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Leather sewing machine project.
- Thread starter cathead
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
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- 2,489
I was sewing up some leather and the machine started to bind. After some disassembly, I found the pin that holds the shuttle
assembly had come loose. It looks like it was brazed on the steel part. The bottom plate is quite thin and doesn't hold the pin
very well so I made a thicker plate and made up a hardened pin out of an old broken 1/8 inch end mill machined down to diameter .118
inches. The hard part was the exact positioning of the pin on the plate but I was lucky on the first try and it sews at least as
good as it did before. I repaired the old one to keep for a spare in case I ever need it. Here's a photo of the original part and
the thicker one I made on the right.
The plate on the left looks to be about .060 and the one I made is from 1/8 inch stock.
It took about an hour to make this part. I silver soldered the pin in place so it stays put.
assembly had come loose. It looks like it was brazed on the steel part. The bottom plate is quite thin and doesn't hold the pin
very well so I made a thicker plate and made up a hardened pin out of an old broken 1/8 inch end mill machined down to diameter .118
inches. The hard part was the exact positioning of the pin on the plate but I was lucky on the first try and it sews at least as
good as it did before. I repaired the old one to keep for a spare in case I ever need it. Here's a photo of the original part and
the thicker one I made on the right.
The plate on the left looks to be about .060 and the one I made is from 1/8 inch stock.
It took about an hour to make this part. I silver soldered the pin in place so it stays put.
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- Oct 3, 2015
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- 984
I had to do a little re-work to mine , also. It seemed like one shuttle driver worked good while the other had a slight bind when it rotated. I had to shift the countersink slightly to move the the location of the pin a few thou. Now they both work fine.
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- Nov 14, 2016
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Now look at what you've started.
I guess all the eBay and Amazon searches for cobbler sewing machines caused Facebook to add sewing machines to my marketplace feed. My wife has been wanting a real heavy duty sewing machine to replace her inexpensive portable machine as she likes to make costumes and renaissance outfits as well as more mundane clothing and alterations.
I just got home from picking up a Juki 5550N straight stitch machine, and a Juki 2516 5 thread serger both made in Japan. Also came with several large boxes of thread, spare bobbins and some misc tools and parts. The back seat is full and the two machines have boxes of thread packed in around them in the bed. They were only about 60 miles from the house at what seems a very reasonable price. These are rated for use with medium weight materials including denim, "apparel grade" leather and reptile skin (which seems oddly of specific), so she still wants to get the cobbler machine as well to handle the really heavy stuff.
We are going to hold off on the cobbler sewing machine until we get these moved in and set up. It will provide more time for you to figure out all the necessary upgrades.
Thanks for a really inspirational post.
I guess all the eBay and Amazon searches for cobbler sewing machines caused Facebook to add sewing machines to my marketplace feed. My wife has been wanting a real heavy duty sewing machine to replace her inexpensive portable machine as she likes to make costumes and renaissance outfits as well as more mundane clothing and alterations.
I just got home from picking up a Juki 5550N straight stitch machine, and a Juki 2516 5 thread serger both made in Japan. Also came with several large boxes of thread, spare bobbins and some misc tools and parts. The back seat is full and the two machines have boxes of thread packed in around them in the bed. They were only about 60 miles from the house at what seems a very reasonable price. These are rated for use with medium weight materials including denim, "apparel grade" leather and reptile skin (which seems oddly of specific), so she still wants to get the cobbler machine as well to handle the really heavy stuff.
We are going to hold off on the cobbler sewing machine until we get these moved in and set up. It will provide more time for you to figure out all the necessary upgrades.
Thanks for a really inspirational post.
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- Feb 7, 2013
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- 2,489
Interestingly, I found a You-Tube video on using a guide along the edge of leather using a magnetic guide and an aluminum
bobbin. Having considered making a bobbin or two, I decided to make several out of aluminum since I had some 3/4 inch aluminum
rod on hand. It is very easy to do and involves drilling a center hole, machining out the thread area and then cutting the piece off.
It takes about 15 minutes total to make one from start to finish. I also added a hole to feed the thread through to make winding
the thread on the bobbin easier.
A simple set up using a 3/4 inch 5c collet in the old Springfield Ideal lathe.
Here is a completed bobbin. I used a 400 & 1000 grit diamond flat hone to get down past the machining marks.
It's way faster than ordering bobbins from China, no long waiting, less expensive and a lot more fun making them yourself.
The reason for the aluminum bobbin is that the magnetic guide will not lift the aluminum bobbin in close proximity.
bobbin. Having considered making a bobbin or two, I decided to make several out of aluminum since I had some 3/4 inch aluminum
rod on hand. It is very easy to do and involves drilling a center hole, machining out the thread area and then cutting the piece off.
It takes about 15 minutes total to make one from start to finish. I also added a hole to feed the thread through to make winding
the thread on the bobbin easier.
A simple set up using a 3/4 inch 5c collet in the old Springfield Ideal lathe.
Here is a completed bobbin. I used a 400 & 1000 grit diamond flat hone to get down past the machining marks.
It's way faster than ordering bobbins from China, no long waiting, less expensive and a lot more fun making them yourself.
The reason for the aluminum bobbin is that the magnetic guide will not lift the aluminum bobbin in close proximity.
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My wife got me a gift certificate for one for Christmas. I will get it middle of January when it gets too cold to do much in shop. Look forward to doing leather projects that have been collecting fort years. Please keep up the improvements you have made to your machine. When I get mine I will incorporate them into it.
THANKS!!! Charles
THANKS!!! Charles
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- Feb 7, 2013
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- 2,489
Charles,
Your welcome, You won't be disappointed.
Burt @ Catwerks (At Catwerks, your not just another sew and sew
).
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- May 4, 2015
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I have one patcher , Adler 104-24?? , singer walking foot needle feed and three portable sewing machines . Had two other pitchers singer 29-4 which I motorized plus a large Adler patcher both with original stands. Those two I sold simply need money hospitals are sucking the money and life out of this family. But I do enjoy sewing leather and repairing them to boot. My Adler I installed a speed reducer and a variable speed motor it'll drive thru 1/2" leather like it's cotton tee shirt. The walking foot on its a great option not many of this model come with it.. if I sell these last commercial machines I too Will buy a China model to fool with.
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- Feb 13, 2017
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Just wandering around and stumbled into this thread. I don't sew, although I have a sewing machine from waayyy back. Well, for me anyway, 1974. Bought it when I was single. Current wife has her own, several actually, so mine sits in a corner. In any case, this project looks interesting.
I thought I would leave some comments on the motorizing aspect, my field of knowledge. I have a couple of wheelchair motors but if I used them it would be on my wheelchair, not some contraption.
A wheelchair motor will most likely be low voltage D-C. A variac run through a power supply isn't really the most practical solution. A 120 volt sewing machine motor could be made to work, but the required torque isn't there. A salvaged automotive windshield wiper motor could also work, and has seriously more torque. It is low voltage and has some internal gearing to slow it down as the torque goes through the roof. The bottom line is that a variac will only work for a 120 volt motor, like a sewing machine motor or an electric drill or other 120 volt series universal motor. Use on a low voltage motor risks it getting too much voltage, burning up the motor.
I have included a link for a pulse width modulated (PWM) voltage control suitable for motors up to 24 or so volts. For the motors you have in mind, it would be quite usable. The only requirement would be a power supply, available from the same source. They're pretty cheap... Most any power supply would work if the current was there. Even an old computer supply. Just be sure to use wire of 18AWG or better, not signal wire. I have built severalcontraptions gizmos with these controllers. Using windshield wiper and electric window motors. Easy to remote the speed adjustment, just extend the wires. A foot or knee control would be easy to devise.
.
I thought I would leave some comments on the motorizing aspect, my field of knowledge. I have a couple of wheelchair motors but if I used them it would be on my wheelchair, not some contraption.
A wheelchair motor will most likely be low voltage D-C. A variac run through a power supply isn't really the most practical solution. A 120 volt sewing machine motor could be made to work, but the required torque isn't there. A salvaged automotive windshield wiper motor could also work, and has seriously more torque. It is low voltage and has some internal gearing to slow it down as the torque goes through the roof. The bottom line is that a variac will only work for a 120 volt motor, like a sewing machine motor or an electric drill or other 120 volt series universal motor. Use on a low voltage motor risks it getting too much voltage, burning up the motor.
I have included a link for a pulse width modulated (PWM) voltage control suitable for motors up to 24 or so volts. For the motors you have in mind, it would be quite usable. The only requirement would be a power supply, available from the same source. They're pretty cheap... Most any power supply would work if the current was there. Even an old computer supply. Just be sure to use wire of 18AWG or better, not signal wire. I have built several
Motor Speed Control, DC 20A Surge, 6-24V
Wide range control uses PWM to vary the speed of DC motors. Remote adjustment pot (included) connects to board by a 12inch cable to header pins. Terminal strip for power & Motor connections. Input: 6/12 or 24VDC Output: 20A max surge. Recommended: 6V/60W, 12V/120W, 24V/200W Range: 5%-99% of...
www.mpja.com
Bill Hudson
.
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- Nov 14, 2016
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- 3,007
Looking around there are actually quite a few Youtube videos on these machines, I'm finding more info available under hman's leather patcher term, or more specifically Chinese leather patcher. They really do seem to clean up nice (but assembled kit is very much appropriate) and look pretty capable even as a manual machine.
Bill, since you seem to know electric motors if you were looking for a motor to power one of these looking at function vs just cheap and available what would you suggest? With the entry to a real powered leather sewing machine starting around $1000 used, spending $100 for the machine and as much as $200-300 on a motor would still be quite a bargain, plus it just seems like a fun project.
Bill, since you seem to know electric motors if you were looking for a motor to power one of these looking at function vs just cheap and available what would you suggest? With the entry to a real powered leather sewing machine starting around $1000 used, spending $100 for the machine and as much as $200-300 on a motor would still be quite a bargain, plus it just seems like a fun project.