Juki LH-527 walking foot two needles split needle bar restoration?

[patria]

couple of weeks ago i posted a picture of a certain room in my father's warehouse. 2 sewing machine caught my eyes then, but decided to to go for another machine at the time.

I suspect the cylinder bed on the right is Juki LS-341 or such, with some missing feed dogs and hooks, someone modified some sort of attachment on it probably for binding purposes? The machine on the left initially i thought it was a seiko double needle model with some parts missing, but then i found a good-working condition juki lh-515 so i never bother to look at that one.

As of this morning i had a break from my sewing lessons and decided to venture to the place again. I pulled out the left one out of that room and surprised, as it was apparently a Juki LH-527 split needle bar double needle walking foot. Compared to the previous juki LH-515 i currently using the LH-527 is far more superior i think in terms of specs and features. But unfortunately this particular 527 had its own demise. I think someone had modified it in purpose to run without the upper alternating feet, so the shaft and the alternating feet and parts connected to it are gone. On current condition i guess it still turn and run freely needle to hook like a normal double needle machine should be? The needle bar feed the material like it should, the back presser foot also working in tandem to the needle bar and feed dog.

 

I've downloaded parts list for LH-527 and was overwhelmed finding too many parts are gone. I've tried to google about it also, and i stumbled on this one ebay seller that (i guess) selling the LH-527 with the same "set - up" like my newfound LH-527. That it was missing its alternating upper feeding feet but stated them to be in good working condition?? 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JUKI-LH-527-Industrial-Double-needle-Walking-Foot-Sewing-Machine-/232236366073

 

what do you guys think? should i go take this restoration project religiously or i just have to let it go and go find another machine to fiddle with? Considering i think it will be a massive task to locate / buy the original missing parts or to machined one from manuals and sewing machine mechanic references

all of your opinion will be most appreciated

 

Patria 

Indonesia

 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by patria

[gottaknow]

It's a good candidate for a boat anchor. I would move on. Split needle bar machines are flawed even when brand new. 

Regards, Eric 

[patria]

@gottaknow

Please elaborate that "flawed even when brand new" eric, as my knowledge and experience are truly very limited in sewing machine 

[gottaknow]

As split bar machines age, the mechanism that causes the bars to raise and sew independently are usually very small ball bearings inside a fixed needle bar set up. After time and pounding through hard materials, the bar/s that are in the sew position will "jump up" and then back down by themselves, leaving multiple skips. Split bars can work fine for many years on thinner materials, not so much on thicker. The reason yours are missing parts for the walking mechanism is that this failure could have occurred and to save the machine it was converted to sew lighter material. There's really no reason to destroy a double needle with a split bar IF it's working correctly.

Regards, Eric

[Uwe]

Split needle bar issues aside, the Juki LH-527 was designed as a Bottom+Needle feed machine. You're not missing walking foot parts, they were never there to begin with. Here's a portion of the title page of the Juki LH-527 Engineer's manual that shows the variations in feed specs.

 

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

As far as machines go, this one here looks complete,ready to sew.  Just flip the handwheel 180 degrees, put the slide plate covers over the hooks, and I think your ready to go?

gottaknow obviously speaks from (a lot) of experience, and if you are not going to use this or any machine for angular stitching, then it's true this machine may not be for you.

But if you are in need of machine with needle feed, drop feed only, with split needle bar, this is as good as any out there, new or refurbished.  And if the mechanism is weak in terms of wearing premature, then you have to deal with it, otherwise you are not going to be able to do angular stitching at all on any machine!

[patria]

@gottaknow

Great insight eric 

@Uwe

I closely inspecting the manual and the machine back and forth, i think my friend have sent me the wrong manual portion of the machine in the first place uwe, maybe it was a page from LUH 526 manual?

I have downloaded the 527 manual before but never open it until your post 

My mistake that i didn't crosscheck it with other references before posting here

But , why juki even bother built this kind of casting ? I mean with walking feet attachment but never put a walking feet parts in it?

@Gregg From Keystone Sewing

If its complete, then i'll have my mechanic to try to adjust the machine for a test run gregg

There is one particular project that i sketched before that i think will benefit greatly with double needle split needle bar machine, i already have juki lh-515 but i am interested by the confinient on having split needle on turns or switching to one needle with just a push of a button 

Edited March 10, 2017 by patria

[patria]

have the 527 cleaned , oiled , and adjusted by my mechanic this morning, some parts need replacement also, namely needle bar (i would like it to do for wider stitch) and hooks. 

it sow great with no issues on 3 layers of chrome tanned leather about 5mm thick, and 5 layers of 18oz canvas, using 21 needle and 30 nylon thread, it fitted with 550w generic chinese made servo motor with 2' pulley

i will try to upload some short / simple video regarding this machine, so that others wont find some misconceptions about 526 / 527 

thanks for the help and comments guys , i think i'll keep this one instead of the juki lh-515

 

 

Edited March 11, 2017 by patria

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Not so secret is this flip guide, that will work on your LH-515 as well, commonly available generic part.

[Constabulary]

Thanks for the reminder Gregg - reminds me I wanted to set up my Singer 212 with this needle holder...

[patria]

Flip up needles 

Any video explain how it works? The 515 is still around, just moved it out to the kitchen, giving room for the 527 at the garage 

Edited March 17, 2017 by patria