Leather squeezing out from bottom side feed dogs

[SaltyKate]

Hi All. I'm using a TechSew 2700 cylinder arm. Keep having problem of the bottom layer squeezing out to the left of the feed dogs and stitching on the back side and only catching the top layers. It happens whether I'm using cement or double sided tape. I also use binder clips to keep the layers together. I'm wondering if there's something I can do in terms of the feed dog height, or the pressure on the presser  foot to correct this problem. I thought I was going to be making bags so I got the cylinder arm, but now I wonder if that's not part of the problem too so I've ordered a flatbed table attachment as well. (I've got it rigged with boxes to hold the weight of the item while sewing, but these items are small and aren't heavy.) I'm trying to stitch generally 4mm from cut edge and have switched to 5mm to try to correct it as well. 

I'm new to sewing leather and industrial machines, so any guidance you could provide would be appreciated. 

[Northmount]

Make sure the piece stays flat, don't accidentally lift the left side up higher than the right side where you are stitching.  Causes the needle holes to be slanted so the back stitch is skewed compared to the top side.  Also watch how it is feeding.  If the feet don't sit squarely on the throat plate, it will drag the item to one side of the other.

If you are using contact cement properly, it should not be able to skew the top and bottom pieces.  Double sided tape is generally not as secure as contact cement. 

When sewing close to the edge like this, the leather is trapped between the outside foot and the throat plate on the left, but only trapped by the feet and the feed dog on the right side, so will tend to drive you off sewing in a straight line.

Not sure if this is what you having trouble with, but hope it helps.  You'll probably get some better answers from @Wizcrafts or others yet.

Tom

[RockyAussie]

Just a thought it may help to lower the pressure of your foot tension. The leather looks really squishy and if you come up to a thicker change the job will want to push out on you. The shiny area where your foot has been makes me think that is possible. The pictures here also make me think that you are too close to the edge but that may not be the case in the other areas. If the leather your going over is skived it will also give you this problem and that would be solved by taking your skive further in.

Brian

[Mark842]

Hi I don't own your model sewing machine but have similar cylinder arms. Northmounts comment about making sure your holding the project level is spot on. Its natural to try to hold the leather higher for some reason and takes some practice. Also, when stitching close to the edge, if the edge of your leather is right on the edge of the feed dog slot then the presser foot can try to push the leather into the feed dog slot causing things to go a little sideways. Don't know if this is an option with your machine, mine has the option to switch to a holster plate that has a thinner slot.

The easiest option to overcome this issue while learning is to not trim the edges of your project until after you sew them. Of course this isn't always possible but many times it is and its a simple fix!

[SaltyKate]

Thank you all! I am going to try to watch that I'm not lifting higher on the left. Will also try switching to exclusively contact cement as it is stronger. (That double sided tape suuuure is convenient though.)

I've also started not cutting the bottom flush until after I've sewn. 

It also makes sense that the leather may be squeezing into the feed dog slot as well. Will try to watch that. 

I am also going to lower the pressure on the foot and see if that helps. 

Thanks so much for the replies!

[Gregspitz]

I have a techsew 2750 pro and if you cement the edges you will not have this problem...

double sided tape...tried it did not work..

I got real good at gluing with Masters cement after awhile and it dries fast ...no waiting to sew

good luck