Chinese 29-K Clone

[Anti19]

Hi everybody!

I'm currently looking for a sewing machine (medium weight), specifically for a big'ol patcher, and came across some chinese 29K clones (that looks post apocalyptic) on ebay, at a pretty low price.

This is the machine:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Leather-Sewing-Machine-Shoe-Patcher-Singer-29K-Adler-Repair-Cobbler-Antique-/200876595581?pt=BI_Sewing_Machines&hash=item2ec52d997d&_uhb=1#shId

Anybody has experience with it?

Edited January 9, 2013 by Anti19

[machinehead]

This machine has no belt pulley for running it with a motor so unless you fabricate a shaft with a v belt pulley you are going to be holding your work with one hand and turning the hand crank with the other. Not unmanageable for small projects which is what this machine is designed for. When turning the crank it is best to move your arm from the shoulder and not the elbow or you will hurt for sure.

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

Hi,

I sell these machines in Australia but modify them and add my own instructions as the machine is very ordinary when it arrives from China. If the machine is unmodified and untested then it is possible you will have problems getting it going properly.

There is a kit I am developing that uses a 700W variable speed drill (supplied by the owner) and a foot switch to allow electric running.

I could probably supply you a machine - delivered - for slightly more than this but it will come with a tool kit and ongoing support. As I am regular here you always have the option of dumping shit on me if you are not happy

Hi everybody!

I'm currently looking for a sewing machine (medium weight), specifically for a big'ol patcher, and came across some chinese 29K clones (that looks post apocalyptic) on ebay, at a pretty low price.

This is the machine:

http://www.ebay.ca/i...97d&_uhb=1#shId

Anybody has experience with it?

[Art]

Darren from down under went on some in a post some time ago about what he had to do to these machines to make them serviceable. There was a pretty big laundry list. The price is right for a sewing machine mechanic or hobbiest, but for a person new to this, spend your money on a real 29. If you can get a set-up one from Darren (and he is the only one I have heard of to take these on) then I am sure it will run well for you. It helps to have knowledge of the 29, the Landis 1, and maybe a No.9 or Pearson. If you are not in that league, don't buy it on eBay.

Art

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

Thanks Art!

Most of us who know a bit about machines could buy anything off ebay and get it doing but for the novice it is a different story. I dislike dumping on other dealers but people need to be wary and I suspect that this is the guy I tried to help get going by telling him the mods he needed to make but he refused to listen to me. Then the prick had the temerity to steal my photographs off flikr for his listing and when challenged by my business partner (the owner of the photographs) he said that he had my permission!

Unmodified and untested these machines have about a 30% chance of working when they arrive from China. The last batch I bought from the supplier of the one shown on ebay had a problem with the milling of the slot on the handwheel for the locating pin. The machines must be tested with one handwheel which has the correct milling but when the one supplied in the kit is used the timing between needle and foot is out so you have to adjust the two cams for foot lift and foot feed.

[J Hayes]

Hi,

I sell these machines in Australia but modify them and add my own instructions as the machine is very ordinary when it arrives from China. If the machine is unmodified and untested then it is possible you will have problems getting it going properly.

There is a kit I am developing that uses a 700W variable speed drill (supplied by the owner) and a foot switch to allow electric running.

I could probably supply you a machine - delivered - for slightly more than this but it will come with a tool kit and ongoing support. As I am regular here you always have the option of dumping shit on me if you are not happy

Whats the improved version go for? What does it take to get to the US? Is the handwheel wide enough to machine a groove in to accept a V belt?

Jeremy

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

Hi Jeremy,

Can do one for $220 as you don't pay sales tax here and I cannot ship it with the base or oil.

Uninsured semail is $130 but will take a while to get there. Airmail is $210

Whats the improved version go for? What does it take to get to the US? Is the handwheel wide enough to machine a groove in to accept a V belt?

Jeremy

[J Hayes]

Hi Jeremy,

Can do one for $220 as you don't pay sales tax here and I cannot ship it with the base or oil.

Uninsured semail is $130 but will take a while to get there. Airmail is $210

I might be interested in one of these, do they sew well?

[billymac814]

By the sounds of it about 30% sew. I'd either get one from Aunt Bonnie's locker and have it work right or just find a used singer or Adler in the same price range.

I will say though that these are cool looking machines. If I had money to burn I'd buy one just to look at it all day. I have a powered Adler and a Singer on a treadle and a 29-4 that works but is a display so I doubt I'd ever use it though.

[J Hayes]

No, no money to burn, if I did get one it'd be from Bonny's, I've got plenty of stuff that needs repairs, don't need another. A Singer would be great, just don't see them for sale near me, well there was a 29-4 rust bucket someone wanted $800 for, I didn't bother. I keep looking though, maybe one will come my way. Hmm, one more machine may push my wife over the edge though, machine shop in the garage, leather shop in the basement & kitchen, wonder what I can put in the living room.....

Edited February 5, 2013 by J Hayes

[billymac814]

Yea I hear ya, there's a lot of people trying to sell those old singers for way more than they are worth, it doesn't mean they are selling them though. I paid 275 for a 29k-58 in good working condition and sold a 29k-51 in good condition for 325.00 and my 29-4 I got for 45.00.

They are out there, if stick with the 29k-58 or later if I were buying one. Im not sure whwre youre located but I know Bob Kovar has a few and you'll know it works, I'm not sure the prices but I'm sure its reasonable.

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

billymac814 has hit the nail on the head! Anything before the 29k58 is a potential disaster if the bottom end is worn.

From the 29k58 on you can get replacements for the bottom end but once the older machines are worn they are a lovely doorstop.

[dkvv]

Hello,

i was buying this machine in the Netherlands for 149 euro"s. (193 dollars) . it's very rudimentair. And you have to make some adjustments.But for more than 300 dollars, i will chose an other machine.

But it works fine, i am doing not a lot of big stitching work. so its fine by me. If you want to buy such a machine look further . there must be much cheaper ones. ou buy When you buy these in China , they cost 35 dollar ,but then you have buy them with 200 pieces

Look at www.leermachinehandel.nl.

Greetings

Johan

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

A bit over $US35. Plus $US40 per cubic meter shipping, Unloading, Customs, Tax, Freight to me. Then each machine needs to be unboxed, assembled, modified, tested and repacked with tool kit and instructions. There are also financing and warehouse costs not to mention the cost of actually selling them.

No adjustments are needed on the machines I sell because it has already been done and every machine tested on 6mm of leather.

I also offer two years warranty as well as ongoing backup and support.

You can buy one on Aliexpress for about $US140 delivered with no kit, useless instructions and no warranty or backup. Good luck.

Johan, the direct from China one is cheap (and nasty) where I consider my offering to be inexpensive.

Hello,

i was buying this machine in the Netherlands for 149 euro"s. (193 dollars) . it's very rudimentair. And you have to make some adjustments.But for more than 300 dollars, i will chose an other machine.

But it works fine, i am doing not a lot of big stitching work. so its fine by me. If you want to buy such a machine look further . there must be much cheaper ones. ou buy When you buy these in China , they cost 35 dollar ,but then you have buy them with 200 pieces

Look at www.leermachinehandel.nl.

Greetings

Johan

[dkvv]

Hey, don't feel attacked, I've seen your facebook and i heve seen the adjustements you made on ths machine.

Without seeing them before i made excactly the same adjustements.

I think it's a good machine for the work i will do with it.

I found that the price from the seller on Ebay , was for me to high , it's a machine with NO adjustments.

It is like you buy them in China, without the adjustments. So for the would be buyer , look further.

That's all i was willing to say.

Johan

PS ; my english is maybe not that good, that you can understand me wrong.

[billymac814]

Where do you see them for 140.00 shipped? I'd almost blow 140.00 for one, I have no intentions on using it so whether or not it arrives in working order isn't that important to me really, I'm sure I could get it running if I wanted too but I have better patchers and just got a Claes. I just think they look cool and it would be a cool display in the shop window.

A bit over $US35. Plus $US40 per cubic meter shipping, Unloading, Customs, Tax, Freight to me. Then each machine needs to be unboxed, assembled, modified, tested and repacked with tool kit and instructions. There are also financing and warehouse costs not to mention the cost of actually selling them.

No adjustments are needed on the machines I sell because it has already been done and every machine tested on 6mm of leather.

I also offer two years warranty as well as ongoing backup and support.

You can buy one on Aliexpress for about $US140 delivered with no kit, useless instructions and no warranty or backup. Good luck.

Johan, the direct from China one is cheap (and nasty) where I consider my offering to be inexpensive.

[Ferg]

Your English is better than half the population of the USA, no need to apologize.

ferg

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

Sorry Johan - I am a bit passionate about my machines

I know the seller you are talking about and he is one of the people who gives this lovely little machine a bad name!

[dkvv]

I understand your passion, and i love the machine already.

With a few adjustments , it's sew great . But you need a little experience to accomodate the original thing.

I kow its a cheap thing and its fits me well.

Because i made mostly falconry hoods. So i do most of my work handstitching.

And this trought the side of the leather with is mostly max 1,1 to 1,2 mm thick.

and no machine can do this type of work.

But the wife ask me to make a leather handbag, Several weeks ago she ask me to repair the Buck horse at her school, shie is principal there.

So i've changed the leather , but it makes me a whole day of work with stitching by hand. The Sadlemakersstich .

I would loved to have the machine then so the work was done faster.

Keep the passion , and have many satisfied customers. And thanks for sharing the adjustements.

If i think on some , i will share them to.

Johan

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

I sew 6mm of oak tan with 20ticket on these machines! It always amazes me just what they can do.

[mark66]

I just bought a Chinese patcher from Matt at Bantam Saddle and Tack and I love it. Needs to be thoroughly cleaned and oiled when you get it. I threw away the dink tripod legs and made my own from 3\8 pipe. Also used Plastic dip on the foot and that works like a dream, no marks on the material at all. Have used 69, 90 and 138 thread so far. Removed the less than useless bobbin winder and modified it to fit my cordless drill. Love it. Added a lock washer under the handwheel nut. Also changed to better, longer SAE nuts and bolts where I could. Anybody that shits on these machines either got a bad one, doesn't know what they are doing, or is some kind of Singer loving purist. I also own and use Singer 29k, Tippmann Boss and Techsew EA106 bought this machine for its portability and price.

Edited July 29, 2016 by mark66

[Miquel]

Hi my friends, my name is Miquel, I am from Spain, Near Barcelona city, I am new here, I think this is my first post, anyway I have had reading for a while several posts during the last months. I would like too to apologise if my english is not as good as I would like it to be... Anyway I will try my best.

I am writing refer to this chinese cobbler machine. I bought one of them and I am trying to obtain a nice stitch.

By now, the better stitch that I have achieved is this, see photo.

My thinking is that "maybe" would be easier  If I could use a bigger needle and a thicker yarn.

The problem, If the solution would goes for this side, is that I am already using the bigger needle according with the machine specifications, and the thickest yarn that the needle allows...

The needle that this machine use is a 15x2 flat bottom, 110 ( maximum comercial thickness) I attach a photo of the needle box.

So, any suggestion would be very apreciate, because by now, I don't like too much the stitch, I would like too to take the maximum profit that the machine allows.  Mu first thinking is that thicker needle and yarn would give me a nicer stitch, but I don't know wether I can use a bigger needle with compatibility with the machine...Thanks in advance for your comments, Miquel.

 

[Matt S]

Looks like Organ does a size 140 15x2. That should be right for M20/V138 but I don't know if your machine will do it.

[Miquel]

Hi Matt, thanks for your reply. I will check  the Needles Organ brand, Refer the yarn I will check too.

 

[Darren Brosowski]

If you have trouble getting leather needles in Nm140 then just use 134 leather needles which are readily available.

You may need to adjust the bed so the needle centres in the needle plate hole but that is rare.

 

By the way....

These are not in any way related to the Singer 29 as they are based roughly on the 1860's German patcher design which pre dates the 29 by 20-30 years