My new CB4500

[dikman]

The good news, got a call this morning from the transport company that my 4500 was ready for pickup. The bad news, because it was on a (small) pallet they have to use a forklift and will only load it on a ute (pickup to you Yanks), truck, trailer or van, none of which I had. After some head scratching I remembered a mate had a ute, which I borrowed. Now, I would call this a "farm ute" because it looks like it's spent all its life bush bashing on a farm! It's also been a long time since I've driven a manual gearbox, no power brakes and no power steering. To say the steering was heavy is an understatement and it had the turning circle of a big truck!!!

It did the job and I managed to get it unloaded and down into my shed. I was wondering how I would get it onto the table but once I unpacked it and discovered some of the weight was the (heavy) flywheel I found I could just lift it onto the table! It's a beast!!

Tomorrow I will fix it to the table and connect the motor but in the meantime I turned it by hand and found it had a tight spot, which I'm pretty sure is the inner foot pressing too hard on the feed dog. Also, being a Cowboy it came with additional feet and in the bag with the blanket feet was a slotted bracket and I have no idea what it's for. It doesn't show up in the manual. Speaking of which, it's a pretty poor manual. If someone bought one of these, didn't have much experience and had to rely on the manual they would be in trouble. Threading has been discussed here recently and the manual is badly lacking in detail compared to what's been said here. Fortunately, because of this site the poor manual doesn't matter. Photo of the bracket, just curious what it's for.

 

[chrisash]

Did it have a sew off with it?

[Constabulary]

does the bracket snap on the foot (somehow) for covering the teeth?

I´m always wondering why so many sewing machine dealer (not all of course) do not care about the manual. It maybe take a few hour do make a proper one but that guarantees your customers will be happier.

However - you can download a lot of 441 Manuals here and there.

I once downloaded one on the CHIKON website which is pretty good.

Instructions-441.pdf

Edited December 11, 2019 by Constabulary

[Constabulary]

Parts list - also from CHIKON:

Part List-441.pdf

Edited December 11, 2019 by Constabulary

[RockyAussie]

I dont think the bracket goes anywhere on the machine head but I have seen something like it before. It may belong under the adjustable foot pedals. or......

[Bert51]

I bet you feel like Christmas has come early.

Merry Christmas dikman.

Bert.

[Handstitched]

@dikman Well,  congratulations  

 A'h yes, I remember when.......I got a call from our local courier ( here in the central wheatbelt of WA) telling me that my new toy  ( Q Stitch Colt) had arrived " could you pick it up? he said  ....." no,  I paid for delivery" .......you're  the  *****g courier YOU deliver!!" I said .   The lazy **ick  !!  

It arrived....eventually , it  took 3 of us to offload from the ute, it was so heavy.  And like you, I couldn't  wait to get sewing. My instructions were also a little thin on detail.   I have no idea what that extra piece of metal is. It looks like a shim or ...something, but at the same time it looks familiar.  The wood from the crate was turned into shelving supports  

I hope you have many happy years of sewing. 

HS 

[nylonRigging]

12 hours ago, dikman said:

..." Photo of the bracket, just curious what it's for " ?

-

Your Pic. ? question of the ' Plate '.
Is that the Slide-plate,  under the needle plate . the Plate slides slightly L-R and is held down by an adjustment screw . The plate used to limit horizontal Lash (back and forth slide) of the Feed Dog assembly .

It looks like it . and with that little 'tab' (on left-side) that hooks over and hold the unwanted Lash . you loosen the plate screw , push plate to the 'Right' and tighten down screw to hold .

.
 

Edited December 11, 2019 by nylonRigging

[dikman]

Chris, no sew-off. Thinking about the "binding" it could just be that I've never had a machine that can exert such pressure on the material so I may be over-thinking things.

NylonRigging, based on your description I'll have a closer look at the manual (and machine). Sort of makes sense? On the other hand Brian could be right but because I only bought a head I have no way of confirming it.

As for Christmas - I already have my (early) Christmas present as I bought a Dillon reloading press a little while ago , but yes, I guess Santa has been pretty good to me. And my wife reminded me that with all the machines I've bought (and sold) this is my first NEW machine.

[kgg]

3 hours ago, dikman said:

Christmas present as I bought a Dillon reloading press a little while ago

You should enjoy the Dillon. Excellent equipment, they are the Juki of reloading gear. Which model did you get. We have had no problems except for having to design / make a small mod on the 1050 for the revolving cylinder to prevent the possibility of casings from tipping slightly.

kgg

[nylonRigging]

4 hours ago, dikman said:

Chris, no sew-off. Thinking about the "binding" it could just be that I've never had a machine that can exert such pressure on the material so I may be over-thinking things.

NylonRigging, based on your description I'll have a closer look at the manual (and machine). Sort of makes sense? On the other hand Brian could be right but because I only bought a head I have no way of confirming it.

As for Christmas - I already have my (early) Christmas present as I bought a Dillon reloading press a little while ago , but yes, I guess Santa has been pretty good to me. And my wife reminded me that with all the machines I've bought (and sold) this is my first NEW machine.

 may Not be that plate ?  . I just guessing .. but it just reminds of that flat plate-clip with 'screw slot' for sliding back and forth that is there on top by feed-bar link .
Pretty Funny , if someone just throws extra parts in by your machine head, that are totally unrelated to your machine, just to screw with you .... LOL..
.

[dikman]

Sort of funny. It's definitely not in the parts listing in the "manual" so I'll check the Juki parts listing, but it's no big deal as it works fine without it. Checked it all over, it's oiled and clean so I lubed every moving part that I could find anyway. Runs great, now to wind a bobbin and sew......something.

kgg, I bought a 650, I heard that they were being replaced with a 750 and managed to find one set up for .38. I was lucky as Australia doesn't carry big stocks. Did a few mods (adapted Lee 4-tube case and boolit feeders to work with it, made a primer loader for the primer tubes etc). It works great, much more consistent than the Lee Loadmaster it replaced.

[Bert51]

I wonder if it is not to put over the feed dog if you just want to use the feet and needle fee?

Bert.

[Wizcrafts]

57 minutes ago, Bert51 said:

I wonder if it is not to put over the feed dog if you just want to use the feet and needle fee?

Bert.

When I first saw that plate I thought it is a bobbin cover plate for a cylinder arm machine like a Consew 227 or Singer 153. I have a Techsew 2700 that uses long, narrow cover plates over the bobbin and shuttle. The slot could be for a sliding edge guide.

[dikman]

The funny thing is the blanket feet had been removed and were in a plastic bag, along with a spring (looks like a tension spring for the outer foot pressure adjustment), the plate and a little nut. It came with a narrow foot and double toe presser foot fitted. I'm beginning to think it has nothing to do with the machine. No matter, I ran a few stitches down an old belt doubled over and it sewed beautifully, and reverse went back into the same holes. And I don't think I've even got it threaded right!

Now I need to get some decent thread (the stuff I used is Barbour's but is an indeterminate age and, I think, all cotton). I have 23 needles, size 25 LP but want to get some round point too, only problem is the shop I rang only has them in size 24 and 26 (no 25). I figure 24 should be ok?

This is exciting, maybe I'll try sewing some plywood!!

[Bert51]

It will do it.

[CowboyBob]

On 12/11/2019 at 3:27 AM, dikman said:

The good news, got a call this morning from the transport company that my 4500 was ready for pickup. The bad news, because it was on a (small) pallet they have to use a forklift and will only load it on a ute (pickup to you Yanks), truck, trailer or van, none of which I had. After some head scratching I remembered a mate had a ute, which I borrowed. Now, I would call this a "farm ute" because it looks like it's spent all its life bush bashing on a farm! It's also been a long time since I've driven a manual gearbox, no power brakes and no power steering. To say the steering was heavy is an understatement and it had the turning circle of a big truck!!!

It did the job and I managed to get it unloaded and down into my shed. I was wondering how I would get it onto the table but once I unpacked it and discovered some of the weight was the (heavy) flywheel I found I could just lift it onto the table! It's a beast!!

Tomorrow I will fix it to the table and connect the motor but in the meantime I turned it by hand and found it had a tight spot, which I'm pretty sure is the inner foot pressing too hard on the feed dog. Also, being a Cowboy it came with additional feet and in the bag with the blanket feet was a slotted bracket and I have no idea what it's for. It doesn't show up in the manual. Speaking of which, it's a pretty poor manual. If someone bought one of these, didn't have much experience and had to rely on the manual they would be in trouble. Threading has been discussed here recently and the manual is badly lacking in detail compared to what's been said here. Fortunately, because of this site the poor manual doesn't matter. Photo of the bracket, just curious what it's for.

 

It is to balance the stitch length in reverse.You take out the upper screw in the plate behind the stitch length & put this bracket behind it & re-install the screw.

[kgg]

8 hours ago, dikman said:

kgg, I bought a 650, I heard that they were being replaced with a 750 and managed to find one set up for .38. I was lucky as Australia doesn't carry big stocks. Did a few mods (adapted Lee 4-tube case and boolit feeders to work with it, made a primer loader for the primer tubes etc). It works great, much more consistent than the Lee Loadmaster it replaced.

That was a smart move in tracking down the 650, the 750 is about $300 more and there is not much advantage over the 650 but not near the ability of the 1050. The consistency in all their models is excellent particularly when you dial it in a machine for one calibre. Just like with sewing machines dialed in for one function. If you didn't know what the numbering relates too, it's the number of completed rounds that should be able to be produced by the lever in an hour but the 1050 when motorized can easily do 2 to 3 times that amount.

Look forward in seeing what you produce with the new CB4500.

kgg

[dikman]

I always wondered what the Dillon numbers referred to, now I know. Thanks.

As for the 4500, I have no use for it yet. Once I understood about leather sewing machines I just knew that one day I had to get a big sucker (I had already pushed my other machines to their limits) and had discovered the problems of working with thick leather. I'm going through the experimenting/learning stage with it, and as I suspected I had threaded it differently (around the lower tension assembly) to the two methods shown on youtube - but it still worked fine, which just shows there is some latitude in how they're threaded. Did I mention it sews real nice?

I am still undecided on the style of (western) holster that I need to make, which is what I had in mind when I bought it, but no hurry there.