Singer 269W9 And Metro Special Shoe Repair Machine

[Wizcrafts]

I should add that if the price of one of those machines exceeds $800, after you add a 120 volt servo motor, you're almost at $1000. For that money you could buy a brand new Cowboy 2500 machine. It sews up to #346 thread and is bottom fed. There is a roller foot conversion kit available and a swing-down edge guide. Awesome machine for thick, flat work! 1-800-362-7397

Edited August 21, 2010 by Wizcrafts

[GunNut]

Turns out the two machines that would work for me are both almost $1000. That is before the new motor and wiring needed to work with 110. No warranty either. Anybody got any leads on a machine for around $700 let me know.

I should add that if the price of one of those machines exceeds $800, after you add a 120 volt servo motor, you're almost at $1000. For that money you could buy a brand new Cowboy 2500 machine. It sews up to #346 thread and is bottom fed. There is a roller foot conversion kit available and a swing-down edge guide. Awesome machine for thick, flat work! 1-800-362-7397

I have been looking at the Cowboy site and can't find this machine. Would you throw me a link?

Edited August 25, 2010 by GunNut

[Wizcrafts]

Turns out the two machines that would work for me are both almost $1000. That is before the new motor and wiring needed to work with 110. No warranty either. Anybody got any leads on a machine for around $700 let me know.

I have been looking at the Cowboy site and can't find this machine. Would you throw me a link?

That's because there is no website for the US operation yet! It is in the works though...

In the meantime, here is a scan of my own brochure on the CB 2500.

[GunNut]

That's because there is no website for the US operation yet! It is in the works though...

In the meantime, here is a scan of my own brochure on the CB 2500.

Oh you are a bad bad man Wizcrafts. I put my last three guns up for sale to fund this buy all due to you. I had $500 and can borrow the $300 but now I have to get another $400! Man its a nice machine. I assume you recommend the machine for my type work? I am having serious "immediate gratification" issues now.

[Wizcrafts]

Oh you are a bad bad man Wizcrafts. I put my last three guns up for sale to fund this buy all due to you. I had $500 and can borrow the $300 but now I have to get another $400! Man its a nice machine. I assume you recommend the machine for my type work? I am having serious "immediate gratification" issues now.

The CB 2500 will make all the holsters you want. It natively sews up to 7/16", but I think it can be adjusted for a half inch. It has no problem sewing #277 or #346 thread, has a large bobbin, lots of top foot pressure and a servo motor plus speed reducer. If most of your work is one top layer, this is a good machine for you. If you have to jump up and down layers, a walking or jumping foot is better. It sounds like your holsters are one top layer, so check it out.

Oh, and it's brand new. You should mail a sample of your leather to Bob, glued together, and have him sew it off for you, with either #277 or #346 thread. Send something that represents your actual work.

You can see samples of the other machine's sewing at the same time, as a comparison. It won't handle anything over #207 thread though.

Edited August 26, 2010 by Wizcrafts

[GunNut]

Thanks for the reply. So the CB2500 is a needle feed machine? I will take your advise and run with it. This looks like my new machine.

[Wizcrafts]

Thanks for the reply. So the CB2500 is a needle feed machine? I will take your advise and run with it. This looks like my new machine.

No, it is a bottom feed dog driven machine. The needle only moves up and down and the foot it static. There is an optional roller foot available, to assist in feeding slippery top layers. Most work will feed just fine with the standard foot. I still advise you to mail Bob a glued together sample of the leather you want to sew and have him sew it on the 2500 machine, with the needle and thread you hope to use. Then you can see the results before you buy a machine.

The main thing the CB 2500 has going for it is the very heavy duty moving parts. You aren't going to hurt the machine, unless you take a sledge hammer to it. It will not break because you are sewing dense leather with #277 or 346 nylon thread.

On the other hand, try that with a Singer 153 and you may well destroy it.

Whatever your ultimate decision, I hope you get the best machine you can afford, for the work you are going to use it for. Don't neglect extra needles, in different sizes (for different thread sizes), extra bobbins (for different colors and sizes of thread), and some 1 pound spools of thread, in the sizes and colors you prefer.

Sewing with a clutch motor is difficult for beginners. Sewing with a geared down servo motor is much easier.

Good luck GunNut!

[GunNut]

If you have the time Wiz sir could you explain how the roller foot works. I have given them a deposit so I am buying this machine. I am a poor decision maker so when someone like you takes the time to explain to me the type machine I need and then suggest one to me, I trust you. The machine I ordered has a servo motor with a reducer. He is adding a smaller foot so I can sew little things and an edge guide. I have surgery on the 8th so I need to get this done now. I won't be able to move anything or do any heavy work for a month or more. I am quite excited.

[Wizcrafts]

If you have the time Wiz sir could you explain how the roller foot works.

Sure thing!

A static pressor foot just presses down on the material. This is necessary for two reasons.

1. Top pressure keeps the material from moving until you are stitching, and then only in the direction the feed moves it.
2. Top pressure keeps the material flat as the needle begins its ascent. If the material (including leather) lifts with the needle, the stitch will skip. This also tends to fray the thread.

There is a big thumbscrew on top of sewing machines, directly over the pressor foot (outer foot on walking foot machines). Turning it down increases the top pressure and visa-versa. Use it to set enough top pressure to prevent the material from lifting with the needle. No more, no less.

Too much top pressure will cause the top layer to want to go out of alignment with the lower layers (unless they are tacked or glued together). Sometimes, you will need to sew sticky material, like Naugahyde, or garment or chap leather. Normally, backing off the top pressure solves the feed problems, but if not, a roller foot will.

A roller foot, in the context of the machine you ordered, is a large wheel on a ball bearing spindle, that replaces the original pressor foot. It has a positioning screw that lets you move it sideways with respect to the needle (keep it close to the needle, but not touching it). As the feed dog moves the bottom layer, the roller rolls with the top layer, keeping the whole shebang in alignment. You can apply the necessary amount of top pressure to prevent lifting, without compromising feeding.

That's all I've got to say about tha-at!

[GunNut]

Geez you're a well spoked, and written, man sir! Thanks