DIY Bobbin Winder for China Shoepatcher: Leatherworking on a Budget

In this video, we'll show you how to make a bobbin winder with a cordless screwdriver for the China Shoepatcher sewing machine. This DIY project is perfect for anyone who wants to take their leatherworking to the next level on a budget.
Links to the tools and supplies I use!
Black & Decker Cordless Screwdriver amzn.to/2WWrXxk
Thread I use!: www.ebay.com/itm/256389153248...
Shoe Patcher Sewing Machine ------ amzn.to/3tDzILL
Needles: amzn.to/3GT6yLB
Sewing machine oil -------- amzn.to/3RRj9FB
Acrylic Quilters' Ruler ------ amzn.to/3RTJrHe
leather burnisher ------ amzn.to/3RVcMRq
Beeswax bars ------ amzn.to/3NFjGYz
Hobby Knife ------ amzn.to/48wiH4T
Hobby Knife Blades------ amzn.to/48tbbb5
Size 2 Edge Beveler ------ amzn.to/3vbEgJM
Edge groover ------ amzn.to/3v5FtCi
NOTE! I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If you click on one of the affiliate links in this description and make a purchase, I may earn a commission

[@mr.zapateroh4002]

I was impressed by your video..=) I'm a cobbler here in Philippines I sew a shoes only by hand .. that machine I been dreaming of... but for now I have not yet a budget to buy I want to learn how to use that.. thanks for the video you made

[@gergemall]

Thank you for your videos . I’m in the process of cleaning up my machine and understanding it more .

[@Awannabestylist]

Great idea for the bobbin winder! I have a spare, so can leave the one on the machine as well.

[@bernym4047]

Good tips. Well produced video. Thanks.

[@motasemalbanna4812]

Dude, I owe you a big thank you. Thank you so much

[@herdbooks2320]

Nice idea drilling a small hole in the bobbin. As for the rest you could just put a stove bolt through the bobbin, tighten it with a nut, stick the bolt in a drill and fill your bobbin. You can tip your drill back and forth too fill the bobbin evenly. Might want to wrap some tape on the bolt before putting in the chuck.

[@mikepower4113]

Great idea. Will use it.

[@jamesjimmydean9763]

Awesome helpful video thank you

[@robertward553]

Pretty good idea, thanks.

[@kenoturk]

Excellent 👌

[@moonolyth]

Hah, I have two of these machines there like trains! The first thing I've done is tose the bobbin reals in the trash along with the legs. A bobbin winder is on my list, I'll probably get one off eBay-parts and fit it to these little ones.

[@rebelgal1]

Great video I just got one of these and need all the help I can get. 👍

[@oddjobbob8742]

I am in my 6th decade and I have been sewing using an inherited Singer 303 since I was 15. Winding a bobbin has always been a chore until now. I will use your tip of that double insertion, first in the bobbin hole then in the shaft hole, to make bobbin winding easier. Thank you. Unless Amazon was lying (and it does that often enough when promising delivery) I am getting my chinesium sewing machine later today. Trying hard to clear the decks in my shop so I can make the mods I have found. Thanks for this helpful YT!

[@KiltedMusician]

I just came across your comment and was curious. How are you getting along with that shoe patcher?

[@oddjobbob8742]

@@KiltedMusician thank you for your question. The original promise of Amazon did turn out to be a lie. And the first two items I returned because they were not acceptable. I didn’t expect much but on one, the ring welded at the top was so badly done it fell off even from cranking slowly by hand. The second one had a hole on the flywheel crank that was so oversized the set screws only just barely grabbed the shaft and then it was so far out of round it hit the table. The third one has the problems you would expect on such a low priced item. But It will work great. I am still assembling pieces and parts for a stand, motor mount, pulley, etc. In my slow world it is proceeding apace. I will send some pictures. My mothers absolute best friend forever, 65+ years and still counting was an upholsterer for many years. When I was visiting my home town recently I showed her your and others YTs. She was flat out amazed that such a machine exists, and that such people exist with your talent.

[@KiltedMusician]

@@oddjobbob8742 Wow. Sorry to hear you had so much trouble with it but I’m glad you kept on em’ and got a machine you could work with. After I got the kinks worked out and set everything up it has been working well for me. I can sew through several layers of leather and then darn a sock with the same setup. Thanks for the compliment. It’s been so long since I uploaded my anvil video that I sometimes forget I did. Just in case you haven’t come across the information, Bantam Saddle and Tack has replacement parts for these machines. Good luck with it.

[@oddjobbob8742]

@@KiltedMusician I am looking forward to using it to sew treated flame proof fabric into a “sleeved” welding apron. It would lo be a relatively simple construction as the seams will mostly be straight. I wish there was more hours in a day to watch more YTs. Thank you for the heads up about replacement needles.

[@bwnco]

Could not find anywhere or directions with machine to know how to thread Bobbin n machine correctly. Thank you so much for this! also I just left my bobbin on the machine hooked up drill toscrew and threaded that way... just saying.. just another way. But thanks I was haveing holy hell as no diagrahms an this had all I needed now to finally start n get going ..

[@David-ke9dp]

Thank you for the Headz up!! That’s exactly the lesson that I was looking for my first machine .. thank you

[@kaisimon9894]

sorry to be off topic but does any of you know a method to get back into an Instagram account?? I was stupid lost my account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me

[@jeffreyturner4534]

@Kai Simon instablaster :)

[@kaisimon9894]

@Jeffrey Turner Thanks for your reply. I found the site through google and im trying it out now. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@kaisimon9894]

@Jeffrey Turner It worked and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy! Thank you so much you saved my ass !

[@jeffreyturner4534]

@Kai Simon You are welcome xD

[@arcadiotimote9543]

Hola buena tarde

[@evanmonsma3928]

Smart! My machine's bobbin wonder never lined up properly, I even bought a replacement part but it still didn't work very consistently. I tried something similar to this, winding with a drill, but I didn't run the thread through the tension disc, so there was too much slack and it kept getting tangled. I'm gonna try your method for sure!

[@leathercraftertips]

Good to know it's helpful info! I never had much luck with the stock winder myself. I used a drill in the past but it never worked well. Just make sure to have a thread hole in your bobbin. Mine did not when I got them.

[@josephheslin9338]

The easiest way to wind bobbins is to do what I do. I pay my neighbor $20 a piece to prewind them for me! Ok, just kidding. Before even watching this I had already drilled holes in all my bobbins. I have two of these time bandits. Each one is set up for a different thread and procedure. It saves me tons of time resetting up a machine. Now, if only I, or someone else could come up with a mod to make these things bobbinless, a Nobel peace prize might be in the works.

[@cpickell1987]

Great tip on the bobbin winder! Going to have to pick up one of those electric drills. Just so you know - you're loading your bobbin incorrectly. The thread needs to go underneath the tensioning spring on the side of the bobbin, not on top.

[@arcadiotimote9543]

Tengo una delas mismas aveces cuando costureo traquea que sera

[@georgethayer3533]

I am remaking the bobbin Winder add a heavier material like you did only problem I'm having is to get the wheel to spin I put the magnet on it now did you actually glue the rubber wheel to the axle did you put through how did you do that

[@kenh8979]

Good job on the video Jonathan, and a GREAT idea for winding the bobbin. I'll try that myself. BTW, is the thread 'n needle in the video the #92 nylon and #20 needle listed in the links? Thank you for the video.

[@KellyLearnsToWait]

Good Job! I have a question. I have a white "Consew" leather patcher and I cant seem to get my bobbin rubber to STAY touching the wheel therefore NOT winding my bobbin. Do you have any ideas for me? Like could I screw it somewhere else or have any ideas that are OFF the machine? thanks

[@bwnco]

I see other videos with extra bobbins n case thing. Where do you get those?

[@genesaalweachter2183]

Is there a place to buy additional bobbins and bobbin casings

[@trishdeimer9799]

So when I thread the machine, and try to pick up the bottom thread, the machine is not creating the bottom loop? The shuttle is turning, but the bottom thread isn't moving. not sure what I'm doing wrong?

[@sparksandchips]

I recently got one of these machines, is the thread pitch per inch adjustable?

[@leathercraftertips]

Yes. Under the neck by the walking foot lever turn the small bolt to make the stitch longer or shorter.

[@sparksandchips]

@@leathercraftertips I don’t see one like described

[@sparksandchips]

I got it thanks!

[@pliniovassallo8358]

Jóia! Agora me diga qual linha vc usou nesse vídeo? Fico agradecido se responder ok!

[@bwnco]

you say make sure thread is under tension bar, but when you thread it then stick in machine it is over the top of the tension bar. Also read a guy just took his off doesnt need it. if you use tape do you even use it? confused as to importance. Im just setting my machine up.

[@michellee8913]

Having issues with the bobbin attach to he top thread

[@agustinsifuentes6211]

What size needle and thread are you using? Could you please give me that information?

[@Matelar]

Hey which thread are you useing?

[@kelleyrathbun]

USE COMPRESS AIR TO SENDTHREADTHREW THE TUBE , I USE PC COMPRESSED AIR SI FAST SO SIMPLE

[@Centar1964]

Here is an idea to do with that machine (if I had one)...drill a small hole in the spindle on which the bobbin carrier rides...run a thread up from the bottom of the sewing arm through it (maybe some wire thread guides leading to it) and leave out the bobbin all together (but leave in the carrier) and never wind one again. Remove the bobbin winder. That's how comercial machines work.

[@OldspeedMFG]

This... will not work. The lock stitch this machine forms relies on the upper thread passing under the entire bobbin.

[@Centar1964]

@@OldspeedMFG How does that work if the bobbin is rotated by a concentric shaft? It is in this shaft that I propose to drill the thread hole.

[@OldspeedMFG]

@@Centar1964 the carriage is turned by a tab that comes up from the base and spins the carriage in the cylinder. The thread slips underneath the carriage and comes out the other side without interfering with the tab that does the rotating.

[@Centar1964]

@@OldspeedMFG Thank you for correcting me as I was under the wrong impression, yes a lock stitch passes the upper thread under the bobbin, and this is why you need a bobbin... I stand corrected. Mechanical brain fart I had there... ;-)

[@AnimalStatusSports]

I had to drill the small hole in the bobbin and use the drill to wind it as well, thank you. One question, my needle gets "stuck" whenever I'm facing the machine (crank wheel to my right, needle to my left) and I position the foot walking towards me. This happens with regular fabric that's not as tough as leather. A couple times I tried to muscle through it and the needle broke about 1/3" from the tip each time. I took the fabric out and rotated the foot and cranked the wheel and each time the needle went smoothly through the hole no matter what the foot position. Can't seem to figure out why this would be happening, any ideas?

[@stuffbywoody5497]

Not sure why you have to remove the rubber wheel. It makes absolutely no difference if you leave it on. Some of what you've done seems like unnecessary work.