either cloth or synthetic bias tape. If you want to use vinyl, consult Sailrite company in the USA. They make portable and industrial sewing machines for the boat trade and offer bias tapes and folders that work properly. They can probably set you up with attachments, platters and tapes that work. 

[toxo]

6 hours ago, kgg said:

I think you need:

i) the right size of folder for the size of binding tape,

ii) the folder has to have the correct size opening / pathway for that thickness of binding tape,

iii) the correct amount of back tension on the binding tape.

The folder is 18mm, I cut the chrome tan leather at 18mm. It's a sufficient thickness to give decent tension and all went smoothly but on the back side there was far less coverage and in places the stitches don't even touch the leather. I've got the folder as horizontal as I can get it so maybe there are folders and there are folders? Having said that almost all the folders I'm seeing are a lot more triangular (especially the double folders) so I can't see how they can lay horizontally so the answer may lay elsewhere. I will persevere.

[toxo]

1 hour ago, Wizcrafts said:

@toxo

I went through a big fight with binder attachments before I got the one that worked for our applications. It was custom built for the job and the edge binding we picked. The results was a perfectly placed double-folded edge bind on both sides.

If you can't find someone to build you a binder, choose the width based on the material you will be running through it. Decide if you want a single or double folded edge. Most binding material is either cloth or synthetic bias tape. If you want to use vinyl, consult Sailrite company in the USA. They make portable and industrial sewing machines for the boat trade and offer bias tapes and folders that work properly. They can probably set you up with attachments, platters and tapes that work. 

Being a complete novice I wasn't even sure if it was ok to use other than leather on leather handbags. In my head I was picturing a double fold with nice turned edges but in my experimenting but I'm realising how many variables there are including single/double, material, size, thickness of the material being binded and probably more. I won't be doing enough to warrant a dedicated set up but with a few pointers and plenty of trial and error I'll end up with something usable. I do have roll of bigger synthetic gold stuff that I'll probably never use but I can see where being stiffer with sharper edges will allow it to go through a folder with more control than a piece of soft chrome tan.

[kgg]

2 hours ago, toxo said:

Being a complete novice

My suggestion would be to cut your teeth using a flatbed machine with a standard inline Single fold binder attachment and Double fold binder attachment then experiment doing the edging on various scrap cloth and leather. For this you can buy inexpensive binding attachments off Amazon for about $10 to $15 and you will not need to change the feed dog or presser foot or the needle plate.

Size your folder based on the width of the finish tape size you need.

Example: 10mm fold over 

i) you need a 20mm tape and a Single fold binder attachment tape to get you approximately 10 mm fold over on fabric (depending on thickness of fabric)with a raw edge.

ii) you need a 40mm tape and Double fold binder attachment tape to get you approximately 10 mm fold over on fabric (depending on thickness of fabric)with a raw edge.

The most important thing I can say is make sure that the material you are trying to edge stays snug up against the tape in the folder and the space between the needle / presser foot and the edge of the binder is keep to a minimum. Slow sewing to maintain contact in the binding attachment will help prevent binding tape wonder.

I have a set of the 90 degree binder attachments that I never use. I use the inline style (Single & Double fold ) binding attachments (1/4" to 3 1/2") on both my flatbeds and cylinder arm machines. For what I do I never have found the need to change the feed dog or needle plate to do binding on a cylinder arm.  

As a note:

The main advantage a 90 degree binder attachment has over the inline is the ability to do tighter turns. 

kgg