sewing machines

Share secrets, compare techniques, discuss the merits of materials--eg. veg vs. chrome--and above all, seek knowledge.
Post Reply
Message
Author
gshoes
5
5
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:41 am
Full Name: Geraldine Rabey
Location: Elgin, IL, United States

Re: sewing machines

#801 Post by gshoes »

I found a picture of a homemade flat bed for this machine. Not mine.

http://rickaverill.com/scope-covers-picture/singer-29-4/
14758.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
gshoes
5
5
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:41 am
Full Name: Geraldine Rabey
Location: Elgin, IL, United States

Re: sewing machines

#802 Post by gshoes »

Al,

Thanks so much for spelling it out for me to clean this machine outside. I did it because you said so. After about 10 cans of brake cleaner and watching the dirt and grease run off of this machine, I am so glad that I followed your instruction.

I have a few questioned while I wait for my parts to arrive.

Did I need to order anything additional with my take up lever? I thought that you mentioned a spring.

Is their a trick to getting the belt on? I ordered a new one...is that necessarily needed. Maybe I am using the wrong pulley. There seems to be 2 choices on the top and 2 choices on the bottom.

Do you change the direction of your stitching by turning the 2 little handles as the machine is sewing?


Is there anything under the arm that needs to be oiled or greased that I would need to turn the machine over to oil?

What is the little "oil cup" for on the top of the machine. I am thinking that you fill it with oil and then apply it as needed...or is that for pins?

Thanks in advance.

Geri







(Message edited by gshoes on June 22, 2012)
gshoes
5
5
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:41 am
Full Name: Geraldine Rabey
Location: Elgin, IL, United States

Re: sewing machines

#803 Post by gshoes »

14765.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
amuckart
6
6
Posts: 344
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 12:45 am
Full Name: Alasdair Muckart
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Been Liked: 5 times
Contact:

Re: sewing machines

#804 Post by amuckart »

Hi Geri,

The belts are stapled together. Generally you would cut it to length, punch a hole for the staple and bend the staple shut with a special pair of pliers. I use a scratch awl and linesman's pliers.

The different sizes on the wheel are for different speeds. The small wheel on the treadle lines up with the big wheel on the machine, and vice-versa. They are sized so that the same size belt works on both sets.

There are gears at the front of the arm of the machine that need cleaning out and oiling, but the oiling can be done through the holes in the top of the arm.

The oil cup on top is for thread wax to use with linen thread. Sellari's liquid wax might work. It's not necessary though, you can run the machines dry if you're using synthetic thread.

The two little handles rotate the foot to let you change the feed direction. There's a point in the cycle where the needle is down and the foot has lifted; that's the best time to move it.

These machines can be a bit of work to get going, but they're good fun once they work right.
das
Seanchaidh
Posts: 1626
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2000 9:00 am
Full Name: D.A. Saguto--HCC
Has Liked: 148 times
Been Liked: 126 times

Re: sewing machines

#805 Post by das »

Geri,

My bad, yes, the 29-4 did not have the thumb set-screw, but I'm still not sure what that hole was, or what it's for without seeing it. As you can see the flat bed table stands in a hole on the stand/base, and hooks onto the base of the head on the right on those two stud-post thingies.

Good.... carb cleaner would have wiped-off those nice decals completely.

A few issues from the photos you posted:

Your check lever is missing, but the spring and screw are still there--good news.

The bent wire thread loop on top of the head is rotated way out of position. Check the manual for correct location.

The tapered pivot pin that connects your needle bar to the needle bar driving piston in the end of the big rocker arm is either inserted backwards, or it's the wrong pin size--it shouldn't stick out that far to the front. All those big tapered pins are tempered hard as glass, and tapered so they can only go in/out in one direction. CAREFULLY try to drive it out from the back toward the front (pin punch and mallet--not hammer), clean all the rust off, lube, and reinstall the right direction. Brace the piston joint against your belly as you bang on it from behind so as not to risk cracking the cast iron arm--they're brittle as heck.

Now, your questions:

The black grease, take some on your finger and wipe it into the eccentric cam race on the left side face of the pulley, where the roller cam stud at the right end of the big rocker arm rolls around. Gently cycle the machine by hand to be sure you get grease the full length of all cam-ways Open the c 3" round sheet metal "hatch" on the right end of the head (one on front, just big hole in back), and apply grease to the eccentric cam race in there. At the front left of the cylinder head, where it bolts to the head proper, there's an exposed wheel about 1/2" wide showing at the front in a slot opening, on the left face of that wheel is another eccentric cam race. Get in there with a Q-tip and grease that good.

Thread check lever spring and screw are there, just the lever is missing, so you're good there. While waiting for your new lever, knock out the pivot pin (back to front), clean the rust off and remove the broken bits of the old lever.

The feeder foot assembly should rotate freely via those wing-tab thingies. A set screw or wedge would be a good idea to keep it from wandering while sewing straight lines.

New belt is good idea, be sure it's tight as they stretch-out in use/humidity. Pulley choices are: small on head, big on stand=lighter work, or big on head, small on stand for more punching power for heavy stuff. Double-check the manual there, I may have it backwards, but it's always small-to-large, not small-to-small or large-to-large. A properly fitting belt can be shifted from one ratio set-up to the other whenever desired. Get the belt into the desired pulley on the stand first, then get it started in the desired pulley groove on the head, and rotate the fly wheel to pull the belt around and up into the groove--it kinda "snaps" into place as you turn the machine.

With practice you can steer the feeder foot while sewing to achieve all sorts of curly-queues and curves, but as Al M. says, best to move it when it's in the "up" cycle, not contacting the work. In time you can just merrily steer it anyway you want while in motion.

The rack and pinion system under the arm around the shuttle compartment needs lube. Try your black grease in there by loosening the little bottom plate (do not remove it completely or the racks and follower pinion will fall out on the floor, and you'll need to re-time the machine!). Hint: If these parts are not too badly worn, heavier grease will reduce excessive "lash" from wear better than 30-weight oil.

The oil cup on top was intended for the thread (linen or cotton) to pass through to lube it. One old timer told me that using 100% pure neastfoot oil up there will make linen feed perfectly, and he was right. It will spatter oil all over, but it's old school. With nylon thread no oil needed.

Just to be safe, loosen the upper thread tension assembly (threaded center post has a screwdriver slot at the top. Inspect and clean cup, spring, nut and disks. There's supposed to be a thin felt washer under the bottom tension disk. If it's gone make a 1.5-2oz leather one--this raises the thread feed-path up higher onto the smooth portion of the center post. The faces of the two tension disks that pinch your top thread need to be polished smooth and bright, and if thread has cut a groove into the center post (nylon will do that), sleeve the post or rotate it so the groove will not catch your thread, otherwise you'll have no end of feed/stitch skip problems.

Hope that gets you a Saturday's worth of fiddling.....
chuck_deats

Re: sewing machines

#806 Post by chuck_deats »

Geri, Thanks for starting this. I am learning some things from the replys. A fishing shop that stocks rod building supplies will have a thread tensioner. The parts will fit, at least, they did on my machine. Tensioner is not expensive. DW and/or Paul K. suggested the wedge a while back when I was having a problem.
Chuck
gshoes
5
5
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:41 am
Full Name: Geraldine Rabey
Location: Elgin, IL, United States

Re: sewing machines

#807 Post by gshoes »

Al,

The hole that I was referring to in my original post is no longer a mystery. It is the hole in the base that you referred to as being used for the leg of the flat bed leg to set into.

Where exactly is the check lever located? Or is that what I was calling the take up lever?

I see the bent wire thread loop and I can fix that but the manual that I downloaded does not show a really good picture of the correct position. Even though I think that I can position it correctly, I am wondering if there is a better manual than the one that I downloaded? Or a repair manual?

I am also wondering if I should take this off and steel wool this very smooth too.


I will apply grease to the underside rack & pinion. I did apply the grease to the cams with a Q-tip and it runs really well. The cams are amazing to watch in movement while greased up as opposed to sprayed down with brake cleaner. I used a huge amount of brake cleaner.

Thanks for the caution about removing the bottom plate. I really do not want to have to have the machine timed. I did lube the shuttle compartment. I am surprised by the small size of the bobbin. I wonder if that is a pain in the butt always running out of thread?

I also order a rubber ring for the bobbin winder. Is there a trick to placing that rubber wheel on?

I will inspect the thread tension assembly and do what you have advised..

I finally located the pivot pin and I will check that out too. Looks like someone has had this machine apart before and knew even less than me.

Thank you ! Thank You ! Thank you!

I am still very hopeful that I have a sweet little working machine with help from this forum.

Geri
das
Seanchaidh
Posts: 1626
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2000 9:00 am
Full Name: D.A. Saguto--HCC
Has Liked: 148 times
Been Liked: 126 times

Re: sewing machines

#808 Post by das »

Geri,

Ah, OK, so the hole was indeed on the stand, not on the head itself. Cool.

The take-up lever on the big rocker arm I believe is called the "check lever" (w/ check lever spring, check lever screw, etc.) in the manual. Trying to stay with Singer nomenclature so as not to confuse you when you look for parts, that's all.

Here goes your Sunday.....

Hopefully your thread tension spring on the side of the needle bar is OK. If not Pilgrim has 'em and screws. They are like a capital "I" in shape--narrow "T" at top with two very tiny screws, with larger "T" at bottom that pinches the thread. The slots in the screw heads are sometimes worn away if they rubbed up/down against the walls the needle bar travels in, so getting the old ones out can be a bugger (of frozen, touch the screws with a hot soldering iron until you see smoke, then try with a jeweler's screw driver). If you cycle your needle bar to it's lowest position, poke the threader wire down there, and look up as high as you can see, you should spot the bottom end of this spring. It should look like a thin square "shovel" tab thingie, bearing in a rectangular cut-out on the left side of the needle bar. If it's intact, clean it good (lint and muck accumulates up behind it, preventing it from doing its thing). If you have to install a new one, or a fishing reel part, be sure to fit it--few of these parts are drop-in interchangeable anymore (most are 10th gen. copies of copies, or copies off old worn out parts--Japanese parts are marginally better fits than Chinese). You'll need to do some touch-up filing to insure it moves feely in its slots without binding.

Inspect your wire thread retainer loop for any grooves cut into it by nylon thread, and replace it if grooved, do not bother steel wooling it. Don't have my manual handy, but the tip of the loop, the straight bit at the end, should be rotated so it ends right at the edge of the cylinder head. Yours is rotated in towards the needle bar. Yours may be bent too. It's a silly little part that will cause major headaches if not positioned right.

On manuals, dunno, as I dunno which one you downloaded. The later 29K series patchers had "service" manuals with clear exploded diagrams in addition to simple operators' manuals, but I think the 29-4 had just the one "Victorian" looking book, I think.

After greasing the cam-ways, be sure to hit the cam roller stud itself with some 30W to lube it so it spins freely on it's stud. Go around to the back of the head, where the big round hole is. The cam lever that drives your shuttle carrier's rack and pinion system pivots on a big screw in the middle. Be sure this screw is tightened--often they are loose. And oil the little hole that lubes that arm on the pivot screw. Better yet, back the screw out, flush with brake cleaner, oil and re-tighten. Patchers are neat old contraptions, and about the simplest to work on. Glad you're getting "into it".

Brake cleaner is a de-greaser. If you drowned it, there was zero lube left anywhere, and it must have felt like gritting your teeth with a teaspoon of sand turning over. After this good "restoration" set-up lube job, it should glide like glass and sound like a healthy clunkity-clunkity-clunkity machine ought to. And don't worry, in regular use you only need to put a few drops of 30W in the oil ports--current major grease-job should last years.

Be sure to check and adjust the needle-bearing pivot screws/lock collar bolts, on the treadle and pulley (tight enough nothing wobbles side to side, but not so tight they bind), and the ball bearing race inside the arm that connects the treadle itself to the pulley arm needs cleaning/oiling. A well-tuned and lubed stand will double your patcher's smooth operation. Smooth operation is key to smooth stitching. Erratic operation leads to skipped stitches, etc.

In order to keep the needle as close as poss. to the end, and to keep the tip of the free arm small enough to go down inside of shoe vamps, the bobbin size was kept tiny. Yes, with hefty thread they run out at the most inopportune moments.

Bobbin winder rubber doughnut: put it in its groove at the bottom, and just roll it up and over at the top with both thumbs. It'll go. Get it spinning via treadle/belt power, and clean the tapered spindle that holds the bobbin with some 600 wet/dry emery paper (wetted). If this spindle is not mechanically clean, it will not hold your bobbins securely (they roll all over the floor trailing thread), or bind getting them on/off. Always a good idea to have extra bobbins, pre-wind them and keep them handy for quick change. If you're going to use nylon thread anyway, see if you can still get NYMIO thread pre-wound patcher bobbins--it'll save you the headache of winding, and the expense of more steel bobbins. NYMO was designed as the bottom thread for sewing shoes, white so it blends with most linings, monofilament so it lays flat, and mates with most any nylon top thread.

Just be careful knocking-out that needle bar driving piston pivot taper pin, always back-to-front=out, front-to-back=in. Just a tiny bit of rust in there and it could be frozen solid. If you're popping that out anyway to remove broken check lever bits, remove the needle bar driving piston (mark the top of it, orienting it for reinstalling). Remove the needle clamp block assembly at the bottom of the needle bar, and needle bar should lift right up and out. Then you can see exactly what's going on with that little thread tension spring on the side, and replace it if necessary. Give the needle bar a good scrubbing and inspect it for any uneven wear--usually shows up as noticeable bright rubbed-off areas. That may or may not spell disaster. Rub it with a light coating of your black grease when you re-install it to take up any slack in its fit, just oil from then on.

When I was the patcher "service tech" for Taube Distributors in DC area, most machines suffered from neglect. Many shoe repair guys had never heard of an oil can, so lots of patchers were run bone dry for years, junked,, and a new "old" one bought. If they bothered to oil them, the oil ports were so clogged with dust, oil was not getting to the bearing surfaces. And funnily, some patchers ran better clogged with dust and muck, than after a good cleaning, which then allowed worn and wobbly parts to, well, wobble and slop around. That's one reason I never took on Landis stitchers--most looked like Mount Vesuvius had erupted all over them with hot wax, or dried Solrai's holding them together. Any cleaning in there and a host of worn loose parts made their presence known.

Have fun. If in the end it refuses to stitch reliably, at least you've learned a lot, so if you ever step up to a 29K-series patcher, you'll know what systems/sub-systems to check before you buy.

Your first patcher project should be stitching a good dust cover for when it's not in use Image
gshoes
5
5
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:41 am
Full Name: Geraldine Rabey
Location: Elgin, IL, United States

Re: sewing machines

#809 Post by gshoes »

Al,

Once again, you are wonderful. I did not know that you were once a service tech for Taube. How nice it is that you are helping me and I believe, many others, now and in the future, via remote control. Your descriptions of the steps needed to complete each task is just as though you were watching over my shoulder in front of the machine. I feel like you are walking me through the process of disarming a bomb. Image

This is a Sundays worth of work for me as I read and re-read every word.

I looked closer at the tapered pin at the top of the needle bar and it does stick out way to far. But it is installed all the way clear to the other end and does fit snug. I am wondering if it is necessary to risk getting that pin out and installing the proper length pin if it fits? And especially since I have so many other things to work on, I would hate to take that out without the new pin here thus disabling the machine.

I managed to get the old belt on now that it has been explained to me. I was trying to go from big wheel to big wheel and small wheel to small wheel in my first attempts. The machine now runs but the belt is a bit sloppy. I do think that if I awl a new hole and cut off 1/4" of the belt it will fit super nice. There is currently a finishing nail used to hold the belt together where there should be a staple. Maybe I could bend large gauge box staple and make a better union because the Nail makes a bump and throws the belt sort of off.

But for now the machine is making that sweet sound when it turns and the cleaning and the grease and oil have worked wonders.

I do notice that the presser foot kicks back with each rotation. Is that normal? I might have that wrong but it definitely moves differently than any machine that I have seen.

When I get into the machine today I will be asking more questions.


And you are right. If I ever see another machine even close to this again, I will surely be a better educated buyer and I would have been better able to negotiate this sale. I think that I still would have wanted it but I guess I won't know for sure until I see it stitch consistently. My chances of that ever happening have been made possible with your help.

I do appreciate it.

Geri
das
Seanchaidh
Posts: 1626
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2000 9:00 am
Full Name: D.A. Saguto--HCC
Has Liked: 148 times
Been Liked: 126 times

Re: sewing machines

#810 Post by das »

Geri,

Thanks... Hey this is a fun trip down Memory Lane for me, and easy enough early a.m., drinking first cup of tea in my bathrobe Image

Taube Distributors were DC's biggest shoe repair supply house when I got started in the halcyon days, downtown at 711 "Eye" Street, NW. Dad Marvin and son Howard. They had crap gathering dust on the shelves from WW1. I nabbed lots of "antique" tools and findings new in the boxes back in the 1970s there. They used to buy and sell entire turn-key old-school shoe repair shops, or lease/franchise to new guys, in the days before the clean "Euro Heel Bar" mall shops, so they always had tons of ancient repossessed machinery, lasts, everything. I was buying patcher parts through them before I learned to dealt direct with Pilgrim. Once Marvin discovered I could restore and tune patchers, I started driving all around DC servicing them with Taube parts. It was nice "extra" money. Met a lot of the old timers, too, and did a fair bit of horse-trading while on service calls for cool old "junk" they had stashed. One guy had immigrated in 1912(?) and worked in a NY shoe factory--he gave me the tools he brought from Italy because he was only doing repairs, and had nobody interested in them.

The attitude toward machinery back them was terrible. You bought the cheapest old piece of junk, ran it until it died, then bought another one. You could buy 29K class patchers with stands, running fine for $100 all day long, 29-4s for $50. Between inflation and the current trend for nice clean modern "Euro Heel Bar" equipment, those days are gooooooone.

Needle bar/piston pin may be alright then. You can still pop it out to remove and inspect the needle bar, and knock it back in (cleaned of rust if needs be).

If you don't have proper belt staples (Pilgrim again), or the parallel-jaw pliers that cut the leather belting, punch the perfect hole, and crimp the wire staples, try cutting a staple from soft steel wire (wool dauber handle wire works well) about the gauge of that finishing nail. Crimp it into a neat staple shape the best you can between two needle-nose pliers, or just make a big honkering stitch with heavy waxed thread for now. I bet cutting 1/2" off the belt will be better--belt should not be "drumhead tight", but tight enough to almost vibrate like a guitar string when you pluck it. If it's too loose the needle will stall-out on thick work because it's slipping in the pulley, or you'll be loosing power and momentum (peddling too hard) just to sew along. Once you get good at it, you can start and stop on a dime, hands free, in mid-stitch, or with the feeder foot up all just by controlling the treadle with a non-slippy belt--remember, booth feet on the treadle always. I must have written it years ago here, in some other patcher thread, but if I had to be shipwrecked on a desert island with only one sewing machine, it'd be a well-tuned 29K patcher.

Feeder foot "kicks back"? Are you turning the flywheel correctly towards yourself? Or away? You may just have feeder foot walking backwards. Foot should lift, advance toward you, step down, draw rearward, lift up and repeat. To avoid damaging the needle plate, be sure you hold some thin leather between the feeder foot and the plate while experimenting. Ten to one you'll want a new needle plate and new feeder foot with nice sharp teeth, especially if the teeth on the old one have been dulled by being run on the needle plate.

Inspect the needle holes in the plate. One end has a larger hole for running size ___ through size ___ needles, the opposite end, a smaller hole for size ___ through size ___. And there were older specialty plates with only one end, etc. If the needle holes are chewed-up, jagged, or in anyway rough or out of round=skipped stitches, broken needles, snarled thread "padding", and uneven stitch tension. If the holes are not too bad, you ought to polish them out with that abrasive string, if they still make it.

Not a foolproof test (there are still ways to cheat), but try to avoid ever buying any sewing machine that's not "stitched off" (has had a sample of material run through it to prove it stitches fine). It's like buying a car without taking it for a test drive, or even turning the engine over. Don't feel bad, my first patcher, a 29-4 too, cost me way more in parts in the end to get it stitching than I paid for the machine, but what an education it was bringing that wee iron beastie back to life. I destroyed the lovely old the decals using carb(!) cleaner instead of brake cleaner, so I repainted the whole thing, stand and all with show car black lacquer, even painted the Singer logos on each end of the stand with Testors' gold model paint. It was a real work of art. Sold it to a guy around 1985, who's still using it reliably to make black powder hunting bags. Had a couple of more 29-4s until I graduated to 29Ks.
jesselee
6
6
Posts: 469
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:00 am
Full Name: Jesse Lee Cantrell
Location: Town of Niagara, NY, USA

Re: sewing machines

#811 Post by jesselee »

I have just aquired a Singer 29K-71. It looks almost new. Gold lettering and the blue on the logo is pristine.

But it won't sew. It will do about 3/4 of an inch and then the bobbin snarls. I know the 29 class and have owned many and restored some 29's and 29K's from rusted junk with just cleaning and the worst they ever did was to drop a stitch now and then.

This one has me befuddled, though I have never worked on a 29K-71. There seems little difference save for ajustments.

Any advice?

Cheers,

JesseLee
leech77
1
1
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:00 am
Full Name: Eric M. Forster
Location: Butler, Pennsylvania, USA
Been Liked: 1 time

Re: sewing machines

#812 Post by leech77 »

If you find out let me know. I'm messing with a 29K172 at the moment and it seems to be doing the same thing. The top stitches look fine, but underneath everything is loose and a mess. Even when I can get a run of good stitches as soon as I turn a corner it gets balled up again. I tightened the bobbin spring and that seemed to help a little, but it's still underperforming. I'll be interested to hear any advice on Jesse's and my predicament.
Tight Stitches,
Eric
User avatar
dw
Seanchaidh
Posts: 5830
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 1997 10:00 am
Full Name: DWFII
Location: Redmond, OR
Has Liked: 204 times
Been Liked: 122 times
Contact:

Re: sewing machines

#813 Post by dw »

Sounds like a timing issue to me...on a Singer 31 class it would be.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

[center]Little Jack Dandiprat in a white petticoat,
The longer he lives, the shorter he grows.[/center]
eric_e

Re: sewing machines

#814 Post by eric_e »

If this were mine, I'd start by checking the needle length, orientation and vertical position as the hook swings past the thread loop...

Eric
bobcann
1
1
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:15 pm
Full Name: Robert J. Cannell
Location: Norristown, PA, USA

Re: sewing machines

#815 Post by bobcann »

Jesse and Eric, I hope I can be of some help, I own a 29K; and more importantly, I'm a sewing machine mechanic. Most of my time is spent on home machines, but they all work on the same principle. I agree with DWFII that it could be timing. It can also, and I think in Eric's case, that the needle thread isn't in the proper path and the thread isn't in proper tension. One thing we tell our customers is that if the thread below the fabric is a mess, then your needle thread is loose. (Easy way to diagnose which thread is the problem is to put one color of thread in the needle and another color in the bobbin. In my 29K, I found that my problem was that the hook drive gears were worn and the the hook wasn't passing the needle at the correct time. Yes, basically it was a timing problem, but it was variable depending on whether the hook was ahead or behind where it should be in relationship to the needle. So, check the threading and tension, the orientation of the needle, type of needle, and slop in the hook drivers.

Good luck,
Robert
jesselee
6
6
Posts: 469
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:00 am
Full Name: Jesse Lee Cantrell
Location: Town of Niagara, NY, USA

Re: sewing machines

#816 Post by jesselee »

Thanks fella's, I'llhunker down and look at what all y'all have advised.

Cheers,

JesseLee
leech77
1
1
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:00 am
Full Name: Eric M. Forster
Location: Butler, Pennsylvania, USA
Been Liked: 1 time

Re: sewing machines

#817 Post by leech77 »

I've been messing with the tension and I seem to be getting it in the ball park. I have a favor to ask if anyone is able to do it. It seems like the shuttle carriage position in a 29k172 big bobbin is different than a 29k171. I lined it up to the position it says to in the manual and it didn't come close to picking up a stitch. The point where I got it sewing at least half decent is nowhere near the stated position in the manual. If anyone has a 29K172 that is properly timed, can you post a picture of the shuttle carriage position when the needle is at its lowest point? A tall order I know, but it would help a great deal. Thanks for the help.
-Eric-
User avatar
dw
Seanchaidh
Posts: 5830
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 1997 10:00 am
Full Name: DWFII
Location: Redmond, OR
Has Liked: 204 times
Been Liked: 122 times
Contact:

Re: sewing machines

#818 Post by dw »

I seriously doubt tension alone will fix the problem but then I'm not a patcher expert (don't really even like them...sold my, nearly 40 years with me, Adler last year).

That said sometimes, on some machines, a shuttle hook can look like it's in the right position but in fact be 180 degrees from where it should be (at which point it will look exactly the same).

The best advice anyone can get if they are going to be in this business for any length of time is to "think it through"--look at the movements of the needle bar relative tot eh rotation of the shuttle; look at where and how the shuttle hook passes relative to the kerf in the needle. Understand that most machines rely on a loop being formed by the leather pressing the thread against the needle as the needle begins its ascent. sometimes, some machines, even have a slight retrograde action in the needle bar to fully form that loop. That's why needle systems and needle lengths can be critically important, as well.

Hope this helps...

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member
djulan
2
2
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:39 am
Full Name: David Ulan

Re: sewing machines

#819 Post by djulan »

Jessee,

On the 29K 71 there is a small tension spring at the bottom of the needle bar. Two little screws attach it to the needle bar. The thread passes through this spring and the needle bar. You might remove it and be sure it (or the needle bar)does not have a groove worn into it. Check this especially if all the above did not help.
leech77
1
1
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:00 am
Full Name: Eric M. Forster
Location: Butler, Pennsylvania, USA
Been Liked: 1 time

Re: sewing machines

#820 Post by leech77 »

Hi guys,
I gave the 29K172 another going over today and she's stitching like a champ again! The timing was a bit out of whack. I took DWFII's advice and paid close attention to the thread hook position in relation to the needle kerf. I noticed that the needle bar moves the needle to the lowest position, does a little bump up, and moves back down to the lowest position. I figured that little bump up is what made the loop for the hook to catch, so I timed it accordingly. A few tension tweaks later and I have nice even stitches and no mess underneath. Thanks for again for the help.
-Eric-
leech77
1
1
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:00 am
Full Name: Eric M. Forster
Location: Butler, Pennsylvania, USA
Been Liked: 1 time

Re: sewing machines

#821 Post by leech77 »

Hello again all,
I have a quick thread question about thread for the 29K172 patcher. It was stitching fine with the Z69 thread I as using. That is until I tried some repair work on an old pair of shoes. The thread be came a mess again and frequently Broke. I nabbed a needle and some thick thread from work and it worked fine on everything from shoe repair, veg tanned, and soft garment leather, so I think I found the right combination. I don't have the needle pack right in front of me so you'll have to excuse me on that, but I'm not really concerned about finding needles. I need a source for thread. I think it is Z267. Does this sound right? My coworker, a rather stubborn man, got the wrong thread in an order and rather than send it back he just scratched out the actual size with a pen and wrote Z69 on the label. All that not withstanding, if anyone knows if there is indeed a Z267 bonded nylon thread I'm looking for a place to buy some.
Tight stitches,
-Eric
raving_raven

Re: sewing machines

#822 Post by raving_raven »

Hi Eric,
Maybe it is 207. That is what I use in my patcher often. The Thread Exchange puts up small spools of lots of great colors of bonded nylon 207 thread.

I was very happy to find them as this size is not stocked by my local finders. I like to use color as a design element so I ordered several different colors on 4 oz spools.

www.thethreadexchange.com

Rosemary
tommick
2
2
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:00 pm
Full Name: Thomas Mickel
Location: Jupiter, FL, USA

Re: sewing machines

#823 Post by tommick »

All,
I'm looking for a new sewing machine for tops and I've found an almost new Juki 5550N locally. It looks like I can get a roller foot for it under $10 on ebay and there's a Youtube video showing that model of machine sewing leather and 8 layers of denim. The specs claim 13mm of foot lift.

Does anyone have experience or thoughts about this model of machine for sewing boot tops?

Thanks for any help.

Regards, Tom Mickel
jesselee
6
6
Posts: 469
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:00 am
Full Name: Jesse Lee Cantrell
Location: Town of Niagara, NY, USA

Re: sewing machines

#824 Post by jesselee »

Anyone know where I can get a Gritzner manual online?

Cheers,

JesseLee
User avatar
amuckart
6
6
Posts: 344
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 12:45 am
Full Name: Alasdair Muckart
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Been Liked: 5 times
Contact:

Re: sewing machines

#825 Post by amuckart »

Hi JesseLee,

I've just put the copy I have on my website. You can get it from http://alasdair.muckart.net/sm/industrial/industrial-sewing-machine-manuals/
Post Reply