Back Stitching

[rdf1967]

I posted this in another area but was prompted by another userto post it here..so here it is

Hi all.

Just started using my cowboy 3200 and love it so far...my problem is this...I am having hard time backstitching with it. I just cant seem to hit same holes...any tricks or hints on timing and ways to do this....If it is just practice that is great but I am sure there are some things I am doing wrong lol

Anyway any helpful comments or videos links would be greatly apprecciated

Thanks in advance

rdf1967

[TinkerTailor]

Some of these machines do not come set up to backstitch properly. There is an adjustment deep down in there, and a cheater way to fix it. Alot of people will loosen the screws on the angled plate with the numbers on it on the stitch adjuster and place washers or shims behind the top or bottom, whichever gets the stitch lengths closer to each other. On my machine i have about 2mm of shims under the top of the plate because the stitch length ran long in reverse.

Edited January 25, 2016 by TinkerTailor

[TinkerTailor]

The other way is the old school backstitch, before machines had reverse, you just turned the work around 180 and then sewed 3-4 stitches back.

You have to make sure you wait until the needle has started to come back up from the bottom a bit to ensure the stitch has completed before you lift the foot and turn, or put it in reverse.

[Trox]

The best 441 clone set up for I tried so far is the slotted plate with a Ferdco lower needle guide. It seems like the machine back stitch in same holes much easier when there is no feed dog that " works against" the top feed. Even with a LR needle there is minimal thread fraying. I also use a Efka needle pos. motor assuring the needle stops where it should be. Thank you both for addressing this "non existing" problem that looks like every 441 clone owner have experienced.  

[MADMAX22]

I actually found that with the lower feed dog it helps to maintain back stitches "but" that is in combination with taking the stitch length lever completely to reverse then pulling it back down to give it about a quarter inch of space. If I can nail that distance it will get the backstitch in the same hole. I tried the washer thing and it worked ok for a while, I just find the distance thing a little easier. 

I was thinking of making a shim for the stitch length plate, if I measured the correct angle on the reverse side corresponding to the stitch length I think  it may help. 

[Trox]

Madmax,

that only proves our machines have incorrect feed adjustment or faults in the castings (or both). Without leather point needles I do not have any problems with back stitching in the same holes. My old Adler machines never had these problems using LR needles, always  backstitched in the same holes without thread fraying. However, they where not trippel feed machines. With trippel feed there are more that can go wrong.  It's seems like it's just in the comercial videos these clones back stitch fine with LR needles ? Is there any of you that have a 441 clone that backstitch fine with LR needles, without thread fraying (when using heavy threads)?? There might be other factors than influence the outcome, like thread type and needle sizing. Perhaps bonded nylon is more resistant to fraying than polyester. Perhaps using a larger needle to the thread size will give more space for the thread.

Thanks

Tor