Sewing Belt Tips

[ABC3]

As you can tell by my many questions I'm new to leather work & find it fascinating. But it seems that with every new corner I turn I find a stumbling block. I try to work it out on my own & most of the time I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - just to realize the light at the end of the tunnel is a train coming my way.

Now to the point: When machine sewing (Artisan 3000) double layer belts I am having a heck of a time staying in the groove line (so it looks decent) as I make the turn at the tip. I have gone through many sample tips & have ruined several belts trying to perfect the turn.

I am stitch grooving the belt 3/16" from the edge & using a English Point Strap Punch for the tip. Both belt & liner is 1 1/2" & glued together.

I took the "feed dog" off & using a slotted needle plate.

Is there something I'm missing here or does it just take months/years of practice?

Any & all suggestions would be welcome....

[Luke Hatley]

ARE YOU USING AN EDGE GUIDE? IF SO LIFT IT UP BEFORE YOU START TO TURN THE CORNER.

IF NOT JUST GO SLOW TO MAKE THE TURN.

lets see some photos of your set up and of your stiching..........

[ABC3]

Luke,

I dropped the camera during an Easter party & have not got a new one yet. So no pic's - sorry.

I am using a guide for the straight stuff but I cannot make the turn using the guide so I swivel it out of the way as I come into the turn & attempt to "free hand" it. And that's where I'm messing it up.

As you come into the turn & out again those two areas, as you well know, should look the same. Mine do not...

The stitches seem to be fine (just sent it back to Artisan for re-adjustment) & everything else looks good. Like I said before, the tip portion is killing me.

[Bree]

Just manually adjust your stitch length as you get to the critical points. Slow down and try to keep your edge guide in play. Try to make the turn with the guide wherever you can and it will keep you in the channel. There may be a couple of very small places where you just go to stitch by stitch manual control until you get the guide back into action. but it's not hard with a little practice. I just did one this weekend and it never left the guide or the groove.

You might try NOT grooving the belt. Your stitcher puts enough tension on that it in effect cuts its own grooves burying the thread deep in the leather. I often skip the grooving and I have never had anyone complain. The upside is that you aren't wiped out if you miss the groove channel. The downside is that leather purists might give you a hard time. But who cares about that... do what works for you and your customers.

[kevinhopkins]

Hi,

What Bree said is a good idea.... We do a lot of belts every week such as what you're describing, and we're stitching them on the same machine you are. It should pull those stitches down far enough. That way you can use your roller guide.

Kevin

[ABC3]

Kevin,

It does pull the stitch down far enough. But without the groove @ the tip it will be eye-ball only. I will try your suggestions. How far is your stitch line from the edge. Mine is 3/16" - should I try to get closer to the edge?

[Bree]

Kevin,

It does pull the stitch down far enough. But without the groove @ the tip it will be eye-ball only. I will try your suggestions. How far is your stitch line from the edge. Mine is 3/16" - should I try to get closer to the edge?

Trust that edge guide! It is excellent at keeping your stitch at a constant distance. The trick is to think a little bit ahead as you approach the turns. SWAG the adjustment a couple of stitches in advance so that you can hit exactly the spot where you can simply rotate the leather keeping pressure on the guide and smoothly make the turn. Your stitch line will remain at a constant distance. Don't be afraid to pull the needle out completely and slide the work a little bit here or there to get the stitch to line up to hit the target.

But you have to slow down to do this. If you try to zoom zoom around the belt tip you run the real risk of screwing it up. Just go deliberately and thoughtfully and you will soon see how easy it is to get it right every time.

[hidepounder]

Hi Tom,

It doesn't sound to me like you're doing anything wrong...it just sounds like you aren't comfortable with your machine yet. I'm an avid advocate of using a stitching channel, so I think you're on the right track there. With your machine you should easily be able to slow down to one stitch at a time. That's what you need to do when going around a corner. As time goes on, you will become faster and faster. Speed is not important to start with. I use an Adler 205-370 and the distance in the petal from full speed to a nice slow stitch is about 1/4". Needless to say it took me a long time to learn where the sweet spot was where I had good control over my stitching speed. I also learned to hang on to the wheel and apply some breaking pressure with my hand. (this is probably a bad habit). If you're not set up with a speed reducer, then that is something to get immediately.

I like using single sided outside presser feet.(I like the narrow harness stiching style) I have a right and a left which I change as needed so that my outside presser foot always rides on the inside where there is no chance of it slippiing off the edge. One of the other things I have done is grind off the nose on the needle presser foot so that I can see the needle penetrate the leather. I don't know if that is a bad thing to do or not...one of the sewing experts needs to jump in here and make some comments, but it sure is nice to be able to see that. there must be a reason why they don't come tht way...I guess if you're just doing long straight runs, the ability to see is less important....(jump in here Art!!!!)

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a guide! I don't use one anymore because I wanted to be able to stitch accurately freehand, so I praticed and practiced and practiced on scrap until I was comfortable. I now use my fingers placed against the machine to create a guide when doing straight runs. Until you are comfortable stitching freehand, use a guide on your projects....then practice freehand on scraps. If you keep at it it will get easier and easier.

Hope this helps,

Bob

[Randy Cornelius]

I took my dremel and ground a small groove in the needle guide and put a small dot of white paint. That way I watch that white dot and the stitch channel and it keeps everything linned up.

Yes, I too manually turn the corners using the wheel and adjust the stitch length by hand at the ends and corners and tips of belts.

Randy

[ABC3]

I do have a speed reducer & go ever so slow around the tip but still having problems driving.

How far from the edge should I run my stitch groover? Right now I've got it set at 3/16". Should I try to get alittle closer to the edge?

Also do most of you stitch groove the liner/back of the belt as well. I do....I feel it hides & protects the stitches from wear.

[hidepounder]

I do have a speed reducer & go ever so slow around the tip but still having problems driving.

How far from the edge should I run my stitch groover? Right now I've got it set at 3/16". Should I try to get alittle closer to the edge?

Also do most of you stitch groove the liner/back of the belt as well. I do....I feel it hides & protects the stitches from wear.

I think 3/16" is a good distance. If you can get away with a stitch groove in the back, I think thats good. Looks better too. If you're having problems driving, is it because you can't tell where the needle is as you go around the curve? If so you might try grinding the nose off the needle presser foot. It made a lot of difference for me.