Help Me Learn To Use My Juki Ddl-5550

[Stocksuspension]

Today I saw a video on YouTube with my machine sewing leather. I'm open to upgrading machines but I want to learn how to sew first , then when the budget permits I'll upgrade

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Today I saw a video on YouTube with my machine sewing leather. I'm open to upgrading machines but I want to learn how to sew first , then when the budget permits I'll upgrade

This is akin to entering a stock Honda Civic into a Monster Jam monster truck contest; sure you could do it, but I wouldn't recommend it! You are likely to either tear up that machine, or quit from the frustration of using the wrong tool for the job.

It's none of my business, but I always wonder how people show up with equipment like this, especially with all of the fantastic recourses available here.

[Wizcrafts]

This is akin to entering a stock Honda Civic into a Monster Jam monster truck contest; sure you could do it, but I wouldn't recommend it! You are likely to either tear up that machine, or quit from the frustration of using the wrong tool for the job.

It's none of my business, but I always wonder how people show up with equipment like this, especially with all of the fantastic recourses available here.

Most are first time buyers of industrial sewing machines and come here from the Sewing Leather Forum. Someone may have told them that they need an "industrial" sewing machine, but not the exact type or feed system. Without any background knowledge of what is actually required to sew various types and thicknesses of leather, they go for what looks like a big, heavy duty machine, only to find out here that it can't do what they thought it could.

I, as well as many of the other sewing professionals here, had to work our way up through a variety of sewing machines, until we got the right machine for the jobs we need to sew. We spent a lot of time, money and frustration trying to kit-bash old machines, or wrong machines, into leather stitchers. After a lot of wasted resources we bought the best machine we could afford, that was actually capable of feeding and sewing thick leather. My first industrial machine (1984) was an old Singer 96k40, which I eventually converted into a roller foot feed. Still, all it could sew was leather garments and chaps, with #69 thread, tops. From its appearance, I thought it would sew 10-12 oz of belt leather without hesitation, but I was wrong. Ya live and learn.

I will try to write-compile an article detailing this matter and perhaps it will be sticky'd. The title will be targeted at newbies to leather sewing. I and others have already posted most of the information that newbies need to read, but it has floated out of the current posts.

Note: No disrespect is meant by the term "newbie." It defines a point in time where a person has yet to gather any meaningful experience in a particular subject they wish to pursue. Our forum exists, among other goals, to help bring newbies up to speed.

For those, like "Stocksuspension," who have already bought an inadequate industrial machine, they can try to sell it through our own Machinery for Sale section, or their local Craigslist, for free.

[Stocksuspension]

This is akin to entering a stock Honda Civic into a Monster Jam monster truck contest; sure you could do it, but I wouldn't recommend it! You are likely to either tear up that machine, or quit from the frustration of using the wrong tool for the job.

It's none of my business, but I always wonder how people show up with equipment like this, especially with all of the fantastic recourses available here.

well theres no need to get upset. i've always been interested in leather upholstery. i spoke with a local upholstery shop and he advised me to buy an old iron/steel looking sewing machine to sew leather. i checked craigslist locally and came across this machine rather cheap. i found a video of it 'sewing" leather on youtube so i purchased it. I have no problem

with upgrading to a better machine i was just curious if could possibly use this machine. With that in mind what machine do you guys recommend for sewing leather in the

range from uphosletry to 1/4 thick?

[Art]

Juki DNU-1541S

Cobra Class 18

Adler 267

Adler 867

Pfaff 1245

Consew 206

Singer 211

To name a few, but whatever you get, it should be setup and provisioned for the work you will be doing by a brick and mortar seller who will be there for you when you need them.

Art

[Stocksuspension]

well today i went to downtown la. i went to this industrial sewing shop in the fashion district. The owner recommended i run a teflon foot and a smaller pulley on my machine. well i spent 50 bucks. That got me a teflon foot, smaller pulley, and a couple spools of nylon thread. I fitted the new accesories to the machine and gave it a shot. big difference. I did some random

stitches on a scrap piece of leather i had. I folded it in half and seemed to operate pretty good.

another pic

[Wizcrafts]

Get yourself a roller foot if you can. It will feed even better than the teflon foot.

It looks like you are now getting close to 5 stitches per inch. Is that correct? That is your likely maximum, without resorting to hacking the machine.

[Stocksuspension]

Can some one explain or direct me to a link in the purpose/importance of thread tension?

[Wizcrafts]

Can some one explain or direct me to a link in the purpose/importance of thread tension?

I can explain it to you. To produce a good stitch you must balance the top thread and bobbin thread tensions so that the knot is formed in inside the leather, not on top or on the bottom. You don't want the top thread to be so tight that it filigrees the material, nor do you want it so loose that it forms slight loops on top of the leather. Start by adjusting the bobbin spring tension to provide a slight resistance as the thread is pulled out. If it is too loose it may be pulled to the top of the top layer, or the thread may get jammed inside the bobbin case. If it is too tight, you'll need to really tighten down the upper thread, to the point of breaking it, or filigreeing the leather.

With the bobbin thread pulling smoothly, with slight resistance, insert it into the bobbin shuttle, making sure it snaps in. Leave several inches of thread out of the bobbin case. Bring the bobbin thread up by cycling the needle once with 6" of top thread in it, while holding down the loose end in your left hand. When the needle and take-up lever raises up the top thread should have captured the bobbin thread and it can be pulled up through the little hole in the bobbin case cover plate.

Set the top tension adjuster to the half way in point, to start. There should be some good resistance, but the thread should be pull-able with the foot down. If you can't pull the thread through the top tension discs by hand, how is the take-up lever going to do so? If the top thread is not seated well inside the tension discs, it will probably be pulled under the bottom layer and you'll have to pull it out and start over. Similarly, if the top thread is seated, but the spring tension is too loose, the bobbin thread may pull it down under the bottom layer.

Place some leather under the pressor foot, hold back the top and bottom thread ends, and run a few stitches. Look at both sides to see if the thread lays snugly on the leather and the knots are pulled well into the bottom layer. If there are knots on the top of the leather, loosen the top tension one turn at a time, until they are no longer visible on top. If the knots are showing under the bottom layer, tighten the top thread tensioner. If the knots are inside the leather, but the thread is laying loose on the top or bottom, increase the bobbin spring tension by a half turn. You will eventually learn to figure out the best top and bottom tension to form a properly set stitch. Once the bobbin tension is good you don't need to change it. Buy more bobbin cases to use with other sizes of thread and adjust each one for the best result. Experiment before sewing a new job. If you change thread or needle sizes, retest the thread settings and adjust the top as needed.

Your Juki 5550 is a garment sewing machine and if you set the top or bottom tension way too tight, you could damage the machine or break the needles. Set it so you have just enough balanced tension to form tight stitches that lay flat, with the knots pulled well inside the bottom layer. If the top tension is very tight, but the bottom thread is not pulled well into the leather, try changing to a larger needle size. A bigger needle makes a bigger hole and the knots are pulled up with less effort. You may find that if you are ok sewing leather garments with #69 thread and a #18 needle, then try to sew belt leather, a #20 needle will work better.

Edited July 12, 2010 by Wizcrafts

[Stocksuspension]

I can explain it to you. To produce a good stitch you must balance the top thread and bobbin thread tensions so that the knot is formed in inside the leather, not on top or on the bottom. You don't want the top thread to be so tight that it filigrees the material, nor do you want it so loose that it forms slight loops on top of the leather. Start by adjusting the bobbin spring tension to provide a slight resistance as the thread is pulled out. If it is too loose it may be pulled to the top of the top layer, or the thread may get jammed inside the bobbin case. If it is too tight, you'll need to really tighten down the upper thread, to the point of breaking it, or filigreeing the leather.

With the bobbin thread pulling smoothly, with slight resistance, insert it into the bobbin shuttle, making sure it snaps in. Leave several inches of thread out of the bobbin case. Bring the bobbin thread up by cycling the needle once with 6" of top thread in it, while holding down the loose end in your left hand. When the needle and take-up lever raises up the top thread should have captured the bobbin thread and it can be pulled up through the little hole in the bobbin case cover plate.

Set the top tension adjuster to the half way in point, to start. There should be some good resistance, but the thread should be pull-able with the foot down. If you can't pull the thread through the top tension discs by hand, how is the take-up lever going to do so? If the top thread is not seated well inside the tension discs, it will probably be pulled under the bottom layer and you'll have to pull it out and start over. Similarly, if the top thread is seated, but the spring tension is too loose, the bobbin thread may pull it down under the bottom layer.

Place some leather under the pressor foot, hold back the top and bottom thread ends, and run a few stitches. Look at both sides to see if the thread lays snugly on the leather and the knots are pulled well into the bottom layer. If there are knots on the top of the leather, loosen the top tension one turn at a time, until they are no longer visible on top. If the knots are showing under the bottom layer, tighten the top thread tensioner. If the knots are inside the leather, but the thread is laying loose on the top or bottom, increase the bobbin spring tension by a half turn. You will eventually learn to figure out the best top and bottom tension to form a properly set stitch. Once the bobbin tension is good you don't need to change it. Buy more bobbin cases to use with other sizes of thread and adjust each one for the best result. Experiment before sewing a new job. If you change thread or needle sizes, retest the thread settings and adjust the top as needed.

Your Juki 5550 is a garment sewing machine and if you set the top or bottom tension way too tight, you could damage the machine or break the needles. Set it so you have just enough balanced tension to form tight stitches that lay flat, with the knots pulled well inside the bottom layer. If the top tension is very tight, but the bottom thread is not pulled well into the leather, try changing to a larger needle size. A bigger needle makes a bigger hole and the knots are pulled up with less effort. You may find that if you are ok sewing leather garments with #69 thread and a #18 needle, then try to sew belt leather, a #20 needle will work better.

thanks wizcraft. You have been extremely helpfull and positive. I will play around with the tension this week and hopefully i can dial in my machine. I do plan on upgrading to a better machine some day though