Help - further behind than before - but having more fun

A while back I posted for some help on sewing a basic pouch with heavy
out door fabrics:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.c...fced0f14c5aac1

Since I only had light duty White machine and was still waiting on
material samples I didn't know what I really wanted to do. Well, I
finally got the samples, know what I'd like to use (ballistic nylon)
and fully understand why my whimpy machine isn't going to cut it.
You're tips, instructions, etc... were great and so I'm coming back for
more.

Luckily, my neighbor had one of the infamous, indestructable, 'boat
anchors' that everyone seems to love so much. It's a Consew model 28,
but it needs a little work. I'm pretty handy at fixing things once I
know how they are supposed to work. Does anyone have a good resource
for this machine or even a photo of what it should look like when fully
operational. At a minimum I think I'm going to need a new belt. On the
table to which it is mounted there is also a seperate bracket with a
belt driven wheel, a brake and what appears to be another bobbin
assembly on the other side of the bracket. This is seperate from the
main machine itself but definitely belongs with it. I can take and
sent a picture to anyone who is willing to take a look. Let me know.

So my goal now is to get this machine working so I can have free access
to it and play around with my original project.

Thanks.

Hi:
Maybe try these two links:
http://carusew.com/consew/consewdir.html
or http://www.sew4less.com/sitemap.php
best of luck on your repairs!
Cynthia
wrote in message
oups.com...
A while back I posted for some help on sewing a basic pouch with heavy
out door fabrics:


http://groups.google.com/group/rec.c...fced0f14c5aac1

Since I only had light duty White machine and was still waiting on
material samples I didn't know what I really wanted to do. Well, I
finally got the samples, know what I'd like to use (ballistic nylon)
and fully understand why my whimpy machine isn't going to cut it.
You're tips, instructions, etc... were great and so I'm coming back for
more.

Luckily, my neighbor had one of the infamous, indestructable, 'boat
anchors' that everyone seems to love so much. It's a Consew model 28,
but it needs a little work. I'm pretty handy at fixing things once I
know how they are supposed to work. Does anyone have a good resource
for this machine or even a photo of what it should look like when fully
operational. At a minimum I think I'm going to need a new belt. On the
table to which it is mounted there is also a seperate bracket with a
belt driven wheel, a brake and what appears to be another bobbin
assembly on the other side of the bracket. This is seperate from the
main machine itself but definitely belongs with it. I can take and
sent a picture to anyone who is willing to take a look. Let me know.

So my goal now is to get this machine working so I can have free access
to it and play around with my original project.

Thanks.

I have a Consew 28 as well and after buying it, had it tuned up by a local
industrial machine specialist who makes house calls. I recommend that
approach, although I call myself "handy" as well, in spite of being a
degreed Mechanical Engr. Money well spent.

Otherwise, when things don't work you don't know if it's the machine
adjustment, wear, or your lack of experience. Why not start out with a
professional opinion on the machine's suitability for your projects and if
it's worth restoring? And to know if it's been gone over professionally,
what it will do when you wring it out.

I sat for an hour watching the technician go over my machine. I could have
turned all the screws he did, but didn't know which to turn and how much and
which to leave alone. He does it 8 hrs a day.

Although "heavy duty" compared to home machines, even the oldies, the
Consew 28 isn't considered by those in the trade or the original
manufacturer to be a heavy duty machine, but it will do light canvas. They
were mostly used for upholstery, having an upper and needle feed and no
underfeed. Straight stitch only and no reverse. 3/16" is about max
thickness. Needle is 135x17.

Few parts are yet available, but the machine is a rough copy of a Singer 78
and feet will fit. The inst. bk for a Singer 78 will help:
http://parts.singerco.com/IPinstManuals/78-1_2_3.pdf. Their instructions
will tell you it isn't for really heavy materials.

The gadget on the table you mentioned is probably the bobbin winder.

If this is your first machine of this type, hang on to your hat because it's
faster than what you're used to. I replaced the pulley on mine to slow it
down until I got used to it.

Not to dampen your enthusiasm for your machine, but I'm just giving you my
experience. I don't use my Consew 28 for bags. I find my 50's heavy home
machines do better and are much more versitile, having zig-zag and reverse
and multiple stitches when needed. I recommend a Pfaff 130 or a Necchi BU
Supernova, as examples. My Singer 201 or a Pfaff 77 or 75 will do in many
cases, but the 201 is straight stitch only, w/reverse. Also useful: a 3/4
size Singer Spartan converted to hand-crank for tight places and straps on
bags.

Bill Boyce
wrote in message
oups.com...
A while back I posted for some help on sewing a basic pouch with heavy
out door fabrics:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.c...fced0f14c5aac1

Since I only had light duty White machine and was still waiting on
material samples I didn't know what I really wanted to do. Well, I
finally got the samples, know what I'd like to use (ballistic nylon)
and fully understand why my whimpy machine isn't going to cut it.
You're tips, instructions, etc... were great and so I'm coming back for
more.

Luckily, my neighbor had one of the infamous, indestructable, 'boat
anchors' that everyone seems to love so much. It's a Consew model 28,
but it needs a little work. I'm pretty handy at fixing things once I
know how they are supposed to work. Does anyone have a good resource
for this machine or even a photo of what it should look like when fully
operational. At a minimum I think I'm going to need a new belt. On the
table to which it is mounted there is also a seperate bracket with a
belt driven wheel, a brake and what appears to be another bobbin
assembly on the other side of the bracket. This is seperate from the
main machine itself but definitely belongs with it. I can take and
sent a picture to anyone who is willing to take a look. Let me know.

So my goal now is to get this machine working so I can have free access
to it and play around with my original project.

Thanks.

Hi,
These machines are designed for professionals, and you have some great
comments from Bill, but here's what I can add:

I will try to tell you here how to thread and operate it.

Machine operation:
Turn the machine on, you will notice that it 'surges' up to full power.
Without any thread in the machine, press the foot pedal til you feel
you can control the speed a bit. Move your right foot forward or
backward on the wide presser foot to adjust the speed too.
Now turn the machine OFF, and keep pressing on the foot pedal, notice
how the machine 'winds down' to stop. This is a safety issue: it won't
stop immediately when the power is turned off!!!

To lift presser foot, move your right knee 'out' to the right, and it
should push a bar to the right, which will raise the foot. (yes, you
can move the foot up by hand too)

Now locate the bobbin area under the needle. Access is through the
side, under the table. To see this area better, push the 'head' of the
machine back so that the machine 'tips back' and exposes its underside.
The area below it is the 'oil reserve'. There should be clean oil in
there. Don't procede if it is empty. The exception would be a really
ancient machine that does not 'self oil', in which case you need to do
that now.

Pop in the bobbin case a few times to get familiar with that process.
The bobbin is 'up' when the little half-moon shaped scoop on the bobbin
case edge is facing up towards the needle. Any other position of the
bobbin case will break the needle.

Bobbin: how to wind it

1--the smaller upper belt on the right side of the machine DOES wind
the bobbin (they wind one at the same time they are sewing). If you
push a lever in the front away from you, it will 'lock' in place and
turn when the machine is on.

This is threaded using CONE thread (never use spools) Start with a
cone in the thread stand, bring the thread STRAIGHT UP to the arm or
wire above the cone and pass thread thru the eye or loop. The thread
needs to go straight up, so turn the upper arms til they are above the
thread cone. Now take the thread down to the BACK tiny loop or eye of
the bobbin winder. You will pass the thread thru the TENSION disks
first, then the eye, then wrap around the bobbin a few times. Now push
the bobbin onto the 'axel' of the bobbin winder. Finally push the
front lever of the winder forward so it 'clicks' in place. Run the
machine until the thread has wound.

Putting bobbin into bobbin case: You will need to catch the bobbin
thread under the bobbin case tension flap. If you don't know what I
mean by this, check a sewing book, since the bobbin is used the same
way as a home sewing bobbin case.

Now pop in the bobbin case, keeping the half moon cut-out facing up
towards needle, hear it 'click' in place.

(NO POWER) Thread the machine. Use same cone thread as bobbin, pull
thread from the upper eye or loop down to the machine. It will pass
through a tension disk at the top (usually), then around a wire or bar
'guide' before going down to the tension disks. Pass thru the tension
disks and catch in the 'springy wire' that is attached to the tension
disk, now go up to the big lever that 'yanks' the thread up and down,
then take the thread down to the needle. Thread need from LEFT to
RIGHT (note: these machines thread almost exactly the same as ancient
single needle straight stitch machines pre-zig zag days, so old sewing
books from the library may help)

needle: must be specialized for this machine, do not try a home sewing
needle. Use a size 14 for your heavy duty project. The long groove of
the needle faces the LEFT and the 'ditch' side of the needle faces the
RIGHT. You will have to pivot needle into place, then tighten the
screw.

(NO POWER) Press the foot peddle forward with your right foot, this
will allow you to turn the hand wheel on the right and pull up the
bobbin thread. The needle will be very hard to turn without pressing
that foot pedal a tiny bit--remember this when you are sewing. Also,
turn the hand wheel on the right side of machine TOWARD you to walk
stitches or pull up bobbin thread.

OK--that's it.--good luck, Jennifer

p.s. Many dry cleaning businesses have this type of machine. You might
take a peek at one there, or even get them to sew it for you!

Thanks for the links. I'll browse around.

Thanks for the brutal honesty. It's good to hear (really). Despite
being a total novice at this I still figured this machine had it's
limitations. For instance that it had no reverse stitch was pretty
plain to see. I guess I'll keep putzing around with it and see if I
can get it back into shape. The restoration is fun anyway and I can
always double track and turn 180 on the straight stitches to make the
seams stronger.

I saw what you meant about the speed when I got it running. I'll may
give the local Sew & Vac a call and see what they recommend. For my
purposes and frequency of use I don't think it will be worth a full
service call though.

Thanks again.

wrote:
Thanks for the brutal honesty. It's good to hear (really). Despite
being a total novice at this I still figured this machine had it's
limitations. For instance that it had no reverse stitch was pretty
plain to see. I guess I'll keep putzing around with it and see if I
can get it back into shape. The restoration is fun anyway and I can
always double track and turn 180 on the straight stitches to make the
seams stronger.


To anchor the ends of the seams with a machine that has no reverse,
there are several approaches. One is, as you say, do a 180. That's a
bit of trouble, though. I just hold the fabric in place and keep it
from advancing for 3-4 stitches. Some folks take those first 2 or 3
stitches, then lift the presser foot and move the fabric back to the
beginning and sew over those stitches again. The most laborious would
be to leave thread tails and tie them. Not one of my choices, ever!

Early machines had no reverse.
--
Joanne
stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us.earth