Pfaff 335: Advice Appreciated

[MelissaT]

 

Hi all,

I have been reading posts on this forum for a while, so helpful! I have many years of experience with industrial machines for garments, but this is my first foray into leather for handbags.  Your expertise/advice would be greatly appreciated.  I am going to purchase a cylinder arm walking foot machine from my usual local sewing machine dealer.

 

I am looking at purchasing the Pfaff 335G-6/01.

 

What I will be sewing:

Handbags made from soft leather that is 2 mm thick. Straps for the bag also.

 

My question:

Pfaff's specs say that it allows for a size 12 - 16 needle and up to 70 Tex thread.

 

Is this the right machine for what I will be sewing?

 

I know there is no right or wrong thread size but is there a general rule of thumb/range for the size thread and needle you should use for sewing seams and topstitching for a handbag of this weight of leather? Would this machine be able to handle those thread sizes?

 

Thanks,

Melissa

[Wizcrafts]

Negative. You should look for a machine capable of at least #92 bonded thread with a #19 needle. That's the minimum I use when sewing purses and their tabs.

I found specs showing that this machine can handle Metric 30/3 thread, which is equivalent to our #92 (T90) bonded nylon. I did not see the needle size limitation mentioned by the OP. Could it be that the machine in question has been modified for smaller needles and thread? If it was, those parts need to be replaced.

[Constabulary]

It is often just the feed dog that limits the needle / thread size. The hook often is the same so in best case you change out the the feed dog (one with wider needle hole) and you can use a larger needle size. Also you never know if one of the previous owner (if it is a used machine) already made changes on a certain machine so it is well possible that the machine "as is" already can handle larger needles / thread - just try it by hand cranking or slowly test sewing the machine. Since it comes from a dealer he most likely is able to modify the machine for you - talk to him!

Edited September 15, 2018 by Constabulary

[shoepatcher]

A Pfaff 335G-6/01 can sew up to #138 thread.  That is all on use on mine.  Like Constabulary and Wizcraft said, only the needle and feed dog restricts the use.  In my case, I went to a #23 needle and enlarged the needle hole in the feed dog.  If you are buying it new from a dealer, have them set it up to sew #138 thread.  Not a big deal.

glenn

[MelissaT]

On 9/15/2018 at 2:05 AM, Wizcrafts said:

Negative. You should look for a machine capable of at least #92 bonded thread with a #19 needle. That's the minimum I use when sewing purses and their tabs.

I found specs showing that this machine can handle Metric 30/3 thread, which is equivalent to our #92 (T90) bonded nylon. I did not see the needle size limitation mentioned by the OP. Could it be that the machine in question has been modified for smaller needles and thread? If it was, those parts need to be replaced.

 

On 9/15/2018 at 4:09 AM, Constabulary said:

It is often just the feed dog that limits the needle / thread size. The hook often is the same so in best case you change out the the feed dog (one with wider needle hole) and you can use a larger needle size. Also you never know if one of the previous owner (if it is a used machine) already made changes on a certain machine so it is well possible that the machine "as is" already can handle larger needles / thread - just try it by hand cranking or slowly test sewing the machine. Since it comes from a dealer he most likely is able to modify the machine for you - talk to him!

Thank you, I appreciate the feedback.  To give you more information, here are the manuals that the dealer sent me that I was looking at.  I would be purchasing it as a new machine.  I highlighted the specs I was referring to.  Perhaps I was interpreting them incorrectly.  Either way it sounds like I just need to make sure the feed dog has a wide enough hole for the larger needle sizes.

335_Manual.pdf

335_Specs.pdf

[MelissaT]

On 9/15/2018 at 6:56 AM, shoepatcher said:

A Pfaff 335G-6/01 can sew up to #138 thread.  That is all on use on mine.  Like Constabulary and Wizcraft said, only the needle and feed dog restricts the use.  In my case, I went to a #23 needle and enlarged the needle hole in the feed dog.  If you are buying it new from a dealer, have them set it up to sew #138 thread.  Not a big deal.

glenn

Thank you Glenn, it is helpful to hear about your experience with the machine.  I will talk to the dealer about the feed dog.

[Wizcrafts]

7 hours ago, MelissaT said:

 

Thank you, I appreciate the feedback.  To give you more information, here are the manuals that the dealer sent me that I was looking at.  I would be purchasing it as a new machine.  I highlighted the specs I was referring to.  Perhaps I was interpreting them incorrectly.  Either way it sounds like I just need to make sure the feed dog has a wide enough hole for the larger needle sizes.

335_Manual.pdf

335_Specs.pdf

If I were you I would have a serious talk with the dealer and tell him/her that you need to sew with #138 bonded nylon thread into up to 3/8 inch (~10mm) of leather/canvas/webbing. For this the machine would have to accept either a #22 or #23 needle. If the dealer can set up the machine with #138 thread, top and bottom, and sew into a stack of leather or webbing without skipping stitches and get 5 stitches per inch at 3/8 inch thickness, then do the deal.

If you are looking at an online only deal, ask for a sample to be sewn as described above.

[dikman]

Those manuals are contradictory, looking at max. clearance under the foot one says 7mm the other says 14mm!

[brmax]

As mentioned before, so I would ask the dealer to set it up to accept the 138 thread and needles. This really is a nice requirement and one I would order if available or simply move on. 

With the different clearances needed and proper setup for bigger needles of 138 thread at the hook. These changes will sure make your expectations with the projects and new machine purchase easier. 

 Some of this is just information I expect a company in the trade to ask me. Along with their recommendations in the first place.

It always helps me having a scratch pad or at least a business card for just these types of notes of customers. Of course the next step of work order with plenty of particulars to check mark. I keep these handy and for sure close to the phones. 

Good day 

Floyd

[CowboyBob]

4 hours ago, dikman said:

Those manuals are contradictory, looking at max. clearance under the foot one says 7mm the other says 14mm!

That could be hand lift versus foot lift.

[dikman]

Well, they both use the same phrase, clearance under the foot, so the logical assumption is that they're referring to the same operation.If you're right then it means that using the hand lift doubles the clearance which seems a bit high to me (none of my machines have that sort of difference).

Just curious.

[Kohlrausch]

6 hours ago, dikman said:

Those manuals are contradictory, looking at max. clearance under the foot one says 7mm the other says 14mm!

That's old casting vs. new casting. 

Greets

Ralf C.

[DrmCa]

One is hand lift, the other is foot pedal lift.

You get more lift with the foot pedal.

My 335 is old casting and it takes up to #22 needle. Tex 70 is definitely a go, even Tex 90 works. Not sure what that is in ## but both are smaller than #138.

Edited September 17, 2018 by DrmCa

[dikman]

9 hours ago, Kohlrausch said:

That's old casting vs. new casting. 

Greets

Ralf C.

Ralf, if you're right (and I think you might be) then it means the dealer is sending out incorrect information about the machine he's selling, which shows a lack of knowledge on his part. I wonder what else he doesn't know.

[Uwe]

I think the 7mm figure is referring to the maximum walking height of the feet as they walk (called "top feed stroke" in the specs below.) The Service manual shows this:

 

The old casting of the Pfaff 335 was built with four different foot lift heights (maximum clearance under the feet): H1, H2, H3, and H4 .

I don't see any such differentiation for the new casting of the Paff 335. They list just one figure for maximum clearance under the foot: 14mm (https://www.pfaff-industrial.com/en/portfolio/sewing-machines/cylinder-arm/pfaff335)

.

 

 

Edited September 18, 2018 by Uwe

[dikman]

Doesn't that mean the 7mm is effectively the working clearance under the feet?

[jimi]

That is what my machine gets, about 7mm max under the foot for working, if you go thicker than that then the tension spring starts to open. just as if you were lifting your foot up to release the tension, same idea.

I think your machine lift had something similar Dikman?? it was raised higher??

Edited September 18, 2018 by jimi

[Uwe]

8 hours ago, dikman said:

Doesn't that mean the 7mm is effectively the working clearance under the feet?

No, it means the machine can walk with 7mm high steps on top of the material, no matter how thick the material is. In theory, if you put 14mm of felt material under the feet, the feet should still be able to walk with 7mm high steps on top of the 14mm of material. 

[Uwe]

8 hours ago, dikman said:

Doesn't that mean the 7mm is effectively the working clearance under the feet?

We need somebody who has an actual machine to check if the machine can still make 7mm tall steps even if you put 12mm of material under the feet. Often machines can make full size steps on top of the maximum material they can take under feet.

[coryleif]

Here ya go.

[Uwe]

That’s quite impressive! Thanks for sharing some real world evidence of what the machine can do at the limits.

[dikman]

Yes, that is impressive. I notice that the needle bar is hard against the inner foot when used like that, so the machine must be operating at its limits.

I've learned something new.