[fordSR]

Here's a picture of what I've always called a zipper foot........bottom row first one on the left. It's like the one I have, needle on the left side.
http://www.cutsewservice.com/images/Sets/27612.jpg

[DanTwoLakes]

Yup, that's a zipper foot. Naturally, that will work fine too. I've made thousands of zippers using #5 marine plastic zipper tape and my welt foot in everything from a portable ice fishing shack to a custom gun case and (knock on wood) never had one fail yet. Naturally, heavier fabric and usage requires a heavier zipper, in which case I use #10 marine plastic zipper tape.

[horvath]

I think this is totally *on* topic: Sewing 101 - if I ever want to put a zipper in my truck upholstery, I have a tutorial for it.

Thanks, Dan.

[DanTwoLakes]

fordSR: What a great site for sewing machine parts! Thanks!

[fordSR]

Dan,I have quite a few of their attachments and they are all good quality and the prices are good. I highly recommend them. As you know my experience is varied and in addition to trim work, I make quite a few specialty items from bags, cases, mostly cordura, to heavy leather items, therefore I have a large collection of attachments for my machine. My last machine was a Singer but I sold it and bought a Consew 206RB, mainly for the long stitch and the large bobbin. The Singer attachments fit the Consew otherwise I would have kept the Singer. I have hundreds of $ worth of attachments..........would cost too much to buy all new just for a new machine.

[Dusty82]

Originally Posted by horvath

Now I'm worried ... if I don't have a project to sew for a day or two, I know I'm gonna start going through withdrawal!

If you're anything like me, you know that as soon as people find out you can do this, you'll have LOTS of sewing to do. Last week my wife let it slip to a friend at work that I was learning to do this, and three people in her building have called her so far, each asking what I would charge to do various projects. She told them that I had been on the machine for less than a week and was just learning, and that seemed to satisfy them for now - lol. Wonder why? LOL!

Oh, on a semi related note - when you modified the treadle on your Tacsew, did you flip over the bracket on the foot pedal itself so that the rod connects to the pedal on the other side? I'm going to make that same modification this weekend, and that's what I'm going to have to do. I dug out a piece of 3/4" X 3/16" flat steel, and I'm going to drill it to fit the actuator arm on my motor, then drill it to accept the rod from the foot pedal. It'll extend that actuator arm about 9" overall. Hopefully it'll give me a bit more control.

[Dusty82]

Originally Posted by Dusty82

The zipper I have looks like it has brass teeth. Then again it might just be some kind of goldtone on the metal. I'll post a pic later today.

Turns out pics of my zipper material aren't needed afterall - the zipper I have is #5 Aluminum. There was one small piece of zipper that was brass (or something) so I just assumed that that's what it all was. Still, thanks for the pics Dan! This thread just got bookmarked for that info, and I know I'll be referring to it in the near future. I need to get the garage computer up and running now so I can just turn around to look at the pics instead of running back into the house - lol. It's just one thing after another...

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by fordSR

Dan,I have quite a few of their attachments and they are all good quality and the prices are good. I highly recommend them. As you know my experience is varied and in addition to trim work, I make quite a few specialty items from bags, cases, mostly cordura, to heavy leather items, therefore I have a large collection of attachments for my machine. My last machine was a Singer but I sold it and bought a Consew 206RB, mainly for the long stitch and the large bobbin. The Singer attachments fit the Consew otherwise I would have kept the Singer. I have hundreds of $ worth of attachments..........would cost too much to buy all new just for a new machine.

Jim:

I know the feeling. I just added a Consew 255RB-3 (for the larger bobbin and higher lift ) to my Consew 226R and one of the main reasons is that the feet are interchangeable. Their prices are great, and I am definitely going to add to my collection of feet and attachments! They have a binding attachment that I fell in live with! Hey, can you recommend a foot or attachment to simplify carpet binding? Also, a foot to more easily sew plastic "J" channel to the bottom of car seats? Thanks again for the info on the web site, it's SUPER!

[horvath]

Originally Posted by Dusty82

If you're anything like me, you know that as soon as people find out you can do this, you'll have LOTS of sewing to do.

I hope so! I'm enjoying the whole process even more than I thought I would!

Oh, on a semi related note - when you modified the treadle on your Tacsew, did you flip over the bracket on the foot pedal itself so that the rod connects to the pedal on the other side?

Yes. The bracket for the pitman arm, on my treadle, can be located on either side ... I just removed it and mounted it on the left.

The real deal here though is to put a smaller pulley on the motor -- *that* made the biggest difference!

[Dusty82]

Originally Posted by horvath

The real deal here though is to put a smaller pulley on the motor -- *that* made the biggest difference!

I looked at my machine when I checked out your webpage on the modifications you made to your Tacsew, and my handwheel and pully are one piece where it looks like yours are two separate pieces. I didn't get any further than that because I figured that since my machine is no longer made it would be pretty difficult to find a smaller pully for it. I'll dig around though.

My problem isn't as much wanting to make the machine run slower as it is wanting a bit more foot travel on the treadle before I reach top speed. The way it's set up now, I go from 0 to full bore just by pressing down on the pedal. This sucker's got a hair-trigger, and it's either off or on all the way - no in between. If the clutch in my car was this touchy, I'd be either starting in 3rd gear, or doing wheel stands - lol.

I adjusted the rods between the actuator arm and the pedal and that helped, but I think I need just a bit more "play" in there to smooth things out a bit more and give me a tad more control.

[horvath]

I know what you mean; these machines have hair-triggers, for sure.

The pulley on my motor mounts onto a shaft via an allen screw ... yours should do the same, no? Just measure the diameter of the shaft and any decent hardware store should be able to set you up with a small pulley -- get the *smallest* one you can!

My machine does run slower because of the small pulley, but not *that* much; it still flies! The smaller pulley gives me a whole lot more gradual speed between the "giddy-up" and the "whoa!" stages.

[DanTwoLakes]

Before you screw around with the treadle and the linkage, you need to reduce the ratio between the top pulley on the sewing machine and the bottom pulley on the clutch motor. The pulley on the clutch motor is probably held on with a large nut on top of a lock washer and a serrated washer. Pulleys are a standard item at hardware stores. The only thing you need to know is the shaft diameter and the keyway. ( both are standard for the shaft size, so remember the shaft size, which is probably 1/2") If the ratio is 1 to 1, reduce it to 3 to 2 (3" on top and 3" on the bottom to 3" on top and 2" on the bottom) That will reduce the speed of the machine 33 1/3% all through the speed range. Then you have to change belt sizes. To compute the correct belt size, measure the distance between the center of the shaft on the sewing machine and the center of the shaft on the clutch motor. Say that's 16". Double that, making it 32". Then add 1/2 the circumference of the top pulley times 3.1417(pi) to 1/2 the circumference of the bottom pulley times 3.1417(pi), and add them together. If the top pulley is 3" in diameter, that measurement is 4.7125. If the bottom pulley diameter is 2", that measurement is 3.1417. 30" plus 4.7125, plus 3.1417 equals 40.8542" The belt you need is a 3L410. 3/8" wide by 41" in outside diameter. Also available at the local hardware store. That will solve your speed problem, and when you have more experience, you can change the ratio back to a faster speed.

[fordSR]

Dan,
Generally when I bind carpet there is no visible stitching. I just use the standard method by stitching the binding on the top side then folding it over the edge and gluing on the backside. I do use a guide attached to the bed of my machine for a uniform width. The carpet edge of course, must be trimed straight. I have several binders, some that I made and some that I bought from CutSewService. I use brass shim stock about .040 thick for any attachments that I make. This is easy to form and can be soldered to a heavier brass plate where it screws to the bed. I'm sure you could make a carpet binder to suit your needs.

[DanTwoLakes]

Thanks Jim. I think I'm an oddball, 'cuz I like to see the stitching in the binding. maybe I should re-think my position on that, 'cuz nobody seems to agree with me anyway! Do you solder or braize the shim stock, or is braizing too much for the brass to handle?

[fordSR]

Dan, I use an old soldering iron I've had for thirty years. It's electric and pretty large so it puts out a lot of heat. I haven't had good luck with a propane torch because it puts out too much heat. I use the hardware varity lead solder, rosin core and a little soldering paste. Plenty strong, brazing would be overkill. You could probably use the old Weller type trigger gun but you may have to work at it to get enough heat. Brass is a good conductor of heat and want's to suck the heat away from the solder joint. Give it a try you will be surprised what you can make for your machine to make life easier and faster.