cjnthumper Report post Posted October 12, 2011 I am buying a Singer 111W155 to sew things like bible covers. Will basically sew two 5-6oz pieces of leather together. I have never owned a sewing machine and I don't even know where to get started with this. Where would I go online to buy leather sewing needles for this machine, and what size would I get? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KAYAK45 Report post Posted October 13, 2011 CONGRATS ON A GREAT MACHINE! , Call/e-mail Bob at Toledo Industrial for all you singer needs. Great guy and all the knowledge you need. All needles, thread, feet and acc. for your machine. Love mine and changed the fly-wheel to an 11 inch for control. Could use the serve-pro for control too. let me know if you have USER ISSUES. Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjnthumper Report post Posted October 13, 2011 thanks for the info. the only thing I am worried about with this machine was the speed. I've seen on other posts that users will put a speed reducer on it. I am optimistic tho because I know that this machine belonged to a man who owned a saddle shop, but has passed away. Maybe it will already be set up for my needs. I have never sewn with a mahcine or turned on a sewing machine in my life, so glad to know there is a good contact at Toledo, and a friendly community who is willing to help on this website. James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomG Report post Posted October 13, 2011 CONGRATS ON A GREAT MACHINE! , Call/e-mail Bob at Toledo Industrial for all you singer needs. Great guy and all the knowledge you need. All needles, thread, feet and acc. for your machine. Love mine and changed the fly-wheel to an 11 inch for control. Could use the serve-pro for control too. let me know if you have USER ISSUES. Kevin Kevin, What size needles and threads do you use? What's the largest thead you've sewn with? Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveh Report post Posted October 13, 2011 the needle system for leather is 135 x16 steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomG Report post Posted October 13, 2011 the needle system for leather is 135 x16 steve Hi Steve. I was inquirubg as to the needle size (20, 22, etc) and the size thread you can use with the 155... 69, 138, etc. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe9 Report post Posted October 13, 2011 Tom , I highly recommend giving Bob a call , he is more than willing to answer all your questions and point you in the right direction . I came into this not knowing anything about sewing or machines and he was a big help & I wish I had done it sooner . You will save yourself a lot of time and stress , also I would highly recommend a servo motor , it will make learning a much more enjoyable experience . If you use the search function you will find a ton of info on the machine & the servo motor & answer to questions that you don't even know you have yet . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) I had a Singer 111w155 for a while, years ago. It came with a few spools of #138 thread which it handled flawlessly. I have no doubt that you can push it up a notch to #207 thread. But, the bobbins are the smaller standard class 15 size and they won't hold much #207 thread. So, if we agree on #138 thread, top and bottom, you would stock up on #22 and #23 needles. Leather point needles, type 135x16, work better that regular round point (135x15) when sewing leather. Some leather point needles produce a zig-zag stitch pattern. If you find that objectionable, buy triangle point needles only. If you want to experiment with #207 thread, buy a pack of #24 needles. Also, buy a dozen bobbins. Don't forget Lily Oil. When you sew with thick thread and a big needle (#23 and up), you place a lot of stress on the machine to hold down the leather as the needle and thread (with the locked stitches) ascends. To compensate, turn the top pressure spring clockwise, to exert more pressure on the feet. Wide, double toe presser feet are better able to hold down leather under such stress than single or narrow feet. Edited October 13, 2011 by Wizcrafts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KAYAK45 Report post Posted October 13, 2011 WIZ, as always, has it right! Use no more than #207 on top. I've tried more and it's not a pretty sight. Do your bobbins in #138, or less, and you cannot find a better machine for your use. MORE OIL, MORE OIL.! Where does it go? The Marines used to give them a annual bath of Diesel fuel and then oil them more. Put a newspaper under it and if there are no spots!... OIL IT! It will outlive you and me. God bless and good Bible threading. Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomG Report post Posted October 13, 2011 I put the 155 in the shop for a check, as the bobbin tension had a problem. They are telling me that it needs a couple fo tension springs and a new J-hook. Not sure if I want to inveast that much into it or save up for a Consew 206 or something like it. I need something that will do heavy fabric AND leather. Is the Consew 205 or 206 better and what wo9uld be a fair price on a used one? Thanks Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KAYAK45 Report post Posted October 13, 2011 Hey Tom! What you going to do w/155. Sell it to a sucker? Fix the darn thing. A couple springs and a "J hooK" cannot be that bad. (Whats a j hook anyway?) Call somebody for a price to fix and use the darn thing. IF.. after ten projects...you WANT another machine, because you WANT another machine, buy one.???? I bought my COWBOY 4500 after my w155 because I .. WANTED IT...! Good luck!!! Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomG Report post Posted October 14, 2011 Hey Tom! What you going to do w/155. Sell it to a sucker? Fix the darn thing. A couple springs and a "J hooK" cannot be that bad. (Whats a j hook anyway?) Call somebody for a price to fix and use the darn thing. IF.. after ten projects...you WANT another machine, because you WANT another machine, buy one.???? Kevin I would never sell something broken or in need of repair without full disclosure.... I just hate to keep pouring money into this machine. The place I took it to has a good rep and does lots of industrial business. But they are tell my it won't sew 138 or higher reliably. Folks here say it will. I put some 138 in and it seemed to do OK but has the random bunching and jamming on the bobbin side...same as the 69 thread... so a bad J-Hook makes sense.... Oh.. A J-hook is the device with the point that the bobbin fits into and slings the thread around to make your stitch.... Let's see. I spent $50 on a "tech" to come by the house and "fix" it for this problem a few months ago. Stopped sewing right the next day. Can't get hold of him now.. Surprise.... Just put a servo motor on it to slow it down.... That part is good. So now I have to put another $275 into it for this repair.... With what I paid for it and will have spent, I could have ALMOST bought a new Consew or something else...... I'm just frustrated, I guess. We do not have enough business right now to justify a whole lot of expense for this machine... But I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and do it.... End of Venting...! Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KAYAK45 Report post Posted October 14, 2011 (edited) Hey Tom I was just kidding about the "sucker" thing. I feel your pain. You just want it to sew, right? $275 seems a lot rich to me. Call Bob @ toledo industrial and get a price for the part 866-362-7397. Put it in yourself. Yeh I know what a J is. My bad sense of humor With the servo you are.....sew close.. to having a great machine. Don't back down now! O.K. the whole thing was maybe a mistake. You now have a w155, worth ZERO, accept that, and a servo motor, and now make it work! Your cost, up to now is just that, a cost. IT's gone! What choice now? START OVER? .......... NO WAY. MY MANUAL..says the 111w155 will handle size 24 needles AND..AND that means size 207 thread. It WILL do that and MORE! AFter you asked I went bigger. I am currently running #25 needle with #277 top and #138 bottom thread, on belts and the machine ..loves it... Good luck. Edited October 14, 2011 by KAYAK45 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomG Report post Posted October 14, 2011 Yeah.. Sure... Replace the J-Hook myself. Uh Huh.. Actually, I could probably do it. I've aligned the hook on our 12-needle embroidery machine.. And I have the service and parts manual for the W155. And I am very mechanically adept. The question was "Do I want to"??? Hell no.... the hook is $80. Another $20 for the tension and foot stuff. It's actually worth the $$$ in labor to not have to screw with it,. I decided to go ahead and have them do it. I got to thinking and recalled that every time I go to sew up the back of a folding chair we've emboidered, I have to sew a bunch of test stitches to get the slop out of the bobbin side, and that is never a guarantee.... Screw it... I'm tired of messing with it. If they do it right, I'm good to go on several fronts.. If they don't, they are local and I can go and become a pest Thanks for all of the advise. I'll try the different needle/thread combo when I get it back. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveh Report post Posted October 14, 2011 Tom, I run a 111w155, with a size 18 135x16 needle triangle point needle by schmetz. i have the stitching set a nine stitches per inch. I use a a size 99 bonded nylon thread.top and bottom.I trench all the stitching channels.I think this makes a nice appearence and works well for belts, notebooks, knife cases ect up to about 1/4 inch thickness of leather.make sure you wind nice level bobbins. tweak your top and bobbin tensions so that you are getting a nice lock stitch. the machine is very dependable. steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted October 14, 2011 MY MANUAL..says the 111w155 will handle size 24 needles AND..AND that means size 207 thread. It WILL do that and MORE! AFter you asked I went bigger. I am currently running #25 needle with #277 top and #138 bottom thread, on belts and the machine ..loves it... Good luck. Use that combination as decorative stitching or for layers that don't expect to be under a lot of stress. The locked stitches are only as strong as the weakest thread (138). I wouldn't use that 277/138 thread combination on mission critical projects (e.g. Police gear, competition shooting gear, weight lifters' belts).. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gicts Report post Posted December 7, 2011 I'm curious about the outcome of the OP. I'm looking at my first machine options. There is a Singer 111w155 on CraigsList for $500 that looks tempting. I'm mainly making holsters (right now my hand. Whew!). Would this be a great starting machine? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomG Report post Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) What's an OP? The J-hook on mine solved most of the problems I was having. The sad thing is that I haven't had to use it very much since it was repaired.... But what I HAVE done was OK Tom Edited December 7, 2011 by TomG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted December 8, 2011 What's an OP? Tom In the early days of the Interwebs, long before there were forums, there were special interest Newsgroups (SIGS), that used a protocol known as NNTP (Network News Transfer Protocol). A certain jargon developed among members of these SIGS, including shorthand abbreviations for commonly used words and phrases. In NewsgroupSpeak, OP stands for : Original Poster - the person who started the thread to which others were replying. Sometimes these threads became so long that the original message was lost in the ever expanding list of replies. Those who remembered the first poster's question would refer to that person as the OP. Now, I am issuing a C&C Alert to those who are from the NNTP generation. All in the know can reply with the definition of a C&C Alert. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomG Report post Posted December 8, 2011 In the early days of the Interwebs, long before there were forums, there were special interest Newsgroups (SIGS), that used a protocol known as NNTP (Network News Transfer Protocol). A certain jargon developed among members of these SIGS, including shorthand abbreviations for commonly used words and phrases. In NewsgroupSpeak, OP stands for : Original Poster - the person who started the thread to which others were replying. Sometimes these threads became so long that the original message was lost in the ever expanding list of replies. Those who remembered the first poster's question would refer to that person as the OP. Now, I am issuing a C&C Alert to those who are from the NNTP generation. All in the know can reply with the definition of a C&C Alert. I'm an old BBS and IRQ guy. Did a little with news groups but not enough to remember all the acronyms and stuff. I don't think I ever knew that one.... I'll wait and see what ya stir up outta the woodpile though Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted December 8, 2011 I'm an old BBS and IRQ guy. Did a little with news groups but not enough to remember all the acronyms and stuff. I don't think I ever knew that one.... I'll wait and see what ya stir up outta the woodpile though Think back to 1996, just at the end of the BBS period, when USENET became popular. Every Email Client also included a Newsgroup reader. CLUE NUMBER ONE: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted December 8, 2011 CLUE NUMBER TWO: NANAE Newsgroup Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtwister09 Report post Posted December 8, 2011 Wiz, I was reading this for someone that has a problem with his 111 and ran across your question. I ran back as far back as the BBS days and a 300 baud modem. Anyhow the answer is Coffee and Cats. Lately I have been seeing it used in groups/forums as critique and comment. Regards, Ben Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted December 8, 2011 Wiz, I was reading this for someone that has a problem with his 111 and ran across your question. I ran back as far back as the BBS days and a 300 baud modem. Anyhow the answer is Coffee and Cats. Lately I have been seeing it used in groups/forums as critique and comment. Regards, Ben Congratulations to Ben for correctly defining a C&C warning as Coffee and Cats! The N.A.N.A-E newsgroup was run by network administrators responsible for email systems, many of whom were very geeky people, like me. Many such folk had familiars, er, cats, to assist them with the magic of keeping email servers up and running and in combating spammers. This assistance was provided by the cat curling up on their laps. The trick was to be able to read through various fresh topics, while drinking coffee and trying not to disturb the familiar, er, cat. Sometimes, a member would post a really funny joke, or sarcastic statement, which was as a courtesy prefaced with a warning in the subject: C&C Warning, or C&C Alert. This was to alert all members holding a cup and a cat to rid themselves of both before reading the funny comments. Failure to do so could result in coffee being spit out all over the keyboard and monitor and getting clawed by the cat as it flees for its life, off the comfy perch on our laps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
