What Is The Best Machine?

[Krobin21]

Hi everyone,

I am a total newbie but an enthusiastic one

I want to make leather shoes and I figured out in order to achieve this I need a leather stitching machine.

I would like to make cup-soled (soft rubber) boots (or moccassins if you like) with a 4-5mm thick sole and leather upper. The sole is more like a crepe-sole but the edges curled up.

Can anyone suggest the best machine for this intended purpose?

I've been looking at a hand driven Frobana, its seems like an affordable and suitable candidate, but you tell me.

I'm also wondering if there are other Frobana models or only one? Because in the forums I saw some with a channel cuter knife and others with only teeth. Or it is only a question of changing parts?

Also a lot of people mentioned the size of the holes the needle makes. How big is it actually? And is it possible to feed the machine with anything else than waxed thread? Im thinking about wild colored artificial threads.

Any help is greatly appreciated, Happy Holidays:

Robin

[Wizcrafts]

Power Shoe, in Holland, sells a motorized Frobana sole stitcher. I think you can also get them in the US and Canada through the folks that sell Landis shoe repair machines.

Note, the Frobana only sews along the outside perimeter. It does not have any appreciable depth to sew inside or insoles. For that you will need a heavier post machine, or an insole stitcher.

All decorative sewing for your shoes can be done on a flat or post bed machine, equipped with either a roller foot, or a full triple feed walking foot. Some pictures of your work will help.

Also, have you been to the Crispin Colloquy website? It is all about shoe and boot making techniques and equipment.

[Elennah]

Hello Robin,

The machine used to come with both feed dogs, so one could use the one that suited the work. You can see that here, on page 9: http://www.youblishe...ppertal-Barmen/

I am waiting for my machine to arrive, so don't know much more as of yet. However, if I understand correctly what you wish to do, this may not be the machine for it. If you do a search on Youtube for Frobana, you will see what this particular machine is used for.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Elennah

[Krobin21]

Thanks for the feedback. I found this pdf too! However I only see 1 item described. Didn't go through the german text though. I also realized there are 2 types of Frobanas available. One with a vinyl knob lever on the right side and the other with a rotating disc that sets the strength of the grip I guess. The manual in the pdf you sent me is for the latter. Maybe it's an older model? Anyone out there can confirm this? About the usage: I've been looking through all the videos I could find regarding outsole stitching machines and as far my "knowledge" goes it is the machine I need. I want to stitch together a 4-5 rubber sole with a 1-2mm leather upper. Nothing fancy. I'm curious what makes you think it's not?

Thanks again

[Elennah]

Yes, the German text says that there are two different feed dogs, and either can be used. I think these machines often come with just one feed dog these days, but I assume it is because the other one has been lost.

The reason I suspected this might not be the machine for you was probably due to not understanding what you wrote about attaching the soles. My problem, I am sure. However, I still don't quite get what you mean by cup soles and the edges curled up.

I always just assumed that the different version are all the same machine, just older and newer.

[Krobin21]

Did you get a hand driven or motorized version?

[Krobin21]

About the shoe itself. Here is a picture of a shoe that best looks like what I want to achieve. (but it has a flat sole, mine is a little bit curled up, anyway the machine could access the edges no problem) Edited December 30, 2013 by Krobin21

[Elennah]

Okay, now I get it. Your photo basically shows the type of shoes I make, though mine are very simple and mostly for little kids.

The machine, which should arrive in a couple of hours, is hand driven. (I like all my machines without electricity.) We'll see how long it takes me to get it to work... if I ever will. I have absolutely no experience with anything like this. I mainly sew with antique Singers, regular ones, not the shoemaker kind.

[Elennah]

Alright, my Frobana is here.

Does anyone know where to find a manual in English? I definitely need that...

I got it to work, somewhat, but the thread is thicker than I need and I cannot figure out how to increase the stitch length. I was not able to find the answer in the German manual.

I guess the good news is that I was able to thread it and have it actually make stitches after about an hour of fiddling with it. Yet, it is far from looking like I need it to for the shoes. A learning curve, for sure. An additional challenge is that our 18-month-old is npw absolutely in love with this machine.

By the way, someone online claims that a Frobana can only sew something at least xx thick (what ever the xx was) but I can now report that that is not true. I sew through 2-3 layers of about 1.5 mm leather plus a really thin crepe sole, and it seems to do just fine. Well, as far as fine is the right word... It is still totally hit and miss...

Edited December 30, 2013 by Elennah

[Elennah]

Found where to supposedly increase the stitch length. It was in the manual, after all, as it should be. However, nothing seems to happen no matter what I do.

Has anyone heard of a source for size 3 needles? I would prefer those, but can only find size 4 and 5 online.

[Krobin21]

Try this:

http://www.power-shoe.nl/v2/product_detail.php?product=189&language=en

I'm also curious if they have size 3 needles and for how much. The 4 and 5 are way too thick for fine work.

BTW what size can you set for stitch length?

And what do you mean hit and miss?

[Elennah]

Hit and miss meaning I change nothing and yet get a different result.I tried with different thread (bonded nylon, but way too thin) and in the end decided to leave out the crepe. Sews nicely through 2-3 layers of 1.5 mm leather, which is really all I need. I bet this means that someone else would get this machine to work just fine. I wonder if the problem is the thinness and softness of my crepe...I still am not able to do much with the stitch length. No idea why. So to answer your question, I have achieved anything from really short to really long, but mainly by changing the pressure of the... well the part through which the needle comes. Not sure what this should be called, as it is not a regular pressure foot. I am so curious about that knife style feed dog. I wish I could get one of those, also.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Elennah