leatherchica

25b - Sorry. I've editing original post to include the picture. Trust me, if I could continue hand stitching everything, I would. Unfortunately, years of hand stitching has gotten the best of me. I was doing a minimum of 3-4 hours of hand stitching everyday and I just can't physically continue at that pace. On several of my items , the stitching from both sides is visible so tying a knot on the backside isn't a viable option. If I'm understanding correctly, I cannot simply cut the thread flush to the last stitch because it will inevitably unravel. Best bet seems to be searing ends to melt them in place and/or manually pulling the thread in between the layers of leather and tying it off there. *sigh*

I'm used to hand stitching my items but have just gotten a sewing machine to help me on certain items. I'm having trouble consistently finishing the seams. See attached picture. I am back stitching 2-3 stitches at the beginning and end of each run but sometimes, when I snip off the thread, it unravels a stitch and leaves me with what you see in the picture. How can I avoid this? What am I doing wrong?

Ferg, Thanks for the input! The Consew 206RB5 is definitely on my list, so it's good to hear from someone who uses one. Customer support is very important to me and will play a big role in my final decision. I've been compiling pros/cons and a list of questions for the dealers and will be calling them today. I know that there's no perfect machine but all the info I've received from people like yourself has helped me narrow down the choices to a few that will hopefully fit my needs. So thankful for this group and those willing to share their knowledge and experiences

Tom, Great info in that binder thread--thanks! How do you like your Techsew? I'm thinking about the 2700 Pro. I'm compiling my list of questions for the dealer and plan on calling them tomorrow. Would love to hear feedback from someone who has experience using one.

Uwe, Good grief, you can tell i'm new here. I guess I didn't scroll down far enough to see the "sewing machine" forum *slaps forehead with palm* I'll stalk that forum for too! I'm trying to do my homework and all the info can be a bit daunting. Eventually, I'll need to just make a decision and go with it. Thanks again for taking time to share your knowledge with me. I truly appreciate it!!

Uwe, thanks for your detailed response--super helpful! Yep, I figured that sewing around that binder piece would be a task!! I had thought that the cylinder arm would be great for the bags but couldn't wrap my mind around sewing some of my other items on it without having the flatbed surround. Now that I know I can have both, I'm sold on that route After looking at a few and now reading more threads on the cylinder machines with flatbed option, I'm looking at the cowboy CB227R and the Techsew 2700 Pro. Both have the servo motor and other specs that are in line with my needs. I'm thinking that the Techsew would do the trick but I'm stuck on one thing--it has an automatic needle positioning motor but no speed reducer. Is that a big deal? Everything I read says a speed reducer is essential for controlling the machine but I also saw someone post that with the needle positioning motor, a speed reducer wouldn't be needed. I'm ignorant as to how the two relate. Any thoughts or suggestions?? Any experience with either of those machines? I'm taking notes

Howdy! I'm new to this site but have already found the knowledge of the collective group to be very helpful. Up to this point, I've hand stitched all of my items--never used or owned an industrial sewing machine. Due to a steady increase of orders and a pesky case of tendonitis, I'm looking to purchase a sewing machine to aid in production. I work with both chrome and veg tanned leather but won't be needing the machine for anything thicker than a total of 3/8" or 1/2" thick. Based on what I've read so far, I'm leaning toward a walking foot machine with a servo motor and speed reducer. I'd love one that can do "everything" but know that's not how it works, so I'm looking for a reliable one (would use it daily) that can be used to sew leather portfolios, leather tote bags, and leather binders. See attached pictures for some examples of my items. I'm most concerned about whether the machine will be able to sew the middle piece of my binders as the stitch needs to be pretty close to the 3 ring metal piece and I'm not sure if this will be a problem (see pic). Any input on this?? I've been reading a lot of these threads and have seen the Consew 2-6rb-5 given several thumbs up.Based on the needs I've mentioned above, do you think the Consew would do the trick? Any other machines you'd recommend? When I'm ready to pull the trigger, are there any suggestions on where to purchase? I've seen some members mention "dealers" on this site that help set up the machine(s) so it's specifically tweaked for leatherwork--are there specific individuals I should talk to about that? Any experiences (good or bad) with purchasing off of eBay or other online retailers? I don't have tons of time to spend troubleshooting a machine, so I need one that's reliable or at least one with good custom support in case I get in a jam. ANY suggestions, advise, tips you can provide would be greatly appreciated!!!