Stitch Lenth For 29-4

[skegfish]

Hiall,

Just cleaned up a 29-4 I picked up this weekend. All seems fine but the stitches per inch. I have the retainer bracket on the needle bar down as far as possible and the stitches are still very close together. Any tricks I might use. Is there still some crud binding up the works somewhere?

Something worn out?

thanks Jeff in PA

[Wizcrafts]

Jeff;

The Singer 29-4 models are going on a hundred years old now and the parts that drive the stitch length wear out over time. Here is a list of things you can check out to see what is causing the short stitches.

1. Lift the pressor foot lever to the raised position and lower the stitch regulator all the way down, then tighten it in back
2. Lift the pressor foot lever and see if you can wiggle the foot forward and backward more than 1/16 inch either way
3. Feel the bottom of the pressor foot to see if the teeth are still viable
4. Tighten the pressure spring along the back of the machine to exert more downward pressure
5. Loosen the pressure spring in case it was too tight
6. Check the throat plate cover for burs or gouges that might grab the leather as you try to advance it
7. Make sure the bobbin case tension allows the thread to flow freely, but with some tension. If too tight the stitches may be pulled short from the bobbin thread.
8. Check the top tension to make sure it isn't so tight that it drags the work forward against the foot action.

Any of those things can affect the stitch length, especially if the top tension spring is too loose, or the teeth are worn off the bottom of the foot. Too much thread tension can shorten the stitches by fighting against the foot action. But, the most common problem with hundred year old patchers is a worn out stitch regulator puck inside the rotating pressor foot assembly, where it is attached to the bottom of the head. When the needle moves up the mechanism lowers the butterfly housing, causing a puck to pivot inside the housing. It is the amount of downward pivoting that determines the maximum stitch length. If you have lowered the regulator and set it firmly on the back of the two rails that are part of the foot assembly and the tensions are all decent, but the stitches are very short, the puck is probably worn out inside the butterfly housing.

You may be able to get replacement parts from Bob Kovar, at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. Otherwise, disassemble the head of the patcher and unscrew the foot mechanism. Send the moving ring and the housing it revolves in to a machinist to have some bronze weld added to it and shaped to minimize slack without binding. I did this on two old patchers I owned and restored the full stitch length to them.

Edited March 30, 2010 by Wizcrafts

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Attached a owners book for Singer 29-4, not that it's hard to find, but just in case you don't have one.

29-4.pdf

29-4.pdf

[iknowit101]

I just want to give credit to all the people that assist us all newbies having trouble with our old machines or whatever it is we ask here, but specially want to thank Wizcrafts because following his advise on this thread up top, 

On 3/30/2010 at 12:36 AM, Wizcrafts said:

4- Tighten the pressure spring along the back of the machine  to exert more downward pressure

I was able to fix my machine, and boy this old thing is now running as new!  

Wizcraft you are my hero! Thank you, Thank you! Thank you!

and for the rest of people having issues with the cobblers, especially the 29-4, listen to Wizcraft, read his post carefully, follow all steps, and I can almost assure you that you, just like me will be able to fix your 29-4, I was about to give up on this thing, but came across this post and now I am a happy camper, my machine can do 5, or 6 or 7 per inch or whatever length stitch I want thanks to this post.

Again, Thank you!

 

 

 

[Wizcrafts]

You are most welcome! Glad to have been of help.