Is The Techsew 5100 Suitable For Leathers Lighter Than 6Oz?

[ELeBlanc]

I am now the proud owner of a used 5100? But looking at the specs it says for use from 6oz to 7/8".

I will not be using light weight leathers but never anything remotely like 7/8" and probably mosty from 4oz to 6oz.

The deal was too good to pass up but I'm wondering if I bought something not well suited to the weights I intend to use it for.

Also the proud owner of LU 563 and more patchers than I have fingers on one hand.

[Wizcrafts]

I have posted several replies to questions like yours in reference to Cobra and Cowboy 441 clones. One lengthy reply is in the topic asking if a Cobra 4 can use #69 thread.

In a nutshell, a qualified yes. But, you will have to reconfigure the machine, remove the feed dog and install a flat slotted throat plate. All springs, including the check spring, will need to be backed way off and the machine re-threaded with #69 or #92 thread. You will need to buy #19 needles, which are the smallest available and then, only in round point, not leather point. The flat plate is an optional accessory that you may or may not have received with your used machine.

I have performed this changeover on my Cowboy CB4500. It takes about 1/2 hour each way (downgrade/upgrade), then more time to balance the knots. Make sure you have plenty of small needles on hand, as they are very easily deflected by inconsistencies between layers or its feeding. You will probably have a few bent and broken #19 needles. Also, the stitch length will be shorter and forward and reverse will no longer match up.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Wizcrafts

[Uwe]

Just try it out if you have the machine. Use the smallest needle the machine takes without major reconfiguration and the leather you're trying to sew. Not a whole lot can go terribly wrong at the low end of the spectrum. If you're sewing two layers of thin-ish 3oz leathers together, you're already looking at 6oz total weight/thickness. If you're just trying to put a stitch line on a single layer of 3oz leather, you can use your LU-563 or any domestic sewing machine instead.

For long term use on leathers around 6oz or less, you'll be happier with an Adler 69/169/269 or Pfaff 335 class machine.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Uwe

[Wizcrafts]

My first attempt at sewing a garment leather belt on a 441 machine resulted in the leather getting squished down into the throat plate feeder cutout, then eaten by the huge slot in the feed dog. The flat slotted plate solved that instantly. Other peoples' mileage may vary. Just sayin'

[Uwe]

Wiz, you're right, trying to sew thin leather with a 441 machine is just going to be frustrating.

ELeBlanc, you should probably try and trade this machine in for a nice small cylinder arm machine which will be much better suited to what you're trying to do.

I have a pristine Adler 69 that I'm not using much - just sayin'!