JoeKid1315

Thanks Wiz! That definitely makes more sense than guessing whether a machine is good. These come with a 2 year warranty and the shop is right up the road. They have good reviews and have answered everything I’ve asked so far. Unless someone else provides feedback, I’ll probably buy this tomorrow. Maybe I’ll be able to give meaningful feedback in the future for someone else who comes along.

Good evening! I’m still trying to narrow down which sewing machine to get for wallets, small bags, duffels, etc., but I haven’t found any real feedback on the Thor brand sewing machines sold by Sunny Sewing machines in Dallas. I went by their shop today and they were super helpful and the machine seemed to work well, but I don’t have any experience with sewing machines or outside feedback on whether this machine is the same quality as Cowboy, Cobra, Techsew, and others. They’re all about the same cost give or take a couple hundred. I’m looking at the Thor GC-1341, Cobra Class 26, Techsew 2750, and cowboy 227R or cb3200. Besides the cb3200, I don’t see a whole lot of major differences in capability. If there’s no concerns with any of these, I’ll probably just get the Thor since their shop has been very responsive and helpful. I’ve tried reaching out to the Bobs over the past 2 weeks, but they may be busy or something. There’s another shop near me that sells Cobras, but they haven’t responded to emails or phone calls either... It’s been a little frustrating trying to buy, but the world is turned over with everything going on. At this point I would need to call the shops in Canada, but I don’t know how taxes or tariffs work on those and whether they add up. On the websites, the final price doesn’t include tax which would be about the same cost with shipping as buying down the street. Sorry for all the questions lately, but it’s a big purchase and I keep second guessing myself. Does anybody have experience with Thor machines? Are the other options better in some way? I’ve really appreciated all the help here!!

That was exactly my thinking haha. It was overkill for what I need, but I definitely would have had to try my hand at thicker projects just to see how good that machine was. I’m think the Thor 1341 or a used Juki 1341 is the way to go for my projects though.

Thanks Wiz! I will check out those machines and shop around a bit. A few of those were what I was originally looking for, so I'm glad I was on the right track. Have you had any experience with the Thor GC-1341? I'm guessing it's another clone, but I called a local sewing shop and he's pushing this model for my needs. It seems like the typical price point, but this is the first dealer who's answered the phone and answered questions. I'd like to have local support if possible.

Thanks Ferg! I think you're right on needing to step down to the CB227R or equivalent. I was originally looking at that, the Cobra Class 26, or a Consew 227R, but this deal seemed like one I should jump on. Doesn't help if I can't use it for everything though.... Now I'm back to digging through past threads to find the right machine haha. Thanks again!

Good afternoon! I found a great deal on a new Cowboy CB4500, but I'm worried it's too much machine for what I need. I primarily work with wallets, backpacks, portfolios, bags, etc. I don't plan to make many belts, holsters, or anything too thick. Is the CB4500 still able to handle smaller leather goods like this? I see it can go down to about 6 ounces, but I guess that would be a problem for simple adding zippers to a single layer of 4-5 ounce chrome tan leather, right? It's obviously a super capable machine, but I don't want to get a machine that can't sew everything I plan to make. Thanks!

Ended up deciding not to get this machine for now. It seems like it's in good shape, but it's not obvious whether this is a good deal or not. Plus the current virus issues make the day trip a little worrisome. Thanks for the tips though! I'll probably end up getting the Cobra Class 26 instead to have some peace of mind.

Thanks so much for the reply! Sounds like the differences don’t matter too much unless the China versus japan manufacturing means anything. So would something like this be a reasonable buy at $1600? I guess these machines last a long time so the age may not matter in terms of value.

Hello! I’ve been lurking on the site for a while and am really considering picking up my first machine soon. There’s a listing for a Consew 227R on Marketplace, but I can’t find information on the differences between the 227R and the 227R-2. There was another thread that stated these are generation markers essentially, but I can’t tell if the difference is that large. This one looks to be like new, but I’m hesitant to spend $1600 on the older generation without knowing how old it is and whether it’s worth it. I only see the 227R looking in worse shape and much lower cost. I’d prefer buying new or local, but cylinder arms at this level don’t seem to be up for sale too often. Does anyone have any advice in this situation? Thank you!