Keyair Report post Posted January 8, 2014 Replace the hook! Never having seen one up close... is it obviously bad Wiz? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted January 8, 2014 As you have discovered, once the tip of that type of hook and shuttle assembly is worn down, like yours is, it can never get close enough to the needle to be 100% effective. You can dink with it until you're blue in the face, or try brazing on some steel, but why bother? Get a brand new complete shuttle assembly and be done with it. Then you can use the machine to sew, rather than it being a boat anchor. If you're anything me, once you get past fixing that old worn out machine, you'll only buy newer or rebuilt ones in the future. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keyair Report post Posted January 8, 2014 Thanks Wiz! Closer examination of the point of the hook yesterday agrees with you. The Hook assembly is under $50, so will get that ordered. As you may have figured, I am a tinkerer and can figure out most things once I set my mind to it. Its been fun watching all the pieces work in unison to do something as seeming simple as stitch something. The journey so far has been interesting and fun, despite the machines shortcoming so far. Oh trust me, if I could afford a new machine, I would have gone that route. The car I am trying to finish has sucked me dry! Maybe it would be a wise investment for the future once I have this one project out of my hair. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
J Hayes Report post Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) Oh trust me, if I could afford a new machine, I would have gone that route. The car I am trying to finish has sucked me dry! Maybe it would be a wise investment for the future once I have this one project out of my hair. By the time you're done you'll know that machine very intimately, knowing all its quirks, probably best to keep it rather than try to learn a new one of the same class. Besides it seems like a good machine, and with a new hook you should be golden, and will know how to work on it, which can be kinda fun in itself. Edited January 8, 2014 by J Hayes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted January 8, 2014 Eventually, the tinkers among us will start using their sewing machines to earn their living. I sew almost every work day, on one or more of the 3 industrial sewing machines in my shop. I have no time anymore to dink with a finicky machine while a customer is waiting for a job to be finished. Downtime on machines for me and others sewing for a living equals money lost and nerves stretched to the breaking point. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
J Hayes Report post Posted January 9, 2014 Yup. I agree, any tool that doesn't work properly has no place in any shop. There are advatages for the craftsman if he/she knows how to maintain their equipment, sometimes there is less downtime if you can fix it yourself and you don't rely totally on a repair shop, nothing against them at all. There is also a point of diminishing return on repairing equipment yourself, just because you can fix it or make it doesn't mean it makes economic sense. Being able to time, adjust and replace a few things can be priceless and a huge timesaver, but having a machine that requires constant dickering would be a huge cost in lost time and production which equals money. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keyair Report post Posted January 26, 2014 Agreed. I am a Hobbyist though, so I do stuff when I can and want. The Hook should be here Monday, so we are looking forward to having the machine working again! Did some leather work regardless... Practiced molding some leather gear knob halves... And a Burgundy half too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keyair Report post Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) The parts arrived and were installed.. New Hook assembly, Tensioner assembly and bobbin cover. Just for reference, her is a picture of the old Hook point against the new one... Old. New. Stunning difference! Anyway, the install went well, and I thought I would post a few pics and notes to help anyone who needs info.. or maybe tell us we were wrong! It took us a while to figure out how the hook assembly is removed... Its 3 screws... There is a metal finger that holds the inner part in position, and that must be removed from below... 1 screw. Then the 2 screws that hold the hook assembly to its shaft are loosened. The inner basket is rotated, and this gives just enough space to get the hook off its driveshaft. The new one is put on the same way. Once the hook assembly is in position roughly, we put a needle in and carefully rotated the machine by hand(Belt disconnected) until the needle was at its lowest position. We had the idea to mark that position on the hand wheel, just like a engine is marked on its crank pulley, in this case it would be BDC(Bottom Dead Center). We marked a spot on this oil hole with a black sharpie, and the hand wheel position with white paint marker. Next, we used a pair of calipers to measure that point on the bottom of needle post... upper point on the calipers. We recorded this as 17mm... but its just a reference... The next thing is to add 2mm to this measurement, so we set the calipers to 19mm. This is referenced back to the needle post as below. You can see the caliper is now higher. The machine is then rotated until the needle post comes up 2mm... We took a moment to mark this position on the handwheel too. We found this to be about 20mm from the BDC mark. The manual states that when the needle has risen 2mm up from its lowest position, the hook tip should be in the middle of the needle. We were close, but not perfect, so the two screws were slackened and the hook was rotated into the correct position, and then the gap between the hook tip and needle was set with feeler gauges... the manual states 0.05mm to 0.10mm, by moving the hook assemble along its shaft... Everything was re-assembled after this, and the beast sews like a storm... No missed stitches and no snarls so far! Happy we are!!!! Edited January 30, 2014 by Keyair Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keyair Report post Posted January 31, 2014 Here are 2 pics that refused to post yesterday... Handwheel distance at 2mm rise. Needle and hook Timing and gap set. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gottaknow Report post Posted January 31, 2014 This would be a good time to make two marks on the needle bar. The marks will be 2mm apart from each other. The higher mark would designate the needle bar down position. A mark 2mm below it would indicate the 2mm rise to set your hook timing. Make the mark line up with the bottom of the needle bar bushing. This is the way most machines reference needle bar height and hook timing. If for any reason you need to remove the needle bar, you can quickly return it to the correct height without worrying or even checking the hook timing. I set multiple hook timings every day. You develop a feel for where a given machine should be set. With experience, you'll find any timing references are a starting point to get you going. When you run into problems, (and you will) don't be afraid to stray from the absolute. I have a lot of lockstitch machines that aren't set to the book. It depends on the sewing conditions. Thread, material, thickness all can require a different hook setting. If you enjoy the learning process, all the more fun added to the sewing. Regards, Eric Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keyair Report post Posted December 26, 2016 Thanks Eric! Been busy, so now getting back to sewing again! Just bought 5 full hides in Dark Brown, and one in Pecan from a closeout sale to retrim the seating on my Motorhome. Been messing with ideas for the styles, seams, and contrasts with the leathers and some uphostery materials I have... Not decided yet, but here is what I tried so far... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keyair Report post Posted December 28, 2016 Question: Is the any reason why I can't use 207/210 thickness thread on this machine? I like the way the thicker thread looks, and it seems to work ok sometimes, as long as I dont reverse! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted December 28, 2016 17 minutes ago, Keyair said: Question: Is the any reason why I can't use 207/210 thickness thread on this machine? I like the way the thicker thread looks, and it seems to work ok sometimes, as long as I dont reverse! This is unlikely due to the way the hook and shuttle is constructed. Also, the tension and take-up cranks may not be strong enough to pull up the knots of thick threads. Also, you will need to move up to a #24 or 25 needle to use thicker threads and this makes it harder to penetrate and then hold down the leather. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colt W Knight Report post Posted December 28, 2016 I have a Consew 206, and I have fussed and fussed, a D I can't get it to run #207 thread, so I stick with #138. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mixmkr Report post Posted December 28, 2016 I'm using a JUKI LU562 and it sews fine with 92. I switch to 138 and my upper tension has to be soooo tight, it seems out of range. Granted, I'm use PTFE Tenara thread, which Is so slippery. My Singer 107W! hates the stuff and misses too many stitches. I think the LU562 is in the same range as these Consews. I too am tired of tinkering and would love a 100% working machine. Spending a hour on dinking with the machine is a waste of $$ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keyair Report post Posted January 2, 2017 Good info, so at least I know it not just me, or a my machine! I did get it to sew the 210 reasonably consistently, but getting the tension right is tricky! If I reverse to lock the stitch, its a mess. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
