sewing machines

[halfpint23]

Ruth, there's a seller listing these (probably repro) currently, check out this link
http://tinyurl.com/bh3rg

I made my own from 19 ga electric fence wire - the hard part is filing the notch in the end of the wire (with bifocals)

Kate

[Chuck Deats]

Ruth,
For what it is worth, I use a piece of doubled mono-filament (50-80 pound test) to thread my 29-4. Push the two ends down from the top and feed your thread through the loop and pull it through.

Chuck

[dw]

Another good alternative and cheap, is a #11 or #12 guitar string. Measure out a little more than twice as much as necessary, fold it over a half inch wide blade, steel shank, heel pry, screwdriver or whathaveyou, clamp the two ends in a vise grip and, suspending everything from the blade, twist the string up tight. When that's done you'll have an eyed needle long enough to thread through the machine.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[tom buchanan]

like to thank all of you for the info and tidbits on the 29k.be well....Tom

[Jean Moore]

I have an old industrial Singer 143W2 that I use for upholstry work. I am looking for a welting foot for this machine and need a resource to either have it made or a place to purchase it ready made.

[halfpint23]

Jean, if this takes the same foot as a 31-20, I may have something that will work for you. I have a big bunch of various feet that have been customized (evidently by a factory machinist) and I know a lot of them were done for welting or zipper application. {Please feel free to email me off list}
ad_ablurr@2ndAmendment.net

Kate
Kate's Custom Gunleather

[lancepryor]

I have recently acquired a machine (a 51W55 post machine) and would appreciate anyones thoughts as to preferred needle size and shape, and thread to use for sewing/closing shoe uppers. You need not have the same machine for your advice to be helpful.

I thought I recalled some discussion of wedge pt vs. round pt (vs other?) needle shapes, but I don't seem to be able to put my hands on it. So, what do you all prefer? What about thread? What size and weight do people prefer for their sewing?

Thanks for any recommendations anyone can provide.

Lance Pryor

[dw]

Lance,

I used to own a 51W55. They are simple machines to maintain and keep running. Getting parts if one wears out is another story altogether.

I can't remember the needle system I used in that machine I think it was a 16x22 but don't rely on that.

As for size and style of needle, I always used a narrow reverse twist. The NRTW will lay a rope-like stitch that is not too proud of the surface. A round point will do fine especially for lightweight leathers. And generally speaking a size 12 or 14 is about right for a refined look without obsessing on size. Thread size would have to correspond tot he needle but a size 33 bonded nylon will work well with the size 12 needle and a size 46 bonded nylon with the size 14.

Hope that helps some.Good luck with your new machine...it's an oldie but a goodie.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[lancepryor]

DW:

Thanks for the information. I am having a bit of a problem getting the thread tension to be consistent, but other than that the machine seems to work well.

Do you normally use an all nylon thread, or a some other material? Also, if nylon, bonded (which you referenced) or not bonded? Are there pro's and con's to these different constructions? Also, any ideas where to track down NRTW needles? The size of needle for the machine seems to be 135; I guess a wedge pt is a 135x8; any idea of the nomenclature for a NRTW?

As always, your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Lance

[dw]

Lance,

Check the thread tensioning disks. Sometimes they get worn--a groove can actually develop. Also tension can be affected by slight timing errors in these older machines, as well. Hope that that's not the problem, I don't remember it being that hard to adjust the timing but frankly, I don't remember much about it at all. Like you, I never got a manual (although one is now available on my school website) and had to figure it out myself.

Bonded nylon has a coating on it to prevent the "fuzzies" and fraying. I use bonded nylon to the exclusion of everything else. Even silk will look "soft" after stitching...the result of slight fuzziness in the thread.

The needle system would be 135LR or 125x8 NRTW. Dunlop Sales carries a number of brands of needles from Lammertz to Schmetz to Groez-Beckert.. One is as good as the other. Or you could call the Schmetz dealer direct. Either way, most of the time the person or company that you are dealing with can cross reference needle systems and sizes. What you want is a round point needle, a tri-tip, a narrow revers twist or a narrow reverse spear. The last two make a hole in the leather that looks like this "/". Be careful of needle points that make holes like this: "|" or like this: "-". Both will be found unsatisfactory for a number of reasons.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[Michael Campbell]

Hi

Can anyone tell me where I can get a user manual for a Singer 45k saddlers machine? I have a 45k21 that I have been using for years and a new addition that I cannot remember the model number of as I write this. Both are free arm machines, but the latest one is foot fed. I did try the Singer site, but it only had the parts lists for the 45k models.

[curtgillock]

Hi Michael,
From what I have found out Singer never put out much of a manual on these machines. I have a 45k25 & was able to get a operators guide from Sewing Machine Sales in Holland Ohio 1-800-449-0835 ask for Darren. This company has been able to furnish me with several parts for the 45k. E-mail me with a mailing address & I'll make a copy of the copy they sent me & send it to you. I also have a box of 100 bobbins for the 45k if you need some. I'll let you have some very reasonable as I have very little in them.

[Michael Campbell]

Hi Curt

Many thanks for your reply. I have sent you an e-mail.

Michael

[halfpint23]

Michael there is an Ebay seller in England right now who has several copies of a full manual for the 45K, one listing is Item #8227527465. She just sold the machine, and evidently decided to copy the manual before she let it go - smart woman.

Best of luck, I am still looking to find a 45K I can afford to get!

Kate on the left coast
Kate's Custom Gunleather
Sultan, WA USA

[halfpint23]

Well, I got the 42-5 home safely. He is a BRUTE of a machine! great big ol' hook, cylinder shuttle, and weighs enough to make me VERY careful when lifting him. I got a treadle stand to put him in, and he runs through an old dried up chunk of 16 ounce skirting like it was soft felt..... WOOHOO!

Thanks to a friend, I know now that the 29x4 needles available for my (you guessed it!) 29-4 patcher run fine in the 42-5.

So, all I need to find now is a knee lifter assembly and a bobbin winder... it came with two bobbins - I ordered a lot of 20 for a 45K (same as Adler 105) but they are a tad too long. Anybody need these? They will go for my cost, unless I find the 45K of my dreams first

Kate on the left coast
Kate's Custom Gunleather
Sultan, WA USA

[Sterling Chittum]

Hello! Does anyone know where I can get a Presser foot for a 29-4? Have one that I want to file down, but would like to have a replacement.
Thanks! Great reading and tons of information!

[das]

Sterling,

Pilgrim Sewing Machine will have plenty of spares, go for that file

http://www.pilgrimshoemachine.com/

[Sterling Chittum]

To; D.A.Saquto,
Thank you very much. I had contacted them by e-mail about a week ago, had no reply to date. I changed internet provider recently and did not remember to contact them. Think I will get a copy of there catalog.
Thanks once again!

[ted olson]

I bought a 1/4 in presser foot for a brother sewing machine online and I got a seam guide with it. It said it was for all snap on feet brother machines but I can not figure out how to put the guide on. Can you help?

[tomo]

I still haven't got the Landis 12 I bought a couple of months ago to work yet.
I'm quite mechanically minded() but I'm having a few problems sussing the machine out.

I've cleaned and oiled it thoroughly, even cleaning the elements and refitting them.
However one thing I've noticed is that the machine has a serious 'tight spot' when it turns over, - like you need all your strength to turn the hand wheel over past the 'jam', and the machine IS hot.

So today I removed the main drive belt to isolate the problem and it was still tight, indicating that the problem was in the head.

After further investigation, I removed the bobbin, and bobbin case and found the machine fairly whizzs round. So, looking closer I've deduced that there's too much sideways play (???) in the shuttle driver (L25-3) that drives the bobbin case, and this is causing the bobbin case to bind somehow. Or is my shuttle not setup right in the race?

Does anyone have any suggestions, or is this a likely/common problem? Are the machines usually hard to turn over?

Also, should I be able to lift the presser foot when ever I want too, - not just when the awl is about to come through the leather?

And lastly, the bottom thread keeps breaking about where it goes around the Take up arm, what's the most likely cause for this, too much tension? Because it's been so hard to turn over (and hot) I'm finding it slow going.

More power to y'awl.
T.

[dw]

Tom,

Not much time this morning...

Much of this could be explained by the the tension lock adjustment nut being too far back. check out the diagrams at http://www.thehcc.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3688. Especially Bob Galvin's post of May 29th. You'll see that on the left hand side of the machine is the locking lever which is controlled by the lock adjustment armature. Adjusting the nuts forward or backward will determine where in the cycle the locking lever compresses the thread against the lock roller. Too soon and you'll definitely get the symptoms you describe.

No you shouldn't be able to release the presser foot anytime you want--at least that's the way it works on my Model F/G. If you could do that then the material you were stitching would not be secure.

Bottom thread breaking can definitely be from the locking lever.

And no, the machine shouldn't be that hard to tun over.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

[tomo]

DW - thankyou,

OK, After your last reply and reading Bob's posts, I successfully downloaded a copy of the machine manual from your site, for some reason this hadn't worked before.

The machine is turning over good and freely now, but the top thread (meaning not the bobbin thread) is still popping and the top (bottom) loop is visable out the top as you sew as though it needs more tension but I feel as though this would exasperate the thread snapping. The tension adjustment is virtually right undone and I can pull the thread around that big sprocket by hand withg a little effort. The bobbin thread pulls out freely.


The thread is a 7 cord and the machine was set up with it when I got it, so I'd assume ( I know, the curse of assumption )
the last guy had it sussed. I can't break the thread in my hands no matter how hard I thwack it, so I don't think it has perished.The thread clamp is tight when the arm is at the bottom of it's stroke, and I can't feel any burrs on the guides, stitch plate or feet.

How do you know the size of the awl apart from the envelope it comes in? I can't see any numbers on the them, just the name METWAR. The needle has LANDIS 23 printed on it.

I know it's difficult to answer problems like this remotely, but any ideas or further suggestions would be appreciated.

When you've got several options and you're unsure about what you're doing, any problems are compounded. And it does't help when your shoe size and IQ are the same!

More power to y'awl.
T.

[erickgeer]

Tom,

I don't have the book in front of me, but the diagrams that Bob posted were from Shoe Repairing by Henry Karg.

I was brousing it yesterday, trying to find the wax stripper info I was looking for. One of the things it said was to arrange the thread- pulling a length while the lock is released, and then hand cycling it to another position prior to stitching so as not to break the thread- I'm afraid I don't have the position here- I think it was to the bottom of the cycle.

If someone else doesn't chime in, I will try to remember to forward it tomorrow- though I am hopelessly forgetful. Maybe this will get you going for now.

How is the liquid wax level?

Erick

[tomo]

Cheers and thanks Eric.

I'm using the hot wax that came with the machine, it looks like it has resin with it and when hard is in a little cardboard box. I replaced the old wax in the machine when I gave it a clean.
I think I understand what you're saying about the thread, it's similar to a regular sewing machine, in that if you start sewing when the takeup is in the wrong place it pulls the thread from your hand...Thinking.

Thanks Erick

More power to y'awl.
T.

[bultsad]

Tom,
It is difficult to diagnose a problem with the 12 without being there. That said one of the first things I look at when the thread starts to break on the feed from the spool is the needle guide. These are notorious for wearing out and then allowing your needle to wander all over the place resulting in cut thread. Is your knife sharp and the channel cutting in properly? You can end up with everything laying on top if you are not getting the thread to pull down into the channel.
It sounds as if you have purchased an older machine that may have been sitting awhile. My thoughts are to call your finder and start with new quality thread and matched needle and awl along with a new needle guide that is matched to the needle you are going to be using. If you are still having problems then it is definitely in the adjustments. Try adjusting as little as possible and always return the part to the original position is you do not get the results you are after.
Jim