What Size Needle With 138 Thread

[mack the knife]

what size needle do i need for 138 thread in singer 3115 and can i sew this thread in a regular home machine

[leathercrafter]

what size needle do i need for 138 thread in singer 3115 and can i sew this thread in a regular home machine

mack i dont know for sure if you can use that size thread in that small of machine i have a alder 205-64 and it uses 138 thread ans a 140 or 160 needle. might want to check about that size of thread hope this helps john

[CowboyBob]

I usually tell people to use #22 f/138 & no this size is too big for most home machines.

Bob

[KAYAK45]

If you have a singer "3115" that needle is too big, but if you have a "31-15" you could go up to a 23 needle, and the 22 is preferred for 69 and 138.

[Wizcrafts]

Home sewing machines are made to accept home machine needles that range in number from about 9, up to 18. In order to sew #138 thread you will need to use at least a number 21 needle. Certain needle types may pass #138 in size 19 (Schmetz), if it is well bonded and tightly twisted. You may be able to find some #20 leather point needles for home sewing machines. They will probably allow you to sew with #138 on top and #92 in the bobbin.

If you sew a lot with #138 thread, into veg-tan leather, in a home type machine, you will eventually destroy it. You really should use an industrial machine that is built to handle heavy thread. This usually leaves out all of the tailoring machines with flat feet and bottom feed. The exceptions are the Singer 45k clones and the Singer 153 and its clones. These are heavier duty machines.

All modern walking foot machines love #138 thread, top and bottom.I use either a number 22 or 23 leather point needle with #138 thread, top and bottom.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Wizcrafts

[Art]

The Singer in the 153W101 and 153W103 are compound feed machines similar to the flatbed 111 except with a cylinder arm and a riser, they will handle 138 without a problem. The 153W102 however is a different animal with a different needle system, you generally don't want one of those, so check carefully.

The 31-15 however is one of those gems that Singer made for a long time. It can sew light leather all the way up to a sandwich of 2 4oz liners + 2 4oz tops + a counter made of 6oz sole leather + a 4oz counter cover + a 3 oz welt without a problem; all those pieces are skived a bit but at the most by half, so I would say about 15oz total of leather. I don't like to use over 69 thread in them although I have seen 92 in the top of some.

The home machine won't do much in leatherland, and if pushed, not for long. It is not that those little iron Singers can't hack it, but needle size and thread size are a little problem, and the motors just aren't up to the job especially when run slow, they just eventually burn out.

Get a machine made for leather and you will be a happier camper.

Art

Home sewing machines are made to accept home machine needles that range in number from about 9, up to 18. In order to sew #138 thread you will need to use at least a number 21 needle. Certain needle types may pass #138 in size 19 (Schmetz), if it is well bonded and tightly twisted. You may be able to find some #20 leather point needles for home sewing machines. They will probably allow you to sew with #138 on top and #92 in the bobbin.

If you sew a lot with #138 thread, into veg-tan leather, in a home type machine, you will eventually destroy it. You really should use an industrial machine that is built to handle heavy thread. This usually leaves out all of the tailoring machines with flat feet and bottom feed. The exceptions are the Singer 45k clones and the Singer 153 and its clones. These are heavier duty machines.

All modern walking foot machines love #138 thread, top and bottom.I use either a number 22 or 23 leather point needle with #138 thread, top and bottom.