very large cones for #69 in UK

[chrisash]

In the UK it seems you can only get very large cones of #69 thread either 1500 or 3000 meters, this size cone flops around on domestic machines

anyone know where you can get smaller cops in the UK or a way to transfer to a smaller container, have tried  to bobinsand it worked but maybe to easy to unwind when not in use

 

 

[Bert51]

You can buy a Thread Stand for the larger spools from eBay or I found it easy to make a separate stand for the larger spools

[chrisash]

Thanks Bert

You need to know what you want before you can find it. The obvious thing went way over my head when looking for a solution, but now sorted by your sugestion

Many thanks

[Matt S]

If you have a low ceiling over the machine or a wall behind the machine, put a small screw eye about halfway between the spool and the thread pin on the machine. This will basically do the job of the arm on top of an industrial thread stand. If there is no convenient place to put the eye, you can put it on a scrap of wood which you screw or clamp to the bench.

Or, if you want to use a bobbin of thread on top of the machine, put a disc of felt or rubber on the pin before the bobbin to reduce overspin.

[Northmount]

Did this for my wife back in 1969.  Still gets used.  Block of plywood and some coat hanger wire.  Instead of soldering the wire the plate, jsut drill some holes in the wood and drive the wire in.  If a tight fit, no glue required.

Tom

[Bert51]

Thanks Northmount, I was going to post pics this morning, but ran out of time.

[fredk]

For regular normal cones you can buy these inserts for the bottom of the cone

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Plastic-Cone-Adapter-Haberdashery-H165/263804819148?epid=2254360451&hash=item3d6bfe16cc:g:A8gAAOSwn55a8vpH

They are re-useable. Although only one is needed per cone I find two works better

Edited July 12, 2018 by fredk

[chrisash]

Thanks all, now sorted with a desk stand item

Anyone know where in the UK you can get #69  on smaller size cops say 250 or 500 mtr and is there another type of thread used for chrome leather that others use on domestic machines

[Matt S]

1 hour ago, chrisash said:

Thanks all, now sorted with a desk stand item

Anyone know where in the UK you can get #69  on smaller size cops say 250 or 500 mtr and is there another type of thread used for chrome leather that others use on domestic machines

Le Prevo sells 500m cops of the stuff in a wide range of colours. £3 each, plus carriage and VAT. I use them, I threw a bunch into an order. I don't use TKT40 very much but for not many beer tokens I find it a handy way to keep some extra colours I might not normally hanve on hand for those odd jobs that come up that aren't worth buying a 3000m cone or I don't have time to wait for it to arrive. Mostly repairs.

You can get continuous filament polyester in that size. This is more UV-stable than nylon but otherwise pretty similar -- except the price is at least twice as much and it's not as widely available. Core-spun polyester might work, as will poly-cotton threads (such as jeans thread) but it's not as strong. BTW you might find more results searching for TKT40 or 40s thread -- this is the metric size equivalent to V69 and pretty much universally used in the UK.

[chrisash]

Thanks Matt

I did look at 40s and it looks far better than #69 monofilament and presumably nearly as strong. No sure how strong it is to tiger 0.45 mm that i use for hand stitching  as i like to look of the stitch standing out

Still a learner by a long way and only making light items so guess strength is not really a problem, after all cotton on shirts and trousers seem to last ok

[Matt S]

25 minutes ago, chrisash said:

Thanks Matt

I did look at 40s and it looks far better than #69 monofilament and presumably nearly as strong. No sure how strong it is to tiger 0.45 mm that i use for hand stitching  as i like to look of the stitch standing out

Still a learner by a long way and only making light items so guess strength is not really a problem, after all cotton on shirts and trousers seem to last ok

I'm not familiar with that sort of thread, the only monofilament I've come across was basic fishing line. TKT 40 nylon is usually a 3-strand twist, and may or may not be bonded. The thread used for top stitching jeans, for comparison, is usually one size larger (TKT 30) and a softer unbonded polycotton which makes it look chunky.

TKT40 nylon has a breaking strain about 11lb for what it's worth. I also like the look of heavier thread and only use 40 where the leather is too thin to reliably lock tkt20 stitches inside the seam, or if I'm using a specialist machine that can't handle heavier thread, or if I need to match the appearance of another seam. Shirts, I think, are sewn with far lighter and softer thread -- 60s 80s or 120s, often cotton or polycotton -- mostly to prevent puckering and have their strain spread across several parallel stitch lines whereas in leather we often use just one. You can snap this thread easily by hand but even "just" 40 nylon cuts into my skin before it snaps.

Tiger thread, being a flat braid, is difficult to compare with twisted thread. I've never seen strength ratings for it however I think that even the smallest size is far stronger than tkt40 nylon.

[chrisash]

Hi Matt

Just looked at your site, nice items but wondering if you served in the RN with the Rum connection

Chris