(first post) Used Sewing machines

[(first post) Used Sewing machines]

On 12/6/2019 at 6:04 PM, shoepatcher said:

I got news for you.  The Weaver auction in 2020 will not be in June as it has been. Rather, the powers that be decided it would be better in December at the fairground facility which is close to the Weaver complex.  That's right, it will be in December, 2020.  This is a DISASTER waiting to happen. You will have an attendance less that half of normal because of the time of year and the weather.  Who wants to travel to Ohio in December?  Weather is so unpredictable that time of year and you have  Christmas and New Years to deal with.  Plus, a lot of people go in June to buy a years worth of supplies and leathers.  If those businesses are on a fiscal year, who would stock up with inventory less than a month form the end of the business year?   Inventory is taxable!!!  This is a big mistake.  I will not be going in December simply because of the weather.  Mark your calendar in 2020. 

That’s sad news. Honestly though, it’s December here in Ohio & there has only been one bad evening so far in regards to the roads.... and I live in the snow belt where millersburg is far enough south they don’t get the lake effect... 

 

In other news/comments... I got to spend a load of time hand stitching this weekend... tried a few different techniques & finally figured out how to get consistent good looking threads on the back & front using the “two needle method” (is this a saddle stitch?)... I found that I need to hold the thread on the top to the same side when I come around with the next needle and the /////// look appears on both the front & the back and looks really nice. I still need to sew a buckle/strap on, but I’ll be starting a new thread once I get there. 

On 12/5/2019 at 2:35 PM, arashikage said:

@Donkeykong I'm in Berea. 

Weaver doesn't tend to advertise the sale until it's closer. Even then it's not the best. But it will be June 17th & 18th, 2020. Wednesday they sell materials like leather, roping, webbing, etc. And Thursday is machines and hand tools. The sale is in the parking lot of the warehouse. The store is basically right beside it but the address to the store is Millersburg, I think. It's just outside of Wooster though.

I’ve been working in/out of Berea a lot lately. One of our bigger customers are moving from W25 to Bagley Road... which puts me really close to Tandy’s location.... 

[(first post) Used Sewing machines]

Thank you for all the excellent responses, I did end up speaking with someone at Toledo, I'm assuming it was bob... he did suggest the cowboy 3200 based on our conversations, but as I'm getting my head around what I am wanting to do, I think I am going to end up with more than one machine...

On 12/4/2019 at 9:02 AM, arashikage said:

Most of the machines they have right now aren't really what you want. It sounds like you should look for a cylinder arm machine. You could talk to Bob at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machine. He may have a used machine that would work or can get you new. He's probably about 3 hours from you but provides great support over the phone. 

Or you can wait until June and attend the annual Weaver Leather consignment auction in Mt Hope and see what they have. I think about 2 - 2.5 hours or so from you.

Wherein NE Ohio are you out of? You're right about both time/distances... I find myself in Toledo from time to time for work which is really nice... and even better is that I'm in a transit van with more than adequate cargo space This leather working community is super friendly/helpful. I think my next project will be a tool roll.... I'll make a point of posting it up here... planning on hand stitching, I think this will be this first "big" project that I'll be starting... the sewing machine is going to either be really high priority, or I'll see that I can work well without one. How do I get more info on the weaver event? It's certainly something I would like to attend... I see they have a store near Wooster? Is that Mount Hope? 

 

22 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

You are wanting to make leather items spanning a fairly wide range of thicknesses. Chaps with a folded hem are about 8 to 10 ounces thick. Bridles and halters can range from 14 to 24 ounces thickness.

Chaps hems can be secured with #138 bonded thread (~22#). Bridles and halters that take a lot of stress need stronger thread, like #277 (~44#). The machines normally used to sew these ranges are different. Chaps are usually sewn on flatbed walking foot machines that max out with #138 thread. Some have large bobbins that can go a long way between reloads. Bridles and halters and other horse tack is usually sewn on cylinder arm harness stitching machines that have a lower end of #138 thread and go up from there. Some of these machines can sew 1/2 inch while others sew up to 7/8 inch. But, something has to give on such heavy machines and that something is the lower thicknesses and smaller needles and thread. Chaps can be sewn on these harness stitchers but not as conveniently as on a flatbed machine.

A lot of new sewers ask similar questions as you asked. They are looking for one machine that sews from very thin to very thick leather and handles thread sizes from garment weight to hand sewing weight. There was one machine I know of that claimed to do all that, but it is long gone. Even if one found that machine, parts would be made of unobtanium. You will have to make a decision to purchase a standard size walking foot machine for lighter weight projects that are fine with thinner thread up to #138 and another one for thick and hard leather and heavy thread (e.g., 207,  277, 346).

BTW: The thread used in these machines is either bonded nylon or bonded polyester. Hand sewing thread does not work in modern industrial sewing machines as it clogs the eye of the needle and is too thick to be tensioned and cannot go around most of the shuttles in common use.

 

For the thinner stuff I'm looking at, would something along the lines of a singer 111 do the trick? Then I would need to get the cowboy 3200... or is the 3200 not going to handle the heavier thread? Is there a good guide to how the thread is sized? It looks like the bigger the number, the fatter the thread is? Whats the second number you are referencing? #277 (~#44)? I am assuming that there is an older or european measuring system and a modern/standardized one, or is it different for hand stitching vs machine?

 

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses!!

[(first post) Used Sewing machines]

Hi all,

I'm just getting started in leather working and have been having some fun with it so far. For my first project I fixed my horses girth (the part that the belt goes in so it doesn't poke me in the leg while riding broke, and I decided it was a good as an excuse as any to drop $200++ in materials to fix a $60 girth LOL). Moving on from there I made a sheath for my round knife, and a mystery weave bracelet for my little girl. I'm quickly realizing that I want to get into a sewing machine for some of the projects I have in mind that are very stitching-intensive: I want to make my daughter custom chaps (she is tiny, and everything on the market is too long, or too small in the waist)... I want to make a leather bridle and eventually halter for my Shire horse... I want to make some tool-rolls for my wrenches at work... all of which will take me hours to try and hand sew. Having a farm it's going to be practical to try and start getting busy with this newfound hobby if every project is going to take me 12+ hours. I'll have to try and get a few pictures uploaded. It's been ages since  I have been on a forum, do we still need to get the pictures hosted elsewhere, or can I upload them to this site?

Anyways about the topic..... I am not sure if anyone has every heard of this place, but there is a used industrial machine place not far from me who happens to have random sewing machines. I see a few singers, a few juki and a pfaff. I can't tell if any of them are complete, or even worth looking at. Hopefully posting links is ok? I haven't seen anything against it: HGR Industrial Surplus If anything is worth going to look at, please let me know, the place is less than an hour from me. Some of the descriptions are wrong, but the pictures are not bad. I see they even have some cobbler machines which I would imagine have the power, but I don't see walking feet on them, so I have to assume they will not serve me very well.

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Mark in Ohio