Fisters hand sewing machine?

[ffjdh]

Has anybody used one of these?  I don’t mind having to do a little work to get it up and running, but I’d like it do be able to decent stitching.  I would mostly use this to  do belts and suspenders so this would this would be used to stitch around the edges.  This is strictly a hobby for me so I’m not looking to spend a ton of money, but hand stitching belts/suspenders takes way to long.

[shoepatcher]

Pics???

[ffjdh]

https://www.amazon.com/FISTERS-Machine-Cobbler-Repair-Cotton/dp/B06XCPFFYV

27 minutes ago, shoepatcher said:

Pics???

 

[Yetibelle]

This is also the issue with the Tippmann Boss (that is way more expense), its hard to sew long runs, belts and straps, with just one hand and keep them looking good.  Sure it can be done, its just tricky. 

That is a Chinese shoe patch machine.  Similar to a Singer 29-4 in the operation, but that's about it.  I don't think you will be happy with this machine if your going to try and actually make something and want it to look good.  Save up a little more money and get a machine with a motor.  It will give you much better control of your project and they will look better.

 

 

[SilverForgeStudio]

You may want to motorize it- there are a series of videos folks doing it... Here is one example: 

 

I have purchased one of these machines- and will be mounting it on a block base- make a table for it with a piece of 3/4 inch plywood to convert it to a bed versus an arm machine. With the hand crank I have found it only good for short runs as noted above- but when I get my wife to turn the crank I am able to manipulate larger pieces more easily.

These are "In Fashion" right now and among the prepping and homestead minded folks- and there are many you tube reviews- BE AWARE- Some reviewers and folks posting vids of these machines are AFFILIATE SELLERS for importers or Amazon- so they are biased- CAVEAT EMPTOR (buyer beware)

Modifications that will help you use this machine better:

1. A high power square shaped magnet to act as a guide
2. please paint it to prevent rust (bad castings overall) Main arm and UNDERSIDE of the long arm are the most prone
3. use a thread tower not on the machine (the thread spool being ON the machine the loops fall over the handle and vibrates excessively)
4. put a washer on the handwheel- or a locknut- the rotation of the flywheel causes the nut to back off
5. take a file and DEBURR the casting- the casting quality is dubious at best- file off the casting goobers that like to grab fingers and fabrics (and threads)
6. Make witness marks where the bobbin shuttle is located- these will become handy when you have to clean the rack or threads get wrapped around the shuttle and you have to remove it to clean and then replace it- and wonder where the heck did this thing go????
7. Take a round or half-round file and enlarge the finger nick to take the bobbin cover off with.

Hope this helps- be safe and enjoy.

[ljk]

I bought one off these machines because my Adler or Singer patchers didn't have

enough lift or stitch length to put pulls on the boots I make.  It has adjustment for

needle bar and hook. The cams are bearings vs plain and the main shaft has ball bearings.

Because of adjustable needle bar I use 135x17 needles.  It has a longer stitch than most

shoe patchers and it has a 1/2 lift.  The bobbin winder is crap and the bobbin and hook

need polishing. It handles 92 bobbins and 138 needle thread.  I put a Teflon pad

on the throat plate.  There is a video on youtube Wolf Moehrle who will make most

of you jealous with this machine.  His wallets are very well done.

 

[micktx]

I have one and love it.  More than my Techsew.  I've had mine for a couple of years.  It sews smooth now after doing the modifications mentioned by Silver Forge.  One thing Silver didn't mention is the presser foot leaving marks.  To help alleviate those take the foot off and take a flat file and give it a few strokes on the bottom to flatten down the ridges.  Then play with the presser foot tension screw until you get the desired effect.  As for the stitch length you can raise and lower the stitch length screw for the desired length.

Just a warning, most of these machines come rough and need to be filed on some areas, oiled, and then run the machine without needle and thread to get it operating smoothly.  After all that practice, practice, practice with it.

I truly feel you won't go wrong for the money.  There a quite few more youtube videos out now than when I started with mine that cover pretty much any issue you may come across.  And you have this forum.

Take care and stay safe,

Mickey

Arrowhead H Ranch

 

[dikman]

What size thread do you want to use? The bobbin capacity is very small as they're not intended to do long stitching runs.

[ffjdh]

 

14 minutes ago, dikman said:

What size thread do you want to use? The bobbin capacity is very small as they're not intended to do long stitching runs.

I’d like to use the thickest thread possible, which sounds like it would be 138.  This would mostly be used to stitch around the edges of belts and suspenders to help prevent stretching.  How many feet of 138 do you think will fit in the bobbin?

[Matt S]

2 hours ago, ffjdh said:

 

I’d like to use the thickest thread possible, which sounds like it would be 138.  This would mostly be used to stitch around the edges of belts and suspenders to help prevent stretching.  How many feet of 138 do you think will fit in the bobbin?

Probably not big enough to go round a belt in a oner. Those bobbins are pretty small. I think that those who report using v138/tkt20 in these patchers are using it only in the needle, with a thinner thread in the bobbin. That's fine, but it limits the strength of the seam to that of the thinnest thread. It also presupposes that you can get yours to work with such a chunky thread. The tolerances on these machines is so loose that there is no guarantee that you'll be able to do so. For example not all the bobbins that came with my machine fit it.

[ffjdh]

16 hours ago, Matt S said:

Probably not big enough to go round a belt in a oner. Those bobbins are pretty small. I think that those who report using v138/tkt20 in these patchers are using it only in the needle, with a thinner thread in the bobbin. That's fine, but it limits the strength of the seam to that of the thinnest thread. It also presupposes that you can get yours to work with such a chunky thread. The tolerances on these machines is so loose that there is no guarantee that you'll be able to do so. For example not all the bobbins that came with my machine fit it.

Is there a specific thickness of thread usually used to reinforce belts/straps?  I usually use a single piece of 9-11oz leather.  

[Wizcrafts]

3 hours ago, ffjdh said:

Is there a specific thickness of thread usually used to reinforce belts/straps?  I usually use a single piece of 9-11oz leather.  

I personally use #207 bonded nylon to reinforce belt edges that thickness (on a Cowboy CB4500, with well balanced tensions). Or, if the stitching is purely decorative, #207 on top and #138 in the bobbin. But, you will have better results just using #138 top and bottom on any patch machine.

[dikman]

People trying to go from hand stitching to machine stitching invariably face the same problem - trying to achieve the same look on the finished product. It can't be done unless you go to a big, heavy duty machine that will take larger thread. In this case you may get it to sew with #138 thread but the bobbin won't have much capacity for that thread (I doubt if you'll get a run around a belt out of it). The minimum you're looking at to achieve that is an upholstery-grade machine, and the finished quality will be much better using such a machine.

[Wizcrafts]

The thread capacity problem only exists in the small bobbin patchers, like these Chinese and Vietnamese street vendor patchers. Large bobbin Singer and Adler patchers can sew around several standard length guitar straps or men's belts with #138 thread tightly wound in the bobbin. I did this routinely on an Adler 30-70 until the owner got tired of frequent bobbin changes and stressful edge alignment by hand and eye and bought a Cobra Class 4 with a swingaway edge guide. I simply cannot imagine trying to produce sewn belts on a small bobbin patcher running #138 thread in the bobbin. This is foolishness.

[mag246]

There seems to be a lot of different places/people selling similar machines. Does anyone know if any one source is "better" than another? 

[Don Ayres]

Bantam saddle and tack

[Halitech]

I just bought a Yaetek version and mostly love it. The supplied metal base was garbage from the start so built a wooden one that fits on my bench. Bonded 92 nylon thread works good, haven't had a chance to test the size 20 needles and 138 thread yet so can't say for sure but based on the 92, you might have enough to do smaller belts but anything bigger, you'll have to reload. It beats hand stitching 100" of belt but powered would be better

[Don Ayres]

I wonder if it would be good for making wallets ?

[Halitech]

1 hour ago, Don Ayres said:

I wonder if it would be good for making wallets ?

I bought mine hoping it would and it didn't disappoint. You do need to make sure you have it mounted high enough so it allows the wallet to fold under the arm but other then that, works fine. One thing I did with mine was I picked up some plasti-dip and coated the pressor foot to stop it from marking the leather.

[BruceWampler]

I'm still in the figure it out stage with mine.  The 138 works fine on mine, both top and bottom. If I had to guess, I'd say that tiny bobbin holds 5-6' of 138.  Everybody keeps talking about methods of winding bobbins. I just hold the bobbin with my fingernails, with the end of the thread pinched on the edge of the bobbin. Then I just twist the thread on and cut the tail before I install the bobbin. My problem is, I just have to figure out how to get the presser foot to quit marking up my leather. I've ground the edges off, and lightened the tension screw. It doesn't gouge anymore, but it's leaving indentions. May have to try that plasti-dip.

 

I haven't polished mine up yet. I'm waiting for my son to loan me his vibratory cleaner thing.

Edited May 16, 2019 by BruceWampler

[Halitech]

14 minutes ago, BruceWampler said:

I'm still in the figure it out stage with mine.  The 138 works fine on mine, both top and bottom. If I had to guess, I'd say that tiny bobbin holds 5-6' of 138.  Everybody keeps talking about methods of winding bobbins. I just hold the bobbin with my fingernails, with the end of the thread pinched on the edge of the bobbin. Then I just twist the thread on and cut the tail before I install the bobbin. My problem is, I just have to figure out how to get the presser foot to quit marking up my leather. I've ground the edges off, and lightened the tension screw. It doesn't gouge anymore, but it's leaving indentions. May have to try that plasti-dip.

 

I haven't polished mine up yet. I'm waiting for my son to loan me his vibratory cleaner thing.

I swear by the plasti-dip. I gave mine 3 dips and no marks at all. It also seems to have a bit more grip now as well thanks to the rubber in the dip