My situation is this... I want to upgrade my sewing machine in order to allow for more varied projects. Current machine is a $100 Wal-Mart Singer special. I have taken care of it and it has lasted a while, but I don't want to break it by asking it to take on some of the larger tasks I am contemplating. I'd rather just move on to a new machine and save the current machine from taking a beating so it can handle some of the smaller tasks.
Basically, I am looking to do more with making bags and the like - canvas, denier nylon, leather - and I would like to buy something that will take some regular use and abuse (with good care, of course). I don't have in mind going greater than 3/8" in thickness of material.
Some side projects that I would be interested in experimenting with, but have zero experience in, would be belts, wallets, dog supplies... don't really care for my current holster, although that seems like a stretch for a rookie... but, you never know. Saddles and such heavy, heavy stuff are not on the list. (Not on the sewing list, but on the "shoot, that is bad***!" list would be learning to do tooling like I saw on links on the front page of leatherworker.net, and learning to do leather inlay like the gameboards I saw on one member's site - sorry forget who that was.)
Just so you know that I made an effort to read a few posts before throwing my question up here, I understand that a cylinder arm machine would probably be up my alley, athough I would like to keep in under $1500. I am thinking I need a serger, too, but that is for another board.
Thanks for having me and for your time. I greatly appreciate any input.
