A liitle change to make a BIG differance on Cowboy sewing machines

[Spyros]

Other than that the machine came with Brian's narrow plate pre-installed, and it's generally both a dream and a nightmare.  A dream to operate, very controllable, very intuitive.  A nightmare to understand which one of the countless combinations of needle, settings, attachments and tuning is the best for what I want to do every time.  Maybe that's why people own more than one machine, because once they set one up exactly how they like it they're too scared to change anything LOL

I also got two guides, and after a bit of trying I don't think I'll ever use either of them.  They're just in the way, and it's easier than I thought to scribe a line and just follow it by eye. 

Edited December 21, 2021 by Spyros

[RockyAussie]

23 minutes ago, Spyros said:

Anything I can do about the back or that's just how it is?

Congratulations  @Spyros the learning begins. The needle you are holding in the picture is a LR needle and I am not sure if that is the same tip shape in the machine or not. Jess supplies TRI points as well I think but they don't usually give so much of a slanted stitch look. The bobbin side does look rougher than normal for sure and I would not expect to see it like that unless the leather was quite old and getting dry. Is the stitch quite tight down in the leather. Possibly the tension top and bottom could be tightened just a little but I would try another leather first.

[RockyAussie]

1 minute ago, Spyros said:

I also got two guides, and after a bit of trying I don't think I'll ever use either of them

Do a belt and repeat that.

[Spyros]

3 minutes ago, RockyAussie said:

Congratulations  @Spyros the learning begins. The needle you are holding in the picture is a LR needle and I am not sure if that is the same tip shape in the machine or not. Jess supplies TRI points as well I think but they don't usually give so much of a slanted stitch look. The bobbin side does look rougher than normal for sure and I would not expect to see it like that unless the leather was quite old and getting dry. Is the stitch quite tight down in the leather. Possibly the tension top and bottom could be tightened just a little but I would try another leather first.

gimme a minute

[RockyAussie]

Just a thought ....if you decide to tighten the bobbin a bit make sure you undo the locking screw in the bobbin case before you try loosing or tightening the tension screw.

[Spyros]

No I'm not touching the bobbin... This is bobbin side, same stitching, but on a newer leather that's had a bit of NFO recently

Does look a bit better.

The guides, I just don't see it... I tried them both on a belt just then, and there's just no way to get the guide roller close enough to the needle without hitting the foot.  Maybe that's close enough for some heavy belts

 

The dropdown guide didn't even clear the foot lever, I had to take the lever off to operate it, and then the same problem.  It just doesn't get close enough to the stitch line.  Maybe I need a different foot, I guess?

Edited December 21, 2021 by Spyros

[RockyAussie]

8 minutes ago, Spyros said:

Maybe I need a different foot, I guess?

Correct, you would do a lot better with the left side presser foot installed but watch that you reduce the foot pressure down enough to not leave foot impressions all over the top. Using your thumbs you should be able to lift the back foot by hand about a 1/2".  On the bobbin side stitching, a quick rub over with a bone slicker can improve the look and equally a quick rub polish will as well.

[Spyros]

I love it though, it's a great machine 

[Spyros]

4 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Correct, you would do a lot better with the left side presser foot installed but watch that you reduce the foot pressure down enough to not leave foot impressions all over the top. Using your thumbs you should be able to lift the back foot by hand about a 1/2".  On the bobbin side stitching, a quick rub over with a bone slicker can improve the look and equally a quick rub polish will as well.

Which one do you think?

[Wizcrafts]

You might get straighter stitches with a D point needle. It has a triangular shape. I find that they also lay the thread more on the surface and don't submerge the ends like the S point needles.

[Spyros]

5 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

You might get straighter stitches with a D point needle. It has a triangular shape. I find that they also lay the thread more on the surface and don't submerge the ends like the S point needles.

I actually don't mind the look of the slanted stitches... like I said it looks exactly like my hand stitching, and because I make bags I think there will always be some awkward location the machine can't get to and I'll have to handstitch, and it's better to look consistent.

[dikman]

I don't think I got an open toe inner foot with mine (boo hoo ). Best thing is to try the different feet to see the effect they have, you have the double-toe foot fitted in the picture which stops the guide getting too close. As for the drop-down guide, yes, it gets in the way of the manual lifting lever so I made an extension to move the lever to the right. As mine is mounted on a conventional table, however, I made an extension underneath the table and fitted another pedal so I can lift the feet using my left foot. I find it works well and is more convenient than using the hand lifter.

[RockyAussie]

15 hours ago, Spyros said:

Which one do you think?

Left toe harness foot for the belt edge.

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by RockyAussie

[TomE]

Received the narrow feed dog and plate today, and can second that they fit the Cobra Class 4 machine beautifully.  So much easier to sew close to an edge.  I am now determined to sew bridles with narrow padded straps and swells on the machine instead of by hand.  Time for experimentation.

[Spyros]

6 hours ago, dikman said:

I don't think I got an open toe inner foot with mine (boo hoo ). Best thing is to try the different feet to see the effect they have, you have the double-toe foot fitted in the picture which stops the guide getting too close. As for the drop-down guide, yes, it gets in the way of the manual lifting lever so I made an extension to move the lever to the right. As mine is mounted on a conventional table, however, I made an extension underneath the table and fitted another pedal so I can lift the feet using my left foot. I find it works well and is more convenient than using the hand lifter.

Yeah it took me a bit to understand that I'm supposed to operate both pedals with one foot, initially I did it like driving a manual car: one foot on the clutch and one foot on the gas :D

I think Wizcrafts and Rocky would get an aneurysm if they saw me like that LOL

[Spyros]

Machine stitching Vs hand stitching

I can live with that

[chrisash]

I guess the one further away from the lens is the machine made on just slightly more consistent tension

 

[Spyros]

1 hour ago, chrisash said:

I guess the one further away from the lens is the machine made on just slightly more consistent tension

 

nope, that's the handstitched one.   

[RockyAussie]

14 minutes ago, Spyros said:

nope, that's the handstitched one.   

IF that is using an LR needle .....you can try turning your needle clockwise about 5 degrees to get a more slanted stitch then also back of your primary tension (the lower one on the end cover) about 1/2 to maybe a full turn. Don't turn the needle too far as it could end up too close to the hook but there is a fair bit off play room. They are one of the tamest well behaved machines I have ever used.

6 hours ago, TomE said:

Received the narrow feed dog and plate today, and can second that they fit the Cobra Class 4 machine beautifully.  So much easier to sew close to an edge.  I am now determined to sew bridles with narrow padded straps and swells on the machine instead of by hand.  Time for experimentation.

Thanks for the good feedback @TomE. I am sure you are going to find a good improvement production wise on wide range than before. Merry Christmas

[dikman]

5 hours ago, Spyros said:

Yeah it took me a bit to understand that I'm supposed to operate both pedals with one foot, initially I did it like driving a manual car: one foot on the clutch and one foot on the gas :D

I think Wizcrafts and Rocky would get an aneurysm if they saw me like that LOL

I found that using my right foot for both operations was a bit of a nuisance as I kept looking down to see where my foot was! I was too worried about accidentally pressing down on the Go pedal and putting a stitch hole where I didn't want it! Using my left foot for the lifter feels far more intuitive.

[Spyros]

1 hour ago, RockyAussie said:

IF that is using an LR needle .....you can try turning your needle clockwise about 5 degrees to get a more slanted stitch then also back of your primary tension (the lower one on the end cover) about 1/2 to maybe a full turn. Don't turn the needle too far as it could end up too close to the hook but there is a fair bit off play room. They are one of the tamest well behaved machines I have ever used.

It is an incredible machine and I cant thank you enough for encouraging me to get it, you were right as usual.  I've been casually playing with it for about a day on and off and I can already thread it, stitch straight, turn, stitch backwards and fall on the existing holes, wind a bobbin, change the length between holes, and I haven't even touched the manual yet.  I just need to learn more about thread and foot tensions when I change leather thickness, learn about the other presser feet options, and work on my finishing stitch technique a bit.  And then I can use it on an actual bag.  For now I made those two for the shop, just for practice, and it's already a lot more than I thought I'd be doing after 1 day with my very first sewing machine

  

[Spyros]

On 12/22/2021 at 12:44 PM, RockyAussie said:

Left toe harness foot for the belt edge.

 

Unfortunately no luck with that thing... it's leaving a huge impression on the leather (2 layers of 2mm chromexcel).  So I started backing up the foot pressure from the big screw on the top, except it was my first time doing it and I had no way of knowing how far I could go.  So I kept unscrewing and trying another stitch, hoping the screw would have some sort of stop, but it doesn't, and eventually the whole thing popped off.  It must have some sort of spring inside.  I pushed it back in and screwed it in, started sewing for a couple of minutes, lifted the foot to make a turn, and then the foot wouldn't come down no matter what.  Just got stuck in the up position.  In the end the only thing I could do was push the pedal a little and it came down with big clang.  I gave it some oil on the screw from the top and it's fine now (I think) but yeah, not a good experience with the left toe harness foot.  I tried them all actually and honestly the one that came mounted on the machine is probably the best.  But I can't stitch very close to the edge with it, or use a guide.

Edited December 23, 2021 by Spyros

[dikman]

Mine came with an extra spring for the pressure foot, I think it's a lighter spring. Did you get one (long coil spring)? If you remove the pressure adjusting screw you can fish the spring out, it's not held in by anything.

[Spyros]

1 minute ago, dikman said:

Mine came with an extra spring for the pressure foot, I think it's a lighter spring. Did you get one (long coil spring)? If you remove the pressure adjusting screw you can fish the spring out, it's not held in by anything.

Ahhhh YES!  There is another spring in a clear baggie, I was wondering what that is... I'll go check it out and I'll be back shortly 

[Spyros]

Yeah that was it, thanks Richard!  The other spring is much softer.

The presser foot still gets stuck halfway down, it's probably some moisture or something... maybe some WD40?