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

[garypl]

I’ve been sewing a bit using the narrow plate and feed dog on my CB4500 and am very pleased with the results.  Latest project was a holster I sewed with 277 thread.  Reverse stitch at the top slipped when the left presser foot slipped off the inside edge of the welt on the reverse stitch, but that was my fault! 
 

 It was 5 layers of 8-9 oz veg tan and new parts worked just fine. I like the idea of widening the range of  weights I can sew on my 4500  projects using a wider range of threads.

[RockyAussie]

Thanks for the feedback @garypl. Hopefully some of the other people who now have them will share with us how they found theirs in use. I do gotta ask ...Did you actually get to stitch that holster that close to the edge at that thickness?

[garypl]

When I sew something with multiple layers I scribe my stitch line on the top piece before gluing up the layers.  I normally scribe the line 3/16" in from the edge to provide a little more support. 

After stitching, I sand the edges to make all the layers even and then dye and finish the edges.  Have to admit that I usually get a bit nervous when stitching holsters that total @12mm in thickness at the edge!  If I let the piece tilt just a little or if the needle hits a hard spot somewhere inside the layers and deflects, the bottom stitch can come out the side and that ruins my day!

[BigSiouxSaddlery]

1 hour ago, garypl said:

  If I let the piece tilt just a little or if the needle hits a hard spot somewhere inside the layers and deflects, the bottom stitch can come out the side and that ruins my day!

Truest words that will be spoken today!!  There are many items in saddlery and harness that this can happen if things were not fit up perfectly, or the layers shift the least little bit during stitching, or if the operator isn't paying attention.  It does indeed make for a bad day.

[JollyDodgerCanvas]

Installed my new "narrow" needle plate and feed dog today. Nicely made, fit my CB4500 perfectly. Test sewed on some 24oz cotton duck canvas and stitched well. Will use with V138 bonded polyester to see how it goes fabricating some products later in the week.

[Wizcrafts]

I'm here to tell you that the narrow plate and feeder made a big difference for me. I can use the cb4500 with thick or thin material by just changing the needle and thread. I would normally switch to a different machine for the lighter work. But, some jobs just seem to fit the 4500 architecture better. The 16.5 inch arm being one. Besides, my Techsew 2700 is setup with white #69 thread and a #18 needle and I hate to ramp it up for one job. I use it a lot with that combo. The 4500 can handle #138 thread easily, plus with a leather point needle, but even better with these new parts. Thin or soft work stays on top of the throat plate now.

[Spyros]

Ok I'm convinced.

I just spent the weekend getting stuff out of my shed to make room and today I spoke to them on the phone to get a quote for a CB4500.  

Buy once cry once.

[dikman]

You won't regret it (well, you might every time you think of the money!) but it will last you a lifetime, which is more than you can say for a lot of things these days.

I thought I'd better try out this new plate, I need to make a quiver so after lots of thinking (makes my brains hurt ) I came up with a design, of sorts, using canvas and suede. I figured it would be a good test for the #138, and it won't matter if I stuff up the stitching a bit in the process as it's going to be a knock-about thing anyway. I'll post a photo when it's finished. Unfortunately I've had a few missed stitches and I'm wondering if the hook timing isn't quite accurate enough for the thinner thread (or the thread tension isn't quite right).

[RockyAussie]

14 hours ago, JollyDodgerCanvas said:

Installed my new "narrow" needle plate and feed dog today. Nicely made, fit my CB4500 perfectly. Test sewed on some 24oz cotton duck canvas and stitched well. Will use with V138 bonded polyester to see how it goes fabricating some products later in the week.

Good news and thanks for the feedback. Would you be so kind to post some pictures when you finish?

 

9 hours ago, Spyros said:

Buy once cry once.

You wont be crying for long once you have it in use mate.

 

4 hours ago, dikman said:

Unfortunately I've had a few missed stitches and I'm wondering if the hook timing isn't quite accurate enough for the thinner thread (or the thread tension isn't quite right).

Is this with the new needles and needle plate set? I found on mine that I get far less problems with miss stitching than with the original sets. other than timing it could be you may need a shim which Jess will have in stock. I have not needed any on mine but all the same some suede's can sink down in the hole with the needle enough to stop a decent loop forming for the hook to catch well. How far away is your needle from the needle defector you reckon when they are along side? I get away with a gap of 1/2mm (normal printing paper folded over into 4 layers) on a 160 - 23 LR point needle on just about anything you like. That gap means I get all the way out to a 230 - 26 needle without any touching. That gets me right for a TK 350 size 8 metric thread if I wanted to go that thick.

Another think I just thunk......check that your thread return spring is not over travelling.

 

[RockyAussie]

10 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

Thin or soft work stays on top of the throat plate now.

Warning now @Wizcrafts this set can lead to spoil you. More productivity and production gives more time for ........

Question, what would you think of a sort of a cross of the stirrup plate and the holster plate with an extended height dog foot??? I am thinking for tight gussets and stuff like that. Could be an answer for that tight lot of stitching you get coming up to a tight bend (stirrup) and the big jump gap when you get over the bend.