The Crispin Colloquy

Here is the roller foot that Harris sent me. I gotta say, it doesn't look remotely correct. The packing slip says part # S-194 roller foot for singer 31-15.

Does this part look familiar to anyone?

Rick,

I suspect it is not for a 31-15 because a 31class machine is a single needle machine. I suppose that there might be some application and feed dog setup where such a presserfoot might be used but I can't figure what it would be and I've never seen the like on a 31 class machine...not even in the manuals.

All that said, whether it is for a 31 class or not, it's clearly not what you want or need.


Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

Rick,
I bought a roller foot for my 3115 from Ralph's Power Sewing in Denver.
1-800-525-0330 www.powersew.com

It was a few years ago and the new ones dont have ball bearings like the old (I dont think) I wonder if an industrial sewing supply near you might have one??
suzanne

Rick,

I have a double-wheel foot like that on my 17-class cyl. arm, and I like it, as it allows you to work close to an edge either to the right, or left of the needle. Almost wish I had one on all my machines.

Al,

That's what it is! Harris is sending me out the right part. Thanks for the help.

Does anyone have any suggestions for where to purchase Pfaff parts for a 491? I need a few things for my bottom roller feed, and the parts are quite pricey. I'd love to figure where to go to save some money on these.

Thanks for any ideas.

Lance

Lance,

if you tell or show me pictures of the parts you need, i will try to look for them here in Toronto, i am not good at repairing machines,my 75 years old Italian shoe maker friend Angelo usually fixes my heavy duty machines,like my finisher or my sole trimmer machine,which i never used,i make him upper patterns in exchange for his home made wine and sausages, Of course he always says the wine and sausages are present,i never got paid in money for any of the uppers i make him.

Hi. My name is Eckart and I am studying shoe design and manufacturing in London. I am really interested in the traditional ways of producing shoes however. Even though I attend quite a prestigious college I must admit that they focus mostly on mass production techniques which do not really interest me.

Well anyways I was wondering if anyone knows any high quality shoe laces (waxed, silk ribbon etc etc) suppliers in the UK?

Hope you can help.
cheers
Eck

For any of you who have been following my quest to put a roller foot on my Singer 31-15, I finally got the right part. Several hours and one sliced finger later, I got it installed.

Despite Harris's claims to the contrary, I did have to remove the bobbin assembly and the thread guide is in the way. Both exactly as Robert described.

Since I currently only use this machine for gimping, using Dick Anderson's gimping blade, I just took the thread guide off.

The machine does work a lot better with the roller foot. Yaay!

Rick,

Hurrah! Glad you got it up and running.

Just out of curiosity, why did you have to remove the bobbin assembly?

I must have installed a half dozen of these over the years and I don't recall ever having had to remove the bobbin assembly.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

Rick,

If you're not doing anything with that double roller foot, it might fit one of my wee beasties

PM me.

DW,

The roller foot that Pilgrim has requires a new rod (to which it attaches). This rod goes all the way to the top of the machine and may only be installed from the bottom. Maybe the ones you have done were simple replacements of the presser foot, which would seem the more sensible approach. This one, however, does allow you to rotate the wheel out of the way.


Al,

I had to returnthe double roller.

Where do I fine a giming blade for my 31-15. Are there diffent sizes.

Rick,


Oh! I see... well, I hate that. I'll never replace my roller foot with one like that. I had that type of roller foot on my old 51 (?) class post machine and never thought it was at all secure. With the kind of roller foot I have on all my machines (all ball bearing, BTW) I can move the roller foot in towards the needle, away from the needle as well as front to back. What's more, it doesn't tend to deviate when I roll up over a lapped seam--all faults of the roller foot that was on my old 51 class Singer.

And if I want to swing it out of the way, it simply flips up.

On the other hand for nothing but gimping, it's probably more than adequate.

Thanks for the explanation...I'll have to be real careful with the roller feet I have so that I don't find myself needing to replace one.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

Lonnie,

Dick Anderson makes them..I am proud to say that I had a hand in designing them and getting them off the ground. Of course, Dick took my rather crude ideas and samples and made something that is about as professional as you're gonna get at this level and for this kind of investment. The results are/can be as professional as anything produced by dedicated machines costing thousands of dollars.

There is only one size...which is the genius of the whole set up...but it relies on a machine with an "infinite" stitch length adjustment--like the 31 class Singer.

With the proper machine and one of Dick's little beauties, you can gimp at fairly large sizes--like you would get with a pinking shears (somewhat coarse in my view)--or very tiny...and everything in-between.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

(Message edited by dw on August 30, 2008)

As DW sez,

if you shorten the stitch length, the gimp gets smaller. The angle of the V notch, however, remains the same. It might be nice, some day, to have a smaller V for the tighter gimp.

I'll mention it to Dick, if he is at the AGM this year.

Rick,

Good to hear you received the correct rollerfoot and managed to install it. Harris told me that it would not be necessary to feed it in from below as well. I couldn't figure out any other way. Once in place it works nicely. I bought this machine to use for gimping but have become fond of it as a sewing machine as well. It's an easy adjustable and reliable flat bed. I've used it frequently in the last couple of months. I did pick up a bunch of extra bobbins and bobbin cases on Ebay for cheap to make switching thread colors easier.

Rob

Rob, Rick, all,

I have to say, this worries me. The 31 class machine is a great sewing machine, but one of its best features is that it is so uncomplicated. Replacing a presserfoot was (is?) a task that even someone only vaguely familiar with the proper way to use a screwdriver could accomplish. Now, it almost takes a sewing machine mechanic to switch out the presserfoot.

And even more disturbing is that a feller used to be able to keep the multiple dog feed mechanism and just swap out presserfeet at will--a roller foot for leather/shoes; a flat foot for canvas and soft leather goods, etc.. It was a matter of seconds to swap it out.

I just can't accept that the "old style" presserfoot is no longer available or being made.

I wonder if anyone has gone looking for a roller foot for a 31 class machine anywhere else? Other than Pilgrim? Recently? (I see Suzanne got a roller foot from Ralph's some years ago.) Melanie Machine? Simanco?

Surely the old style presserfoot is still available...and even being made. Last time I looked even the Simanco brand was being made in Taiwan (with ball bearings).

Tight Stitches
DWFII--HCC Member

DW, all,

I don't know if the old style is no longer made or if Harris at Pilgrim simply choose not to carry it. When I ordered mine the end of last year he did mention that the style had changed.
Whoever thought of the new design managed to knock a dime of the production cost but made a product that is harder to work with. It works but a quick interchanging is out of the question.
The story of today's manufacturing culture, changing for the sake of profit and change, not to improve the product.

Hope someone comes up with a source for the "good old" style roller feet.

Rob

All,
I'm looking for some curved awls and hooks for a Landis machine. I saw some which look similar to what I have on my 1907 Progressive stitcher. If anyone has some they could spare, let me know, or a source would help too.
Cheers,
JesseLee

JesseLee,
I have bought awls and hooks for my Landis from Harris at Pilgrim Shoe and Sewing Machine. Here's their info:

Phone: 617-786-8940 (MA and International)
Fax: 617-773-9012
E-mail: Harris@PilgrimShoeMachine.com

Ask and he may be able to source parts for your Progressive stitcher
Cheers....J.

J,

Thanks for the information. I'll get right on it.
Cheers,
JesseLee

I just finished browsing around in O. Baltor and Son in San Francisco. Very nice folks, Oscar and Todd run this family business with the largest selection of shoe supplies I've seen since I was in The Netherlands.

They had a few items I didn't expect and folks might like to know about:

* curved Tina skiving knifes (right hand push)
* very nice curved awls, several sizes. I stocked up. When these are gone, they won't be able to get any more. Peg awls too.
* Wooden pegs.
* polyethylene glue pots.
* solvent and heat formable Silastic (sp?) for making toe boxes.
* blind eyelets

Todd says they will be getting in some Redenbach insole shoulder which is supposed to be some of the best.

Of course, they have much much more. These are just a few things I was please to see.

Their phone is: 800-622-5867

I will second what Rick says. I have been dealing with O. Baltor and Sons for some time. I use only Joh. Rendenbach leather outsoles on the boots I build unless my customer requests a neoprene sole. I deal with Dave Baltor and have always been treated fair. They carry the JR outsoles plus many other tools and supplies that are difficult to find.

Peg Wheel:

I'm looking for a Peg Wheel of the double row type - Does anyone have a spare they could sell me?

Thanks,
Craig