Learning How To Sew With A Machine

[Northmount]

I think a video could be very useful. It could show what the various parts of a "typical" machine are, how the top thread is controlled, how the loop is formed under the feed dogs/ plate, how the hook comes around and grabs the loop to pull it over the bobbin, how the top thread is pulled back up, how to adjust the tension, how to start a stitch, how to back tack, how to turn corners, follow curves, etc.

Comments could be made about timing, walking foot versus not, how to adjust presser foot pressure. For specific brand names threading, timing, and that sort of stuff, viewer should be referred to the machines manual.

More could be added to following segments on using edge guides, a little about routine maintenance, oiling, etc.

One of the first things in the video should be how to correctly install a new needle.

Charts don't need to be in the video, but reference locations (urls) should be given.

Some good and bad examples of sewing should be included. Wrong tension, wrong needle and thread size combination.

We could start off with an outline, followed by a text write up with photos. That could be followed up using it as the basis for a script to do video segments.

There are a number of photos in various posts that can be used for illustrative purposes, both in a text document, and later for video either as direct insertion or guide for action in the video.

What do you think? Will it get support and input, enough to make it worthwhile, or a good idea that goes off the rails and never gets finished.

Some of the vendors here have done nice shorts promoting their machines and showing how to thread. Would they be interested in formally supporting, or taking over the actual video production?

CTG

[Rayban]

Sounds good northmount....I believe such a DVD would be very useful.

[SooperJake]

Or an online content...either way the greenhorn machine owner would certainly benefit...someone like me!

I'm actually a little surprised DVD's on the subject don't already exist. It's a potential add-on sale for every sewing machine sold, I would think.

How many "help" phone calls it could save the dealers, particularly if it was machine specific?

All good theory, but is it practical? What would make for interesting content, I think, would be to take an absolute beginner and sit them down and film the lesson.

Jake

[Wizcrafts]

Or an online content...either way the greenhorn machine owner would certainly benefit...someone like me!

I'm actually a little surprised DVD's on the subject don't already exist. It's a potential add-on sale for every sewing machine sold, I would think.

How many "help" phone calls it could save the dealers, particularly if it was machine specific?

All good theory, but is it practical? What would make for interesting content, I think, would be to take an absolute beginner and sit them down and film the lesson.

Jake

If you're ever in mid-Michigan, you're welcome to visit my leather shop, where my CB4500 lives. I'll be happy to show you how I adjust and operate my machine and how the optional attachments work. Take all the photos or video footage you want.

[SooperJake]

Wiz, I may take you up on that the next time I come home.

Jake

[Tree Reaper]

If you're ever in mid-Michigan, you're welcome to visit my leather shop

Wiz, when I'm in mid-Michigan I'll be taking you out for dinner.

Kevin

[SooperJake]

Be sure to take him some Canadian Beer, too!

Wiz, when I'm in mid-Michigan I'll be taking you out for dinner.

Kevin

[Cobra Tom]

Leather Machine Co., Inc. includes a DVD with the COBRA Class 3 and 4 machines. If you want to buy just the DVD we will include the machine at no charge. Same price either way. LOL.

[1911 Jerry]

I seam to have a lot of trouble adjusting the tension of the bobbin and top thread.

Sometimes I get loops on top.

When I do get it to sew right and have to change colors I have to start all over again with the tension.

I have a cowboy 3500 using 277 thread and #25 needles.

I didn't think you should have to readjust the tension every time.

[Wizcrafts]

I find that there is a bit of a balancing act you need to acquire to get the tensions in the ballpark. Once there, adjustments for new thread, or different thicknesses can be made by twiddling a knob. Let's proceed with a setup using #277 thread, top and bottom, with a #25 needle, sewing 1/4 inch of veg-tan leather.

Adjust the bobbin tension for a noticeable, but smooth pull, directly out of the bobbin case spring. Make sure that the bobbin is inserted so it feeds backwards, making a sharp turn off the bobbin, into the thread slot, then under the spring and out. Note, there is a tiny screw inside a hole on the case. That is a set screw that locks the tension screw into position. Good, bad, or ugly, you have to either use it, or lose it. To change the bobbin tension, loosen that little hidden screw, then turn the bobbin spring screw in or out to increase or decrease the drag. Tighten down the set screw when you are happy with the bobbin tension.

With the needle threaded, rotate the hand wheel and pull up the bobbin thread. Grab it and give it a tug. Is the tension about the same as with the thread feeding directly out of the case? It should be close to the same, but not jammed.

Next, go over the top thread path, from the spool to the needle. The thread should feed straight up off the spool, through the hole or guide on the upper bar, then on to the post on top of the machine. If the thread is too springy it can wrap around the top bar and cause the top thread to have way too much tension. It may even break the thread, or the needle, if it gets totally jammed from a wrap-around on top. I sometimes place a funnel over black thread to keep it from looping over thread guides on the thread stand.

If your machine doesn't have a lube pot on top, the top thread must be wrapped around the top post at least one time (in a hole, around the post and through another hole, then out to the top thread tension disks). Failure to do this can allow springy thread to lift up in the upper disks, losing their normal, or all of their top tension. The back pressure from thread wrapping around the top post should keep the thread deep inside the top tension disks.

Feed the thread through the thread guide in front of the upper disks, then up and around the disks, snapping it all the way into them.

Take the thread down to the lower disks and feed it through the thread guide, then backwards around the disk, 1.5 times. On the second revolution, feed the thread back up through the same guide hole, then to the right, through the movable thread check spring hole. From the check spring, feed it up, through the take-up lever eye, then down, through the snap spring guide plate, then down through the steel guide loop, then through the hole in the bottom of the needle bar. Finally, thread the needle from left to right.

Raise the presser foot by the foot lift pedal on the right on the floor board of the pedestal. If set up correctly, this should cause a lever to go between the top tension disks, separating them and releasing most of the top tension. At this point, if you pull down on the top thread that feeds down from those top disks, it should feed with very little pressure from the separated disks (mostly from being wrapped around the top post holes). If you have too much tension screw adjustment, those disks may not release enough, or at all. If this is the case, back off the top disk tension thumb-nut adjuster until you can pull the thread easily.

Next, test the tension on the secondary tension disk assembly. Can you still pull the thread around them on the way up to the take-up lever. If not, back off the adjuster nut until you can pull the thread around that adjuster, with just a little tension.

Now let go of the presser foot lift pedal. The top tension disks should have closed on the thread, putting pressure on it. Try sewing some leather and see where the knots are. If on top, back off the top tension adjuster, and/or the secondary adjuster. If the knots are on the bottom, either back off the bobbin case tension spring, or add some more top tension (from the upper tensioner). Once the knots are anywhere inside the leather, you can fine tune the position of them using the lower tensioner adjustment.

Sometimes, it becomes necessary to add a lot of bobbin tension to balance the knots. This usually occurs with heavy, or springy black thread. Black thread has a lot more dye in it than any other color. This makes the thread tougher to balance than white, beige, or brown thread.

There are times when your eye won't see that the top thread has erroneously gotten wrapped back around the secondary tensioner on its way to the thread guide below the take-up lever. This happens more often that you can imagine. When this happens you get loops on top, or broken needles, or frayed top thread. I have even filigreed heavy leather when the top thread got stuck around the second tensioner assembly.

BTW: A #25 leather point type 794 needle is correct for #277 thread, top and bottom. But, if the leather is very soft, like draft harness leather, the hole might be too big to properly position the knots. Try moving down to a #24 needle and see if that helps.

Bottom line: As long as the top thread is not jamming, or getting wrapped around something it isn't meant to go around, and the bobbin thread is not jammed, nor out of its tension spring completely, you should be able to get consistent stitch knot placement in the range of thicknesses you thread is best suited to. If you can't balance the knots properly, either the thread is jammed, or has come out of its proper tension disk or spring placement.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Wizcrafts

[Tree Reaper]

I had some suede to sew and dreaded changing needles and thread but sooner or later it's going to happen so I made the switch.

It seems to be sewing properly, I backed the bobbin tension way off and it still seems tight but it is working.

Occasionally it will skip a stitch when back stitching (not sure what's causing that) but the running stitch seems fine.

Is anyone using a thread tension gauge to measure the thread tension?

[Wizcrafts]

Another tip is when you wind a bobbin on the winder, always cut off the starting thread that sticks out as close to the hole as possible. A tiny amount of thread sticking out can affect the position of the knots as it rotates. This is especially so if the thread stub is on the inside, where the ejector spring resides.

[SooperJake]

An update from me : Things are going well. My anxiety with the machine is gone and I'm ticking right along. I just needed to tinker.

Now I'm ready to switch to the smooth plate because the tooth marks on the backside of my stuff is pissing me off.

Haven't made any holsters lately. I made a quiver belt hanger attachment for a family member and he showed it to a local archery shop and next thing i know I'm producing these things for them. Apparently crossbow hunters don't always like to carry the quiver attached to the crossbow.

Jake

[Rayban]

I've always thought there was something screwy about black thread...thanks for explaining why Wiz.

[SooperJake]

CAn anyone recall which forum thread contained the info about setting up the smooth plate and foot combo on the Cowboy Cb4500? I'm ready to do that but can't locate the thread in here where Wiz explained how to do it.

Thanks

[Wizcrafts]

CAn anyone recall which forum thread contained the info about setting up the smooth plate and foot combo on the Cowboy Cb4500? I'm ready to do that but can't locate the thread in here where Wiz explained how to do it.

Thanks

What exactly do you need me to explain?

[SooperJake]

I think in the thread I am refering to, you mentioned a few tips about removing the feed dog,as I recall.I wanted to read up before I did anything.

My computer is at home, and my machine is at another location, so I intended to print off what ever it was that yu had written and take it with me. It may have been in a PM that you sent me before, Wiz. But, I don't think I saved a copy.

Edited November 20, 2012 by SooperJake

[Wizcrafts]

I think in the thread I am refering to, you mentioned a few tips about removing the feed dog,as I recall.I wanted to read up before I did anything.

Okay. Here then is the procedure I follow to change to the flat slotted throat plate, on my CB4500.

1. Turn off the power and press the speed pedal to ensure that the motor is totally off.
   
2. Rotate the wheel to get the needle up.
   
3. Unscrew the standard throat plate, storing the two screws in the two threaded holes in the top-center of the arm.
   
4. Remove the bobbin cover.
   
5. Unscrew the two screws that hold the shuttle onto the end of the arm. Set the screws aside and carefully pry off the shuttle and bobbin assembly and set it aside. The bobbin case can fall out, so handle it carefulloy, or remove it from the shuttle race.
   
6. At this point all you have left is the shuttle driver and feed dog.
   
7. Roate the shuttle driver to move it out of the ay of the feed dog screw.
   
8. Use a large flat bade screwdriver, with a big handle, to unscrew the feed dog screw. It may take a few hits with a mallet to get the Lock-Tight to give up.
   
9. Remove the feed dog. You can replace its screw in the hole for safe keeping, with just moderate tightening.
   
10. Reinstall the shuttle race and bobbin case, exercising caution to align the bobbin case with the shuttle driver.
    
11. Install the flat slotted throat plate
    

You will now be sewing without bottom assist. This will change the stitch length in both directions, but more so in reverse. You can try reducing the pressure spring pressure to alleviate the force on the leather. This will allow it to feed a little smoother with just dual feed. Just don't reduce the pressure to the point that the leather lifts with the needle.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Wizcrafts

[SooperJake]