Cowboy Cb-4500 A Dud?

[Wizcrafts]

Ryan;

Here I am replying to a question on the LWN forum. There are some icons above the text area. The ninth icon looks like a figure 8 sideways, with a green ball under its right side. Clicking on that icon opens a box where you can type or paste in a hyperlink to a web page.

The photo below shows the "URL" dialog box that opens after I click on the "link" icon.

[neelsaddlery]

Ryan;

Here I am replying to a question on the LWN forum. There are some icons above the text area. The ninth icon looks like a figure 8 sideways, with a green ball under its right side. Clicking on that icon opens a box where you can type or paste in a hyperlink to a web page.

The photo below shows the "URL" dialog box that opens after I click on the "link" icon.

Wiz:

Thanks a bunch. I just have to find the icons you are referring to. I use my cell phone a lot to access web and never saw the mentioned icons. It could be I need to access from a desktop application.

Damn those demons living in my computer!!!!

Thanks again. Will look for the icons.

Th

[Leatherbaron]

Hiya Seth , I had a hell of a lot of similar problems to start with , one of my main problems was not holding the thread for about 4 holes ... if i did not my bobbin would catch and lock up a lot. cheers

[Wizcrafts]

You are correct Ryan. I am typing this reply on my smartphone and there are no icons over the text field. I am using Firefox for Android. I will log in with Google Chrome and see if the icons appear in it.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Wizcrafts

[shooter55]

Seth,

This is not a note on how to fix the issue, but rather a 3rd party, no dog in this fight, observation. I can understand your frustration and initial knee-jerk reaction that the machine is bad. That may be the case, when this is figured out in the long term, but have to state that it appears that Bob, Bob Jr. and Ryan are all trying to help you in correcting this issue, regardless of the cause. Their reputation and history of excellent customer service and care are very evident in their communication, even though there has been, dare I say less than, fair videos put on youtube declaring that the issue is the machine. This is not a condemnation of what has transpired, but viewing this with some clarity from an outside observer.

I have a considerable amount of Cowboy product in my shop and, yes, have encountered some occurrences that have also frustrated me, but have always had the support and guidance in getting those issues resolved.

I sincerely hope that you find resolution to the issue and am relatively positive the responses you are getting from the 3 people mentioned above, will provide that.

Good luck and hope to hear how everything turns out.

Shooter

[Wizcrafts]

No icons over text field in Chrome for Android. I shall investigate why.

[Wizcrafts]

I was recently having intermittent problems where the top thread got caught between the top of the shuttle and the shuttle race. I couldn't figure out why, as I always hold back the threads when I start sewing (on all my machines). The cause and solution turned out to be rather simple and was due to an adjustment I had made months ago and forgot about.

Several months ago I wanted to sew with thin thread, to sew in something really thin. I set the bobbin tension to a light pull, so as to not pucker the thin leather. Then I tried in vain to balance the knots by backing off the top tension adjuster, but they stayed at the top no matter how much I backed it off. After checking for binding thread (wasn't) I finally traced the excess top tension to the check spring, which is attached to the bottom disk shaft. By default, it is set to a high tension to control thick and stiff threads used in heavy leather sewing, for which the CB4500 is designed.

Anywho, I loosened the nut on the back of the head, which locked in the bottom disk and check spring shaft and rotated it CCW, until it only exerted enough tension to return all the way down, with the top thread loose. After sewing that light job I forgot all about this adjustment.

Over time I began experiencing trapped top thread, loops on the bottom, bad bottom on reverse, etc. The other day I manually handwheeled the machine and watched the top thread jam into the top of the race. Frustrated, I called Bob Kovar and told him what was happening. The first question he asked was "are you holding the threads back?" I told him I always do. His next question was, "have you loosened the check spring or shortened its travel?" Silence on my end while I pondered this question...

I told him about the time months ago when I changed the setup to sew light leather with #69 thread and how I had to back off the check spring tension to balance the knots. He told me to tighten it up, increase the travel a bit and try again. The machine has worked flawlessly since I made that adjustment.

Lesson:

These machines are built with heavy components, including the pressure and tension mechanisms. Dumbing them down throws off all of the adjustments that allow them to sew dense or thick leather, with the heavy threads in sizes 277 and up. If one has to sew frequently on a cylinder arm machine with thin thread (e.g. #69 or #92), into 1/4 inch of material or less, buy another machine for that purpose. The 441 machines work best with thread sizes #138 and UP, sewing into 3/16 inch and MORE.

[joeyrsmith]

Does Bob or anyone know if the OP got the problem fixed?

Have not heard from him for a good while. Must be fixed I am guessing.

[canusa1]

my cb4500 works fine an after viewing the video there is no way that wheel should be turning an nothing happing downstream unless there is shaft failure

[Geneva]

I hate to bust your bubble but the machine did not destroy your leather projects. You did by putting the project in a faluty setup. Hope ya' get it figured out. I have never heard of sewing whet leather but there are lots of things I have never heard of.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Geneva