Thor machine update 12/7/2018

Creative Arts Sewing Arts
#1

Firstly, some housekeeping. We are down 3 needles and part of the inner pressure foot is broken (still usable, but not ideal). These are all due to improper use, but only one person has paid for a needle and they informed me of breaking it. The other two people have not. If you chip the point of the needle, bend it, or snap it, pay for a new one. The spare needles have been locked up, if a new one is needed, contact a CA instructor to get a new one. Treat a needle breaking like the sawstop firing - report on issues and request on talk and let us know. Not reporting it will ban you from the machine until you retake the class.

The fact they are broken is not the issue. It is that individuals are not reporting them broken. If someone broke the pressure foot and they had posted on talk or messaged me, there would be no problem and I would know the exact way in which they broke it, which would improve future classes so that it doesn’t happen again.

“Not noticing” you have broken a needle is not an excuse. We are working to RFID lock the machine so unauthorized users cannot use the machine. If you have taken a class on the Pfaff or the Rex portable industrial sewing machines, you are still not qualified to use the machine until you have taken sewing 201. An active AD will be posted on the wiki.

Below is a picture of the broken foot. If breakages continue unreported, I will lock down the machine until we get an RFID lock so we can track who uses it and breaks it. I do not want to do this in the slightest but I will if necessary.

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In happier news, we have 38 people qualified on the machine as of tonight (including myself)! We have an additional instructor qualified to teach the training class, and more qualification classes will be added to the calendar soon.

I am also posting a project class for next week on the calendar - Coasters and keyfobs for gifts. We will be taking precut leather, cleaning it, tooling it (if desired), and sewing it together. I will also be posting the .DXF files so any maker can access the cut files for their own personal customization or to make more. I will continue to make more project classes as well leading up to the holidays. I hope to see everyone there!

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#2

https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/9041

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#3

How much are replacement needles, and what is the time it takes to replace one?

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#4

Was that an ankle with a removable foot, or did something snap off?

#5

something snapped off:

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Right side (circled in yellow) should look like its partner side, but instead looks busted off.

$10 per, only sold in packs of 10, if I recall correctly. If you bust one, deposit $10.00 in the kiosk and REPORT IT.

5 Likes
#6

Looks like you managed to smooth out the foot better. I see no, or very very few tool marks on that leather! Love it!

#7

Less pressure on the foot, gave it a rub down after with a damp cloth and then Aussie waxed it. Worked like a charm.

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#8

The needles are $10 to replace. The issue is someone working with a damaged needle, which can be a safety issue. These needles are huge, and if you continue to work with them damaged they can snap completely and go flying (which can happen in a regular machine as well, but the needles are smaller).

#9

Due to real life commitments, I won’t be able to host the coaster class this Saturday. I apologize for dropping the ball on training and project classes, they will have to wait until after Christmas.

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#10

Understood. Life sometimes gets in the way. Be sure to email any attendees who have already signed up.

#11

Didn’t you train something like 40 users in the first week Thor was here? that’s a lot of people right out of the gate.

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#12

Are there more classes coming up? Is there a prerequisite class I need to take before the one for Thor?

#13

I just got back in town, look to the calendar after the new year for more classes.

No prereq required

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#14

Update:

After talking with the machine supplier, there was a misunderstanding on pricing of needles. A “pack” of needles to them is 100 needles, a sleeve (what we would call a pack) is 10 needles. Needles come out to $12 for 10 needles (a sleeve). So needles are $1.20 a piece instead of $10 a piece.

I also bought ball nose needles size 25, so any fabric/non-leather project can now be accomplished on the Thor.

Additionally, we will be purchasing a second set of feet ($45) that will enable the guide to run up against the inner pressure foot (zippers, sewing within an 1/8" or so of the edge of your material).

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#15

I wonder how feasible it would be to lock the feet up in an RFID locked cabinet.

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#16

The new foot is closed so we won’t have any parts snapping off

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#17

Would it be possible to put the part number and url of where to order on the CA/Leather wiki? Haven’t taken the class but will order myself a package of 10ea of both style of needles.

Thanks

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#18

Great Idea!

@matthshooter, if you send me that information I’ll get it up on the Wiki.

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#19

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The “S” type needle gives a straight stitch (the outer stitch), the “LR” needle gives an angled stitch. I’ve included the picture of the needle sleeves. I’m still looking for a place online where to get them for a good price, but sunny sewing off in wood and 35 has them for $12 a sleeve. There is also a bag of loose needles with a ball nose / regular needle for cloth in the drawer of the machine.

For those who forget how to thread the machine, search youtube for “cowboy cb4500 threading”. They are analogous machines and are threaded the same way. Until I get with adnan and make a video on our machine this is the best reference.

6 Likes
#20

I have a video of you threading it, but my video skills are point and shoot with an iPhone.