DavidP Report post Posted August 13, 2021 Hello! I have recently acquired a McKay stitcher to use in a local living history museum. I am hoping to get it running but have no resources for it. It appears to be 95-99% intact and moves as it should. I was hoping to get some of your knowledge and maybe a contact or 2. I will try and upload a picture or two, my phone does not like my computer right now. I have also reached out to museumLA in Maine as they have a similar one. Any information anybody may have would be more than greatly appreciated!! With the size restriction on photos I am not allowed to upload more than one photo. If somebody from IT could assist me in uploading more photos. The photo I did take is the brand Thanks in advance David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted August 14, 2021 you just have to resize your photos to get them to load, as there is a limit to it. Many folks here with stitcher experience, imagine one or more will chime in once they see what you have. You can add to the thread with your resized photos. YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidP Report post Posted August 14, 2021 YinTx, I have tried resizing on my iPad down to 3:5 and even 2:3 and they are still too big. I will keep trying but may have to email pictures if anybody wants them. I guess I don’t understand the photo requirements of this site, when I hit choose files and pick the photo I want, it gives me a size of the photo (1.3 and 1.4 MB) Even if I add them one at a time they are below the 1.46 MB required limit?? And it still won’t load because it states the size is too large. ‘If anybody wants more information I can send more photos via email. As of right now yahoo does not limit the number of photos or size of attachments. Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted August 14, 2021 @DavidP, Best way I have found to resize images is to reduce the resolution, or pixel count, not the shape. On a Mac laptop, I open with Preview, go to "tools" drop down, select "adjust size", then you can select one of the resolutions in the "fit into" like 320x240, 640x480, 800x600" etc. Alternatively, to adjust width and height manually, leave "scale proportionally" and "resample image" both selected, Fit Into is "custom", leave width and height locked together, and put in a percent as a way to reduce. If you have a 1mb image, and put in 50% in the width, the height will automatically reduce in scale since it is locked to height, and the resulting size will reduce. Haven't tried on an Ipad, but suspect there may be some similar editing capability there. YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted August 14, 2021 There is a thread https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/15122-how-to-post-pictures-on-lw/?do=findComment&comment=551171 that has some helps for resizing photos. Even for the iPad. There are online sites too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidP Report post Posted August 14, 2021 This is my machine. I will look over the book for the dn86 McKay stitcher for the basic operation of the machine but in order to make sure it is complete if anybody has a book would be helpful. There was a gentleman (19th century boot maker) on here back in 2012 that had one but he hasn’t responded yet. Thank you for the help on resizing. Had to make 15 different copies of 1 picture together the right size. It’s funny, you change the size of the picture from 2500x3200 to 400x600 and it doesn’t change the size of the picture. Figure that out. Anyway, any information would be handy. David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted August 15, 2021 Oooh! that looks like a Oldie! I saw one of them not so long ago in France for sale. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Roberts Report post Posted November 22, 2021 Hi David, I have a machine that is similar, at least mechanically. Its an old chainstitch one too but isn't the tripod design. From your pictures it looks like you a missing a piece that would slide onto the grooves at the base of the horn that swivels around. It would cover those gears and also be where the thread would go. Mine had this oversized 'bobbin' but I couldn't get it to have a consistent tension so have diyed a different solution to get the thread. I hope these pictures help, shown with the original 'bobbin'. I think there is another shoemaker in Melbourne, Australia that has one of these tripod machines you could ask for further information, his name is Brendan Dwyer. Let me know if you have any other questions. The main issues I had with getting it to stitch is adjusting the part that covers the hook on the needle during the correct part of the sewing cycle and also the fine tuning the feed mechanism. Mine works with standard Champion Mckay needles from Groz-Beckert (part no: HN 83/53.210.62 G 1) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidP Report post Posted January 5, 2022 James, Thank you for the pictures. I have the piece that covers the gears. To my reckoning my machine is complete. I don’t have any paperwork on it, do you have a book? What size thread do you use? I have a pack of needles that came with machine. David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James Roberts Report post Posted October 19, 2022 Hi David, Sorry this is such a late reply lol. I use a 1mm braided thread, but it could handle thicker or thinner depending on the needle used. I don't have any documentation on mine but I do remember using a Landis Champion McKay chainstitch manual as a 'guide' to work through some of the problems. Some of the basic operations are similar. Did you get yours working yet? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
