Questions About Post Bed Machines

[jjodrey]

Hello,

I make leather bags using chrome tanned leather on my refurbished, flat bed Singer 211 U566A. Though the machine is fantastic and serves me very well, being a flat bed, it has its limitations. I'd like to add some decorative top stitching to various hard-to-reach area of the bags (bottom/base, and sometimes the side seams), but it's very difficult to do so easily - and in many cases is actually impossible.

I *think* I should be in the market for a post bed machine, but though I've looked for more information online about these machines (I live in a small town, and there aren't any shops here that I can ask), I can't find a definitive source of information and have been reading machine descriptions (which appear to be written in a foreign language - ha) such as the following:

This post-bed industrial sewing machine is equipped with vertical hook, spring return reverse lever mechanism with slider thread take up.

This compound feeding machine works with upper roller, lower wheel and needle feeding synchronizing, ensuring smooth sewing at all time,even when joining other materials for overlap sewing.

With extra large rotatable shuttle bobbin, both time saving and efficiency can be achieved.

If any of you can answer my questions below (and also answer any questions I don't know enough to ask), I'd be incredibly grateful. :-)

1. Should I indeed be looking for a post bed machine? A cylinder machine?

2. I notice that there are many different heights and thickness's for the posts. Ummmmm.... help? ;-)

3. I believe that a single needle machine will do, but what type of feed should I be looking for?

Thank you in advance for any assistance and guidance you can provide.

Kind regards,

Jill