Randall/USM Cyclone stitching machine

[Kevinjohnson]

Hey guys and gals,

I have just recently registered and figured I might throw out a question or two. First, I would like to compliment the individuals that run and maintain this site. The format is very profesional, informative, and easy to navigate. It is also neat to have thousands of years of knowledge gathered in one spot willing to give advise and shop secrets to individual looking to better themselves and their work. Most everyone seem courteious and sincere unlike many other forums I have visited. My question is about the Cyclone stitcher. I'm wondering if there are a few of you out there that might know something about this machine? I recently talked to Connie Nagle, A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, and he described the machine as the Rolls Royce of stitchers. He also added that it was excellently engineered and that it sounded like no other when it sewed. There seems to be a little mystery surounding this machine being that there were only 400 or so produced and not a lot of info on it. I would also like to see a picture of one if any of you have one. I would also like some feedback on the Campbell/Randall machines versus the Landis 3. I've heard that Don King said that the Randall produced finest stitch out of all of the needle and awl machines.

Thanks for you time,

Kevin Johnson

[TwinOaks]

Hi and welcome to the forum, Kevin.

Art, who is one of the moderators here, is also VERY knowledgeable about sewing machines and has been an incredible resource to this site. Be looking for his response to your question, I'm sure he'll be along before too long.

Me? I'm still new to machines so I'm not much help on this subject, but I just wanted to extend a "welcome". When you get a chance, drop a post over in the member gallery; not everyone reads all the sub-forums, and it's a good location for your intro....More folks to meet!

Glad to have you here with us, grab some coffee and hang out for a spell.

[Art]

Hi Kevin,

Connie would know more on the Cyclone than anyone I know, someone was rebuilding them several years ago and I think the price then was around $12,000 as much as 2 completely refurbished Campbells. The Cyclone Stitcher, like the Cyclone Roller Coaster is pretty much lost to history, pictures are even hard to find. The Randall is a clone of the Campbell, for Campbell's existence, you could only lease the Campbell, you could buy the Randall. The Landis #3 had a 2 1/2 inch deeper throat than the Campbell and was a little different in design, not a lot, parts do not interchange well between Campbell and Landis #3, however Campbell and Randall are almost identical.

Ron at Ferdco might be able to shed a little more light on the Cyclone, let us know what you find out.

Art

Hey guys and gals,

I have just recently registered and figured I might throw out a question or two. First, I would like to compliment the individuals that run and maintain this site. The format is very profesional, informative, and easy to navigate. It is also neat to have thousands of years of knowledge gathered in one spot willing to give advise and shop secrets to individual looking to better themselves and their work. Most everyone seem courteious and sincere unlike many other forums I have visited. My question is about the Cyclone stitcher. I'm wondering if there are a few of you out there that might know something about this machine? I recently talked to Connie Nagle, A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, and he described the machine as the Rolls Royce of stitchers. He also added that it was excellently engineered and that it sounded like no other when it sewed. There seems to be a little mystery surounding this machine being that there were only 400 or so produced and not a lot of info on it. I would also like to see a picture of one if any of you have one. I would also like some feedback on the Campbell/Randall machines versus the Landis 3. I've heard that Don King said that the Randall produced finest stitch out of all of the needle and awl machines.

Thanks for you time,

Kevin Johnson

[Kevinjohnson]

Art and Twinoaks,

Thanks for the nice intro. and the response. I look foward to visiting w/ everyone and maybe showing a little of my work.

Thankyou,

KJ

[Kevin]

Funny you should ask, RDB posted about Craigspal, and one of the first things I found was a sale of a leather and nylon dog collar factory which included a Campbell Cyclone. I guess it's supposed to be a pretty rare machine.

Search for Salvex, which is an auction co. and it is item 182936913. There will be a bunch of thumbnails and the Cyclone is fourth row from the bottom, first picture on the left and next to it is a close up of the label.

The auction is already over, whoever bought it probably has no idea what they have. Dan Preston, Owner,editor ,publisher of Shop Talk was offering a reward just for a picture of a machine he doesn't believes exists and I think it was the Cyclone, but I'm not going through my back issues to find out.

By the way, I have a t-shirt that says "Brother Reverend Kevin Johnson", just something a friend thought of one day, and she went right out and had it made.

Kevin

[5shot]

the Campbell and was a little different in design, not a lot, parts do not interchange well between Campbell and Landis #3, however Campbell and Randall are almost identical.

I suppose it gets down to semantics, but the Randall Union Lockstitch is not really a clone of the Campbell. The Campbell is an Awl Feed machine, the Randall is a Needle Feed machine. The parts don't necessarily interchange either, as they look nothing alike.

You can see the differences between all the machines here...

Needle & Awl Machines

[greg gomersall]

I suppose it gets down to semantics, but the Randall Union Lockstitch is not really a clone of the Campbell. The Campbell is an Awl Feed machine, the Randall is a Needle Feed machine. The parts don't necessarily interchange either, as they look nothing alike.

You can see the differences between all the machines here...

Needle & Awl Machines

5shot a Randall and a Randall/Union are 2 different machines and a Randall IS an Awl feed machine. Greg

[D.A. Kabatoff]

5shot thanks for the link about the different machines...very informative!

Greg is correct about the Randall being an awl feed machine... I have one in front of me and it's definitly the awl that moves the material.

Darc

[Art]

5Shot,

Don't know about semantics, when we speak of a Randall or Randall Lockstitch we are referring to a clone of a Campbell, a Union Lockstitch or a "Union" always refers to a different machine, indeed with needle feed. Then there are the Champions and the American Straight Needle "ASN" which are totally different animals. I've owned everything above except the Union and a Cyclone, I kept the Campbell and I'd take a Cyclone in a heartbeat, don't want a Union. What do you have?

Art

I suppose it gets down to semantics, but the Randall Union Lockstitch is not really a clone of the Campbell. The Campbell is an Awl Feed machine, the Randall is a Needle Feed machine. The parts don't necessarily interchange either, as they look nothing alike.

You can see the differences between all the machines here...

Needle & Awl Machines

[TroyWest]

I have owned a Union, a Randall, and a Landis 3. A Union is real finicky. Designed for sewing harness 90 mph and it does it well. I have built many saddles with them but it really is a high speed machine. You can move the machine 2 ft and you have to readjust everything.

Your question was comparing the Randall and the 3. I agree with Don King. The Randall made immaculate stitches. It also seems to sew lighter weights better than the 3. I actually got my 3 from Don King. The advantage to it is a deeper throat than the Randall and it sews saddles well.

If I were choosing between the Randall and the 3, I would get the Randall. They just tend to cost more. I think Darcy must have a 3 and a Randall. Which do you prefer Darcy?