raised needle holster or stirrup needle plate

[esantoro]

Do any of you use a raised needle holster or stirrup needle plate for a Juki 441 cylinder arm clone? I'm wondering if such a plate would make it tremendously easier to stitch gusset corners, especially on thick veg tan, and even more especially on the middle gusset, where you have two gussets coming together with the center divider, which results in three layers of leather each 5 to 7 oz (maybe the gussets are skived in this rounded area).

Also which raised needle plate would be better, the raised rounded plate or the raised plateau plate?

Thanks,

Ed

[bruce johnson]

Ed,

Short answer - ALWAYS!!! It is nearly impossible for me to sew a tight corner without it and not have feed problems (short stitches as it bunches going into the corner, then a l-o-n-g stitch as it makes the bend, pops over, and sighs in relief). The other things is that by keeping everything flat, the gusset tends to pull away from the body in the corners and I think bad words. It was actually a little easier to do this type corner on the Tippmann. I could stitch at a time, place it, stick the needle to hold everything, and run a stitch. Still not real easy. Dumb ol' me gets the advice after about 5 years of doing them to get a raised plate. It will make the radius smaller and sews those corners like nothing. That's a fact. I still had the Adler then too, and the 205-64 wouldn't sew well with a raised a plate I was told. That is the big reason I kept the Boss around was to sew corners on purses, shaving kits, and soft side brief cases. When I got the Pro 2000, I got a stirrup plate and a holster plate with it. The Boss went into the storage room, never came out, and two months later was sold.

I normally use the stirrup plate. The stirrup plate is more rounded (smaller radius) and the ridge on the left side of the slot is narrower. This lets me get a deeper bite without tensioning the gusset as much. On stirrups the narrow ridge lets you sew closer to the wood, and the small radius lets you make the bends. Another area this plate shines is sewing zippered gussets in planners. If you sew flat, every once in a while you will sew across a fold in the corner. You say bad words, your shop cat runs, and things are not good. With the raised plate, the zipper gusset has some room to stand up, and a lot less wrinkles and folds, especially in sharper radiuses. Because of the narrow left ridge, I can only use the narrow center foot and right toe foot with the stirrup plate. For these - not a big deal.

The holster plate is flat on top and wider ridges on both sides. I can use the wide center foot and double toe foot with it. There are some things like saddle bags, rope bag pockets, and some repairs where this set up is four aces. Still some relief, but a pretty stable platform.

[esantoro]

Bruce,

I'm so glad you wrote about the bad words. I don't just think them, and my neighbors hear me too. I'll have to get both of these plates.

ed

[esantoro]

Bruce,

How is it to use the stirrup plate on straight sections where I also use the assistance of a roller guide to get straight stitches? Does the stirrup plate sort of act as a guide?

It's good to know that there was a valid reason to my going crazy on these gussets.

Thanks,

Ed

[bruce johnson]

Ed,

I don't wear a helmet, step on cracks, coffee and Copenhagen used to be breakfast, make gravy out of the grease, back up my computer rarely, and sew without a guide quite a bit. I scratch a groove and sew with that and the outside edge of the right toe foot as my visual guide.

Because of the configuration of the stirrup plate. If you use the left toe foot with the narrow center foot (as I do when I use the guide), the left foot rides over the outside edge of the narrower left ridge on the plate and deforms the work down that way and wants to run your stitch off the edge. With heavy leather and wooden stirrup underneath it doesn't do this, but then you don't use a guide for that either. If you use the wide center foot and double toe foot, the center foot covers the plate and the walking feet are out there in space. I just got to using the right foot, narrow center foot and sew at a slower speed.

To be real honest, I am not sure if the roller foot would be high enough to guide the leather on the raised plate, probably would but never tried it. I sewed a gusseted purse this morning and thought about you as I whistled around it. I do use the guide for long run things like reins, or flat things like notebooks and belts. The flat things and straps I mostly all switching over to using the 1245 and smaller thread though. I am not really happy with the guide on the 1245 for a lot of things, and do a pretty good job without a guide there too. It is one of those "fence" guides and sits forward of the needle, not right next to it like the roller guide on the 2000. An eyeball and a thumb work there.

[esantoro]

Bruce, I reread your post for the 50th time. Very helpful. Thanks.

I wouldn't mind getting a roller foot, but have never seen anyone offering a roller guide for the 2000/juki 441. Do you know of a supplier?

ed

[bruce johnson]

Ed,

What I meant was roller GUIDE, not roller foot for the Juki 441/2000. My 2000 came with two guides from Ferdco. One has a single roller that follows scallops and contours. The other guide has 2 rollers and is good for straight runs. These are not roller feet.

Sorry for the confusion. I had been talking to a guy who had a post-bed machine, with a roller foot. I can only see limited use for what I do, but he uses one for inside purses and that sort of thing.

[esantoro]

The Poor Man's Stirrup plate:

Since I back stitch by hand about 15 or so holes on the tight gusset corners. I found a work around for until I can affort a stirrup plate.

I use the standard wide center foot without any outside foot and make the 15 or so holes around the gusset corner. I straight stitch up to the corner and leave enough thread for the handstitching.