Adler 67-63l. How big a needle can I get away with?

[Matt S]

Quote

Quote

I've got an Adler 67-63l. Great little needle/bottom feed flatbed machine. It's officially limited to size 130(21) needles, which means #69 (40 ticket) or #92 (30 ticket) nylon. I like would like to use something a little chunkier and can get up to size 180 or even 200 needles in system 134. I know it's not a harness stitcher and I'm not going to be running traces through it but how big can I get away with? Can I just drop in larger needles or will I have to adjust the machine?

[Constabulary]

Usually up to 138 thread (20 ticket) max with 140 needle. 180 and 200 needles will not work not only because of the too thick thread but the 180 / 200 needles will most likely not fit through the hole of the feed dog. The whole machine is not designed for it.

[Matt S]

Thanks, Constabulary. As a slight deviation, I have a choice between steel or aluminium bobbins. My winder does not rely on magnetism, so is there any advantage to aluminium to justify the higher price?

[shoepatcher]

Aluminum Bobbins are used when you have a thread trimming device on your machine.  Some but not all machines use a magnet to run the knife so that is why aluminum bobbins are used instead of steel.

glenn

[Matt S]

Just what I wanted to hear Glenn, not often the cheaper option is best!

 

What do you guys reckon about dropping the feed dog? Even with light top pressure it still marks smooth leather, and I would love to use this machine for stitching all of wallets, not just the guts.

[CowboyBob]

Take the feed dog off,wash it w/alcohol & fill in the valleys w/JB Weld or smooth the points off w/a Dremel.

It won't feed good w/o it.

Edited July 14, 2016 by CowboyBob

[mikesc]

Constabulary had a neat idea in a thread a while back for smoothing the teeth of feet..heat shrink tubing..put a piece over the toe(s) of the foot..heat it..instant smooth foot..and easier to get the foot back to "normal" than filling and filing / dremeling..

[Matt S]

1 hour ago, mikesc said:

Constabulary had a neat idea in a thread a while back for smoothing the teeth of feet..heat shrink tubing..put a piece over the toe(s) of the foot..heat it..instant smooth foot..and easier to get the foot back to "normal" than filling and filing / dremeling..

I don't think there's enough clearance around the feed dog to put heatshrink around it -- good idea though.

[mikesc]

Feed dogs ( yes, Constabulary's idea is good for feet, but not practical, ( nor did he suggest it for for feed dogs* ) I'd fill with resin / body filler rather than grind them down..it will make them smooth on top where they are in contact, need to "dress" the sides a bit to get the clearance back so that they'll fit through the slots..to get the body filler resin off after ( unless you have a spare set ) soak them in commercial car paint thinners( you don't need the stuff that the paint is diluted with, just the recycled stuff that the spray guys use to clean out the spray guns with ), beg a 100 ml ( 10cc ) or so from a car body shop or a car paint spray garage, it will be plenty..The stuff costs around $ 20 to $25 ( or whatever that is in GBP after Brexit ) for 30 litres, so a small bottle of 10cc or so isn't going to ruin anyone..the body filler can be bought from any car accessories shop..or scrounge up a dab of premixed from your friendly local car body repair shop :)

*My error, I was watching the news here re the attack in Nice when posting, lived on the Riviera for many years, have many friends there, went to many of the 14 July fireworks displays there and at Cannes and St Tropez ,where we lived, in the past..

Edited July 14, 2016 by mikesc