New Cowboy 4500 Just Delivered!

[billymac814]

This is a slightly older thread but Ill give my experience as well.

I was originally planning on getting a Cobra class 4 because I heard more of them on this forum. I already had the Boss though and it worked good enough as a heavy stitcher that I prioritized a bit and figured I'd first get a flat bed walking foot that way I'd have the Boss for heavy stuff and a flat bed for thinner flatter work. I did a little research and decided on the Consew 206rb and gave Bob a call and he had me squared up and a week later I was putting it together. I've had a few questions and all were answered very quickly. Then a few months back I wanted to motorized my Adler patcher so I talked to Bob again and discussed possible options, I chose to go with an industrial stand and servo motor, shipping was going to be a lot but I was going to Chicago for a weekend, and he offered to meet me at his shop on a Sunday night to pick it up, I was able to rearrange my schedule so he didn't have to but not many people would offer to do that. While I was there I got to use the Cowboy 4500 and seeing one in action sealed the deal on that and I realized that its finally time.

I also believe ( but I'm not 100% sure so don't take this as fact) that the Cowboy has a larger balance wheel. If this is the case I do prefer a bigger one, it makes hand wheeling it easier and I'm used to the big ones as my Adler has a large one and I have an old landis with a huge one. Either way I've always got great service from Bob and he's helped me out a bit on machines I haven't got from him as well. Next on my priority list is a smaller cylinder arm machine and I know who I'll be buying it from.

From the sounds of it you can't go wrong either way but I have no reason to change, as someone else said in another thread that the relationship you have with your dealer ends up being a long term relationship.

[Ran]

I've worked with my CB4500 enough now that I'm feeling pretty confident with it. There's been a significant learning curve, but its been fun. Frustrating at times, but my problems have been virtually ALWAYS operator error. No regrets..

[billymac814]

I'd say that's pretty typical, it always takes me a little while to get accustomed to a new machine and learn its quirks, the worst part on new ones is you always assume its operator error but it could need a slight adjustment as well. When I got my Consew it seemed to push the material towards me before pulling it back and I lived with it for a long time thinking it was supposed to be that way and I need to get used to it but finally I decided to email Bob and check and he instructed me to lower the feed dogs a bit and all was well 5 minutes later.

Is this your first machine?

[JJs Leatherworks]

Having purchased a Cobra a year ago (and love it), the frames look identical - different color paint and different name attached. My guess is they are the same machine except for maybe some of the tweaking done prior to sale. Would have to get Steve and Bob to weigh in on their respective machines to know for sure.

I know they are capable of sewing even thicker than the samples shown in th video!

[billymac814]

It would be nice to have someone that really knows their machines like wizcraft (because he also writes and explains things well) to do a side by side review of the different clones. Everyone that gets one or the other likes it so I hardly think it matters which one anyone gets but I've never heard anyone that uses or used both.

I'm happy with my service from Bob and on top of that I live in PA and have inlaws in Chicago that we visit several times a year so I'm able to pick mine up and save several hundred bucks which is pretty significant. Especially on machines less expensive. In the end location is probably the biggest reason on who to go with. The closer the cheaper and the quicker you can get parts if need be. They are both great machines and the service is great with either.

[Ran]

I'd say that's pretty typical, it always takes me a little while to get accustomed to a new machine and learn its quirks, the worst part on new ones is you always assume its operator error but it could need a slight adjustment as well. When I got my Consew it seemed to push the material towards me before pulling it back and I lived with it for a long time thinking it was supposed to be that way and I need to get used to it but finally I decided to email Bob and check and he instructed me to lower the feed dogs a bit and all was well 5 minutes later.

Is this your first machine?

Billymac....yes, this is my first leather stitcher. I'm a long time woodworker/cabinet maker, so I'm familar with with all sorts of machinery, and my experience with wood over the years has helped a lot in this transition to leather.. Funny thing is that I've recently had customers asking about woodworking, but with my head 'totally' wrapped around leather these days, I'm reluctant to take on any wood projects

[billymac814]

That's a really nice first machine! Leather has a way of getting into your blood, I've pretty much been addicted since day one and it went out of control since then. My grandfather was a woodworker and I used to work with him a lot and I now have some of his equipment but its never really interested me that much for some reason so I never got that good at it.

[Rayban]

It would be nice to have someone that really knows their machines like wizcraft (because he also writes and explains things well) to do a side by side review of the different clones. Everyone that gets one or the other likes it so I hardly think it matters which one anyone gets but I've never heard anyone that uses or used both.

When discussing the difference tween the Cobra and Cowboy, I believe it was Wiz himself who said "ones brown and ones grey"

Wiz, pardon me if I'm wrong.

[billymac814]

I would say that basically sums it up in the big picture. But there still has to be differences as well as different motors that each are shipped with as well as the standard accessories. I know its splitting hairs at that point but would be interesting none the less. I'm still convinced the Cowboy has a larger hand wheel, can anyone clarify that as true or false?It would really take someone that has both and ordered them at about the same time to be an accurate review. Probably wont happen anytime soon and doesn't matter anyway. Either way I still think distance to the dealer is probably the biggest deciding factor since they are nearly the same.