Leather stitcher machines

Slowhand Bob · July 17, 2010, 11:30:51 AM

Just a heads up guys, it caught my eye this morning. I do not know anything about the seller or the item but as of now the price looks really low. Might be a great deal if it can handle a main seam with filler?

Perhaps someone else knows more and can offer more insight.

TN Mongo · July 17, 2010, 03:37:59 PM

Slowhand, did you mean to include a link?

Slowhand Bob · July 17, 2010, 04:07:05 PM

Sorry bout that. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180531583132&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

JD Alan · July 18, 2010, 10:53:17 PM

Bidding is closed but just curious; anyone know what it went for?

Slowhand Bob · July 19, 2010, 08:49:06 AM

JD, the link above should take you to the closed auction. The final bid was six something or nuther but only this morning did I read the sellers description. WOW, sounds like he needs to cross his legs and hummmm a bit rather than having the second cup of coffee. At any rate, I figure you reduce your sale prices by half or more when you are not willing to ship, least I have seen a few items go for far below what I would have bid if shipping had been offered. But then, I would probably have listed my old Tippmann Aero long ago if it wasnt for the shipping problems associated with such a heavy, bulky item so I do understand his frustration a little bit.

Description for the machine has one neat feature, the foot rotates to follow the stitch line rather than turning and twisting the work! As far less than a good machine operator, this sounds like a big plus feature BUT more experienced machine sewers might know better???

JD Alan · July 19, 2010, 08:57:43 AM

Hey Robby, do you think he would have shipped it if someone had said "Pretty Please"?

Thanks for the info, that was interesting

TexasToby · July 19, 2010, 12:29:41 PM

I had one I sold for $300 about 5 years ago. The buyer came to my house to look and bought. It was a treddle model Singer that was made in 1903 but was in good working shape. I had just advertized it in the local Thrifty Nickel. It was on a stand and I would have hated to try to rig it for shipping. It weighed over 100#.

Dalton Masterson · July 20, 2010, 07:32:09 AM

That Adler is very simlar in design to mine, which is a 30-15 if I recall correctly. I paid 200 local from a former shoe shop owner. It is a working machine, but no motor. All sewing is done by turning the crank right now. Someday I will put a motor on it and maybe try to learn to use it.
It is a very heavy machine, and includes the Adler stand. I couldnt imagine shipping mine.
DM

Slowhand Bob · July 20, 2010, 09:59:49 PM

Dalton, does yours do as he mentions, following the stitch line rather than turning the work? That sounds like a fascinating feature though possibly not as handy as it sounds since it is not more common??

Dalton Masterson · July 20, 2010, 10:08:59 PM

Yes, mine turns at the same spot as that one does. I havent used it but once or twice just playing around, so I cant tell you how well it works.

I think the arm is a little longer on mine too.
DM

outrider · July 21, 2010, 01:01:54 PM

Howdy Gents,

If I may I will stick my nose in on this one. The Ferdco TK29, the Artisan 29-172/29-273, and the Adler 30 class machines are all copies of the Singer Class 29. These are designed to do shoe repairs and the reason the sewing head rotates is because if you are repairing a long boot the cylinder arm is down inside the boot making it impossible to turn the material so the sewing head turns instead, thereby changing the sewing direction. These machines are only designed to sew approx. 1/4" thickness and I doubt very much they would handle a main seam with a filler. Thread sizes range from 69,92,99 and 138 which is kind of light for main seams on holsters. Needles are type 135 #11 to # 29.

The early Singer 29-4 had a flat spring tensioning the presser foot whereas the later models (29K) utilized a coil spring with adjustment for the presser foot tension. The 29K models also had a shaft housing built into the front of the machine so that a hand crank wheel could be mounted on the right side front or the right side end. Believe it or not the Singer Class 29-U is still in production.

Sorry for the intrusion....

Dalton Masterson · July 21, 2010, 01:20:52 PM

No intrusion at all OUtrider! Its good to have your input.

I think mine would be mainly for belts and chaps, as I still like the hand sewn holsters I offer. They dont take too long to stitch, and the end result is nice.

I agree with you, the thread that the lady was using on mine was very small, but she was doing shoe repair, so that makes sense.
DM

Slowhand Bob · July 21, 2010, 01:48:28 PM

Thanks DM, it is possible that one day, when money is less tight, I might have made a bad bid but you have now saved me from such foolishness. I recently used my machine to sew some light weight leggins, probably lighter than recommended, and the stitch actually turned out well. These are based loosely on the ones that Chuck posted the plans to. I now have two sets of the leggins that I like to call early Indian fold-over style and a Vaquero batwing style and I got away with sewing the light leathers on my Toro while still using a 207 bobbin thread and a 277 top thread. Perhaps I will not need a lighter machine after all???

Buffalo Barbie · July 23, 2010, 05:31:34 AM

Quote from: Slowhand Bob on July 17, 2010, 04:07:05 PM
Sorry bout that. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180531583132&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The guy also that one and a clone advertised here on Craigs list.

Here's a Ferdco for cheap cheap.
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/for/1837726263.html

outrider · July 23, 2010, 07:05:30 AM

The Ferdco Pro-440 listed on Craigs List is only 200.00 less than a brand new one from Ferdco. Ferdco has the Baby Bull Pro-440 listed for $1,395.00 with the table and DC drive servo motor. At least the one from Ferdco is brand new under warranty...and let's not forget the shipping costs...your looking at least $200.00 for shipping

Slowhand Bob · July 23, 2010, 07:41:41 AM

Outrider, do you use your big machine for the lighter weight suedes (bullet bags, light chaps, etc) or

? It feels like rabbit hunting with an elephant gun but so far it does seem to work without destroying the poor little rabbit!

TN Mongo · July 23, 2010, 09:07:10 AM

Outrider just bought a lighter weight machine and has been bugging me to come see it. I'm going over tomorrow. I have a similar machine to his big one and I can sew light weight stuff on it without adjustments. I wouldn't mind having a smaller machine myself for light stuff but I don't sell as much light weight stuff as Outrider does.

outrider · July 23, 2010, 12:11:38 PM

Slowhand...Mongo is correct...I just purchased a Ferdco TK1245, which is a copy of the Pfaff 1245 except that the Ferdco uses a 190 needle system which is larger than the Pfaff which uses a 135 needle system. I have not made anything with this machine yet but it is designed to use thread sizes from 69 up to and including 207...it is a good chaps machine. I intend to get into doing rifle & pistol cases, chaps and lighter stuff...you can use the larger machine to do the lighter stuff, however my main reason was that this new machine is a flat table model (it also has one heck of a nice servo motor with it. My plan is to get all this machinery now while I can afford it.... then when I retire I won't have to worry about buying machines.

As a side note you may want to look at the Cobra Class 18 or Class 17 table model machines....Steve would help you out with a good selection.