Brother LS2-F52A versus Singer 211-G165 The hunt continues!

[SilverForgeStudio]

1 hour ago, SARK9 said:

If you will compare the casting of your machine to a Consew 206RB-4, I think you will see some some pretty unique similarities. 

https://www.ebay.com/p/Consew-206rb-4-Walking-Foot-Big-Bobbin-110v-Leather-Industrial-Sewing-Machine/1458135144

I bet the slide plate for almost any of the later 206* models will fit it: (#18032)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Slide-Plate-Complete-for-Seiko-Consew-Walking-Foot-Sewing-Machine-206RB/123780802949?hash=item1cd1e92985:g:2XQAAOSw64Nck86C

 

-DC

 

Thanks DC the casting is why I am suspect and trying to get better info. Many standardized castings but what's on the inside is my concern.

Looks like it... But there again... Will it function the same?

Stay tuned! My biggest pull to the brother is reverse and stitch selector... But I'm gonna have to sew with them to know

Be safe and have a great day!

[aroh99]

The brother is also missing the spool pin. The machine is identical is the same as a consew 206. Have both a 206 and the BROTHER LS2-F52A and the parts are interchangeable. Best of luck

[SilverForgeStudio]

7 hours ago, aroh99 said:

The brother is also missing the spool pin. The machine is identical is the same as a consew 206. Have both a 206 and the BROTHER LS2-F52A and the parts are interchangeable. Best of luck

Thanks Aroh99- This will be very helpful pricing replacements too... thanks again!

[SilverForgeStudio]

I would like to thank everyone for commenting and assisting- The choice was the Brother- and I am going to start a thread for it as well. The Singer didnt have reverse and as well was more expensive.

Interesting- the Brother came with CONSEW parts manuals! 

A personal thank you to all.

@Constabulary @aroh99 @SARK9 @Wizcrafts @Kohlrausch 

[JohnInAZ]

This is an old thread, but I have an LS2-F52A, so I thought I would comment.  I bought it new around 1996, for sewing marine projects (hobby, not as a business).  In the last couple of months, I started playing around in the leather craft world.  I've been trying to use 138 thread top and bottom.  It's not working well.  I can get the tension adjusted so it sews nicely when going forward.  However, a back tack is pretty ugly on the bottom.

One problem I noticed was that it would sometimes "short stitch" when going forward from a back tack.  Focusing totally on the movement of the leather, I saw that the leather moved a little backwards as it made a stitch.  Thinking about it, the only part that moves backwards (other than the needle when it's out of the leather) is the feed dog.  This only happens for the first few stitches after a tack tack.  I began to wonder if the feed dog was catching on the jumbled stitches from the back tack.  So, I lowered the feed dog height slightly, and the problem went away.  HOWEVER, it's now somewhat finicky when removing the bobbin, because the feed dog linkage interferes.  You have to go about an inch past the hand wheel alignment mark, and then fiddle and wiggle to insert or remove the bobbin.   I'm beginning to think this really isn't an optimal machine for leather craft.  Maybe thin garment or upholstery, but not for what I would consider "leather craft".

[JohnInAZ]

I thought I would add that it appears to be a high quality machine.  Mine was made in Japan, and it shows.  The manual says that it is for "medium thick to very thick" materials, although says nothing about leather.  As Wizcrafts said, it is designed for high speed sewing, 2200 SPM.  When I bought it, it was so fast it was scary.  First addition was a servo motor to replace the clutch motor.  That helped a lot, but I still added a reduction pulley.  It's much slower now, but I still feel it's too fast for leather.

[Wizcrafts]

4 hours ago, JohnInAZ said:

As Wizcrafts said, it is designed for high speed sewing, 2200 SPM.  When I bought it, it was so fast it was scary.  First addition was a servo motor to replace the clutch motor.  That helped a lot, but I still added a reduction pulley.  It's much slower now, but I still feel it's too fast for leather.

Several years ago, I tried sewing 8 ounces of chrome tan (4-5 oz) lined with suede (3oz), with #138 thread and a #23 needle, at different speeds and found that the needle started smoking at about 9 stitches per second. Above that the smoking got worse and the thread eventually melted or shredded.

[JohnInAZ]

6 minutes ago, Wizcrafts said:

Several years ago, I tried sewing 8 ounces of chrome tan (4-5 oz) lined with suede (3oz), with #138 thread and a #23 needle, at different speeds and found that the needle started smoking at about 9 stitches per second. Above that the smoking got worse and the thread eventually melted or shredded.

As I read your comment, I was thinking, wow, 9 stitches per second is screaming fast.  Then I did a little math and realized 2200 SPM is over 36 stitches per second!

I think some of my back tack problems might be caused by the needle size.  I'm using a #22, which is a little borderline for 138 thread.  Last time I went to buy needles, I couldn't find anything larger than a #22 in a 135 x 16 size.

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, JohnInAZ said:

I'm using a #22, which is a little borderline for 138 thread. 

I only use a #22 with #138 thread when sewing soft temper material. Anything that is dense will be easier to sew with a #23 needle. It also calls for more torque to punch through.