Union Lockstitch? Yes ? No? Or?

[catskin]

I am NOT asking you to spend time or money trying to modify your machine in order to get answers for my questions.

I only expected you to look at your machine to see if you thought there was room for the modifications to be done. But thank you for all the advice you have given me.

I suspect that Campbell-Randall Company could give you a better answer about modifying a Union Lockstitch for higher lift. They may even offer to modify one and sell it to you. But, for only a few thousand more you can buy a Campbell High Lift.

It would cost me about $200 for extra parts to experiment with this on my own machine. I can't afford that right now.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Wiz,

Thanks, good info. I don't know or claim to know much about this machine. No excuse, but it just does not come up often enough for me to get involved with it.

[Wizcrafts]

Wiz,

Thanks, good info. I don't know or claim to know much about this machine. No excuse, but it just does not come up often enough for me to get involved with it.

Gregg;

The Union Lockstitch machines are like the Indian Motorcycle of harness stitchers. Fast, temperamental, powerful, built in the USA and totally awesome!

I found it relatively painless to eek out a little more working clearance from my old gal. A 6" grinder, a strip of Emory cloth and a buffing wheel, working on the right side of the presser foot and some bending of the thread check arm (still needs work) got me just over 7/8 inch. I suspect that if I put in some more time on it, I can get it to sew and feed a full inch of anything I put under the foot. That includes plywood lined with leather.

I'm toying with the idea of shooting a few short videos on my Canon digital camera, showing how to thread, time, change stitch length and perform basic adjustments and maintenance on a Union Lockstitch.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Gregg;

The Union Lockstitch machines are like the Indian Motorcycle of harness stitchers. Fast, temperamental, powerful, built in the USA and totally awesome!

I found it relatively painless to eek out a little more working clearance from my old gal. A 6" grinder, a strip of Emory cloth and a buffing wheel, working on the right side of the presser foot and some bending of the thread check arm (still needs work) got me just over 7/8 inch. I suspect that if I put in some more time on it, I can get it to sew and feed a full inch of anything I put under the foot. That includes plywood lined with leather.

I'm toying with the idea of shooting a few short videos on my Canon digital camera, showing how to thread, time, change stitch length and perform basic adjustments and maintenance on a Union Lockstitch.

Good deal, not may folks running around with personal useer experiece on this this machine.

[jsmith]

Wiz

Your vast experience with the uls is so rare I'd love to see you do some videos. It would have saved me years of re-engineering parts and functions on my machine.

Jeff.

PS I'm waiting for the truck to drop my new Cobra 4 , the uls won't get as much use now.

Jeff

[Wizcrafts]

Wiz

Your vast experience with the uls is so rare I'd love to see you do some videos. It would have saved me years of re-engineering parts and functions on my machine.

Jeff.

PS I'm waiting for the truck to drop my new Cobra 4 , the uls won't get as much use now.

Jeff

Not necessarily so... They are horses of a different color. The ULS is especially good for sewing fast runs along edges. None of the current 441 set-ups are able to match the speed of a ULS, flat out. Just like an Indian Chief!

[catskin]

I quess I won't be owning that ULS at least not today. Looked at it and while I have no doubt I could make it sew we didn't agree on price. I told him what I would pay, he knows where to reach me if he changes his mind. It does have the tools, 4 bobbins , edge guide,some extra parts and the book. But looks dirty inside and out. He whats $300.00 more then he paid for it and has done nothing to improve it.

[brian palen]

Can i use pre waxed thread on my uls? Why does thread have to be run through liquid wax or can i sew without using the liquid wax oiler

[oltoot]

I got tired of spending as much time fixing and trading machines as working and brought a brand new ULS head from the factory in 1975 (ser # 6100) Then I entered into about 5 years of learning. Since then, I have enjoyed a great relationship with my ULS. I set it up with a 1/2 horse 1725rpm motor and a speed reducer (shaft on pillow blocks w/ twin 2" machinedrive pulleys and a 5" power supply pulley from a 1" motor shaft drive) underneath the stand and a separate little motor for the bobbin winder. Looks Rube Goldberg but has never let me down. I have tried many combinations and settled on #4 awls, #2 1/2 needles, 277 poly thread run through silicone thread lube on top. As to greater than 3/4" limitation, I have just learned to design within that or hand sew. I have often thought of adding a cylinder arm for certain kinds of work but am still happy with my ULS as an only heavy machine (I have a singer 211G for chaps, etc., 135X16 LP needles, 138 thread). If I were younger and having to take everything that would come in the door, my first would probably be the Artisan with the real long arm or another 441 clone.

Just my thoughts

[Singermania]

HI All, I've just traded one of my Pearson's for a goodish ULS and a spare parts machine, the spare machine is not complete so would be interested in hearing from anybody that has one in poor order that might part with it, I need some of the bigger castings up the business end rather than little parts that I can make myself.

I'd like to thank all that have participated in this discussion as it has really helped me understand more about the machine. I have some Champions, Puritans, Blake and a Randall so have some basic idea of needle and awl machines, but your advise has really helped. The machines came with a little yellow covered book that has about 2 pages instructions and then the parts section, does anyone know where there is a more comprehensive instruction manual than this one?

Regards Steve

[Wizcrafts]

Steve. That little yellow book is all there is, aside from YouTube uploads from Campbell-Randall, or private users.

[Singermania]

HI Wiz, thanks for replying. Ok that's fine, its a pretty modest sized instruction manual, probably the shortest I've seen. Unlike the 97-10 and the Pearson it requires quite a bit of ongoing tinkering to keep it nicely tuned. I wont be doing much with it for some time as I've other machines that need attention. Do you know what the link is between Union Lockstitch and Puritan as they are very very similar.

Regards Steve

[Wizcrafts]

Steve;

I don't know about any connection between Puritan and Union Lockstitch, other than basic appearance of the casing. All Unions are lockstitch machines, while most Puritans are and have been chain stitchers. Maybe they shared foundry costs way back when...

An owner of a ULS is like a horse owner. You must train each other to get along amicably.

I have owned and mastered two ULS machines. They are unlike anything else, if you can get along with each other.