Do These Parts Do What I Assume?

[cleanview]

A very good learning experience from all the posts here. I really apprecite it.

I just sewed the below pic which in all honesty is the first one that I have been happy with. Let me know if you see any thing wrong in it?

Edited December 15, 2014 by cleanview

[TwinOaks]

Well, YES, there is something wrong there: The picture seems to be tilted a little to the right.

And...it looks like the center foot pressure is a little too high for that thickness. That's a simple adjustment of perhaps only 1/4 turn. Looks great, and I'm glad to see you got it sewing.

[cleanview]

Thanks ....it is great to make progress

To be clear, your saying adjust the walking foot downward a little?

BUT I am so curious how do you know that from a picture? What is the indicator? It amazes me how much someone more experienced can see stuff like that in a picture (I know it will come in time)

The below pictures are the same holster folded over to make the avenger. The machine seem to suck the bottom thread in to the leather good when the bottom is flesh side but not so good when the bottom is the grain side. Is there a way to correct that. This is better than usual. The worst is when I sew to 2 ounce pieces together (the pic is to 8 ounce pieces)

Edited December 15, 2014 by cleanview

[TwinOaks]

I'm saying relieve the downward pressure on the walking foot. The indicator is the 'track' or indentions left by the foot.

The reason the thread doesn't pull up as tightly through the grain side is that the grain side is stronger and more dense than the flesh side. This is just a tension adjustment - make an 1/8th turn (at a time) tighter on the primary tensioner to pull the knot a little higher.

The right hand pic also shows 'too much pressure' on the walking foot....the leather is pushed out a little bit. That's where the pressure from the top pushed the leather down into the slot plate a little bit. Even though the marks are there you can roll or hammer them out- a light spray of water, and even pressure (rolling or modelling spoon) or light taps with a smooth faced hammer.

The reason that sewing (2) 2oz pieces looks bad is that it's too thin to be sewing with that machine....in it's current settings. Most leather workers that go to a powered machine end up with at least 2, often 3 machines. This is because it's more time efficient to have one machine for thinner leathers and one for the thick stuff than it is to make all the adjustments to have one machine sewing everything. [all you Adler owners can just hush] It's fairly easy to change needles and threads, and in many cases the thread tensions will stay relative, but you still need to adjust foot pressures, foot lift height, stitch length, etc. Not a LOT of adjustments, mind you, but some - think of it as 'fine tuning' the machine to the project. If you sew the majority of things in the same thickness range you can find a happy medium...but getting out of that range means adjustment. In the example above, your machine is barely pulling the stitches inside of piece of 8oz leather. You'd need to increase tension to lift the thread to ~1/8th" to be in the center of the two pieces...with 2oz leather, you're 'target zone' is 1/32nd...and in that size you're talking about a 'target zone' of 2 or 3 thread thicknesses. This is why most of the time, lighter leather is sewn with smaller thread. It also just looks better.

Make a mark on the thread tensioner nuts so that you have an index point....then start playing with scraps. You may be surprised to see how much difference a 1/4 or even 1/8th turn on the tension nut makes. Incidentally.....try sewing some 2 oz stuff with the way it's sitting - it might work well considering how low the knot is. Now, record the settings on a little note pad....ex. 8oz total thicknes... Tensioner 1 - 3 threads showing, index at 11:00, T2 3 threads showing index at 9:00. Do that with a couple of different ranges and you'll have your starting points. And if you can, always sew a test strip first, so you can make any fine adjustments to that specific thickness.

[cleanview]

thanks so very much. Very informative. Some of these things are very eye opening to a beginner. What you just said really opens up why things do what they do.

More to play with this evening. Right now I spend far to much time experimenting but know that it will be well worth it in time.

I have used 138 thread in the "skinny" holster that I make and it works better. I really need to play with fine tuning to get the over all look that I want

[TwinOaks]

Just stick (no pun intended) with it. It's normal to have some snags and be a little apprehensive when you first start out. If you stay with it, and keep using it, six months to a year from now, you'll plop down in front of the machine, run a test strip, adjust as needed and then sew up a few things without thinking about it. Remember when you first started driving a car? You checked every little thing; now you just get in and go. It'll be the same with your sewing machine.

[Wizcrafts]

Cleanview;

Make sure you stock multiple sizes of needle for your machine. Use #23 leather point with #138 thread. Use a #24 with #207 and a #25 with #277 thread.

Using the smallest needle that allows the thread to feed smoothly also produces a tighter stitch. Conversely, if you have trouble bring the knots up into the leather, one size larger needle pokes a wider hole and the knots have less competition from the leather itself.

FYI: Generally speaking, there are no leather point needles for the 441 clones under size 23. That's not to say nobody produces them. They are just not commonly stocked by dealers. That means that you will have to use regular "round/sharp" point needles for sizes 22 and under, to sew with thread sizes under 138. They produce more friction inside leather and lay a slightly different stitch line.

[Red Cent]

No matter where the presser foot is up or down, my discs separate almost imperceptibly. Cleanview's discs are awkwardly and unevenly separated wayyyyy too much. You could not make mine do that. However, looks like it sewing pretty decent.

Just got back to the site. Cleanview, you can always count on these folks.

[cleanview]

THANKS for the encouraging words

[cleanview]

I'm saying relieve the downward pressure on the walking foot. The indicator is the 'track' or indentions left by the foot.

The reason the thread doesn't pull up as tightly through the grain side is that the grain side is stronger and more dense than the flesh side. This is just a tension adjustment - make an 1/8th turn (at a time) tighter on the primary tensioner to pull the knot a little higher.

The right hand pic also shows 'too much pressure' on the walking foot....the leather is pushed out a little bit. That's where the pressure from the top pushed the leather down into the slot plate a little bit. Even though the marks are there you can roll or hammer them out- a light spray of water, and even pressure (rolling or modelling spoon) or light taps with a smooth faced hammer.

The reason that sewing (2) 2oz pieces looks bad is that it's too thin to be sewing with that machine....in it's current settings. Most leather workers that go to a powered machine end up with at least 2, often 3 machines. This is because it's more time efficient to have one machine for thinner leathers and one for the thick stuff than it is to make all the adjustments to have one machine sewing everything. [all you Adler owners can just hush] It's fairly easy to change needles and threads, and in many cases the thread tensions will stay relative, but you still need to adjust foot pressures, foot lift height, stitch length, etc. Not a LOT of adjustments, mind you, but some - think of it as 'fine tuning' the machine to the project. If you sew the majority of things in the same thickness range you can find a happy medium...but getting out of that range means adjustment. In the example above, your machine is barely pulling the stitches inside of piece of 8oz leather. You'd need to increase tension to lift the thread to ~1/8th" to be in the center of the two pieces...with 2oz leather, you're 'target zone' is 1/32nd...and in that size you're talking about a 'target zone' of 2 or 3 thread thicknesses. This is why most of the time, lighter leather is sewn with smaller thread. It also just looks better.

Make a mark on the thread tensioner nuts so that you have an index point....then start playing with scraps. You may be surprised to see how much difference a 1/4 or even 1/8th turn on the tension nut makes. Incidentally.....try sewing some 2 oz stuff with the way it's sitting - it might work well considering how low the knot is. Now, record the settings on a little note pad....ex. 8oz total thicknes... Tensioner 1 - 3 threads showing, index at 11:00, T2 3 threads showing index at 9:00. Do that with a couple of different ranges and you'll have your starting points. And if you can, always sew a test strip first, so you can make any fine adjustments to that specific thickness.

Well, I thought I was adjusting what I was supposed to but in the past 4 hours I have not been able to get it right. Per the instructions in the picture I adjusted the walking foot to have less pressure. and every since its like the tension adjusters dont do what they are supposed to. I have backed them off to nothing and tightened them one turn at a time and sewing and the stupid not will not come into the leather and I get sporadic loose stitches on the top (I have never gotten those) I just started taking holster orders and have six that need stitching. I was convinced I would figure it out and have adjusted the tensions so many times and cant seem to get any where.

Perplexed in Amarillo