Machine Thread Weight

[FaitLaForce]

I'm looking for a bit of guidance on machine thread weights as they relate to different leather weights. I mostly do hand stitching, and really have no experience on what to buy for machine thread.

What weight thread would you experts recommend for a lighter weight goat skin, and then a heavier veg tan? I don't rememebr the exact weight of the goat, but the veg is 2.3-2.7 mm.

Thanks, and sorry if this is a repeat question!

[Dwight]

Depending on the "look" you want, . . . either 277 or 346 should do right well there. Your veg tan is in the 6/7 ounce category, . . . which I use a lot, . . . and my sewing machine is set up for 346 thread, . . . all my customers are happy with it so far.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Red Cent]

Dwight, what size needle are you using for the 346?

[Dwight]

  On 3/1/2016 at 3:28 PM, Red Cent said:

Dwight, what size needle are you using for the 346?

You would ask a 71 year old to read what is on that needle????

From what I can see with a 1 inch thick magnifying glass, . . . it looks like 200-25.

When I had my machine in for repair, . . . they guy asked me if I needed needles, . . . he asked me the thread I was using, . . . that's what he gave me.

They work in my Tippmann Boss.

May God bless,

Dwight

[FaitLaForce]

Thanks so much for the help guys! I live in Haiti and do a lot of my sourcing in the Dominican Republic, and y'all helped me out at a clutch time. I was sitting in a show shop looking at a wall of thread, so confused. Went with the 277, and love it.

[Wizcrafts]

I use a #26 (Metric #220) leather point needle to sew with #346 thread, top and bottom. That needle opens a decent size hole for the large knots to fill. You can get by with a #25/200 needle if you use a smaller size in the bobbin (e.g.; #207, 277). The hole will be pretty tight with a #25 needle, which is why using smaller bobbin thread makes it easier to pull the knots up into the leather.

While I mostly sew heavy stuff with #277 thread, when I use #346 on the top and bottom, it is usually in projects 1/4 inch thick and up.

[Red Cent]

Tried the 346 top and 207 bottom with a 25 needle. I use 277 top and 207 bottom. Skipped stitches. Cobra 4.

[Wizcrafts]

  On 3/16/2016 at 2:43 PM, Red Cent said:

Tried the 346 top and 207 bottom with a 25 needle. I use 277 top and 207 bottom. Skipped stitches. Cobra 4.

It's safer to use a #26 Schmetz needle with #346 thread. You may need to increase the tension and lengthen the travel of the check spring to control the slack in that heavy of a thread. I normally run pretty strong tension on my check springs.