Capability of hand crank singer 15-91

[Cascabel]

  Always bear in mind that there is no such thing as an "Industrial Strength" machine, and just because it is made of cast iron, and painted black does not make it a real industrial machine.  Many of them are Grandma's old sewing machine that showed up at a yard sale.   EBAY and Craigslist sellers lie !!   The old domestic machines are excellent within their limitations, but none of them are real "Leather" or "Industrial" machines.    A simple way to tell is that if the motor is the size of a man's fist, and attached to the back of the machine, it is a domestic machine.  Real industrial machines have a motor the about the size of your head mounted underneath the table. And real industrial machines are NEVER designed to fold down into the cabinet like a domestic.   They are much too heavy !!

 

    Another consideration is that the thickness a machine can handle is dictated by the fact that MOST, but NOT ALL machines release the thread tension as the foot rises either by the thickness of the material being sewn, or when climbing over a thick section like a seam.   This can cause skipped stitches and a host of other problems, such as tangles on the back side.  This applies to both domestic and industrial models.   This is a feature of the design of most machines, allowing easy removal of the work from under the foot when raising the foot manually when done sewing.   Some machines, like my Singer 42-5 can sew as much thickness as you can jam under the foot, as it does not have this tension release feature.

[TrentonP]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I did not expect the seller's listing to be anywhere near accurate based off the many posts I've read on this forum. I have gained a lot of information from reading your posts Wiz. With that being said I have read a lot of your recommendations. I am looking for a hand powered machine though and I have not seen much on them. Which would you recommend in that category?

[Wizcrafts]

1 minute ago, TrentonP said:

Thank you to everyone who replied. I did not expect the seller's listing to be anywhere near accurate based off the many posts I've read on this forum. I have gained a lot of information from reading your posts Wiz. With that being said I have read a lot of your recommendations. I am looking for a hand powered machine though and I have not seen much on them. Which would you recommend in that category?

You're correct; there are only a few hand operated real leather sewing machines. I'll list a few and others will add to the group.

Hand operated heavy leather stitchers.

• The Tippmann Boss (one of our advertisers). This machine has a push pull lever on the right side. It uses the same large cylindrical bobbins and long needles as the 441 type machines and can sew up to 3/4 inch of leather. Everything depends on how strong your right arm is and how long it can operate the lever. You can buy directly from Tippmann and get factory support, or buy it from Tandy Leather stores.
• The Cowboy Outlaw is a brand new clone of the Tippmann Boss, made in China by CowboySew. It uses the same bobbins and needles as the Boss, but has beefed up cranks, frame and bearings. I don't know anything else about it right now. I'll add the expected price when I learn it.
• Somebody has converted a Cowboy CB3200 into a hand operated stitcher by adding a Barney handle to the flywheel. I'll bet that Toledo Industrial can do the same for you. This machines sews up to 1" of leather.
• The Luberto Cub is a rotary hand cranked heavy stitcher that also has a Barney wheel on the flywheel. It also uses 441 type needles and bobbins. They are few and far between and are built in the USA by Tony Luberto.
• The Gritzner/Frobana curved needle sole stitcher has a rotary wheel on the right side. It has a blade ion the bottom that cuts a sewing channel and moves the work.
• Junker and Ruh sole stitchers have a push pull lever and sew along the edge.

[TrentonP]

I will look into these options. I can not see myself sewing more than 18oz of leather. Most of my work is hoslters with the occasional belt. Hand stitching belts is not something I enjoy undertaking. I have been leaning towards the Tippmann Boss due to the availability although 3/4" of sewing ability is much more than I will ever need. Are there any you recommend over others?

[Wizcrafts]

If there is a Tandy Leather store within driving distance, why not call them to see if they have a Boss stitcher in stock that you can try out? They have everything there in one place: scrap leather, needles, thread, machine. Unless you are able to physically try out a Boss, you won't know if you will get along with it. These machines are tempermental until you learn to operate them. I do know that you can't half cock the lever and expect a good outcome.

Personally, I would prefer a rotary wheel than a push lever on a hand driven sewing machine. I remember Bob Kovar, owner of Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, posting about a Cowboy head that they converted into a hand operated machine. It had a Barney wheel on the flywheel.

Let's see here: 18 ounces of leather is equal to 9/32 of an inch. That is well within the capability of any upholstery class, walking foot machine, most of which handle #138 thread. Some newer builds have an extra large hook that allows you to sew with #207 thread (33 pounds test). That is really the minimum size you'd need to securely stitch a holster or strap that's 18 ounces thick. The Cowboy CB341 and Cobra Model 26 can do that. So can a GA5 type machine, like the Cowboy CB2500 and Techsew 3650. I'm sure someone could add a Barney handle to one of those machines so you can hand crank it.

[Sheilajeanne]

Yes, my local Tandy store has a Tippman boss all set up so people can try it out, and see if it's the right machine for them.

[LumpenDoodle2]

12 hours ago, TrentonP said:

I will look into these options. I can not see myself sewing more than 18oz of leather. Most of my work is hoslters with the occasional belt. Hand stitching belts is not something I enjoy undertaking. I have been leaning towards the Tippmann Boss due to the availability although 3/4" of sewing ability is much more than I will ever need. Are there any you recommend over others?

Major advantage of a Tippman Boss, is the space saving, and it's so simple to work on.   The disadvantage is it need one hand to operate, but you soon adapt yourself to it. 

I have a Juki LS341 for sewing belts, an old Joy upholstery flatbed for webbing, and canvas, and the Boss handles anything too thick for them.  I find it a bit of hard work for sewing anything too big, but it's paid for itself for sewing the odd over thick leathe strap or holster fitting, and doesn't get in the way when not in use.