Just a bit of info and advice for those considering the purchase of an Adler 30 or Singer 29 series sewing machine:

These two machines are very, very similar to one another, both are ideally suited for stitching leather or other heavy materials.  Both are of nearly identical design and function, both are quality machines with decades of proven usage.

Quite often I am asked, and see the question posed on Ebay: 'how thick of a leather can this machine sew?'  The answer is: not more than 3/8 of an inch, or, 10 millimeters.  These machines can feed and properly stich up to this amount depending on the leather involved, but anything beyond this dimension causes irregular stitching and feed jamming. They simply are not designed to go beyond 3/8 inch.  Even 3/8 may be a bit excessive if the leather is extremely stiff, such as vegetable tanned or tooling leather.  5/16 though, should be no problem.

Another question I've often heard concerns the availability of parts for both machines.  The Adler 30 and Singer 29 series use the same needles, presser feet, bobbin shuttle and many, many other parts.  While not all parts are interchangagle, a very great per centage are, and are easily obtained at many reputable dealers both in America and Great Britain.

I own and use both Adler and Singer machines in my leather shop, and have owned several of each.  They are the ideal machine for leather stitching and patching, the revolving presser foot feeds the leather under the needle, being able to revolve 360 degrees makes both brands ideal for stitching in very tight, confined spaces, such as the toe portion of a shoe or boot.

Don't be surprised when an Ebay seller quotes shipping of these machines in the area of $150 to $250.  The combined weight of a Singer 29-4 and its stand is approximately 165 lbs , without the crating material.  The Singer 29k and Adler 30-1 weigh approximately 35 pounds more, as they are longer, heavier units.  These machines were predominantly made of cast iron and steel, they are still in production today, under different model numbers, using slightly somewhat lighter iron and steel, but still weigh about the same..therefore, do expect an appropriate amount of shipping fee.

Finally, in regards to Singer 29's....here is a brief rule of thumb regarding features:  The 29-4 is an early model, using a flat spring bar to apply pressure to the presser foot.  The 29k series are essentially the same machine, using a coil spring and adjustable threaded rod to apply pressure.  Most of the 29k series have an extra shaft housing bolted to the front side of the unit, allowing the crank wheel to be mounted to the side or right end of the machine..the Adler's have this same feature as well, the Singer 29-4's do not.