I was just looking for a walking foot for my Singer 201. Apparently there are universal feet that claim to be "compatible with." And then there's one with a foot (cut out) that perfectly matches the 201/Featherweight's dogs. I believe it's made by Alphasew and called P60400. I wanted to mention that in case anyone has a 221 Featherweight, 15, 99, 128, 201 (apparently they all have the same dogs). The universal-fit reportedly don't work as well. (I wonder if that could have been a factor with your 237? ). EDIT: I received mine. I wouldn't call it a walking foot. I.e., the foot isn't _pulling_ the top fabric. It just pushes down and travels with the fabric (which the machine's dogs are moving as they did before). My first reaction was "this is just a complicated roller foot. Some of the foot's sole moves freely with the fabric. That's all." But, it _really_ works better than the roller foot (even though it's not pulling the fabric). It took me awhile to realize what value it's adding. Basically: the "walking" foot is applying two stages of foot pressure. The normal machine's pressure on the entire foot. And then targeted pressure directly on top of the machine's dogs (where it's needed). It looks walking, but it's real value is the downward pressure on the dogs beneath making it walk. It's a confusing topic because I think some really do walk. I've seen "cons" saying you can't do reverse. That would make sense only if the foot's really blindly walking with the needle bar. (I can do reverse, but mine's not walking. It's just downward pressure on the dogs that make it look like it walks.). So, if one of these doesn't really walk, then I think it's important for its "dogs" to fit the machine's dogs (closer fit is better).
I have a standard home Singer and one of the 607 semi-industrial machines. I use them both regularly. The last two projects were: 1) Sewing junk-yard-obtained seatbelt webbing into soft-tie slings for hanging air hoses, welding leads, garden hoses, and water pump discharge flexible piping from wall hooks and/or ceiling joist hooks. 2) Upholstery Vinyl with black Nylon bias tape for custom tool wrench pouches. The seatbelt webbing was sewn with the 607 semi-industrial machine. The upholstery Vinyl with the bias tape was accomplished on the standard home Singer machine. The results of both projects were perfect! There was no way the Nylon bias tape would have attached so smoothly folded over on the raw edge of the upholstery Vinyl without the plastic walking foot installed on the home Singer. Like any tool, keep within its capabilities and it works just fine.
I have a similar collection of machines to yours and have even-feed feet (I refuse to call them walking feet) attachments for my drop-feed machines. One big issue for getting them to work is that the movable "skis" on the bottom of the even feed foot **MUST** exactly match the feed dogs on the machine. The whole system only works when the movable portion of the even-feed foot lands directly on the teeth of the feed dog. The idea is that the feed dogs rise up at the same moment the even-feed skis press down and lift the outer foot up off the fabric. The result is that the fabric is trapped between the feed dogs pulling backwards and the even-feed skis which are free to go along for the ride. If the even-feed skis don't land on the feed dog teeth, then when the feed dog rises up, there's nothing for it to press against and it can't grab the fabric. This may explain why you had worse feeding on several of your samples when using the even-feed foot. When I try to explain the use of an even-feed foot to other people, I usually say it's nothing more than a passive way to reduce the friction between the workpiece and the bottom of the presser foot because only the sliding bit of the even-feed foot is touching the workpiece while it moves. Sometimes eliminating the drag of the presser foot is enough to make the difference between feeding evenly and not feeding at all or just shearing the top and bottom layer relative to each other (as is a common problem in quilting). In contrast, an actual walking foot machine actively pulls the fabric in the direction of feed, making sure that the whole workpiece moves together in unison.
I have a decent all metal component domestic sewing machine, and I bought that same singer walking foot attachment. It helped with materials like canvas and very thin (1-2 oz) leather. Then I dropped about $3k on a TechSew 2750 cylinder arm machine with the servo motor. Comparing them is ridiculous. It’s not just the feed dogs, it’s the motor power that can drive that needle into almost a half inch of veg tan leather. Having said that, it took me a year to get to know my new beast, and I hated it until I learned how to tame it. Now, I think it was the best investment I could have made.
I have one of these for my domestic Pfaff. I use it when I make potholders that have 5 layers (2 fabric, 2 batting, 1 insulbrite) and also fleece blankets. I really just have it because I didn't want to fiddle with readjusting the walking foot for light fabric and thread.
I have an older walking foot attachment like the one you have but paid much less. I used this on my Singer HD when I did insulated blinds. Warm windows insulated curtain fabric is made from 4 layers,then folded upholstery fabric and Velcro. It gave more uniform stitches and I could keep a straighter line than a standard foot. I run the foot pressure high using the walking foot. I have not used it on thin fabric because I never had a problem sewing it with thin fabrics. If I had problems with thin fabric, I would just adjust foot pressure. The sunroom curtains will be done on the Singer HD because it's portable and can go into a big enough space to do a 10' by 59" curtain. If I can't get it to work well enough, I can get my smaller long arm walking foot machine out of my sewing table setup and in the living room.
As you stated the even feed foot is designed for quilting, and in that capacity it works well. You do need to figure out the stitch length that matches the foot as it only 'feeds' at a single length (about 1mm). I use the teflon foot a lot when doing heavy material. Sometimes it is almost too slippery and I go back to a plain steel foot. Rubber and home machines do not do well together. I used to sew things using the old army waterproof bags. Nylon with a rubber lining (about 500 denier IIRC). The machine (Singer 15) would do OK on a couple of layers as long as I kept the speed down. More than four layers and the rubber causes the hook not to catch the thread. If I went too fast the needle would heat up and cause all kinds of issues.
I've struggled with my Singer 201K at every possible setting and with every different needle to sew innertubes, all to no avail. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, but will now look for a walking foot... Cheers.
i have that same Singer walking foot attachment for my old Singer -- they are indeed finicky. when it works, it's great, but sometimes it seems like it's just going to break (and i've had the metal bits pop off and i've had to put them back on in mid-sew before). what this has convinced me of is that i need to find myself one of those Sailright (sp?) machines, haha. great video, as always. (oh, and before i forget: CAT BUTTTTTTT!)
Interesting comparison thank you. I find the bolt on walking foot is excellent for fabrics like silk and velvet, that creep with a normal foot and never finish together. The issue I find with thicker stuff, is getting it under the walking foot fitting in the first place as it sits a bit lower than the standard feet (on both a 1970's Bernina 830 with the Bernina own walking foot, and the Singer 201 with the one you have)
The walking foot attachement just lets the upper dogs slide with the material as it has no power or syncronisation with the lower feed dogs stitch length. This works ok for some materials . The true walking foot is driving top and bottom in sync ,so no contest really. This Great demo shows it perfectly.
great video, shows what you can not sew with the walking foot attachment as this detachment is designed to sew silks, rayons, and the lightest and sheerest of fabrics. These kinds of fabric require a walking foot attachments to keep them from sliding. A great video showing it wont work with medium to heavy fabrics. Its only used in the fashion world,
Your sponsors are the BEST. Have you ever tried a Kenmore 158-1430? It has a 1 Amp motor, double belt drive, and a hyper lift presser foot that allows you to fit 6 or 7 quarters under. A much more capable machine than the 237. If the opportunity presents itself to you, try it.
I think others have suggested that machine to me, I haven't encountered one yet, but I'll keep my eyes peeled! And thanks, sponsorships that good are hard to come by 😂
On the rare times I have used my walking foot attachment I have reduced the foot pressure. This may be worth trying. But they are certainly not a foot that walks. They simply apply pressure and allow the top to move back and forth with less drag than the standard foot. Could be worthwhile trying the Janome accufeed system as they are very similar to you true walking foot machines. I guess they have their place but certainly doesn't make your machine a walking foot machine. Loving the cats and I am not really a cat person. All the best.
Basically a regular home sewing machine does not have a big stitch length . Even with the walking foot it doesn't pull the layers of batting at times. Then foam is not possible at all
I recently asked this in some of the FB sewing machine groups and found like I was observing... where at first I thought the Singer walking foot attachment that came with the 206W was broken... it wasn't and most all the attachments claimed to be walking feet aren't really that. Reads/sounds like there is one model attachment that is a semi-walking foot or "even feed" attachment. I did however find there is a Davis vertical feed machine that looks interesting and I wound up finding one for $20 so that was awesome... though waiting on being shipped since I want to be super cost effective and careful so isn't damaged. Would be awesome if I can reverse engineer and fabricate parts to add to one of my White's that are the made in the models with the longer stitch length. That'd be great... and thinking a White FR since I saved so many and can modify one or two custom... like swapping the presser-bar so I can adjust to be low/high or what appears will be better to center the needle in the attachments... slant shank. Thanks for the affirmation and sharing! So much to sewing I need to learn and isn't so much the sewing machine repair and functional restoration work.
I use that same attachment for silnylon on my 1941 Singer treadle, works great for that but not for much else. I had the same feed issues with thicker materials.
I wouldn't expect a walking-foot attachment to perform anywhere near a true walking foot machine. The foot doesn't actually walk for a start. Technically it's called an equal feed foot. Having said that, I would have expected the attachment to work better than it did. My own experience is that the walking foot attachment does improve the feeding on the Dacron sailcloth I sew quite a lot. Modern sailcloth is very hard and the lower feed dogs can really struggle to get enough grip. These attachments definitely improve the matter even if not a real walking foot. ATB Paula.
Hi! I'm sorry for taking so long to reply to this. I have two WorkerBs, and neither exhibit ANY movement that I have noticed. I would reach out to Sailrite if you haven't already.
Thank you very much for your nice research on this subject. I think your arguments are strong. I have also seen many users of sewing machines talking about how such walking foot attachments helps and it can be hard to argue about it without showing some tests like you just did. I like to ask what thread size you used - I guess Tex 70 thread. I tried to find information about this subject about 6 years ago regarding different presser feet and the more trustful information I could find did not point at the walking foot attachment, so I newer bought one. But from reading I noticed that a big roller foot and Teflon foot might be helpful. I mostly sew vinyl and webbing. So I got them. I have newer been able to confirm, that the Teflon foot helps. But the big roller foot do help. After a study of this problem I decided to modify a normal foot for a straight stitch machine with a notch to the back. With high thread tension you will have the thread tension working against feed of fabric. But the roller foot and this foot with notch prevents the thread tension to work that much against the feed. So they actually do help the domestic drop feed straight stitch sewing machine. But these foots have a disadvantage for thinner fabrics below about 1.5 mm fabric because they cause uneven stitch balance. I actually think the foot with the notch is a bit better than the big roller foot with bigger pieces of fabric, because the roller foot can make the fabric slide when the feed dogs are below. Of cause al this is just some attempts to make the normal cheap vintage sewing machines somewhat better for the more heavy job.
Tex 70 (V69) is correct, I use that about 99% of the time. I would definitely like to explore some alternative feet in the future, a roller foot seems like it could be particularly effective. Thanks for sharing your info!
@@thejasonofalltrades It is easy to find a big roller foot for a high shank machine. But I only found one supplier for a low shank machine, and it may fit your Singer 201, if you still got it. www.sewingpartsonline.com/leather-quilting-roller-foot-brother-blso-lrf.aspx But if you got an extra foot for the Singer 201, this notch option is good: ua-cam.com/video/rBIulDuhDDs/v-deo.html
Lower the foot pressure ? Do you think the singer attachment might work better so that the upper teeth can help slide the work through and no friction from the static metal foot. We used to make domestic gas appliances (uk gas fires) and our sheet metal gas burners were stich welded with copper wheel seam spot welder worked in a similar way to your demo, in that the two sheetmetal parts were pulled into the wheels to make then gas tight . We also did some manual seam welding with a foot operated spot welder. This was back in the 1980s.
Interesting comparison. One thing I've realised, having just spent two days fixing my sewing machine, is that I should have bought a second hand, older, domestic machine for my first sewing machine. The Brother machine I have (FS-40) is just too flimsy for anything more adventurous than a couple of light layers of fabric. I do a small amount of clothing repairs but mostly want to sew heavyweight Cordura type materials. Love the Cats. (especially at 0:52 when, in response to you saying Dog there was a feline reply)
Thanks for the video, Jason. I always appreciate your insight and humor. It's great content. I have wondered the same thing: whether a walking foot attachment can perform as well as a dedicated walking foot machine. The results confirm what I had suspected. Thanks again.
That sponsor and her brother are the main things keeping me from visiting Australia lol! It takes so long to get there I want to spend significant time (plus I want to see things scattered all over the country), but I can't stand to be away from them for more than a few days 😂
Great educational video and the sponsor is adorable! I wish they would stop naming the different things the same. I love my serger flatlock but couldn't they not name it after a true flatlock? Same with walking feet. While I made sure to buy a 5mm wide version and not 7mm version (they are for drop in bobbins), I still find that for some fabrics it doesn't improve anything. For example, I don't see why people insist it helps with knits, for me it does not and my machine handles knits well. But it does wonders for stitching the shiny side of PUL or hemming long thick curtains without roping. Those walking foot machines are mesmerizing, they just literally walk ^_^
The topics of stitch length & foot pressure weren't mentioned. I wonder how important those are. The walking foot's dogs move at a fixed rate. If the machine's stitch length was set to a long length (which looked like it was?), that might not work right if the foot's dogs move at half the length? (Maybe this was taken into account, but not mentioned?). Same thing with foot pressure (I wonder how important that is, if it was dialed in?).
FYI: I received a walking foot for my Singer 201. It's not really a walking foot (it just looks like one when operating). It works great sewing 5 layers. I.e., it's really doing something (compared to a roller foot). But, it's not pulling the fabric (from the top) like a walking foot. All it's doing is putting focused pressure down onto the machine's feed dogs. (There's the whole presser-foot pressure, and then this pinch-point pressure of the foot's dogs. They move freely with the machine's dog's they're pressed down on with more force than the entire foot. It's that point of more pressure which makes it work better than a roller foot. It's like it jacks up the whole foot, relieving pressure _except_ on the dogs.). It's definitely working for me. But, not "walking" (and thus stitch length isn't a concern. The foot's dogs walk with whatever you do, including reverse to lock the stitch.). Some of these may actually have walking feet (pulling the fabric). My initial reaction to mine was that it was a gimmick (not really walking). But, it definitely works with my shifting-5-layers problem. Stitch length isn't an issue (there's probably a sweet spot, but it's just moving with the machine's dogs.). Pressure should be viewed as 2 stages: the whole foot, and a little more applied to the dogs. There's a sweet spot between the whole thing and the moving part. In this case, it probably matters that the foot's dogs fit the machine's dogs pretty closely. (But, if a walking-foot really walked - pulling the fabric - then the fit wouldn't matter as much.).
I tried this foot on my Singer 1200 first, and was surprised at how good it seemed at first. I didn't thoroughly test that combination, but my hunch is that it will probably not come close to equalling a walking-foot machine, although it's at least possible it will work somewhat better than the 237. People have raved to me about the Bernina Record 930 with their walking-foot attachment, but I remain skeptical; the walking-foot attachments are really intended for helping to evenly feed multiple layers, and don't really improve the overall capability of the machine. I think a cheap walking-foot attachment is a good additional tool to have, though!
I have a 237, put on an extra pulley to slow it down, and am considering an add-on walking foot for the work I do--mostly patchng denim jeans and my Carhartt insulated coveralls. Those type materials were not covered here, has anyone else found the added walking foot to help with these materials?
I could've used this video about a week and a half ago! I exchanged the 1st even feed foot I bought thinking it was broken! nope they just suck. time to save my pennies for a real machine.
I have a 2Ku33, similar to the Sailrite. I like it very much except for leather, it leaves the presser foot marks. So instead of the even feed foot or the walking foot, I prefer the roller foot on my Bernina for leather work. The foot pressure will have to be adjusted for various thickness of material, in order for the feed to work properly.
@@Kikekankun canvas, denim, ripstop, or anything that I find my other machines cannot handle....thick, hard, slippery, textured, or uneven. It works just like a Sailrite sewing machine, only noisier.
I have a question. At what point do you move to a WF machine? I'm new to this skill and would like to richest rigs, not so much tactical, but rather more practicalforncivilian enthusiasts.Any suggestions to establish a baseline? Thanks, Mike.
Hi Mike, I would say it depends very much on what you are sewing, in terms of both materials and construction. Walking-foot machines excel at feeding thicker materials, and going over thick seams and other transitions. You can get by with a standard machine, but it may struggle to get over seams, and stitch length may be inconsistent. There are tricks one can employ, like using a "hump jumper" (something I have never actually tried), and by hand wheeling and otherwise manually assisting the machine (do a stitch, lift the foot, physically move the fabric a little, lower the foot and do another stitch). While you may be able to get an acceptable job done, these can be tedious and possibly less effective. I made my first "real" backpack out of 1000D Cordura with PALS webbing all over it on a Pfaff 260 vintage domestic non-walking-foot machine. Now that I have a number of walking-foot machines, I will almost certainly never use a machine like that again for a job like that lol. The only thing a walking-foot machine does less well in my opinion is sewing very thin materials, and for people who like to sew the kinds of things I like to (utility items, bags, outdoor gear, camping gear) I advocate a two-machine minimum: a walking-foot machine for most things, and a vintage domestic machine for thin materials. The main disadvantage for someone just getting into sewing as far as a walking-foot machine is concerned is they generally cost a lot more than a used vintage domestic machine, or even many brand new ones. I tend to not recommend someone spend that kind of money on a first machine, since they may find that sewing isn't for them and have a larger investment to try to recoup. If you are already sewing, already love it, and find that your machine is struggling with the things you are making, get a walking-foot machine as soon as it makes financial sense to you. For something like a chest rig, I think a walking-foot machine will make you very happy. You can definitely get by without it, but you will struggle less and enjoy more using the right tool for the job. I hope that helps, feel free to let me know if you have other questions, and good luck with your projects!
Doesnt the presser foot tension have to be adjusted when switching from straight foot to the walking foot attachment on the Singer 237 with thicker samples. Some of your samples would lead me to that adjustment I have learned from my own trials and errors. I have messed around with them walking foot attachments and had to adjust the presser foot tension to compensate for the difference in their height adjustments to the feeddogs and different thicknesses of materials being sewn. Just curious?????Good Video !
Hi! You might be correct, mine came with zero instructions and I honestly didn't look for any info online, just started messing with it. It would be interesting to know if it can be finessed into performing better, but I suspect I'm always going to conclude that a walking-foot machine is the way to go. Thanks for the info!
I hasten to clarify that her name is Coquina, named after a small mollusk commonly found on beaches here, not the drug lol! 😂 I probably should have written that out .... And a dog version would probably be at least equally effective 😁
@@thejasonofalltrades When using a thicker thread like V92 on the 237, do you adjust the bobbin tension at all or just the upper tension? and what size needle do you use with this thread? I picked up a 237 recently and love it but have been struggling with the thicker thread. I would love to run V92 in it though!
@@josephwills9501 It's been some time since I did it, but I don't recall changing anything at all. It largely depends on what fabric you are using. The general rule is pick the thread based on the fabric, and the needle based on the thread. When you say you are struggling with thicker thread, what thread/needle are you using and in what fabric? I generally use size 18 to 20 needles, but I'm notoriously bad about not checking or changing needles. I also generally always use either V69 or V92 thread, so whatever needle I have in any oil my machines is likely to work, since that's so often what I am using. If you, for instance, tried to sew Tyvek with V92, it would be difficult to get a balanced stitch. This is due to there not being enough fabric to bury the knot into, not anything to do with the machine. If you're sewing 1000D Cordura or something similar, V92 should be fine, and if you're having difficulty getting a balanced stitch, you may have to play with tension. One thing that could be suspect is the bobbin case tension spring being worn and not able to be adjusted to the correct tension anymore. So if you're using the appropriate fabric/thread/needle combination and can't ge a balanced stitch, I'd look at a replacement bobbin case as one option. Let me know what problems you're having. If you prefer you can email me and I can respond in greater detail. the jason of all trades @ gmail . com (remove the spaces)
I haven't tried this, but it would probably be a bit messy. I'm not sure if you're referring specifically to inner tubes, but they have a powdery substance on them that I think is talcum, I usually clean it off before using them, but when I haven't I have not noticed any performance difference.
Hi Tina, To the best of my knowledge, no one makes a walking foot attachment for industrial machines. Machines built for industrial applications tend to be purpose built, and a facility that needs walking-foot machines will have walking-foot machines. Moreover, as I discuss in this video, the walking-foot attachment just does not provide the same performance of a walking-foot machine, and in fact isn't really designed for that purpose. Incidentally, I generally advise people who do generalized sewing to steer clear of non-walking-foot industrial machines unless they definitely know they want one. Most non-walking-foot industrial machines don't do any better at feeding thicker materials or overcoming thick seam transitions than most vintage domestic machines, but they are typically way, way faster, which can actually be a problem for home sewists. (Faster sewing means faster mistakes, more broken needles, etc.) If you are sewing lots of the same seam in the same materials over and over, that kind of machine might be right for you, but putting a walking-foot attachment on it would not turn it into a triple-feed walking-foot machine. I hope that helps, if you're interested in the topic you might like my video "What Kind Of Sewing Machine Should I Buy?" on my channel. Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching!
I have tried out the Singer Walking Foot attachment. Honestly, not that great. I would rather use the non-stick or Telfon foot for some of the material. Sailrite Worker-B simply too expensive, a good voltage regulator will perform Six-Million-Dollar-Man magic. haha..
I usually try to be charitable in my replies to incredibly stupid comments like this one, but I'm not in the mood today. Go find a other channel, my content isn't for children.
That “ad” was PERFECT 😄
I was just looking for a walking foot for my Singer 201. Apparently there are universal feet that claim to be "compatible with." And then there's one with a foot (cut out) that perfectly matches the 201/Featherweight's dogs. I believe it's made by Alphasew and called P60400.
I wanted to mention that in case anyone has a 221 Featherweight, 15, 99, 128, 201 (apparently they all have the same dogs). The universal-fit reportedly don't work as well. (I wonder if that could have been a factor with your 237? ).
EDIT: I received mine. I wouldn't call it a walking foot. I.e., the foot isn't _pulling_ the top fabric. It just pushes down and travels with the fabric (which the machine's dogs are moving as they did before). My first reaction was "this is just a complicated roller foot. Some of the foot's sole moves freely with the fabric. That's all." But, it _really_ works better than the roller foot (even though it's not pulling the fabric). It took me awhile to realize what value it's adding.
Basically: the "walking" foot is applying two stages of foot pressure. The normal machine's pressure on the entire foot. And then targeted pressure directly on top of the machine's dogs (where it's needed). It looks walking, but it's real value is the downward pressure on the dogs beneath making it walk.
It's a confusing topic because I think some really do walk. I've seen "cons" saying you can't do reverse. That would make sense only if the foot's really blindly walking with the needle bar. (I can do reverse, but mine's not walking. It's just downward pressure on the dogs that make it look like it walks.). So, if one of these doesn't really walk, then I think it's important for its "dogs" to fit the machine's dogs (closer fit is better).
I have a standard home Singer and one of the 607 semi-industrial machines. I use them both regularly. The last two projects were: 1) Sewing junk-yard-obtained seatbelt webbing into soft-tie slings for hanging air hoses, welding leads, garden hoses, and water pump discharge flexible piping from wall hooks and/or ceiling joist hooks. 2) Upholstery Vinyl with black Nylon bias tape for custom tool wrench pouches.
The seatbelt webbing was sewn with the 607 semi-industrial machine. The upholstery Vinyl with the bias tape was accomplished on the standard home Singer machine.
The results of both projects were perfect! There was no way the Nylon bias tape would have attached so smoothly folded over on the raw edge of the upholstery Vinyl without the plastic walking foot installed on the home Singer.
Like any tool, keep within its capabilities and it works just fine.
I have a similar collection of machines to yours and have even-feed feet (I refuse to call them walking feet) attachments for my drop-feed machines. One big issue for getting them to work is that the movable "skis" on the bottom of the even feed foot **MUST** exactly match the feed dogs on the machine. The whole system only works when the movable portion of the even-feed foot lands directly on the teeth of the feed dog. The idea is that the feed dogs rise up at the same moment the even-feed skis press down and lift the outer foot up off the fabric. The result is that the fabric is trapped between the feed dogs pulling backwards and the even-feed skis which are free to go along for the ride. If the even-feed skis don't land on the feed dog teeth, then when the feed dog rises up, there's nothing for it to press against and it can't grab the fabric. This may explain why you had worse feeding on several of your samples when using the even-feed foot.
When I try to explain the use of an even-feed foot to other people, I usually say it's nothing more than a passive way to reduce the friction between the workpiece and the bottom of the presser foot because only the sliding bit of the even-feed foot is touching the workpiece while it moves. Sometimes eliminating the drag of the presser foot is enough to make the difference between feeding evenly and not feeding at all or just shearing the top and bottom layer relative to each other (as is a common problem in quilting). In contrast, an actual walking foot machine actively pulls the fabric in the direction of feed, making sure that the whole workpiece moves together in unison.
That's great info, thanks for sharing!
I have a decent all metal component domestic sewing machine, and I bought that same singer walking foot attachment. It helped with materials like canvas and very thin (1-2 oz) leather. Then I dropped about $3k on a TechSew 2750 cylinder arm machine with the servo motor. Comparing them is ridiculous. It’s not just the feed dogs, it’s the motor power that can drive that needle into almost a half inch of veg tan leather. Having said that, it took me a year to get to know my new beast, and I hated it until I learned how to tame it. Now, I think it was the best investment I could have made.
Beautiful black cat. they are the most gentle and friendliest of all cats.
That’s about the outcome I had expected but one never knows without comparing 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻.
I have one of these for my domestic Pfaff. I use it when I make potholders that have 5 layers (2 fabric, 2 batting, 1 insulbrite) and also fleece blankets. I really just have it because I didn't want to fiddle with readjusting the walking foot for light fabric and thread.
I have an older walking foot attachment like the one you have but paid much less. I used this on my Singer HD when I did insulated blinds. Warm windows insulated curtain fabric is made from 4 layers,then folded upholstery fabric and Velcro. It gave more uniform stitches and I could keep a straighter line than a standard foot. I run the foot pressure high using the walking foot. I have not used it on thin fabric because I never had a problem sewing it with thin fabrics. If I had problems with thin fabric, I would just adjust foot pressure. The sunroom curtains will be done on the Singer HD because it's portable and can go into a big enough space to do a 10' by 59" curtain. If I can't get it to work well enough, I can get my smaller long arm walking foot machine out of my sewing table setup and in the living room.
As you stated the even feed foot is designed for quilting, and in that capacity it works well. You do need to figure out the stitch length that matches the foot as it only 'feeds' at a single length (about 1mm).
I use the teflon foot a lot when doing heavy material. Sometimes it is almost too slippery and I go back to a plain steel foot.
Rubber and home machines do not do well together. I used to sew things using the old army waterproof bags. Nylon with a rubber lining (about 500 denier IIRC). The machine (Singer 15) would do OK on a couple of layers as long as I kept the speed down. More than four layers and the rubber causes the hook not to catch the thread. If I went too fast the needle would heat up and cause all kinds of issues.
I've struggled with my Singer 201K at every possible setting and with every different needle to sew innertubes, all to no avail. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, but will now look for a walking foot... Cheers.
I have 4 of the 237 machines and I love it for my free motion quilting, even on a California king quilt
i have that same Singer walking foot attachment for my old Singer -- they are indeed finicky. when it works, it's great, but sometimes it seems like it's just going to break (and i've had the metal bits pop off and i've had to put them back on in mid-sew before). what this has convinced me of is that i need to find myself one of those Sailright (sp?) machines, haha. great video, as always. (oh, and before i forget: CAT BUTTTTTTT!)
Interesting comparison thank you. I find the bolt on walking foot is excellent for fabrics like silk and velvet, that creep with a normal foot and never finish together. The issue I find with thicker stuff, is getting it under the walking foot fitting in the first place as it sits a bit lower than the standard feet (on both a 1970's Bernina 830 with the Bernina own walking foot, and the Singer 201 with the one you have)
The walking foot attachement just lets the upper dogs slide with the material as it has no power or syncronisation with the lower feed dogs stitch length. This works ok for some materials . The true walking foot is driving top and bottom in sync ,so no contest really. This Great demo shows it perfectly.
Love the Coquina 3000! Wouldn’t you know, we have a similar model-it’s called the Woody 2011 😉
great video, shows what you can not sew with the walking foot attachment as this detachment is designed to sew silks, rayons, and the lightest and sheerest of fabrics. These kinds of fabric require a walking foot attachments to keep them from sliding. A great video showing it wont work with medium to heavy fabrics. Its only used in the fashion world,
Your sponsors are the BEST.
Have you ever tried a Kenmore 158-1430? It has a 1 Amp motor, double belt drive, and a hyper lift presser foot that allows you to fit 6 or 7 quarters under. A much more capable machine than the 237. If the opportunity presents itself to you, try it.
I think others have suggested that machine to me, I haven't encountered one yet, but I'll keep my eyes peeled!
And thanks, sponsorships that good are hard to come by 😂
On the rare times I have used my walking foot attachment I have reduced the foot pressure. This may be worth trying. But they are certainly not a foot that walks. They simply apply pressure and allow the top to move back and forth with less drag than the standard foot. Could be worthwhile trying the Janome accufeed system as they are very similar to you true walking foot machines. I guess they have their place but certainly doesn't make your machine a walking foot machine. Loving the cats and I am not really a cat person. All the best.
Basically a regular home sewing machine does not have a big stitch length .
Even with the walking foot it doesn't pull the layers of batting at times.
Then foam is not possible at all
I recently asked this in some of the FB sewing machine groups and found like I was observing... where at first I thought the Singer walking foot attachment that came with the 206W was broken... it wasn't and most all the attachments claimed to be walking feet aren't really that. Reads/sounds like there is one model attachment that is a semi-walking foot or "even feed" attachment. I did however find there is a Davis vertical feed machine that looks interesting and I wound up finding one for $20 so that was awesome... though waiting on being shipped since I want to be super cost effective and careful so isn't damaged. Would be awesome if I can reverse engineer and fabricate parts to add to one of my White's that are the made in the models with the longer stitch length. That'd be great... and thinking a White FR since I saved so many and can modify one or two custom... like swapping the presser-bar so I can adjust to be low/high or what appears will be better to center the needle in the attachments... slant shank. Thanks for the affirmation and sharing! So much to sewing I need to learn and isn't so much the sewing machine repair and functional restoration work.
I use that same attachment for silnylon on my 1941 Singer treadle, works great for that but not for much else. I had the same feed issues with thicker materials.
I was wondering if silnylon (without 3/8" foam in the middle lol) might be a great application for this foot.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I wouldn't expect a walking-foot attachment to perform anywhere near a true walking foot machine. The foot doesn't actually walk for a start. Technically it's called an equal feed foot. Having said that, I would have expected the attachment to work better than it did. My own experience is that the walking foot attachment does improve the feeding on the Dacron sailcloth I sew quite a lot. Modern sailcloth is very hard and the lower feed dogs can really struggle to get enough grip. These attachments definitely improve the matter even if not a real walking foot. ATB Paula.
Hi!
I'm sorry for taking so long to reply to this.
I have two WorkerBs, and neither exhibit ANY movement that I have noticed. I would reach out to Sailrite if you haven't already.
Thank you very much for your nice research on this subject. I think your arguments are strong. I have also seen many users of sewing machines talking about how such walking foot attachments helps and it can be hard to argue about it without showing some tests like you just did. I like to ask what thread size you used - I guess Tex 70 thread.
I tried to find information about this subject about 6 years ago regarding different presser feet and the more trustful information I could find did not point at the walking foot attachment, so I newer bought one. But from reading I noticed that a big roller foot and Teflon foot might be helpful. I mostly sew vinyl and webbing. So I got them. I have newer been able to confirm, that the Teflon foot helps. But the big roller foot do help. After a study of this problem I decided to modify a normal foot for a straight stitch machine with a notch to the back. With high thread tension you will have the thread tension working against feed of fabric. But the roller foot and this foot with notch prevents the thread tension to work that much against the feed. So they actually do help the domestic drop feed straight stitch sewing machine. But these foots have a disadvantage for thinner fabrics below about 1.5 mm fabric because they cause uneven stitch balance. I actually think the foot with the notch is a bit better than the big roller foot with bigger pieces of fabric, because the roller foot can make the fabric slide when the feed dogs are below. Of cause al this is just some attempts to make the normal cheap vintage sewing machines somewhat better for the more heavy job.
Tex 70 (V69) is correct, I use that about 99% of the time.
I would definitely like to explore some alternative feet in the future, a roller foot seems like it could be particularly effective. Thanks for sharing your info!
@@thejasonofalltrades It is easy to find a big roller foot for a high shank machine. But I only found one supplier for a low shank machine, and it may fit your Singer 201, if you still got it. www.sewingpartsonline.com/leather-quilting-roller-foot-brother-blso-lrf.aspx
But if you got an extra foot for the Singer 201, this notch option is good: ua-cam.com/video/rBIulDuhDDs/v-deo.html
Lower the foot pressure ? Do you think the singer attachment might work better so that the upper teeth can help slide the work through and no friction from the static metal foot.
We used to make domestic gas appliances (uk gas fires) and our sheet metal gas burners were stich welded with copper wheel seam spot welder worked in a similar way to your demo, in that the two sheetmetal parts were pulled into the wheels to make then gas tight . We also did some manual seam welding with a foot operated spot welder. This was back in the 1980s.
Yes I need this for my socks do u still have any available lol
Interesting comparison. One thing I've realised, having just spent two days fixing my sewing machine, is that I should have bought a second hand, older, domestic machine for my first sewing machine. The Brother machine I have (FS-40) is just too flimsy for anything more adventurous than a couple of light layers of fabric. I do a small amount of clothing repairs but mostly want to sew heavyweight Cordura type materials.
Love the Cats. (especially at 0:52 when, in response to you saying Dog there was a feline reply)
Oh man I didn't even notice that lol! Thanks!
love ❤ ur cat .. these felines can never be resisted at any situtions 😁
Thanks for the video, Jason. I always appreciate your insight and humor. It's great content. I have wondered the same thing: whether a walking foot attachment can perform as well as a dedicated walking foot machine. The results confirm what I had suspected. Thanks again.
One came with my baby lock, it helped when I made a quilt, it’s nothing compared to my lsz 1
thanks for the information it definitely makes sense
Love your sponsor! Unfortunately I don’t think they ship to Australia…
Tremendously informative video though, Jason. Thanks very much!
That sponsor and her brother are the main things keeping me from visiting Australia lol! It takes so long to get there I want to spend significant time (plus I want to see things scattered all over the country), but I can't stand to be away from them for more than a few days 😂
Thanks for the info, and I loved your kitty commercial...LOL! Lil hugs
How nice your pet
Great educational video and the sponsor is adorable!
I wish they would stop naming the different things the same. I love my serger flatlock but couldn't they not name it after a true flatlock? Same with walking feet.
While I made sure to buy a 5mm wide version and not 7mm version (they are for drop in bobbins), I still find that for some fabrics it doesn't improve anything. For example, I don't see why people insist it helps with knits, for me it does not and my machine handles knits well. But it does wonders for stitching the shiny side of PUL or hemming long thick curtains without roping.
Those walking foot machines are mesmerizing, they just literally walk ^_^
Brilliant sponsorship
The topics of stitch length & foot pressure weren't mentioned. I wonder how important those are. The walking foot's dogs move at a fixed rate. If the machine's stitch length was set to a long length (which looked like it was?), that might not work right if the foot's dogs move at half the length? (Maybe this was taken into account, but not mentioned?). Same thing with foot pressure (I wonder how important that is, if it was dialed in?).
FYI: I received a walking foot for my Singer 201. It's not really a walking foot (it just looks like one when operating). It works great sewing 5 layers. I.e., it's really doing something (compared to a roller foot). But, it's not pulling the fabric (from the top) like a walking foot. All it's doing is putting focused pressure down onto the machine's feed dogs. (There's the whole presser-foot pressure, and then this pinch-point pressure of the foot's dogs. They move freely with the machine's dog's they're pressed down on with more force than the entire foot. It's that point of more pressure which makes it work better than a roller foot. It's like it jacks up the whole foot, relieving pressure _except_ on the dogs.). It's definitely working for me. But, not "walking" (and thus stitch length isn't a concern. The foot's dogs walk with whatever you do, including reverse to lock the stitch.).
Some of these may actually have walking feet (pulling the fabric). My initial reaction to mine was that it was a gimmick (not really walking). But, it definitely works with my shifting-5-layers problem. Stitch length isn't an issue (there's probably a sweet spot, but it's just moving with the machine's dogs.). Pressure should be viewed as 2 stages: the whole foot, and a little more applied to the dogs. There's a sweet spot between the whole thing and the moving part. In this case, it probably matters that the foot's dogs fit the machine's dogs pretty closely. (But, if a walking-foot really walked - pulling the fabric - then the fit wouldn't matter as much.).
good video, informational for sure, bonus pud footage is adorable lol
Do you suppose it would work with the old Singers? I have fiddled with the other feet and they work........ sometimes.🤓
I tried this foot on my Singer 1200 first, and was surprised at how good it seemed at first. I didn't thoroughly test that combination, but my hunch is that it will probably not come close to equalling a walking-foot machine, although it's at least possible it will work somewhat better than the 237.
People have raved to me about the Bernina Record 930 with their walking-foot attachment, but I remain skeptical; the walking-foot attachments are really intended for helping to evenly feed multiple layers, and don't really improve the overall capability of the machine.
I think a cheap walking-foot attachment is a good additional tool to have, though!
LMAO I love your sponsor
I have a 237, put on an extra pulley to slow it down, and am considering an add-on walking foot for the work I do--mostly patchng denim jeans and my Carhartt insulated coveralls. Those type materials were not covered here, has anyone else found the added walking foot to help with these materials?
Cheap generic walking foot help me a lot sewing tricky hem. I bought a new one with open toe.
I could've used this video about a week and a half ago! I exchanged the 1st even feed foot I bought thinking it was broken! nope they just suck. time to save my pennies for a real machine.
I have a 2Ku33, similar to the Sailrite. I like it very much except for leather, it leaves the presser foot marks. So instead of the even feed foot or the walking foot, I prefer the roller foot on my Bernina for leather work. The foot pressure will have to be adjusted for various thickness of material, in order for the feed to work properly.
What materials you sew in that machine? I'm thinking on buying it because in Mexico there's no way to buy sailrite. Thanks
@@Kikekankun canvas, denim, ripstop, or anything that I find my other machines cannot handle....thick, hard, slippery, textured, or uneven. It works just like a Sailrite sewing machine, only noisier.
I have a question. At what point do you move to a WF machine? I'm new to this skill and would like to richest rigs, not so much tactical, but rather more practicalforncivilian enthusiasts.Any suggestions to establish a baseline? Thanks, Mike.
Hi Mike,
I would say it depends very much on what you are sewing, in terms of both materials and construction.
Walking-foot machines excel at feeding thicker materials, and going over thick seams and other transitions. You can get by with a standard machine, but it may struggle to get over seams, and stitch length may be inconsistent. There are tricks one can employ, like using a "hump jumper" (something I have never actually tried), and by hand wheeling and otherwise manually assisting the machine (do a stitch, lift the foot, physically move the fabric a little, lower the foot and do another stitch). While you may be able to get an acceptable job done, these can be tedious and possibly less effective.
I made my first "real" backpack out of 1000D Cordura with PALS webbing all over it on a Pfaff 260 vintage domestic non-walking-foot machine. Now that I have a number of walking-foot machines, I will almost certainly never use a machine like that again for a job like that lol.
The only thing a walking-foot machine does less well in my opinion is sewing very thin materials, and for people who like to sew the kinds of things I like to (utility items, bags, outdoor gear, camping gear) I advocate a two-machine minimum: a walking-foot machine for most things, and a vintage domestic machine for thin materials.
The main disadvantage for someone just getting into sewing as far as a walking-foot machine is concerned is they generally cost a lot more than a used vintage domestic machine, or even many brand new ones. I tend to not recommend someone spend that kind of money on a first machine, since they may find that sewing isn't for them and have a larger investment to try to recoup. If you are already sewing, already love it, and find that your machine is struggling with the things you are making, get a walking-foot machine as soon as it makes financial sense to you.
For something like a chest rig, I think a walking-foot machine will make you very happy. You can definitely get by without it, but you will struggle less and enjoy more using the right tool for the job.
I hope that helps, feel free to let me know if you have other questions, and good luck with your projects!
@@thejasonofalltrades I can't thank you enough for the input and guidance. Good advice and I will give it due thought. Thank you again.
Great video !
The 'Coquina 3000' (spelling?) made me wee myself a little bit. And I'm only 3' 55" in yet...
I would not use a regular sewing machine for stitching leather or rubber. I would use an industrial sewing machine for this.
I'm just here for the kitties.
I have never had luck with so called walking feet. I am waiting for someone to make a domestic machine with a two piece walking foot.
Doesnt the presser foot tension have to be adjusted when switching from straight foot to the walking foot attachment on the Singer 237 with thicker samples. Some of your samples would lead me to that adjustment I have learned from my own trials and errors. I have messed around with them walking foot attachments and had to adjust the presser foot tension to compensate for the difference in their height adjustments to the feeddogs and different thicknesses of materials being sewn. Just curious?????Good Video !
Hi!
You might be correct, mine came with zero instructions and I honestly didn't look for any info online, just started messing with it. It would be interesting to know if it can be finessed into performing better, but I suspect I'm always going to conclude that a walking-foot machine is the way to go.
Thanks for the info!
I got the dog version of the cocaina 2000.....lol
I hasten to clarify that her name is Coquina, named after a small mollusk commonly found on beaches here, not the drug lol! 😂 I probably should have written that out ....
And a dog version would probably be at least equally effective 😁
Try a roller foot or Teflon
What’s heaviest thread you run through your 237?
I've used V92 without issue.
Thanks for watching!
@@thejasonofalltrades When using a thicker thread like V92 on the 237, do you adjust the bobbin tension at all or just the upper tension? and what size needle do you use with this thread? I picked up a 237 recently and love it but have been struggling with the thicker thread. I would love to run V92 in it though!
@@josephwills9501 It's been some time since I did it, but I don't recall changing anything at all. It largely depends on what fabric you are using.
The general rule is pick the thread based on the fabric, and the needle based on the thread.
When you say you are struggling with thicker thread, what thread/needle are you using and in what fabric?
I generally use size 18 to 20 needles, but I'm notoriously bad about not checking or changing needles. I also generally always use either V69 or V92 thread, so whatever needle I have in any oil my machines is likely to work, since that's so often what I am using.
If you, for instance, tried to sew Tyvek with V92, it would be difficult to get a balanced stitch. This is due to there not being enough fabric to bury the knot into, not anything to do with the machine. If you're sewing 1000D Cordura or something similar, V92 should be fine, and if you're having difficulty getting a balanced stitch, you may have to play with tension. One thing that could be suspect is the bobbin case tension spring being worn and not able to be adjusted to the correct tension anymore. So if you're using the appropriate fabric/thread/needle combination and can't ge a balanced stitch, I'd look at a replacement bobbin case as one option.
Let me know what problems you're having. If you prefer you can email me and I can respond in greater detail. the jason of all trades @ gmail . com (remove the spaces)
What about using talcum powder?
I haven't tried this, but it would probably be a bit messy. I'm not sure if you're referring specifically to inner tubes, but they have a powdery substance on them that I think is talcum, I usually clean it off before using them, but when I haven't I have not noticed any performance difference.
3:25 brilliant
Thank you :)
Why can't you buy a walking foot for industry plain sewing machine??
Hi Tina,
To the best of my knowledge, no one makes a walking foot attachment for industrial machines. Machines built for industrial applications tend to be purpose built, and a facility that needs walking-foot machines will have walking-foot machines.
Moreover, as I discuss in this video, the walking-foot attachment just does not provide the same performance of a walking-foot machine, and in fact isn't really designed for that purpose.
Incidentally, I generally advise people who do generalized sewing to steer clear of non-walking-foot industrial machines unless they definitely know they want one. Most non-walking-foot industrial machines don't do any better at feeding thicker materials or overcoming thick seam transitions than most vintage domestic machines, but they are typically way, way faster, which can actually be a problem for home sewists. (Faster sewing means faster mistakes, more broken needles, etc.) If you are sewing lots of the same seam in the same materials over and over, that kind of machine might be right for you, but putting a walking-foot attachment on it would not turn it into a triple-feed walking-foot machine.
I hope that helps, if you're interested in the topic you might like my video "What Kind Of Sewing Machine Should I Buy?" on my channel.
Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching!
I have tried out the Singer Walking Foot attachment. Honestly, not that great. I would rather use the non-stick or Telfon foot for some of the material. Sailrite Worker-B simply too expensive, a good voltage regulator will perform Six-Million-Dollar-Man magic. haha..
Ordinary needle?
If you're asking about the Sairite, it uses an industrial needle, 135X17 (aka DPx17).
Jesus christ, video starts at 4:53
I usually try to be charitable in my replies to incredibly stupid comments like this one, but I'm not in the mood today. Go find a other channel, my content isn't for children.
Ayaan family vlog Malaysia hgyu ghu
You talk too much brother😢
No one cares what you think, loser.