NEW to me... LU-1560n and others - lotsa questions!

[R8R]

Hello all,

First post here. This seems to be a good place to get questions answered and offer info when I can.

I sew heavy duty nylon bags with some leather trims. Products are still in the "R&D" phase as I try to make what I see in my head end up as a thing...ha! I sew mostly with a Sailrite Fabricator machine with the Workhorse servo. Nice setup. It's quiet and pretty smooth and handles light leather duties.

 

What I have on hand, suddenly: (I need to lay off Craig's List)

I just recently obtained a couple Singers for a steal - a 111w155 and a 111w153. These are a clean up project and I'll probably sell em.

I just also obtained a Juki 1560n for a really good price in a package deal from a factory sale. I'll have many questions about this one but I wanted a double needle but most of the time I might run it single. (more on that later) It's in great shape.

The package deal with the 1560n also included a Juki AMS-210c. I have NO IDEA what to do with this machine. It's 3-phase, big, heavy and it has a damn floppy drive. It's in decent shape, nothing missing aside from the shuttle hook. (common part) Anyone here familiar with pattern tackers? I might try to convert it to a single phase servo machine (if that's even possible?) and get it to do bar tacks and boxes maybe. Or I'll sell it? 

[R8R]

1st big question is where is a good, reliable place to get parts for a double needle Juki?

[Uwe]

Welcome to LW. Juki has a dealer locator on their website https://www.juki.com/distributors-north-america.html . Any Juki dealer should be able to order parts for you. Some of the dealers are here on LW. Online support and ordering options vary.

Edited November 14, 2017 by Uwe

[R8R]

6 hours ago, Uwe said:

Welcome to LW. Juki has a dealer locator on their website https://www.juki.com/distributors-north-america.html . Any Juki dealer should be able to order parts for you. Some of the dealers are here on LW. Online support and ordering options vary.

Danke!

I wasn't exactly in the market for a twin needle but this was such a deal I could not pass it up. I was looking for a 1508n or similar. The Sailrite machine is great but there is the occasional struggle with climbing over folds or heavier zippers. The 1500 series would help in that regard.

The first thing I'm realizing is while I can run it as a single needle on the right side hook, even with a narrow gauge set the feet are going to be too wide for some projects and pretty much useless for zippers, etc. It does not seem that there could be a temporary conversion to center the feet and swap out the needle bar to have it be more like a single needle, then save the parts and convert it back later. The head casting and where the feed dogs line up would seem to prevent this.

 

[R8R]

I looked up the Juki AMS-210C and found the engineer's manual and the user manual. I think it's more than I want to deal with. I could use a machine that will do bartacks and maybe a box pattern or two but this thing is a deep dive.

[Uwe]

It's probably not worth bothering with or even possible, as you say, to convert the two-needle machine into a proper single needle machine. You may be better off cleaning up the two needle machine, selling it and putting the proceeds towards the 1508n you really want.

The Juki AMS-210C does seem more of a liability than an asset. Nobody wants to deal with decade(s) old computer technology unless they're well paid to do so.

[R8R]

3 minutes ago, Uwe said:

It's probably not worth bothering with or even possible, as you say, to convert the two-needle machine into a proper single needle machine. You may be better off cleaning up the two needle machine, selling it and putting the proceeds towards the 1508n you really want.

The Juki AMS-210C does seem more of a liability than an asset. Nobody wants to deal with decade(s) old computer technology unless they're well paid to do so.

I would have to agree on both points. I'll have to think about how much I want a dedicated twin needle. I don't really do upholstery, and I can't see myself getting into it enough to need a machine with that footprint for French seams, etc. However on the occasion for bag construction where double-stitched seams are a good idea, this thing is pretty much perfect. Maybe the solution is a bigger sewing room....

The AMS is either

• A long term hobby and exercise in learning industrial engineering (which does sound kinda cool...) or
• Someone else's headache or
• I dump it on eBay as a parts machine

Ebay seems likely. There is a THRASHED one on there for $1k right now and this one is in WAY better shape.

[R8R]

After wrestling the AMS machine into my storage and reviewing the tech manuals again, I've decided to part it out and/or scrap it. 

Anyone want some pattern tacker parts?

 

 

[Uwe]

It does seem like a shame to sentence a once-fine machine like that to death by computer, but I'm not sure it serves any useful purpose without that ancient computer. Non-computerized pattern stitchers don't really fare that much better, though  - I'll probably end up dragging my half dozen vintage box-x machines to the scrap yard, too.

[R8R]

Yeah the programming is a nightmare, after I would go through the nightmare of getting this thing up and running again. Double nightmares are just not my thing.

[R8R]

The AMS sold on ebay and is hopefully off to a new life somewhere! Hate to see it go but I don't have the spare space for this to sit inactive while I figure it out. 

I am preparing this 1560n for sale. Anyone need a double needle compound feed? It's in fantastic shape. Only sign of use is the typical minor scratches on the bed from attachments. Comes with a table and 650w servo.