Things you wish you would have known

[Melonie]

This beautiful Cowboy 227r just arrived last night from Neel's Saddlery. I assembled it all last night and from what I can tell it is ready to go, but I'm really nervous to do ANYTHING after I turn it on. I've never worked with this kind of machine and I'm afraid I might be missing something before I try it out. So I'm just looking for any experienced advice before I start. maybe it's just to tell me to stop being afraid and get on with it  thanks in advance!!

[Northmount]

Take the belt off and turn it over by hand first to make sure nothing got loosened up and out of place.  Then put the belt on and go for it.  Remember to hold both threads for a couple stitches when you start sewing.  Always have leather or something under the feet before you run it with it threaded.

Tom

 

[Melonie]

55 minutes ago, northmount said:

Take the belt off and turn it over by hand first to make sure nothing got loosened up and out of place.  Then put the belt on and go for it.  Remember to hold both threads for a couple stitches when you start sewing.  Always have leather or something under the feet before you run it with it threaded.

Tom

 

Thanks! Do you mean the belt that runs from the sewing machine to the motor?

[brmax]

Its always good to prepare oneself, and with your putting it together is a great part of understanding the machine. I agree its a good thing to turn the machine over by hand a few rounds to just see how this particular one feels (as each one is a bit different )

It seem weird how smooth the machine is without the belt on, and even when on the different feeling with motor styles, like them servos have that not smooth and more like many many steps as turned vs the clutch style is smooth though more resistant when belted to machine.

The thread is so cheap and a great tip having plenty in your hand taught when starting. 

Have fun and get to sewing

 

Good day

Floyd

Edited February 26, 2017 by brmax

[eglideride]

I watched  you tube videos about 30 times!!...then went for it...still learning..still scared I will screw something up...so far..knock on wood!

[eglideride]

My first stitches last year

[Wizcrafts]

5 minutes ago, eglideride said:

My first stitches last year

[MADMAX22]

1 hour ago, Melonie said:

This beautiful Cowboy 227r just arrived last night from Neel's Saddlery. I assembled it all last night and from what I can tell it is ready to go, but I'm really nervous to do ANYTHING after I turn it on. I've never worked with this kind of machine and I'm afraid I might be missing something before I try it out. So I'm just looking for any experienced advice before I start. maybe it's just to tell me to stop being afraid and get on with it  thanks in advance!!

Make sure there isnt a hole just inboard of the table for your foot lift line to goo thru, looks like its rubbing on the table. If it doesnt you may think about doing such. 

Neel is good to work with and the machine should work just fine. Read over the manual like anything else new to you and have fun. Dont forget to oil it properly before starting. 

[brmax]

Now that my friend is a good eye! 

Great tip, please check whats mentioned

[Melonie]

5 minutes ago, MADMAX22 said:

Make sure there isnt a hole just inboard of the table for your foot lift line to goo thru, looks like its rubbing on the table. If it doesnt you may think about doing such. 

Neel is good to work with and the machine should work just fine. Read over the manual like anything else new to you and have fun. Dont forget to oil it properly before starting. 

Great catch! There was a hole there for it. Thanks

[Melonie]

37 minutes ago, brmax said:

Its always good to prepare oneself, and with your putting it together is a great part of understanding the machine. I agree its a good thing to turn the machine over by hand a few rounds to just see how this particular one feels (as each one is a bit different )

It seem weird how smooth the machine is without the belt on, and even when on the different feeling with motor styles, like them servos have that not smooth and more like many many steps as turned vs the clutch style is smooth though more resistant when belted to machine.

The thread is so cheap and a great tip having plenty in your hand taught when starting. 

Have fun and get to sewing

 

Good day

Floyd

Is there an easier way to get the belt on and off? I had to lower the machine on the hinges just to get it on. Maybe I have to much tension on the belt? I'm hesitant to make adjustments because it seems like everything was set up perfectly on it for me. 

[Melonie]

34 minutes ago, eglideride said:

I watched  you tube videos about 30 times!!...then went for it...still learning..still scared I will screw something up...so far..knock on wood!

I am reading this manual up and down! I can only find 2 short videos for this machine in YouTube. It's funny...I never thought to take such precautions when I was tearing up my parents stuff as a child

[MADMAX22]

Look up the I think its a CW-8B or even the 153w103 (same without reverse for the most part). Anyhow I wouldnt worry about it as much as you are IMHO. If you want to turn it over just turn it off, hand wheel the machine over. If the servo has a brake which will make it hard to turn over just push the go pedal a little bit till it loosens up and hand wheel it over. 

When I got my 4500 from neel I just put it together, put some leather under it and went to town. Had a couple questions and chatted with Neel for a little while and he got me squared away. Dont be afraid to give him a call. 

[Melonie]

15 minutes ago, MADMAX22 said:

Look up the I think its a CW-8B or even the 153w103 (same without reverse for the most part). Anyhow I wouldnt worry about it as much as you are IMHO. If you want to turn it over just turn it off, hand wheel the machine over. If the servo has a brake which will make it hard to turn over just push the go pedal a little bit till it loosens up and hand wheel it over. 

When I got my 4500 from neel I just put it together, put some leather under it and went to town. Had a couple questions and chatted with Neel for a little while and he got me squared away. Dont be afraid to give him a call. 

Thanks! I just figured out how to thread it, started sewing and was blown away with how easily and smoothly it sewed through my leather. I had to do a little adjusting with thread tension, but so far so good! 

[JimTimber]

This webbing is the densest stuff I've ever seen.  The 441 will go through it as fast as I'm comfortable with.  When I saw the pics of sewing phone books, I realized there's really nothing I can hit it with that'll do more than break a needle or maybe nick the hook if it goes real wrong.  Keep your fingers out of the way - they're probably not too much of a challenge either.

It's an inch at the folds, and the foot didn't want to walk up it, but I have no idea how the guy had his set up (this was done on his he'd assembled, mine was in the factory sealed boxes).  I need a shorter belt before I can put mine under power.

[Wizcrafts]

13 hours ago, JimTimber said:

This webbing is the densest stuff I've ever seen.  The 441 will go through it as fast as I'm comfortable with.  When I saw the pics of sewing phone books, I realized there's really nothing I can hit it with that'll do more than break a needle or maybe nick the hook if it goes real wrong.  Keep your fingers out of the way - they're probably not too much of a challenge either.

It's an inch at the folds, and the foot didn't want to walk up it, but I have no idea how the guy had his set up (this was done on his he'd assembled, mine was in the factory sealed boxes).  I need a shorter belt before I can put mine under power.

I've sewn a holster that was just shy of an inch thick, on a Cowboy CB4500. Here's how I did it.

1. If any raised throat plate was installed, change back to either the standard plate or the flat slotted plate (the lower, the better)
2. If standard plate and feeder, lower the action of the feed dog so its maximum height is just level with the top of the slot in the plate.
3. Rethread with #346 thread, top and bottom
4. Reduce bobbin tension to barely hold back the bobbin thread.
5. Use the large wrench that came with the machine to loosen and move the crank shaft coming out of the back of the head - that moves up and down inside a long curved slot - to whichever position lowers the alternating height to the minimum. I think that was all the way down on the 4500, but I'm at home today on my day off.
6. Tighten the crank once it is at its lowest lift position.
7. I had to also reposition the alternating inside foot to meet the top with the needle, or slightly afterward. Normally, that foot meets the leather much farther down.
8. I had to crank down the pressure screw all the way to keep the leather from lifting with the needle.
9. I replaced the standard chisel point needle with a diamond/tri point needle (#26)
10. I set the stitch length longer to keep from filigreeing the bottom layer.

It was slow going and stressful but I eventually got the holster sewn and locked in. The result is shown below.

 

[JimTimber]

That's nuts Wiz!  I'm not sure I'd attempt something of that design.

I follow what you're saying about opening up the throat for accepting the thicker material.  That's good info for sure.

I didn't touch any of the settings and it's possible the foot would've mashed it and gone over the bump if I'd tried, but I was already getting a lot of needle deflection from whatever reduced needle size he'd installed.  I want to say it was a #24 (277 thread), and it wasn't poking straight while I was rapidly just trying to get used to the foot pedal, hunched over, and on one foot (I've had both knees carved on in the past 8 months and I'm not overly steady like that just yet).  I also fed that wad of webbing in as my first stitches.  I should've started with the doubled up bit and added to it, but I also was most curious how sewing that much meat would feel.  It worked great!

Now that I know how the hook interfaces with the needle scarf, I'm even more impressed that it didn't drop any stitches despite the needle being sent into the bottom plate at a leftward angle. 

[Wizcrafts]

Try using a #25 needle with 277 thread. It pokes a wider hole, making it easier to pull the knots up. Plus, there is less bending and deflection with a wider needle.

[JimTimber]

It was his (the one he was keeping out of the 4 he'd bought), but that's good to know.  I need to order some bigger thread and smaller needles.

I got my belts figured out today, but needed to catch up on missed sleep so I haven't finished installing the motor control yet.  Once that's done, she's ready to sew but I don't have any appropriate needles either so I won't be doing much with it until those arrive.

[Melonie]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I started working away on the machine and am amazed. I am only experiencing one problem right now. When I do the reverse stitch, those last stitches don't seem to hold too well and they kind of unravel. How can I make sure that the last stitches are secure? Is this a thread tension issue? 

Edited February 27, 2017 by Melonie

[Melonie]

It does seem to get a little better when I increase the tension on the top thread. Should I try the bottom thread as well? 

Edited February 27, 2017 by Melonie

[SolarLeatherMachines]

Hi Melonie.   I built your machine.  Ryan Neel and I often cover for each other when we're taking some time off.   Please don't mess with the bottom tension yet.  Give me a quick call at 817-422-9151.  

[SolarLeatherMachines]

On 2/25/2017 at 6:49 PM, Melonie said:

Is there an easier way to get the belt on and off? I had to lower the machine on the hinges just to get it on. Maybe I have to much tension on the belt? I'm hesitant to make adjustments because it seems like everything was set up perfectly on it for me. 

Hi Melonie.  No there's not.  Having said that, once it's on, you shouldn't have to touch it again, unless you want to move the head.

[SolarLeatherMachines]

Here's a link to our support and help page for Cowboy machines.  I try to make a new video every time a problem pops up.  That way we ALL get better.   

http://www.solar-leather.com/supporthelp/

There are also vids for the CB-4500 and the CB-3200.