Singer 29 Patcher Adjustment Tips

NEEDLES

System 29x3 (round point) and 29x4 (leather point) needles are specifically made to fit Singer model 29 patchers. System 332 (LG and LR), often used in some Adler series 30 patchers, also fit these machines. Nowadays, the system 29 and 332 needles are harder to find and can be replaced with the very common System 135x16 or 135x17 walking foot needles. The needle must be fully inserted into its clamp. The clamp itself can be loosened by the top screw and removed, or even moved sideways to get it closer or farther away from the hook. The only way to time the machine is by advancing or retarding the hook. If this machine is new to you, remove the needle clamp and the needle and tap it on a hard surface to shake out any foreign material. I once found a small broken off piece of a needle shank inside a needle clamp. That 'splained why I couldn't get it to sew with series 29 needles!

THREAD TAKE-UP ADJUSTMENTS

The stitch tightness and loop size can be altered by playing with the adjustments on top of the machine. The primary adjustment is via the check lever tension spring on top that goes between the take-up check lever on one end and to a threaded post on the rack on the other end. This spring is a flat tapered steel spring that pushes down on the back of the check lever to lift it. The check lever is Singer part #8659. The tension spring is Singer part #82219. The harder the spring tension is on that lever, the tighter the stitches will be. However, there is also a chance that this tension might cause a sub-par loop during the down/up/down jog. Various models of the 29 series machines have a fingertip adjuster on top of the back of the flat spring to give it some free motion during those critical moments when the loop is formed at the eye of the needle, just as the hook is about to rotate counterclockwise to pick off the loop.

Since the early 20th Century, most models produced after the 29-4 were equipped with a barrel shaped thread takeup adjuster assembly that fitted inside the top rack and could be adjusted to force the check lever to stay up to varying degrees on the downstroke of the take-up rack. This has the effect of delivering more slack thread during the period of time when the hook on the shuttle grabs the thread loop and pulls it over and under the shuttle to form a lockstitch. By introducing more slack thread on top, the stitches lay looser in the work being sewn. Coincidentally, this same slack thread assists the foot when feeding thick leather by reducing the back pressure from the top thread tension. It's already hard enough to get any decent stitch length at 1/4 inch thickness, or more. Turning the screw adjuster in some can give the additional slack needed to maintain the stitch length that the machine is capable of giving at that thickness (due to wear in the feed mechanism). If the barrel shaped thread adjuster is backed all the way out, it has no effect on the thread check lever. The only adjustment for the thread tightness will be the flat spring on top. This reverts the machine to the operating setup of the early 20th Century models like the 29-4.

When threading the the machine, always feed the top thread around the stud that is on the left rear side of the tension disks. Adjust the top tension disks screw to bring the knots up into the work being sewn. The patcher needs much more top tension than bobbin tension to balance the position of the knots. If you have trouble getting the knots off the bottom, either back off the bobbin tension screw, or increase the top tension with the threaded nut on the top tension disks adjuster. If this isn't enought, move up on needle size. That usually eases the friction holding the lockstitch knots down. If you are using a #18 (metric 110) needle with #69 (T70) thread, try using a #19 (metric 120).

BOBBINS

Singer and Adler patchers both take Style 19 small and Style I large prewound bobbins, if you can find any. The prewound bobbins I have managed to find are all #69 thread, mostly in black only. Otherwise, you can load your own steel bobbins using the bobbin winder and have any size and color thread the machine can tension properly. That is usually thread sizes 69 through 138. Due to their extremely small diameter and height, I don't recommend using thread thicker than #92 bonded nylon in the small bobbin models. You can still load a bobbin with #138 for a small sewing job, but it won't go very far. OTOH, the large bobbin patchers can hold enough #138 thread to sew at least 5 rifle slings, or guitar straps (in my experience).

PADDLE SPRING

Lastly, there is a small paddle shaped spring in the needle bar, sitting in a cutout just above the needle mounting clamp. I refer to it as The Paddle Spring. I have other words I throw at these springs from time to time, but this is a publicly viewable website. The paddle spring has one job: to hold the top thread in place as the needle bar makes its little job from BDC during the pickoff cycle. A fresh spring will hold the thread quiet tightly so it doesn't move until the hook picks it off. This ensures the best quality of the thread loop. However, over time, or after somebody gets the bright idea they can run heavy thread in a shoe patcher, the paddle spring gets stressed out and has less effect on the top thread during the pickoff cycle. If you find it damn near impossible to get the machine to pick off the thread loop reliably and keep getting skipped stitches, it might mean that the paddle spring needs to be tweaked or replaced. This is not a fun job and you may need to visit a shrink afterward. Just sayin'.

OPTIONAL T SHAPED DARNING ATTACHMENT

The way the darning works is when you rotate the T handle sideways - (there are full and half steps on the ends) - the take-up action of the needle bar forcibly raises the presser foot off the material. This allows you to move the leather freehand to place stitches where you want them. If you use the half cutout side, the foot is only lifted a small amount, whereas the full rounded side lifts it way up. You can pull the leather a longer distance with the full lift side, like for skipping a dee ring. When the foot bar lifts up, the top tension is released.

the T-rod is mounted inside a spring loaded barrel, which is secured to the foot lifting block both over and under. That is how it releases the thread tension when "T-lifted." Unbeknownst to some owners of these machines, one can re-route the top thread through the fixed front tension disks to do darning with no loss of tension on the upstroke. Normally, those disks hold the bobbin loader thread.

List of 29 series machines and their differences

29-(number), 29K (number) & 29U (number) subclass Listing. All are industrial universal feed (foot rotates 360 degrees) cylinder arm machines. Upper feed only (MOST models). Arm lengths: short = 12 1/4", long = 17 1/2". Hand or treadle powered. Horizontal oscillating shuttle. For patching boots and other Tubular Work.

Needle systems used: 29x3 or 135x17 (cloth), or 29x4 or 135x16 (leather).

  1. UFA (Universal Feed Arm). Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin. End Wheel. Made from about 1877 through the mid 1890s.
  2. 29 series. Made from the mid 1890s through the 1980s. Has a top rack instead of a solid arm.
  3. 29K1 Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin. End Wheel.
  4. 29-2 Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin. End wheel.
  5. 29K2 Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, side wheel. For general work.
  6. 29K3 Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin. For Waxed thread.
  7. 29K4 Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, side wheel. For waxed thread.
  8. 29-4 Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin. End wheel.
  9. 29K5 Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, end wheel.
  10. 29K6 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8" x 1", small bobbin.
  11. 29K7 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel.
  12. 29K8 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, end wheel.
  13. 29K9 Arm 12 1/4"x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel.
  14. 29K10 Arm 12 1/4"x 1 1/8", small bobbin, end wheel, 5/16" long stitch.
  15. 29K11 Narrow arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel, long stitch (5/16").
  16. 29K12 Narrow arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, end wheel.
  17. 29K13 Narrow arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, side wheel.
  18. 29K14 Narrow arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, end wheel; For waxed thread.
  19. 29K15 Narrow arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, side wheel; For waxed thread.
  20. 29K16 Narrow arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, end wheel,long stitch (5/16"), for worsted slipper work.
  21. 29K17 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin; end wheel. Upper & lower feeds.
  22. 29K18 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel. Upper & lower feeds.
  23. 29K19 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, end wheel, special needle bar.
  24. 29K20 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, end wheel, special needle bar.
  25. 29K21 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel, high lift.
  26. 29K22 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, end wheel, long stitch (5/16"). Upper & lower feeds for shoe binding.
  27. 29K23 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel, long stitch (5/16"). Upper & lower feeds for shoe binding.
  28. 29K30 Arm 17 1/2" x 1 5/32", large bobbin, end wheel; For waxed thread.
  29. 29K31 Arm 17 1/2" x 1 5/32", large bobbin, side wheel; For waxed thread.
  30. 29K32 Arm 17 1/2" x 1 3/32", small bobbin. end wheel; For waxed thread. For sewing in smaller spaces than 29K30.
  31. 29K33 Arm 17 1/2" x 1 3/32", small bobbin, side wheel; For waxed thread. For sewing in smaller spaces than 29K30.
  32. 29K51 Oscillating horizontal shuttle. Helical presser foot spring. Arm 12 1/4"x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel. For boot and shoe repairing.
  33. 29K52 Arm 12 1/4"x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel, long stitch (5/16").
  34. 29K53 Oscillating horizontal shuttle. Helical presser foot spring. Arm 12 1/4"x 1" (narrow); small bobbin, side wheel. For boot and shoe repairing.
  35. 29K54 Arm 12 1/4"x 1 1/8", small bobbin, side wheel, long stitch (5/16")
  36. 29K55 Oscillating horizontal shuttle. Helical presser foot spring. Arm 17 1/2" x 1 5/32" (long), large bobbin, side wheel. For boot and shoe repairing (waxed thread).
  37. 29K56 Oscillating horizontal shuttle. Helical presser foot spring. Arm 12 1/4" x 1 3/32"(narrow), small bobbin, side wheel. For boot and shoe repairing (waxed thread).
  38. 29K57 Small bobbin
  39. 29K58 Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, end wheel.
  40. 29K60 Arm 17 1/2" x 1 5/32", large bobbin, end wheel. Max. speed 500 SPM. Used extensively for repair work and also in the manufacture of a wide range of tubular articles such as, canvas hose, golf bags, automobile tool bags, artificial limbs and other miscellaneous work.
  41. 29K62 Arm 17 1/2" x 1", small bobbin, side wheel.
  42. 29K70 Oscillating horizontal shuttle. Helical presser foot spring. Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, end wheel. Max. stitch length 5 SPI. For boot and shoe repairing.
  43. 29K71 Oscillating horizontal shuttle. Helical presser foot spring. Arm 12 1/4" x 1" x 7/8" (narrow), small bobbin, side wheel. For boot and shoe repairing.
  44. 29K72 Oscillating horizontal shuttle. Helical presser foot spring. Arm 17 1/2" x 1 5/32", large bobbin, side wheel. For boot and shoe repairing.
  45. 29K73 Oscillating horizontal shuttle. Helical presser foot spring. Arm 17 1/2" x 1 x 7/8", small bobbin, side wheel. For boot and shoe repairing.
  46. 29K171 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 5/32", large bobbin, end wheel.
  47. 29U171 Arm 12 1/4" x 1 5/32", large bobbin, end wheel.
  48. 29U171A Arm 12 1/4" x 1", small bobbin, end wheel.
  49. 29K172 Large bobbin
  50. 29U172 Large bobbin
  51. 29U172A Arm 17 1/2" x 1 5/32", large bobbin, end wheel.
  52. 29K173 Small bobbin.
  53. 29U173 Small bobbin.
  54. 29U173A Arm 17 1/2"x1", small bobbin, end wheel.

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Last updated on Thursday, 28-Dec-2023 01:38:17 CST