Who uses a Pearson #6

[ddp]

@T Moore Medicine Hat Saddlery hey my apologies its taken so long to get back to you about thread size. I've been using #277 thread with a 200 size needle, and a 230 with i think a #346 thread. If you phone the guys at aaron martin they know the thread sizing real well and are pretty darn great to deal with. ive been using polyester thread how ever my machine is set up it doesn't seem to like the nylon stuff but i could have an adjustment incorrect. 

 

on a side note i got a cobra motor rigged up to it here as i didn't have a treadle base with mine. it runs real nice. 

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, T Moore Medicine Hat Saddlery said:

I've been trying to get pictures of my pearson #6 and some of the stitching but so far I keep getting the picturesv th oo big and they won't post. I just changed phones and can't seem to get them to resize. Hopefully I can soon. I really like the stitch quality and simplicity of function as well as the precision you can sew with these machines

Can you reduce the resolution of photos in your camera or phone? I set mine to the minimum resolution and have no problem uploading pictures from my phone to the forum or Facebook.The larger the resolution of the shot, the bigger the file size, and vice-versa.

If your camera or phone won't allow you to reduce the resolution enough to satisfy our limitations, try uploading your photos to an online photo resizer app. Then download the smaller image size and send it to us. 

If you own a computer, transfer your photos to it and find a decent resizer program to create smaller versions, more suitable for the web. I find that most online photos can be kept to a maximum of 1600 x 1200 or even 800 x 600 pixels and still have great details. The smaller versions you see in posts to our forum are more like 600 x 400, or even 300 x 250, which is similar to standard ad size. Those small picture sizes are about 10 - 20 kb or so, compared to 1mb for larger views.

[T Moore Medicine Hat Saddlery]

I will try that to get them resized

I've been using #346 thread and a 230 needle. Even used a little bit of #346 top and #277 bottom. Have a few needles of 25 and 30 size for bigger thread but haven't tried it yet  

Your machine is nice. Mine is on a treadle stand but I've only used it as a hand crank so far my floor is not level and it tends to rock a little. I may build a platform for it  

[Singermania]

Looks like you've done a great job setting up the no 6.   These machines run well on slow revving servo motors especially with a speed reducer fitted.  They are not really fussy with threads, but bear in mind they were originally intended for running non synthetic thread thru a wax pot.   I've never encountered a thread they cant handle, its more a matter of matching a needle to it.   Some of my collection.

[T Moore Medicine Hat Saddlery]

Ok hopefully that worked and I'll get more up. I'm still in the market for another machine and will hopefully get it within this next month or so 

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

3 hours ago, Singermania said:

Looks like you've done a great job setting up the no 6.   These machines run well on slow revving servo motors especially with a speed reducer fitted.  They are not really fussy with threads, but bear in mind they were originally intended for running non synthetic thread thru a wax pot.   I've never encountered a thread they cant handle, its more a matter of matching a needle to it.   Some of my collection.

Omg, I want to come visit you!  All this talk of the Pearson #6 is making me want one.  And I need another machine like a hole in the head.

[T Moore Medicine Hat Saddlery]

I could have bought one of the Chinese clones and had money left over but didn't and am glad  the Pearson is much simpler and more robust than  those and honestly easier to sew with. It is better machined than a landis#1 even though they look similar and in my opinion much superior to any other machine I've sewn on . It would be your favorite machine pretty quick I bet .

My plan is to get another machine and have one set up for light work only  and one for heavy sewing only with a good supply of needles on hand 

[ddp]

thanks @Singermania i put a speed reducer under it as well. Seems to run at a nice speed. you have a crazy collection, i love it. I got the round rein attachment in good order by the way, now i just have to try it a bit to figure out how it'll all work.

 

@T Moore Medicine Hat Saddlery i felt the same way as you i was eyeing up the cobra class 4 pretty heavily then this Pearson came up for sale in Armstrong, b.c.  well i was down there for holidays anyway, went and checked it out and could leave without it.

cheers, Matt

[leathersmyth]

   I have a #6, It still does a Beautiful stitch.  I also had a #9 at one point because the shuttle nose of #6 sometimes gets in the way stitching but ended up selling that because even though had basic design of the pearson it could not do as nice as stitch as.

Also hearing the clickity clack of everything messing as the machine is stitching makes a wonderful sound to listen to.

[PeterMain]

....I love my Pearson. I have rebuilt another three of these in years gone by.

[plinkercases]

I was seriously looking into a Landis #1 but an now (very excited about) negotiating currently for a Pearson but has no stand or bobbin winder... Aaron Martin has a stand with no fly-wheel... I would sure love to find or find out how to have one made to try the treadle.....they also have their version of a hand bobbin winder and an electric winder but seem pricey.. I would rather spend for an original if they are still around or go the other way and make one. 

When I get it I can drive to Aaron Martin's and spend some time with them in person. They are great and so far all I have done is buy materials from them and his Brother's (Levi Martin) store Harness Hardware.

I am also close to Henry who is a Pearson guru as far as I can tell.

Peter Main those are works of art... I read somewhere else your description of the years of the rebuild process.

After this machine I MUST STOP..... really.

And yes perhaps this thread becomes the Pearson Owner Group thread. I hope my deal works out.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

53 minutes ago, plinkercases said:

After this machine I MUST STOP..... really.

. . . You do know that it doesn't ever really stop, don't you?!   A friend of mine says a chosen few of us have an obligation to rescue this vintage equipment.  Lol.

[plinkercases]

As has been said above I love the idea of having my hands on machine that has been making saddles and harnesses for almost a century. Perhaps father to son. 

Why spend even more on a machine with no life inside it.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

22 hours ago, plinkercases said:

As has been said above I love the idea of having my hands on machine that has been making saddles and harnesses for almost a century. Perhaps father to son. 

Why spend even more on a machine with no life inside it.

I agree.  Not only do those new machines have no life, there is no way to make them lay down a stitch like the machines that were designed to be saddle and harness stitchers. 

[Singermania]

I also love old machines, however a machine is a machine is a machine, the life in it is the life you see in it with your own eyes.  If you see it then good, if you don't then that machine will suit someone else.

[Singermania]

 If you need any help with your no 6 let me know, I might be able to help, bobbins winders are hard to find apart from a machine, though we did sell 3 recently, none at the moment.   Treadles are also hard to find on there own.  I have a flywheel, but the cost of shipping it to the us is not going to be reasonable.

 

[plinkercases]

Thanks Singermania for the kind offer.

I am a short drive from Aaron Martin Harness and they are all over these machines since they were the mainstay of the Mennonite harness industry until recently when I hear they have switched to more modern machines. There is also a fella Henry on the Forum who is a short drive from me and they all have parts such as bobbins (not too expensive)  and shuttles (very expensive) plus various springs and plates etc. Ivan Martin said I can drop it with them and they will give it a once over.

I am also close to an Amish harness maker and will ask them if they are familiar and can hep with this machine.

In place of the fly wheel fro now will go either a servo or the old clutch off my 335... or I may crank for a while to get some exercise!

An I have a fella checking his "shed" for a winder.

[Singermania]

Yes mate, Henry Veenhoven is a great guy, he'll help.   A clutch motor will most likely be a bit quick for a Pearson, a 750watt servo running thru a speed reducer is the best way.... I think.

[plinkercases]

Yes I have heard they are wobbley at speed so even with the clutch I would build a reducer as I have on my 95K.

Edited September 25, 2018 by plinkercases

[Singermania]

Again I have a number of original Pearson no 6 clutches here, however they are heavy and probably too expensive to ship.   A lot of people think the no 6 was never motorised but they were.

[plinkercases]

wow I would like to see a picture of an original motorized one.

[Singermania]

 

[Silverd]

I'd like to see photos of leather stitching placed using a Pearson #6; top side and bottom side and a Landis #1; top side and bottom side.  I'm considering the purchase of one of these machines and that visual difference would be very meaningful.   Any chance a collaborative collection could be assembled to this end?

Silverd

[atexascowboy]

Does anyone know if the Pearson no. 6 will sew with waxed 7 cord Irish linen thread ?

[catskin]

Well at risk of ticking off some strong opinioned people.  Here goes.  I waited 60 years to own a Pearson #6  now I do.  It is a wonderful machine. I believe it might be among the best original machines around, meaning it has NO welds on it, the needle plate is clearly original and one end is still like new, not beat out like the machines I see in harness shops. No built up rollers.  BUT I also have owned a Cowboy 4500 for a few years and it will make a stitch as good as the Pearson, BUT you have to know how to use and set it .  Unless I just got lucky there is no reason to claim that the 441 clones can not do good work..  Today I sewed 35 feet of stitching with the Pearson and I can tell you that my arm feels it.  But it never missed a stitch.  So I am looking at finishing putting a motor on it.  I talked to a guy recently and he asked why, he always cranked his by hand.  And I believe him, but I doubt many would be sewing 50 or more feet of stitch in a single session without needing a rest and their arm feeling it. To keep it going it seems to need to  be turned at about 70 stitches a minute.  When I get the motor on I hope to have it at about 60.  Speed is not what I am looking for but a nice steady run.

I think my opinion is shared by a fair number of serious users since I have read that people are buying Pearsons from saddle makers that are going to 441"s and copies ( clones )

I had to build a bobbin winder which I finished yesterday ,it is not hard to do. I hope to be able to post a picture soon.