"American" big iron machine - anyone ever seen one of these?

[Constabulary]

another worthless discussion because of just a little clause - can we stop this BS please. If someone feels offended by a clause (...)  and if there is a need to let off some steam then please (for any reason) send me some PM´s with explicit content and we can move on. Wiz is sorry (and everybody else too) and now back to topic.

Interesting is that (at this point) 8 members are following this thread but I doubt they are all interested in American straight needle machines...

EDIT:

Edited March 14, 2017 by Constabulary

[gottaknow]

1 hour ago, Constabulary said:

another worthless discussion because of just a little clause - can we stop this BS please. If someone feels offended by a clause (...)  and if there is a need to let off some steam then please (for any reason) send me some PM´s with explicit content and we can move on. Wiz is sorry (and everybody else too) and now back to topic.

Interesting is that (at this point) 8 members are following this thread but I doubt they are all interested in American straight needle machines...

EDIT:

I'm interested in not giving any advice on hook and awl machines. I've worked on good ones and horrible ones (usually after being worked on by someone else). Wiz's advice was spot on. I've always thought a dead one would make a great mailbox post. 

Regards, Eric 

[dikman]

Or an anchor for a big ship.......

[LumpenDoodle2]

As a girlie, I just wanted to look at the pretty red sewing machine, and maybe get some techie data on needle/thread sizes, maximum depth, etc.   Maybe also get some worthwhile info on availability of parts, practicality, and see more pretty pictures (preferably with a hint of pink)

 

[Constabulary]

49 minutes ago, LumpenDoodle2 said:

I just wanted to look at the pretty red sewing machine, and maybe get some techie data on needle/thread sizes, maximum depth, etc.   Maybe also get some worthwhile info on availability of parts, practicality, and see more pretty pictures (preferably with a hint of pink)

 

the rest is not worth loosing words and is totally annoying.

[dikman]

17 minutes ago, Constabulary said:

the rest is not worth loosing words and is totally annoying.

Yup, should never have got this far and is most disappointing.

[HENDREFORGAN]

Well . . I'll say this.  Until seeing the photo of the "American Straight needle stitcher" . . I thought our German Frobana bent needle side sole stitcher on it's original equipment cast pedestal was a significant visual statement  . . it's now been well beaten into second place.

The thing is unless you can reconfigure your use of these highly specialised machines to something that is relevant to you then they have, through no fault of their ability to do the job for which they were made, become simply interesting items to look at?

We make  . . "adult toys" . . and the limited throat of the Frobana but it's ability to deal with seriously tough material means we use it for edge stitching "impact toys"  

 . . . the other 80% of our business though is done by hand or on more conventional industrial machines.

BTW?  Come back Wiz?  To somebody who joined this forum for good eduction your posts are right up there with some of the best.

[machinehead]

To add to the excellent respose to the OP from Wiz, this machine weighs about 500 pounds and requires lots of oil ( think 30 weight motor oil ) to lots of oil points. It can get messy, especially when you clean the thread rollers. Thread lube as opposed to liquid wax helps make things easier on the operator. Parts can be hard to find so if you get this machine get any spares that you can put your hands on.

 Here is an excellent overview by Lisa Sorrell, a member here.

 

 

[Cantab91]

Wow. I didn't not intend to start this. I value the advice I get here from answers to my questions and those of others. I didn't get offended. My husband doesn't know one end of a sewing machine from the other, but he happily rented a trailer, drove to Waco and hauled it into the house for me. It weighs every bit of 500 pounds. My heart said that I would love working with this machine because I love my old sewing machines, so I bought it even though the work space is only 4 inches. Here she is sitting in my living room. I got her running (after lots of oil) and stitching seams in heavy elk skin. Just beautiful stitches - better than my hand stitches. And she will punch through anything I throw at her. I was able to use the linen thread that I normally have for hand stitching. I didn't use wax, but was able to run the thread through my thread conditioner, Thread Heaven, and it worked well enough. 

I also have a Singer 29-4 and an unusual double needle Union Special chain stitcher (also in my living room pictured below) that I am working on as well. I think some of us have the time to enjoy the process of creating more than those pressed to produce. Part of my enjoyment comes from working with the older machines. 

Thanks!!

[LumpenDoodle2]

That Union Soecial is a cracker.   It's got thst 'touchy, feely' thing about it, and I have to admit that my older domestic Singer sewing machines have inadvertantly wandered into the livingroom.   

[Wizcrafts]

I'm glad you got a working American Straight Needle machine and have put it to good use. I did misread your initial post late at night when I made my reply that began the firestorm with the New York Feminist.