Thank you! I have an old hand crank Singer chain stitch machine that just makes a tangled mess of thread when I try to use it. Seeing how it’s supposed to work is very helpful!
Superb demo and content! I finally understand the Chain Stitch in these machines. Thank you for a great video! fyi - please get a shirt mic for better audio and attach a sock to it to muffle out ambient noise like breathing.
I've never seen an industrial-sized chain stitcher so I can't say what they use. I do know that almost all toy machines use the rotating hook system. Thanks for commenting!
the second method with the spinning hook is incredible, someone had to come up with that then invent how to machine the part to mass produce the cool hidden mechanism
The story is that James Gibbs saw a newspaper picture of a sewing machine and decided to design his own. The problem was that the picture only showed to top of the machine. It didn't show that under the bed was a shuttle with a second thread. Gibbs assumed the machine just used one thread. So he imagined the only way to accomplish that was some kind of hook to create a chain stitch. He carved the first hook out of a piece of horn, or bone, depending on which reference is read. Thanks for the comment!
@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 After he figured out how the sewing machines really worked, I wonder if he slapped himself in the head for making such a mistake. On the other hand, his mistake ended up making him a multi-millionaire so I assume that was some comfort. :-)
Gosh, thank you for this! I just got a toy chain stitcher that's keeping all the loops underneath seeing a proper machine working makes it much easier to tell what's wrong. Mine is likely an issue with the tension, would you say a chain stitcher needs the same tension as an average sewing machine?
To be honest, I've never compared them so I don't know. I do know that if the tension is too high, the stitches will pull the material tight and cause puckering. Sorry I couldn't help more. Thanks for commenting!
Fascinating! I bought a Casige child's sewing machine and now I need to look at it to see how it works. I've been trying to thread it, but so far the thread doesn't catch so obviously I'm doing something wrong, or something is out of order.
Hi Wayne, thanks for the video. Very high quality. If I could request an encore of the Gibbs style from a different angle I promise to stand while I applaud.
Hi Scott! Thanks for commenting. I'll be happy to put together a follow-up video of the Gibbs. What angles do you want? Is it only of the rotating hook, or did you need something else?
@@wayneschmidt490 you’re very kind. Different angles of the rotating hook engaging the needle would be great. I am not sure what angles you can show but all are instructional. From the end so the hook axis is across the view and you can see the needle present the loop to the hook tip and if possible from directly below. Can you also show how the thread slack is taken up after the hook drops the loop? Very helpful. I really like the mechanism.
@@scott_larsen Here you go! th-cam.com/video/6N816VN-rpY/w-d-xo.html The structure and mechanics of the machine severely limits what can be filmed, but I hope this is close to what you wanted. I can't shoot from under the machine because a plate blocks the view. The slack is pulled up by the take-up arm, which is at the opposite end of the machine. It's just an arm the thread goes through that swings up and down. As it swings up, the thread is pulled tight.
@@wayneschmidt490 Thank you very much. I can’t believe how quickly you posted that for me! Faster than a sewing machine can throw a stitch. When I went to view it there were already likes and comments!
Is there a parts list anywhere online for these machines? I'd love to see how everything came together (and maybe how hard it would be to modify cheap parts or make parts to make my own machine, because i don't see anyone selling these and it sounds fun lol)
A few manuals for some antique sewing machines come with parts lists, but those are very few and far between. Bay often carries sets of parts for a wide range of machine es and many people offer non-working machines for parts. While I have made a few simple replacement parts, unless you have a complete machine shop and are a machinist, doing so is more pain than it's worth. What were you thinking of making, a chai stitcher? If so, may I recommend you look into cheap toy sewing machines? There are several types that use more simply shaped parts that would be much easier to make than full sized machines. They could be scaled up to whatever size interested you. Good luck!
If you want to make a sewing machine from scratch, I recommend something along the lines of this Muller: th-cam.com/video/uSph4UDUNzQ/w-d-xo.html It has no gears and could be made from all flat stock. You could even make it out of wood!
Chain stitchers can handle cloth as thick as any lock stitch sewing machines. As to a maximum thickness, I have to admit I've never tested that. It would make an interesting experiment. Thanks for the idea!
I have a Guhl & Harbeck chain stitch machine from 1880-1890. Everything else works on it, but the mechanism discussed in this video doesn’t. Do you have any recommendations on how to get it working again? It just catches and tangles on the hook
Troubleshooting a problem like that without being able to see what's happening in person is very difficult. But, I have a couple of ideas. The most common problem with chain stitchers is that the needle is set too high so that the rotating hook can't catch the thread loop formed as the needle moves up. Try lowering the needle and see if that helps. Next, making sure that the machine is rotating in the right direction (as the handle is cranked, it should move away from you as it goes over the top) look under the machine and see if the needle is creating a thread loop for the hook to catch. If it isn't, the problem may be that the thread is too thin or the fabric too thin to provide enough drag to create a loop. Finally, try watching the following video, which shows the rotating hook of a chain stitcher from several different angles. It may help show what's wrong with your machine. th-cam.com/video/6N816VN-rpY/w-d-xo.html One final option would be to make a short video of the rotation hook on your machine and post it on your channel. I'll watch it to see if I can figure out what the problem is. Good lighting, getting the close-up in focus and rotating the crank very slowly so the action is easy to see will help. Good luck and thanks for commenting!
@@wayneschmidt490 thank you so much for your reply. I’ve taken into consideration your suggestions, and tried to make the adjustments. Sadly though, it hasn’t ‘fixed’ the machine. I’ve created a video of my machine working, and you can find that here: th-cam.com/video/UnMPMeHz4os/w-d-xo.html
@@macabreghost8687 Okay! Great! Your video was perfect and clearly showed the problem. For some reason, as the rotating hook comes around to pick up the second loop, the first loop is ballooning out enough for the hook to catch it as well as the second loop. My first thought is that the thread tension isn't tight enough to keep the first loop snug enough for this to happen. Try tightening the thread tension to see if that helps. In the meantime, I'll drag our machine out and see if I can duplicate your problem, figure out how to solve it and then get back to you.
@@wayneschmidt490 how would I tighten the tension? Thank you so much, I really appreciate your help! I’m very keen to get my machine up and running again, so any help you give is much appreciated!
@@macabreghost8687 To see how to adjust the tension, take a look at my video of our G&H. At 1 minute into it I explain how to pass the thread through the tensioner. The tension is changed by tightening or loosening the nut at the top of the tension unit. th-cam.com/video/byU6qL9lqCA/w-d-xo.html I've watched your video several times and compared it to how our G&H works. The only thing I can see that's different is that your needle needs to be adjusted lower. If you look at the rotating hook near the center where the needle almost hits, you'll notice that there's a cut-out in the shaft right under the needle. The needle length should be lower so that is comes down inside the cut-out just short of hitting bottom. This will provide a little more length to create a loop for the hook to catch. I can't predict if this will solve the problem of the hook snagging the previous loops to create the tangles. I've never seen that problem before. The most frustration thing about working on antique sewing machines is that there are no repair guides for them. I'm not an expert, just a guy who pokes around with them and sometimes gets them to work. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. I'll keep looking and if I find something that might help I'll let you know. Good luck!
Thank you! I have an old hand crank Singer chain stitch machine that just makes a tangled mess of thread when I try to use it. Seeing how it’s supposed to work is very helpful!
Superb demo and content! I finally understand the Chain Stitch in these machines. Thank you for a great video!
fyi - please get a shirt mic for better audio and attach a sock to it to muffle out ambient noise like breathing.
Very informative and clear! I was so confused how this would actually work, but now I understand it. Thank you!
You're welcome, and thanks for commenting!
The video came out great! It's fascinating to see the same stitch accomplished with two entirely different mechanisms! Great work, as always!
Thank you!
Thank you for your very clear video of two very well-cared for pieces of machinery! this video really helped me picture the task at hand!
You're welcome, and thanks for commenting! What task are you involved with that is helped by seeing how chain stitchers work?
@@wayneschmidt490 cannabis is legal in my state and I was kinda "killing time" mentally...
Very interesting! I recently purchased both and am waiting on the little guy to make it here.
Great! Please let me know how they work for you.
Nice Video, Interesting and great clarity to each design.
Thank you! And thanks for commenting!
Outstanding clarity, Wayne. Question: which methodology do modern industrial chain stitch machines use?
I've never seen an industrial-sized chain stitcher so I can't say what they use. I do know that almost all toy machines use the rotating hook system. Thanks for commenting!
the second method with the spinning hook is incredible, someone had to come up with that then invent how to machine the part to mass produce the cool hidden mechanism
The story is that James Gibbs saw a newspaper picture of a sewing machine and decided to design his own. The problem was that the picture only showed to top of the machine. It didn't show that under the bed was a shuttle with a second thread. Gibbs assumed the machine just used one thread. So he imagined the only way to accomplish that was some kind of hook to create a chain stitch. He carved the first hook out of a piece of horn, or bone, depending on which reference is read. Thanks for the comment!
@@wayneschmidt490 That's quite humorous -- he invented a new way to do something, by incorrectly copying someone else's design, LOL.
@@hxhdfjifzirstc894 After he figured out how the sewing machines really worked, I wonder if he slapped himself in the head for making such a mistake. On the other hand, his mistake ended up making him a multi-millionaire so I assume that was some comfort. :-)
Thank you for share with us. Perfect.
You're welcome, and thank you for commenting!
Gosh, thank you for this! I just got a toy chain stitcher that's keeping all the loops underneath seeing a proper machine working makes it much easier to tell what's wrong. Mine is likely an issue with the tension, would you say a chain stitcher needs the same tension as an average sewing machine?
To be honest, I've never compared them so I don't know. I do know that if the tension is too high, the stitches will pull the material tight and cause puckering. Sorry I couldn't help more. Thanks for commenting!
Fascinating! I bought a Casige child's sewing machine and now I need to look at it to see how it works. I've been trying to thread it, but so far the thread doesn't catch so obviously I'm doing something wrong, or something is out of order.
Sewing machines can be tricky. Sometimes something as simple as lengthening or shortening the needle can solve the problem. Good luck!
Hi Wayne, thanks for the video. Very high quality. If I could request an encore of the Gibbs style from a different angle I promise to stand while I applaud.
Hi Scott! Thanks for commenting. I'll be happy to put together a follow-up video of the Gibbs. What angles do you want? Is it only of the rotating hook, or did you need something else?
@@wayneschmidt490 you’re very kind. Different angles of the rotating hook engaging the needle would be great. I am not sure what angles you can show but all are instructional. From the end so the hook axis is across the view and you can see the needle present the loop to the hook tip and if possible from directly below. Can you also show how the thread slack is taken up after the hook drops the loop? Very helpful. I really like the mechanism.
@@scott_larsen Sounds like an interesting project! I'll start on it tonight but it might not be posted until tomorrow.
@@scott_larsen Here you go!
th-cam.com/video/6N816VN-rpY/w-d-xo.html
The structure and mechanics of the machine severely limits what can be filmed, but I hope this is close to what you wanted. I can't shoot from under the machine because a plate blocks the view. The slack is pulled up by the take-up arm, which is at the opposite end of the machine. It's just an arm the thread goes through that swings up and down. As it swings up, the thread is pulled tight.
@@wayneschmidt490 Thank you very much. I can’t believe how quickly you posted that for me! Faster than a sewing machine can throw a stitch. When I went to view it there were already likes and comments!
Thank you so much really appreciated
You're welcome, and thanks for commenting!
Is there a parts list anywhere online for these machines? I'd love to see how everything came together (and maybe how hard it would be to modify cheap parts or make parts to make my own machine, because i don't see anyone selling these and it sounds fun lol)
A few manuals for some antique sewing machines come with parts lists, but those are very few and far between. Bay often carries sets of parts for a wide range of machine es and many people offer non-working machines for parts. While I have made a few simple replacement parts, unless you have a complete machine shop and are a machinist, doing so is more pain than it's worth. What were you thinking of making, a chai stitcher? If so, may I recommend you look into cheap toy sewing machines? There are several types that use more simply shaped parts that would be much easier to make than full sized machines. They could be scaled up to whatever size interested you. Good luck!
If you want to make a sewing machine from scratch, I recommend something along the lines of this Muller:
th-cam.com/video/uSph4UDUNzQ/w-d-xo.html
It has no gears and could be made from all flat stock. You could even make it out of wood!
Thank you!!!
How thick of fabric or how many layers can these machines handle?
Chain stitchers can handle cloth as thick as any lock stitch sewing machines. As to a maximum thickness, I have to admit I've never tested that. It would make an interesting experiment. Thanks for the idea!
How many ₹ this machion
These machines usually sell on EBAY for $300 to $900 US depending on their condition. Thank you for writing!
I have a Guhl & Harbeck chain stitch machine from 1880-1890. Everything else works on it, but the mechanism discussed in this video doesn’t. Do you have any recommendations on how to get it working again? It just catches and tangles on the hook
Troubleshooting a problem like that without being able to see what's happening in person is very difficult. But, I have a couple of ideas.
The most common problem with chain stitchers is that the needle is set too high so that the rotating hook can't catch the thread loop formed as the needle moves up. Try lowering the needle and see if that helps.
Next, making sure that the machine is rotating in the right direction (as the handle is cranked, it should move away from you as it goes over the top) look under the machine and see if the needle is creating a thread loop for the hook to catch. If it isn't, the problem may be that the thread is too thin or the fabric too thin to provide enough drag to create a loop.
Finally, try watching the following video, which shows the rotating hook of a chain stitcher from several different angles. It may help show what's wrong with your machine.
th-cam.com/video/6N816VN-rpY/w-d-xo.html
One final option would be to make a short video of the rotation hook on your machine and post it on your channel. I'll watch it to see if I can figure out what the problem is. Good lighting, getting the close-up in focus and rotating the crank very slowly so the action is easy to see will help.
Good luck and thanks for commenting!
@@wayneschmidt490 thank you so much for your reply. I’ve taken into consideration your suggestions, and tried to make the adjustments. Sadly though, it hasn’t ‘fixed’ the machine. I’ve created a video of my machine working, and you can find that here:
th-cam.com/video/UnMPMeHz4os/w-d-xo.html
@@macabreghost8687 Okay! Great! Your video was perfect and clearly showed the problem. For some reason, as the rotating hook comes around to pick up the second loop, the first loop is ballooning out enough for the hook to catch it as well as the second loop. My first thought is that the thread tension isn't tight enough to keep the first loop snug enough for this to happen. Try tightening the thread tension to see if that helps. In the meantime, I'll drag our machine out and see if I can duplicate your problem, figure out how to solve it and then get back to you.
@@wayneschmidt490 how would I tighten the tension? Thank you so much, I really appreciate your help! I’m very keen to get my machine up and running again, so any help you give is much appreciated!
@@macabreghost8687 To see how to adjust the tension, take a look at my video of our G&H. At 1 minute into it I explain how to pass the thread through the tensioner. The tension is changed by tightening or loosening the nut at the top of the tension unit.
th-cam.com/video/byU6qL9lqCA/w-d-xo.html
I've watched your video several times and compared it to how our G&H works. The only thing I can see that's different is that your needle needs to be adjusted lower. If you look at the rotating hook near the center where the needle almost hits, you'll notice that there's a cut-out in the shaft right under the needle. The needle length should be lower so that is comes down inside the cut-out just short of hitting bottom. This will provide a little more length to create a loop for the hook to catch.
I can't predict if this will solve the problem of the hook snagging the previous loops to create the tangles. I've never seen that problem before.
The most frustration thing about working on antique sewing machines is that there are no repair guides for them. I'm not an expert, just a guy who pokes around with them and sometimes gets them to work.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. I'll keep looking and if I find something that might help I'll let you know. Good luck!
🤺💐
What do those emojis mean?
@@wayneschmidt490 knight in
shing "armour".
Make love, not war.
🙋. Lol
🤺💐