I'm a hobbyist leathercrafter here in Indianapolis, IN. Got my start making belts and occasionally, holsters. I'd like to start saving towards a sewing machine but there's SO MUCH information out there and I've got the following conditions:
- I'm only doing this as a hobby now but wouldn't mind going pro, or at least semi-pro so something that can speed up production is important.
-workspace is very much at a premium. If I were to invest in a table or pedestal mounted machine then that would be it. Ergo, I need something that can do lots of different types of projects. Myself and I, I like making cartridge belts and Old West holsters but I figure that is more a niche market around here.
So conditions mentioned, here come the questions.
-Are there ANY tabletop, COMPOUND feed machines that don't need a servo motor or is that a pipe dream? I know I read on one of these forum posts that machines like Sailrite Walking Foot machines aren't true Compound feed as they are not triple feed, only double feed.
-Is it worth it to start with a tabletop machine(read:portable) if you plan to do heavier materials? I've heard a lot of "buy once, cry once" on this forum and as expensive as some of these machine are I want to do just that.