Three Juki walking foot workhorses

[regius]

I wonder what exactly are the difference between the Juki DNU1541 series, the Juki 1508NH (claimed to be the top of the line, most heavy duty) and the Juki 1181N?

Apart from the basics like servor motor, adjustable walking height and downward pressure and alternating lift height etc, and other adjustments, in terms of "punching power", seems to be all equivalent? I made leather jackets, the leather range from 1.2mm to 2mm, but definitely not like folks here who work with tooling hides or shoes. These machines all have a max stitch length of like 9mm, which is beyong irrelevant to my purpose (i stay at around the 3 and 4 mark), and these machines can take 22 needles and super heavy threads, which means they are all more than adequate for jackets, even for the multi-fold seams. 

I'm trying to convince myself I don't need a 1508NH (much more expensive than the DNU or the 1181). 

[Wizcrafts]

4 hours ago, regius said:

I wonder what exactly are the difference between the Juki DNU1541 series, the Juki 1508NH (claimed to be the top of the line, most heavy duty) and the Juki 1181N?

The 1181 has top and bottom feed and a static needle and inside foot. The outside presser foot claws the work in sync with the feed dog. It sews a little over 1/4 inch and has a short needle like the tailoring machines use. This machine is best used on chrome tan leather, vinyl, cloth and webbing. The teeth on the feet will mark veg-tan leather.

The 1541 and 1508 are triple feed, with the inside foot, needle and feed dog moving in sync. They can sew 3/8 inch and use walking foot System 135x17 needles. The smooth feet won't dig in and mark veg-tan as badly, depending on the foot pressure you set.

 

[kgg]

I have two of the machines you mentioned, the 1181N and the 1541S. The 1181n is a walking foot machine and is quite happy doing items up to about 4mm or so thick while the 1541S is much happier at above 3mm and is a compound feed machine. The 1181N is rated at V138 which mine handles 138 top and in the bobbin quite nicely ( as per Juki website). The 1508NH is rated at V207 and even more heavier duty and with a larger throat then the 1541 S and there is even one that is heavier again the LU-2800 series. The 1181n covers off what the 1541 S doesn't in thin material. The 1541 S can sew thin stuff but you have too really dumb it down to do a nice job otherwise it has a tendency to tear it up. The needles for the 1181n (max size 23 ) are the same series as the 1541 S ( max size 24) and the 1508 ( max size 25) being 135 x 17 for material and 135 x 16 for leather also the bobbins are the same for the 1181N, 1541 S and the 1508.

I would suggest visiting a Juki dealer with your stuff, the size of thread you are going to use and test the various machines to see which will suit your needs best.

Buy Once, Cry Once

kgg

[regius]

19 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

The 1181 has top and bottom feed and a static needle and inside foot. The outside presser foot claws the work in sync with the feed dog. It sews a little over 1/4 inch and has a short needle like the tailoring machines use. This machine is best used on chrome tan leather, vinyl, cloth and webbing. The teeth on the feet will mark veg-tan leather.

The 1541 and 1508 are triple feed, with the inside foot, needle and feed dog moving in sync. They can sew 3/8 inch and use walking foot System 135x17 needles. The smooth feet won't dig in and mark veg-tan as badly, depending on the foot pressure you set.

 

thank you!! got it, i use the dnu1541, so i can see the compound/triple feed mechanism

[regius]

I placed an order for the LU1508NH, supposedly top of the line for "heavy dutiness", although it may not feel much different than my DNU1541. I thought the LU 1508 needle feed path is the rectangular shape, while the DNU is oval, but today I learned the DNU path is also rectangular...well. 
I am desperately trying to figure out the best way to do "hidden zipper top stitching". Let me try to explain. 

For leather jacket enthusiasts, say most modern day motorcycle jackets, the visual impression/cue is a size 10 front zipper, typically chrome/silver and it catches the eye. This is because these zippers are "exposed" type, the leather that's on top of the zipper teeth do not cover the teeth. The leather shell is pulled back (toward the zipper tape side) and a narrow row of top stitching is added. However, the jackets I make feature the concealed type of front zipper. the zipper is receded into the leather "sandwich" layers, and the edge of the teeth lines up with the edge of the leather fold/lip. 

Now, the default foot of the DNU1541 has asymmetrical toes, the right toe is skinniner than the left toe. The distance between the rightmost edge of the right toe and the needle is about ¼".

The top stitching width over this concealed zipper is often ⅜", more or less (less than half an inch), This means if I use the default foot, the skinny right toe will land somewhere where the teeth meets the zipper tape. Or, if the leather is thick or slippery, it could land on the teeth, or, slide off the teeth, all over the place. Most annoyingly, is that (due to the fact that the right toe cannot flush with the teeth edge due to the useless mere ¼ distance aforementioned), when the foot lowers onto the jacket, it SQUEEZES the teeth out! towards to the right side, like when you bite into a burger, the meat will get pushed out of the two buns (on the other side). 
Because of this, it is very unnerving to control the stitching line, and whether the teeth will still stay tucked in between the leather layers or somewhere protruding out. 

I have seen photos of another successful jacket maker's machine, a Juki LU1508 older model, his default foot has SYMMETRICAL toe?! Also, for some reason, when he does the zipper top stitching, the teeth are not squeezed out. 

I attribute this to the fact his foot has a right toe as wide as the left toe and therefore it lands on the teeth (over the leather of course), so the walking action is literally walking on the zipper teeth. Resulting in a more controllable, straight line. 

I have since been searching for such a "symmetrical toe" walking foot set that fits the DNU. 

If anyone knows the existence of such a foot, please let me know. If the foot is serrated/has teeth to grab, that'd be better. 



 

[regius]

another question, not related to the symmetrical toe foot, is how to adjust the lift height of the foot. 

The Juki manual has this section but definitely not written by an English speaker. I figured there are two aspects to this adjustment. 
1. The individual lift heights of the presser foot and the walking foot (outer and center subunits). 

2. which foot lifts up higher. 

Loosen the screw on the back you can slide the arm into three levels, the low position makes BOTH foot lift up the lowest, middle is middle, high position corresponds to highest lift height. OR, this is completely wrong? The manual does say "normally the lift height of both foot are the same". So what does the three sliding position do exactly??

Then, there''s a hex screw on top of the sliding assembly. This is to adjust which foot/subnit lifts higher than the other. BUT, how to do it completely evades me as the written text doesn't make any sense. 

Edited June 14, 2021 by regius

[regius]

the LU-1508NH was delivered today. Before it got to my house, I went to the dealers shop to see if it works. The dealer threaded it and did some sewing, all seemed fine. After it's delivery and mounted on the table, long story short, the bobbin case does not spin anymore. 
1. I threaded the top

2. wound the bobbin (already preloaded from the dealer)

3. dropped the bobbin into the case

4. hand-crank the wheel to loop the bobbin thread around so that the needle can pick it up. Nope, nothing spins in the bobbin area. I can't begin to know what went wrong??? it's like some critical gears or shafts are completely disconnected.

Edited June 20, 2021 by regius

[bj139]

21 hours ago, regius said:

the LU-1508NH was delivered today. Before it got to my house, I went to the dealers shop to see if it works. The dealer threaded it and did some sewing, all seemed fine. After it's delivery and mounted on the table, long story short, the bobbin case does not spin anymore. 
1. I threaded the top

2. wound the bobbin (already preloaded from the dealer)

3. dropped the bobbin into the case

4. hand-crank the wheel to loop the bobbin thread around so that the needle can pick it up. Nope, nothing spins in the bobbin area. I can't begin to know what went wrong??? it's like some critical gears or shafts are completely disconnected.

Check the safety clutch.