usmc0341 Report post Posted March 19, 2013 As promised, here is an update. Got the machine out and back on the bench yesterday and even stitched my first holster with it. The thing stitched perfect and I think I finally got it figured out! Thanks for all the help from everyone, especially Billy for taking the time to work on it for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billymac814 Report post Posted March 19, 2013 I'm glad to hear you got it all worked out. It should serve you well for a long time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted March 19, 2013 As promised, here is an update. Got the machine out and back on the bench yesterday and even stitched my first holster with it. The thing stitched perfect and I think I finally got it figured out! Thanks for all the help from everyone, especially Billy for taking the time to work on it for me! Glad to hear you are having a better time with your Boss. It would be interesting to hear from you what contributed the most to your current success. Were there bad parts that were replaced by the factory (Ben)? Perhaps different adjustments and thread tension settings? Or, do you think it is more just you becoming more knowledgable about the operation of the machine? Anyway... good luck with it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usmc0341 Report post Posted March 19, 2013 Glad to hear you are having a better time with your Boss. It would be interesting to hear from you what contributed the most to your current success. Were there bad parts that were replaced by the factory (Ben)? Perhaps different adjustments and thread tension settings? Or, do you think it is more just you becoming more knowledgable about the operation of the machine? Anyway... good luck with it. I'm pretty sure it was just the gear that Ben replaced. Billy had it working really well and then it crapped the bed, so I'm sure no matter what we tried it never would have worked consistently with the broken gear. It was well worth the money to ship it back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clintsdivco Report post Posted March 20, 2013 Glad to hear that it's working good for you now. I just bought a cast iron machine a couple of months ago and after sorting out a few issues, thanks to this forum, it has performed almost flawlessly. The only problem I am having with mine now is the thread on the spool tends to drop down around the stand the spool is mounted on. I poked a hole in the bottom of a plastic bowl and put it over the post on the thread stand and then put the thread spool on the post and the bowl keeps the thread from falling over the stand, this has helped a lot. Hope you continue to have good luck with it. I love mine. Clint Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted March 20, 2013 Glad to hear that it's working good for you now. I just bought a cast iron machine a couple of months ago and after sorting out a few issues, thanks to this forum, it has performed almost flawlessly. The only problem I am having with mine now is the thread on the spool tends to drop down around the stand the spool is mounted on. I poked a hole in the bottom of a plastic bowl and put it over the post on the thread stand and then put the thread spool on the post and the bowl keeps the thread from falling over the stand, this has helped a lot. Hope you continue to have good luck with it. I love mine. Clint Another alternative fix for the same problem is to replace the wire hanger that comes with the Tippmann Boss. Get yourself a wire coat-hanger and use the wire to fashion a new support wire. The new support should be bent in a kind of U-shape such that a small hook can be formed at the end of it. Take a 1" stainless steel key ring and hang from the hook. Adjust the bend in the wire so that the hole in the key ring is about even with the center of the spool of thread, and away from the spool about 3 or 4 inches. Route the thread from the spool through the key ring and then into the first hole of the first thread guide. As you use thread from the spool it will come off the spool horizontally instead of looping off the spool in an upwards direction. The thread will actually "turn" the spool on the base, and thus will maintain tension - and it can never coil off the spool again. Note: This arrangement will change the overall thread tension some, so some adjustments in tension settings might be necessary. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clintsdivco Report post Posted March 20, 2013 Thanks for that tip, Trekster. I think I have read just about every post on this board about the Tippmann Boss,, and never saw anything about this issue. I will definitely try doing that tomorrow. Other than that, I couldn't be happier with my Boss. Thanks again, Clint Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clintsdivco Report post Posted March 21, 2013 Thanks again, Trekster. I made the modification you suggested yesterday and it is working just like you said. I did not have to adjust the tension setting either. Clint Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted March 21, 2013 Thanks again, Trekster. I made the modification you suggested yesterday and it is working just like you said. I did not have to adjust the tension setting either. Clint Glad it worked out for you. You might have a little smaller thread spool than I do; in which case the weight of the thread spool will not add that much additional tension to the overall settings (as it turns), so your thread tensions would not be influenced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnl1 Report post Posted April 13, 2013 One more thing. On the upstroke of the machine, don't slowly ease the needle up, briskly operate the handle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MadMorbius Report post Posted July 1, 2013 Glad it worked out for you. You might have a little smaller thread spool than I do; in which case the weight of the thread spool will not add that much additional tension to the overall settings (as it turns), so your thread tensions would not be influenced. Can you post a photo of the thread race you described? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clintsdivco Report post Posted July 1, 2013 (edited) Can you post a photo of the thread race you described? Here's how I modified mine. Edited July 1, 2013 by clintsdivco Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MadMorbius Report post Posted July 1, 2013 Brilliant, thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 1, 2013 Brilliant, thanks! I don't have a picture of mine, but it is quite similar to the shape of the one just posted by clintsdivco. And, it works the same way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clintsdivco Report post Posted July 1, 2013 Brilliant, thanks! Just to give credit where credit is due, Trekster is the one who gave me the instructions on how to do this. Clint Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tex Report post Posted July 12, 2013 (edited) I will have to check my presser foot tension, and also my bobbin tension. I did wind the bobbin with a power drill and it may be too tight. I seriously feel like an idiot with this thing! I wish there was someone local that could give me a freakin tutorial on how to use it. Don't feel like your the only one that feels that way. I feel like I I must be 1 to. I got a TB& I have been contemplating about using a 5lb. sledge on it. That would fix it for good, huh. I spent all day trying to use it, thought I had it & soon as I used it on my project it left bad imprints in the leather, skipped some on the stitching space & of course the thread broke several time. I have adjusted & adjusted & just can't get it to do right in my eye view. I would have been better off to just do it by hand so it would have been done right the 1st time & I wouldn't have to go back & smooth out & refinish the leather from scratches it left. For 20 + years I have been stitching by hand. I thought this would help with the bad arthritis I got but all it has done is create a bunch of extra work, slowed down my time by wasting the whole day with it. I think I will sell it or use the sledge on it. What do you think, LOL? I thought it would be of some help on the 2 saddles, 2 pairs of chinks & 2 pairs of chaps I am in the process of building but I will do it the old fashioned way so I don't have to worry about it. Just get out the stitching horse, my finger-tip-less gloves, awl, pliers, 2 needles, a lot of thread & go for it. Edited July 12, 2013 by Tex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Don't feel like your the only one that feels that way. I feel like I I must be 1 to. I got a TB& I have been contemplating about using a 5lb. sledge on it. That would fix it for good, huh. I spent all day trying to use it, thought I had it & soon as I used it on my project it left bad imprints in the leather, skipped some on the stitching space & of course the thread broke several time. I have adjusted & adjusted & just can't get it to do right in my eye view. I would have been better off to just do it by hand so it would have been done right the 1st time & I wouldn't have to go back & smooth out & refinish the leather from scratches it left. For 20 + years I have been stitching by hand. I thought this would help with the bad arthritis I got but all it has done is create a bunch of extra work, slowed down my time by wasting the whole day with it. I think I will sell it or use the sledge on it. What do you think, LOL? I thought it would be of some help on the 2 saddles, 2 pairs of chinks & 2 pairs of chaps I am in the process of building but I will do it the old fashioned way so I don't have to worry about it. Just get out the stitching horse, my finger-tip-less gloves, awl, pliers, 2 needles, a lot of thread & go for it. Did you get the TB new or used? Sometimes these machines need adjusting to your particular needle, thread and leather combinations. Before you take the sledge to it... why don't you give the factory a call, and try to get some advice. Ask to speak to Ben. He has experienced just about every problem you can think of, and will usually have some pretty good tips and/or things to try. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnl1 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 Sounds like you probably have twisted everything by now to the point where it might be all out. Lets start again. Take a new needle, hold it in your hand and thread it. Now see if the needle will slide up and down the thread with just its weight. If so then lets install the new needle. The grove on the needle will face left, away from the machine. Now with no thread in the needle, put a piece of leather under the walking foot. Adjust the foot so that the leather will be just held down, and will move when you cycle the handle without slipping. Now, rewind a bobbin. Run the thread between two fingers and hold light tension on it as you rewind. Install the bobbin with the thread coming from the left side, in other words, to continue to wind the bobbin, you would be wrapping the thread counter clockwise. Check tension on the bobbin. Start by backing off the tension until there is almost none, then put just enough tension on it that you feel about as much resistance on the thread as you pull it as you would think a fork would weigh. (Its just a start). Now completely unthread the machine and start over. Look at the diagram carefully and thread exactly. Undo the tension, then tighten until you have pressure or weight on the thread equal to say a pound. Sometimes its easy to mess up. Now try it. Its very important how you stroke the machine. Pull the lever down firmly and all the way. On the upstroke, do it quickly and sharply. If you don't the thread will drag and mess up. Do a few stiches and check the stitch. Adjust the upper and lower tensions until the thread does what you want it to do. sometimes you have to take an extra loop around the thread tensioner on top to make it work correctly, depending on how the bobbin is wound. Remember to operate the lever quickly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
morte100 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 FYI, if anyone wants to avoid some of the problems associated with used machines, Tippmann just put the Boss on special on their website for $1,195. I just paid $1,000 for a used one on this forum (that I'm very happy with), but if the new one was just $1,195 a couple weeks ago, I would have bought new. Not associated with Tippmann. Just thought some folks would appreciate the heads up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnl1 Report post Posted July 12, 2013 A boss is a good machine, new or used, but they can at time be tempermental on the adjustments. Keep at it and once its right, it will sew well Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldtimer Report post Posted July 12, 2013 The first version made of iron and steel parts were good machines. The "upgraded" version mede of aluminum and zink inner parts is almost worthless, a piece of shit! I have had both models.but sold them and bought a real good Adler 205. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GamberLeathercrafter Report post Posted January 23, 2014 I have been the "proud" owner of a Boss for about 9 months now. I have been through the DVD MANY times, followed the directions. Adjusted the foot tension from removing the adjuster to down to the point of running out of threads. Just about wore out the adjustment screw on the bobbin adjustment, same with top thread adjustment. It will sew maybe 100 stitches then break the top thread on the up stroke. Rethread the machine, might do 10 stitches, might do 200, then preak the thread again. Constant change in the stitch length. Do 10 stitches and then the bobbin thread is on the top. do another 10 and the top thread is on the bottom. I would not recomend this machine to anyone. As soon as budget permits it is going on ebay, and the money from that sale will go on a good machine. Not impressed, I think it is a POS. But just my opinion. Well I have news for you, don't buy a Techsew or a Juki, I had both and now I prefer to sew by hand. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
