Opinion On Starter Sewing Machines

[FatSmitty]

I have searched here and read thru the forums and haven't found much on this. I'm looking to buy a sewing machine when tax returns come in and am doing reserch now to make the best decision that is possible. I am a hobbiest looking to do belts, wallets, purses and in the future chaps. I have carpal tunnel syndrome and when I only get short amounts of time here and there to work on leather so I would like to be able to get maximum production from my time and hand sticthing is rough for me. I know brand loyalty is what it is, but here is what I am looking for in a machine: $2000 or less, reliability, and ease of use for beginer. I live several hundred miles from a large metro city, so I'd like to get a machine that will allow me to do the maintenance myself, within reason. Any thoughts or opinions are welcome.

Thanks,

Nevada

[Art]

Smitty,

What weight of leather do you sew, and what type of projects? There is no one machine that does everything. There are many threads in the Leather Sewing Machines forum that address your question. Read the pinned topics in the forum and call the sewing machine dealers at the top of the page and ask some questions. There is just tons of material here.

Art

I have searched here and read thru the forums and haven't found much on this. I'm looking to buy a sewing machine when tax returns come in and am doing reserch now to make the best decision that is possible. I am a hobbiest looking to do belts, wallets, purses and in the future chaps. I have carpal tunnel syndrome and when I only get short amounts of time here and there to work on leather so I would like to be able to get maximum production from my time and hand sticthing is rough for me. I know brand loyalty is what it is, but here is what I am looking for in a machine: $2000 or less, reliability, and ease of use for beginer. I live several hundred miles from a large metro city, so I'd like to get a machine that will allow me to do the maintenance myself, within reason. Any thoughts or opinions are welcome.

Thanks,

Nevada

[Garange]

I have searched here and read thru the forums and haven't found much on this. I'm looking to buy a sewing machine when tax returns come in and am doing reserch now to make the best decision that is possible. I am a hobbiest looking to do belts, wallets, purses and in the future chaps. I have carpal tunnel syndrome and when I only get short amounts of time here and there to work on leather so I would like to be able to get maximum production from my time and hand sticthing is rough for me. I know brand loyalty is what it is, but here is what I am looking for in a machine: $2000 or less, reliability, and ease of use for beginer. I live several hundred miles from a large metro city, so I'd like to get a machine that will allow me to do the maintenance myself, within reason. Any thoughts or opinions are welcome.

Thanks,

Nevada

I'm also a hobbiest building gun holsters and a begginer at sewing machines. I sew from 6 oz to 9 oz leather in my work and decided on the Cobra Class 4 from The Leather Machine Company a few months back. It cost me a little more than the $2000 that you stated but I have never looked back. With a little trial and error, and a few calls to Steve their rep and machine expert it has all panned out. I highly recommend their equipment and customer service.