bex DK Report post Posted March 7, 2016 Can anyone point me at a good resource for studying up on the different types/styles of presser feet and what kind of work they are best suited for? My machine came with several different feet, although a lot of them are not huge variations. Since I'm an ignorant newbie, I'd like to have something to study about different style feet and what types of materials/projects they are best suited for. Searching this forum didn't turn up much. Basically what I probably want is an idiot's guide to presser feet... Something with pictures of different feet and info on what sort of stuff you would probably want to use them for. Google drowns me in teflon feet, which isn't quite what I'm looking for. This is quick pic of my handful of feet (with some other stuff mixed in). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikesc Report post Posted March 7, 2016 (edited) Search using any search engine for "industrial sewing machine feet leather".. leave off the quote marks, otherwise Google etc will try to match that exact search "string" of words .. Don't just search this forum...there may not be many pages here with that search string on the page.. But..that said ... First result of that search in Google will be from here .. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=25239 But the other results on that search "string" will help.. Note..unless you use the word industrial in your search and also the word leather..you'll get myriads of results for domestic sewing machines ( hence all the "teflon" ) and loads of results for industrial machines that are used for textile garment sewing. Usually the feet ( there are various varieties, depending on what they are used for ) you will want will be smooth on their base ( not with teeth ) so as to not mark the leather..especially if you are sewing "veg tan" which marks more easily than "chrome tan"..chrome tan can still be marked by feet with teeth though . Edited March 7, 2016 by mikesc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted March 7, 2016 Your photo of the presser feet also shows a portion of your ancient sewing machine. What model is it? Knowing this may help identify the differences between those feet. One thing I can tell you is that the feet you have for that machine are not normally seen on modern industrial sewing machines. They mount with a sideways tab (90 degrees offset with the center line of the foot), rather than an inline tab like modern walking foot machines. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikesc Report post Posted March 7, 2016 (edited) Wizcrafts...I think it might be the same machine ( Adler 4-4 ) that bex DK is talking about in this other current thread here ?.. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=69053 The feet in the photo from bex DK look the same as the feet on the Adler 4 4 on this page.. http://www.sk-messer.de/ledernaemaschinen.htm next to last image on the page.. Edited March 8, 2016 by mikesc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Constabulary Report post Posted March 8, 2016 (edited) The 2 in the upper right are piping feet and will most likely not fit your machine. They are for fixed presser foot bars. but the 4-4 has a jump back / upper feed mechanisms. Some of the other feet look modified and are probably for special purposes. Do you already you know how to engage the top feeding mechanics? Edited March 8, 2016 by Constabulary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bex DK Report post Posted March 8, 2016 Top feeding mechanics? No, but I think I need to figure out the speed issue before I worry about that part. I suspect the 104 manual I downloaded is not going to be very useful for this machine... Yes, it is the Adler 4-4. I wanted to make a new thread since this was potentially a more general topic, if there was some sort of guide to feet. I did try the recommended google searching, but mostly I found lots of places selling a variety of feet but with no explanation of what you use for why. As a newbie, I feel like the foot that arrived on the machine is a bit awkward for me, if I want to try to use the foot to help keep a line straight. It has the straight edge on the left, which means sewing frontwards you'd have to have the piece on the inside. With a narrow pieces like a headstall or breast collar, that isn't a big deal. But if I start playing with saddle bags, they often won't fit that way. Part of my thought is that if none of the feet I have are well suited to what I want to do, it would be a good idea to research at the same time as the pulley/motor what I might instead need and if they can be obtained, as it would be cheaper on shipping to do things at once. A couple of the things definitely won't fit this machine's presser foot attachment and might not even be feet. There is some weird looking stuff in this box. This was the last machine left out of the shop they had had, so it may be it accumulated things that didn't really go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Constabulary Report post Posted March 8, 2016 (edited) Post some close up pictures of the parts you cannot ID. I´m sure I can help you with some of the bits. Regarding the upper feed - I have attached some pictures. The mechanism should look like this: EDIT: not remome - I meant remove Edited March 8, 2016 by Constabulary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bex DK Report post Posted March 9, 2016 Excellent. There is a thumb screw in it, so that is easy to remove. I will try in a few days (no time today) to run the machine again and take a short video also. But I will stick that and various unknown parts in the original thread for simplicity. I suspect many of them just are odds and ends from the shop that accumulated in these boxes and he sent all the leftovers along without sorting them. I really intended here only to get generic info on pressure foot shapes/styles and what kind of stuff they are best for, but I think what I wanted doesn't exist. :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted March 9, 2016 From the pictures, I would say the parts their look like they are for this machine. The feet all attach in the same odd way and look to be manufactured similarly. It looks like some of the feet in the photo may be damaged ones that have been replaced. There is one that is covered in needle strikes. I suspect their are a few that have been ground down to use next to different types of hardware. The two things in the upper left, My guess is they are left side pressers for soft stuff. The second one down is the exact shape of the dogs to the left, and appears to slide onto a dovetail on the left side of the fixed presser foot bar. Just below that looks like a feed dog of some kind, that thing is the odd man out and may go to something else. It is built too light duty for this machine. Is there also a hook inside the machine? Did you get 3? Not often you get a machine this old and rare with several spare hooks, which appear they could be usable from the pics. A monkey in a machine shop can make a foot for any machine, Hooks are a way different story..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
