My first post...question about Pfaff 335

[tangochips]

Hello,

This is my first time posting here and I'm excited to have joined this community- thank you in advance for all the support and help I will be receiving here! I look forward to helping out with my little bit of knowledge as well- please feel free to contact me anytime.

I started making custom knife sheaths and watch straps several months back and have been using a Tippmann Boss and Singer 15-91 with recent results. The past 2 months have brought a bit more response to my work and I've been realizing the need for a more industrial and electric machine. As I also make the occasional bas and wallets, I was told that a cylinder arm w/ walking foot sewing machine is the way to go- I found some info on the net on Consews, Juki's, Durkopps, etc.., and found the Pfaff 335 to be quite appealing

Since my next machine is likely to set me back $ 1500-$ 3000, I'd like to get your input regarding the Pfaff's or any strong contenders for my needs. The important thing for me is the backstitch (clean and with minimal scarring or imprint), the ability to control the speed (at the sharp turns on watch straps), and also being able to use threads smaller than sz 69 (going up to 134).

Your thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

thanks-Attila

[Art]

Hi Attila,

Welcome aboard. First of all, I am a Pfaff lover, I think there are no machines better than the industrial Pfaffs. My lightweight machine is a Pfaff 142, a very nice machine that will sew an armslength in about 2-3 seconds. Pfaffs are usually setup for the factory when you get them and usually for the garment trade, sometimes the upholstery and trim trade where they always want it to sew faster. To be useful for leatherwork, they need to be slowed down; also smooth feet and dogs need to be installed and some slight timing adjustments made. So check your 335 to make sure these things have been done before you buy. Needle positioning motors are also nice, but most of the Pfaffs come with Efka or Pfaff motors that are quite expensive. If you are buying a used one you can have a servo motor installed for about $150 for a much more manageable machine. You should make sure the machine will sew the thickness of leather you want, if not buy bigger. Also, Pfaff parts are quite expensive, and Pfaff machines use Pfaff feet, other machines in the above trades generally fall into category of a few general types, therefore are much cheaper.

By any means buy a machine, but eventually most folks end up with two, a medium machine (like the Pfaff) and either a larger or smaller machine as their work dictates.

Art

Hello,

This is my first time posting here and I'm excited to have joined this community- thank you in advance for all the support and help I will be receiving here! I look forward to helping out with my little bit of knowledge as well- please feel free to contact me anytime.

I started making custom knife sheaths and watch straps several months back and have been using a Tippmann Boss and Singer 15-91 with recent results. The past 2 months have brought a bit more response to my work and I've been realizing the need for a more industrial and electric machine. As I also make the occasional bas and wallets, I was told that a cylinder arm w/ walking foot sewing machine is the way to go- I found some info on the net on Consews, Juki's, Durkopps, etc.., and found the Pfaff 335 to be quite appealing

Since my next machine is likely to set me back $ 1500-$ 3000, I'd like to get your input regarding the Pfaff's or any strong contenders for my needs. The important thing for me is the backstitch (clean and with minimal scarring or imprint), the ability to control the speed (at the sharp turns on watch straps), and also being able to use threads smaller than sz 69 (going up to 134).

Your thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

thanks-Attila

[tangochips]

Hi Attila,

Welcome aboard. First of all, I am a Pfaff lover, I think there are no machines better than the industrial Pfaffs. My lightweight machine is a Pfaff 142, a very nice machine that will sew an armslength in about 2-3 seconds. Pfaffs are usually setup for the factory when you get them and usually for the garment trade, sometimes the upholstery and trim trade where they always want it to sew faster. To be useful for leatherwork, they need to be slowed down; also smooth feet and dogs need to be installed and some slight timing adjustments made. So check your 335 to make sure these things have been done before you buy. Needle positioning motors are also nice, but most of the Pfaffs come with Efka or Pfaff motors that are quite expensive. If you are buying a used one you can have a servo motor installed for about $150 for a much more manageable machine. You should make sure the machine will sew the thickness of leather you want, if not buy bigger. Also, Pfaff parts are quite expensive, and Pfaff machines use Pfaff feet, other machines in the above trades generally fall into category of a few general types, therefore are much cheaper.

By any means buy a machine, but eventually most folks end up with two, a medium machine (like the Pfaff) and either a larger or smaller machine as their work dictates.

Art

Hi Art,

thank you for welcoming me and for your response regarding my inquiry. As I've been involved with leather for about a year, I've noticed that its quite easy to spend a lot of money on tools and equipment- much of which you don't actually need, some of which you use daily. Still, it is exciting to see my little shop (of horror.. grow steadily into some kind of business....I enjoy working with quality tools and don't have a problem investing in them- I think, that having the best tools available is a must for anybody starting out- in the long run you save money through less replacements, less labor through more precise work, and less time because you don't keep looking for the cheapest stuff out there.

When it comes to a sewing machine, its important to me to have something that is somewhat setup and ready to go- although I know that tweaking it for your specific needs and style is inevitable. The problem I'm encountering now is that I don't want a machine that is overkill and too fast or too heavy duty- I still want the best machine available for my application. There are lots of places out of state and country that offer attractive machines, but shipping costs are quite high, and delivery takes time. Great Customer service is therefor a must, and the willingness to try to understand what the machine is actually being used for in order to make a good recommendation.

I'll make a decision soon, hopefully, but still need to do my homework on several machines, that look similar and cost about the same. Pfaff seems like a decent choice, since they've been around for a while, as well as Durkopp/Adler, and some others. Consews seem popular, as well as Juki's. Other seem reasonably priced such as Techsew in Canada- but I can't find much in terms of customer reviews on them..

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, I really appreciate it- I'll be back soon!

best regards-Attila