home machine, keyhole buttonhole, leather

[regius]

Before I invest in the $9000-$12000, one-function button hole machine for leather, I wonder if anyone know of a home machine that has 1. the keyhole button hole function and 2, can handle denim and light leather? If it can go through 4mm of garment leather, it'd work for me. 

[bj139]

How about a Singer low shank buttonhole attachment for an iron straight stitch machine?

[Dream4est]

I have a Singer 301a with a slant shank buttonholer. It goes through 2 layers of Cordura1000 or Xpac VX21 with a 135x1 #16 needle and tex45 thread. 4mm of leather would be like 4-6 layers of my material IMO- thicker but about the same punch. I doubt the home setup would do it consistently but one could possibly get it done on a home machine with some fiddling. I am a little reluctant to try to max out my setup to test for you as the 301 loves to jam thread behind the bobbin case if one gets too nutty with the buttonholer lol. All i need is it to go though 2 layers to make buttonholes for webbing or a drink tube to pass through and it does that well. 

 

edit- I noticed when I attempt to get the item under the buttonholer that my edges of my dropper post seatbag removable rub protector (which are folded 2 layer corners sewn inside and topstitched) have trouble getting under the buttonholer. There isnt much clearance under the foot on a home machine with buttonholer installed. Way less than a industrial tacker. 

Edited June 18, 2021 by Dream4est
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[regius]

Thanks!! Just making any buttonhole, my plastic Necchi home machine does the job. It doesn't have any keyhole button hole shape, only regular rectangular/straight buttonholes, but this machine is quite strong and the hardware can take heavy threads, such as the Gutermann top stitching thread (very thick). It can puncture two layers of garment leather, that are about 2.5oz each layer. The performance is not consistent, so some level of struggling, but does the job. However, for commercial purpose, I do need the industrial keyhole button hole machine. 

[Dream4est]

The old Singer home buttonholers have the keyhole templates and make them well on 2 layers of  outdoor fabric in my tests. I doubt anyone trying 2 layers of any leather will get them to work. If someone took an old low shank home machine like a singer 15 aluminum or a 66 and put it on a servo and lowered the feed dogs so as not to use the bottom plate, then maybe 2 layers of leather in a keyhole from an old singer home buttonholer could work. Thats a bit of work to just test a theory. 

In the photo above I am using the longest non-keyhole template- one of about 6-8 that come with buttonholer. 

Edited June 21, 2021 by Dream4est
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[Ole South]

I'd suggest a Singer 15-91 with a VINTAGE button hole attachment.  Mine works fine with denim and canvas... you will probably need a Tissue /toilet paper backing for garment leather to prevent the leather from sticking to the bed.  I say Vintage because later 1940-60's button hole attachments don't have the "tuning" capabilities that the ones from the 30's and early 40's have*.  I've found the 15-91 far more tolerant of thread variances than either the Model 66 or even the 201 i.e. modern "Coat and Button" thread.  These are vertical high/straight shank machines.  The last I looked the attachments (vintage or newer) ran (eBay) $5-30.00usd.  Btw, the 15-91 does have a "drop feed dog" option but the attachments were made to work on machines that did not have that option.  They make a very very nice buttonhole ... better than most modern machines with "built-in" button hole functions.

And yes.. the Vintage* attachments can do Key-hole as well as larger than 1"  button holes. ( I think the largest die I have is 1 1/8") 

 

*There are actually about 3 styles Singer Manufactured:
~The really vintage (like #121795) I believe are from the '20s, no die's to change but some folks prefer them due to the fine adjustment capability.  Straight holes only.
~The #160506 type has drop in dies and is probably closer to what you want.  Look for the black bakelite case with knob on top.  The dies vary but you can pick up optional sets with dies(templates) you may need.
~ The beige/grey... don't have the reputation the older units have.  Often for slant shank machines from the '50s onward.

** Oh.. this is using a 1.0amp motor similar to the Oem that Singer equipped (.75amp, if I remember correctly) Servo motor not necessary.  I'll try a buttonhole in two layers of garment leather when I get a chance..

Edited June 21, 2021 by Ole South
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