111W117 on a table at last

[dikman]

Figured it's time to see if this wee beastie will actually work! Foot clearance measured at 3/8", which is what I expected given that it's a 111-class machine. I shoved several layers of veg under the feet and fitted a #22 needle (no thread). It punched through ok, but tended to lift the leather on the upstroke. I couldn't get enough tension on the feet to stop it lifting. It was fine if I reduced the thickness of the leather. Changed to a #18 needle and no problems, went through whatever I could jam under the feet, with no lifting. Fitted a bobbin and some #69 thread and it sewed beautifully.Top tension was off a bit but that didn't matter. Back to the #22 needle and some #138 thread top and bottom. As long as I kept the thickness down a bit it sewed fine. I figured the 22/138 combination is probably pushing it past its design parameters, but the fact it will work if I keep the thickness down is a bonus, as far as I'm concerned. My original intention when I bought it was just to use it to pre-punch  leather when handstitching, but the fact it sews is great, considering what I had to do to make it into an "ordinary" machine.

Not bad for $150 .