Need Some Info On Ferdco Pro1010

[crmiller84]

I was very fortunate this Christmas in receiving a Ferdco Pro 1010 from my family. I have been working with leather for three years now, making mostly holsters and knife sheathes, and have done all hand stitching up to now. The problem I am running into with the new machine is pressure. The presser foot and walking foot are leaving very obvious marks on any leather I am sewing on it, regardless of where I set the pressure. How do I get around this?

[shoepatcher]

Contact Hoffman Brothers in Chicago. They now sell the Ferdco line, Perhaps they can answer your question. Also, send us a few close up pics of the machine so we can see how the pressure is adjusted on the machine.

glenn

[Frankqv]

The Ferdco 1010 is the same as the Techsew GB6-180-2.Im sure Ron from Techsew has what you need.

This is a video of the same machine,

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WvWVWZjWOB4

Here's is a forum link

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=4284

[Darren Brosowski]

I have sold a couple of versions of the GB6 class and while there is difference between the GB6-180/181/182 and the various sub classes I find the easiest way to describe them is as a modernised version of the Singer 7 class.

The 1010/GB6-180-2 is like a lot of machines and is an amalgam of "off the shelf" parts - not that this is a bad thing.

So, it is something like a Singer 7B top end, 441 bits in the bottom to create something very similar to the Japanese built Tailor TG-360 which was essentially a modified Singer 11 class?

Does that clear things up?

If so then please explain it to me as I lost the plot around about 441

[crmiller84]

Thank you for the replies guys. I have contacted Hoffman Brothers, and they worked through some of the issue with me (marking is way down, but still present). I've tried smoothing out the marks after stiching by casing the leather and running a spoon over it, but that does not seem to be taking care of it. I'm almost wondering at this point if I'm just so used to the clean appearance left from hand sewing that I'm being to particular. Can anyone post some close-up picks of the stitches you are getting with your machines so I can compare? I'll try to get some pics taken tomorrow of what I'm dealing with so you all can take a look also.

Thanks again, really glad I've joined this forum! Seems like a ton of priceless knowledge here, and I look forward to gaining as much as possible form you guys

[soccerdad]

I am a hand-stitcher shopping for a first machine, and the marking issue is big for me, too. In response to phone and forum queries, representatives of Artisan and Techsew have said machines can be set up so as not to mark. I have not spoken to Cobra. Some on this forum say marking is inevitable but can be minimized. Others recommend using leathers that do not mark easily. Still others like the marks. I offer this tangle of gathered feedback not to judge anyone else and not as an expert (obviously!) but as one more person trying to figure this out. It must be possible. How does Frank Clegg do it, for instance?

[TinkerTailor]

I have a techsew 5100 (441) and i have it set up to not mark. Smooth feet and just enough foot pressure to hold the work down and not skip stitches.

I have used it on 4-5 oz chrome or veg tan 2-4 layers as well as 20+ oz of veg. I always test on a scrap first. i just kept backing off the pressure until the material started lifting, and increased it a turn or two from there. Once i did this, i only need to go a turn one way or the other depending on thickness. I did have to crank it down some when i was stitching a wallet with a thick plastic window, and it marked a little there, but i was able to work the marks out.

Regardless of the pressure, if the feet and dogs have teeth, they will bite.