New Here And Learning Sewing

[jack2stitch]

Hello to everyome from an old guy,

I have been wanting to sew leather and vinyl for some time. I bought a Kenmore about 12 years ago and found out very quick it was not meant for sewing leather. I want to do motorcycle seat covers and jacket alterations and mods if possible. Now that I found this forum, there are lots of other possibilities.

I have been shopping for a sewing machine, for a month, mostly e bay. I have an old JUKI industrial I got cheap (and not the right one). It does light weight material and not a walking foot. I worked on the JUKI for a week to get it to sew. I'm thinking of a used head unit I can mount on the JUKI table. Either pulley down the clutch motor or go with a servo motor. Mostly I will be doing my own things or some small jobs. no real heavy material.

I recently did a seat cover and sewed some trim on a car's door panels. On the Kenmore (not too good!)

Being on a (SS) limited budget, I've been saving. I'm looking at several machines. The questions are: Buy an older (consew 255) or a newer (tacsew, sewline, etc.) I can buy the Consew the cheapest (rebuilt no reverse). Don't know if I can trust the newer ones?

Was going to get a portable, but want a longer stitch and more room for work. I keep saving slowly.

Thanks, Jack

Any suggestions welcome.

[robertmeco]

I have been using a Cobra 4 for a couple years now and you cant beat it .

[jack2stitch]

Thanks robertmeco

Cobra looks like a real Pro machine.

I'm trying to keep lower than $8-900. Will be another month until I've saved that much.

[DavidL]

from time to time you can find industrial vintage singer machines go for 100-200 from people trying to get it out of there shop. Other times you can find them at 500-800 for a 45k for example which can be seen on youtube sewing through veg tan without any problems.

Domestic singers can probably handle light weight chrome tan at most and struggle to stitch vegtan for long periods of time.

[jack2stitch]

Thanks DavidL,

Yes I've been looking on craigslist and e bay. Just missed a nice consew for $300. By the time I got to the computer it was sold.

I just started moving tonight out of my unsuccessful (nightjob shop) doing paintwork. I'll be free of that overhead to save more.

My big dilemma is, do I buy an older machine or a newer less expensive one? Worn out or Quality wise?

I don't plan on doing a lot of sewing on it, starting with my own products, but who knows?

I already had a request from a guy I work with, to do a custom seat for his bike.

[Kustom]

Jack, Have you thought of checking your area for a public vocational school that teaches auto upholstery? If you sign up for a class I bet they're let you use their machines on some of your own projects.

[jack2stitch]

Thanks Kustom that's a great idea. I'll check around here.