Sewing neochrome

[MinUph]

I'm having an issue wit too stitching neochrome vinyl. The feed dog seems to catch on the vinyl causing a jam and it cuts into the vine a little. I have adjusted the dog so it is centered, loosened the foot pressure, sprayed the vinyl and machine with wax. Nothing helps. I remember this happening b4 but am unsure if it was neochrome. Other vinyls I've seen lately are fine. Any ideas?

[sofadoc]

I used to do a restaurant out of Neochrome on a recurring basis. I didn't have any trouble top stitching it. But I eventually talked them in to switching to a different vinyl because the Neochrome didn't hold up well. It would start cracking within a year.

A lot of factors could've been in play. Could've been old stock from my supplier. Could've been the harsh cleaning solution the restaurant staff was using. But for whatever reason, it stopped happening when I switched vinyls.

Are you using a smooth foot?

[SteveA]

I don't have a walking foot machine so a while back I bought a foot with steel rollers on the bottom to allow vinyl or leather to pass through more easily. I haven't needed it yet but wonder if something like that may help your issue ?
SA

[MinUph]

The feet I'm using are Consew flat feet that came with the machine. Smooth bottoms. Its kind of like the vinyl gets stuck on the feed dog and then gets cut on the back of the outside foot. I smoothed out the edges of the feet and it didn't help. I'm not going to use NeoChrome anymore and have found a replacement for the health company that I use it for. But it bothers me that this happens and not with other Vinyl I have tried. NeoChrome has been around for years.

[kodydog]

Never heard of it and never used it, so I looked it up. Looks like awesome stuff. What are you recovering in it?

[MinUph]

I'm using it on some medical table parts. I've done quite a bit of these for the company and this is just another batch. NeChrome is a Naugahyde product. It is NeoChrime III. I don't remember if there was a I or II before this years ago. But I remember having this available all the time I've been around.

[MinUph]

Strangest thing with this issue. Today I was going to start sewing some velvet for a huge window seat. I was starting with the zipper so I put the flat foot on. Setup the machine for the velvet and did a test sew of the velvet to see thread tension and such. The velvet on the bottom was getting all torn up. So I changed the foot and put a welt foot on and the issue went away all sewed as it should. I have used this flat foot for a couple of years as it came with the machine and for some reason, I seem to be the only one that uses a flat foot and not just leave the welt foot on for everything but I digress. So maybe something unseen has happened to my flat foot. I see or feel nothing wrong with it. Oh well.
A side note this is by far the largest window seat I have done. Roughly 24-25 feet long. It took me all day to cut and all I have sewn is the welt on top and bottom. My cutting table is 12' long. a bit of a challenge with the paper pattern I made. Another challenge is the sewing. One big cushion. 2 different fabrics top and bottom. Stretches like a rubber band on the bias.

[baileyuph]

Paul,
You have one heck of a challenge there (24/25 ft.long cushions).  I just did a large project for
a major university here in our state that required making some cushions 129 inches (slightly less than
1/2 what you are doing and it was a challenge (some required 6 inch foam).  Mine were zippered but
no cording.  The fabric was a fairly loose weave (selected by designers over their project).  I am done and
want no more.  Lost respect for designers doing the fabric selection. 

When I finished the cushions for the University project, the cushions were loaded into a long enclosed
trailer and hauled about  100 +/- miles to their destination. 

Back to your cushion project -- I can appreciate your effort.  It can't be done without numerous pattern
registrations of cushion facings and boxing (used to guarantee a geometric stable cushion)

Even making the zippers for big cushions like that is/was challenging. 

So, I really can appreciate your challenge.

Doyle

[baileyuph]

Paul's Flat Feet problem,
I use flat fleet frequently for all materials with no problems.

I would revisit that problem to verify the problem.  I have started/resumed sewing and accidentally caused thread tension problems.

My flat feet came with the machine and were made by the machine manufacturer and has been in
service many years(Japan).

[65Buick]

That is odd Paul. It tells me that the flat foot was gripping too much. When I was sewing velvet I was noticing the same thing - the stitch has to be quite loose.
Like the bobbin case has the screw all the way out, etc.
But I guess if the welt foot works, then that's all that counts.
Do you know the brand of velvet? Mine was Robert Allen.

[Mojo]

I remember once sewing some fabric and using a welt foot for the cording. I got lazy and when I switched to flat sewing, left the welt foot on. It sewed perfectly. We top stitch some awnings on our long arm and our sewer wont even switch feet and keeps the welt foot on and it sews great. Crazy.

When is the last time you had the machine fully timed ? Feed dogs, needle, etc. ?

Mojo