cb4500 stitch issue with webbing

[Colt W Knight]

Is this new spool of black thread? I've gotten black thread in the past that just wouldn't sew

[Wizcrafts]

I think you could use more travel in the check spring. Loosen and lower the bracket that stops the spring at the bottom. Try to get about 1/8 inch more drop.

Did you change the feed dog to the one with teeth and the smaller hole? It is part of the blanket foot set.

You can probably stand to back off the foot pressure hollow screw on top for webbing. Less pressure on the inside foot should mean less puckering into the feed dog on the bottom.

[alpha2]

1. The parts are stainless, except for the blanket set.

2. New spool of thread, Colt. I'd heard that too. I had to look up what luthiery is. FYI, spell correct changes that to "thievery"!

3. I'll lower the check spring. I was trying to imitate what I saw in videos as to the correct angle.  I didn't get a toothed feed dog in my set, just a smooth one,  the needle plate and presser feet. The presser feet in the blanket set are huge! I don't know if I will be able to see the work well enough with them. The hole in the smooth feed dog is more of a slot. You may have meant keep the leather feet and just change the feed dog. I can order the toothed feed dog. And, finally, I DID forget to back off the foot pressure adjustment from the leather setting. I have to say, I can see why a lot of you have numerous machines! Changing this one from leather to an occasional webbing job is a royal pain.

4. Let me see if I can explain this. If the bobbin case is horizontal, with the bobbin coming out on the left side, I had the thread coming off the top of the bobbin. Apparently, it's supposed to come off the bottom and out through the case. The picture I have in the "manual" didn't appear to show it that way, but yesterday I noticed an arrow on the bobbin itself in the picture, and mine was going the other way. I've only sewn two layer of heavyweight webbing since I went to the blanket set pressure feet and corrected the bobbin feed, and it's working okay now. 

 

Thanks, guys!

Jeff

[Wizcrafts]

The check spring's job is to keep the thread taut until the needle enters the work. Is it stops moving down too soon the thread will be loose at the tip of the needle, where it can get pierced. the only caveat is that it must stop moving down before the needle starts ascending to form a loop for the hook to pick off. Otherwise, no loop for you!

[alpha2]

Thanks, I'll check that. 

I just put the narrow needle plate on, and the regular presser foot, tightened the lower thread tension, and tried it. Pretty good. I can occasionally see a small loop start, but then get pulled down, and not enough to catch the needle bar foot like it was doing before. 

[Brazo]

On 1/20/2019 at 7:19 PM, alpha2 said:

First, let me say that when I saw the blown up images, I couldn't believe how bad they looked. With just your eyes they don't look that bad at all. However, every part I put on the machine, that wasn't on the machine when I received it, had to be altered. Filed, sanded, bent, to make them fit the machine. I hadn't tried to use the blanket foot and needle bar until this afternoon, I had to file the channel in the presser foot so it would fit on the square shaft, and the needle foot had to be reamed and sanded so it would fit on the round shaft. The machine is about a year old. I'm not going to say who I got it from, as I decided to fit the parts myself, and didn't give the dealer the opportunity to make it right. That's on me. All I'm saying is that wherever these parts are coming from, they seriously need to go back. To pass them on to the unsuspecting final purchaser would be expecting all of them to have the experience and tools to make them fit. That is extremely unlikely. When you say "supposed to be like a Cowboy", you have to remember that Cowboy is a cheaper knock off Chinese copy of a Juki. I didn't spend the money to get a Juki. If I had to buy a Juki, I wouldn't have an industrial stitcher at all. That's on me, too. But, I would expect the accessory parts to fit right out of the bag. Oh, and I had to file the cylinder casting to easily remove and replace the bobbin and shuttle parts. And the needle plate needed to be ground down so the edge guide could get close to the needle. But, hey, I saved a couple of thousand dollars over a Juki. My choice.

Jeff

Which dealer did you buy you CB4500 from?

[Smartee]

I'm currently looking to purchase a machine and Cowboy is one of the ones I'm looking at.  You stated "supposed to be like a Cowboy" - am I to assume this isn't an actual Cowboy and one of the machines that ship directly to the purchaser without being set up and run off of?

Thanks!

[shoepatcher]

I am going to post this here since people with 441 clones are reading this..  Beiler's in Pennsylvania  sells a flat throat plate for the 441 similar to the one Weaver makes and sells for the 205.  Unlike that flat plat that is now available in which you have to remove the feed dog to use it, this plate has the slot to leave the feed dog in.  I have one of the flat plates from Weaver.  It is easier to sew items with this plate over the curved plate that comes with the machines.  I think Beiler's sells the plate for around $40.00.  Yeah, they are not a dealer that advertises on this site but they seam to be the only one that has this plate available for sale. Guys and gals owning a Cobra, Cowboy or the like, buy one of the plates.  You will thank me later.

glenn

[catskin]

From reading on here a lot it seems that there are more then one company that is copying the juki 441.  And some seem to have better quality control than others.  And that the poor ones get sold as like Cowboy, Cobra etc. on internet E-bay type of places.

[shoepatcher]

Keep in mind, there are 3 classes of manufacturers of sewing machines in China.    I call them A, B and C.  Cobra, Cowboy, Techsew are Grade A manufacturers.  Great machines with very few problems.  The B grade manufacturers can make pretty good machines and can make some bad ones.  It is a crap shoot at times. The C grade manufacturers make boat anchors.  Period.  You must know which class of manufacturer your machine comes from.   Steve at Cobra, Bob and Alexander on Cowboy,  Ralph at Techsew  have all spent years establishing their reputations as well as getting machines that work.  When you buy a machine form these guys, they have been gone thru to eliminate problems, check settings,  check and tighten all the nuts bolts and set screws.  That takes time and knowledge.  These dealers have that.  Unless you know how to work on these machines, buy from them, if for nothing more, peace of mind.  Pay the extra money and get a proven one or you will regret it later both in time and money.  Tell me I am wrong. 

Buy the way, a new  genuine Juki TSC-441 now costs about $6500.00 set up.  Not CHEAP!

glenn

Edited January 28, 2019 by shoepatcher
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