keenbean

@wizcrafts Thank you for the article! I would definitely be concerned about needle deflection and I don't think I'd be up for going through that adjustment process very frequently. I'm also not too keen on trying to source hard to find needles as well! I'm more convinced it's a case of two machines. Thinking about it more, I believe my best bet is to get a 1341 class machine now as I think it would fill a larger number of needs, while saving the super heavy stuff for an eventual 441 class machine. Side note, I'm assuming Toledo doesn't carry the 6900 as is not on their site. Maybe I'll call and see what Bob says. That's a good point. I've seen some other posters say they've done it with 207 in the top but not the bobbin but I think 138 is a safer bet.

@Wizcrafts I should have been more clear but I only meant the presser foot lift being 15mm, not the actual thickness the machine can sew. When upcycling it's helpful to have more room to move things around under the foot. All the machines I mentioned have a listed clearance of 15-16mm. They also claim to handle #207 (Tex 210) thread. That's a great thread and needle chart, thank you. referencing that and some videos, I believe #138 would be plenty for my applications and the apparent option for #207 eases my doubts there. And the low end at size #69 is perfectly fine too. The 441 class threads and needles would definitely be a commitment though. My being on the border of heavy and super heavy duty is exactly what I was afraid of. Great point about the throat plate as well, I didn't think about that. I do not have the budget for two machines right now, maybe in a couple years, though that seems like the best eventual solution. I suppose a 1341 class machine will at least allow me to handle some heavier stuff now while the super heavy stuff waits for the future.

Hello all, I'm an upcycling artist based in Minnesota. I make various bags and clothing. I love working with heavy fabrics and I'm finally running up against the limits of my trusty Juki TL Haruka. Case in point, I tried making a canvas bag with some #8 (18 oz) canvas this past weekend and, while it did great up to around 8 layers, it really struggled past that which is understandable since the design I used involved some areas with upwards of 12 layers (20 on the side seams!). And that's without things like flat felled side seams. As my main focus is bags, I am looking for a cylinder head, triple feed machine. I am looking to sew heavyweight canvas (up to 30 oz preferably!), 4-8 oz leather, heavier vinyl, as well as upcycling some odd materials such as carpet samples, bath rugs, jellyroll rugs, vinyl banners, etc. I began looking at the Juki 1341 and it's associated clones and after LOTS of research, I narrowed my preliminary selection to the Thor GC1341, the Cobra Class 26 and the Cowboy 6900. After making the previous tote I realized that a bag with heavyweight canvas and leather will have some very thick and dense sections so punching power is obviously a concern. Beyond that, I'd prefer a decent presser foot clearance (15mm+), relatively low maintenance (the reason why I'm a bit hesitant on the cobra, as it appears to require significantly more involved manual oiling), a servo motor with EPS and speed reduction (I'd be willing to buy and swap in a kinedyne 750 motor if need be), easily sourced accessories including a double fold binder and a "space saver" table although I'm confident in mounting the machine to a third party or home-built table if need be. Some nice-to-haves would be easily adjustable presser foot height, dual thread tensioners and a foot operated presser foot lift (I'm tall with long legs so knee lifts can be a big awkward for me). It would also be a plus to have the ability to use ~18 size needles so I can use the cylinder to get to hard to reach areas on less heavy articles without shredding them but I understand that that isn't what this machine is for. I'm not super familiar with industrial thread yet but it seems like all the options I looked at can use thread which would be fine for my uses. So given all that, my main questions are: Are the class of machines I'm looking at capable of sewing what I need? Are there other better options I'm overlooking? Do I need to look at 441-level machines or similar to sew with the mentioned weights of canvas and leather reliably? I should also mention that I am pursuing a mechanical engineering degree and am mechanically inclined, so I would be comfortable servicing and modifying parts/machines. I also have access to a fairly well-equipped machining shop at my university. Let me know if any more information is needed and thank you for your time! This forum is a wonderful resource.