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Hi everyone! I'm Sam and I'm thrilled to be here. I've been lurking and reading the threads here for the last couple of months and the time has come to officially join the community. As a total newbie, I've been reading the stickied/older threads, trying to grapple with all the terminology that everyone here is so familiar with, but have found myself a little lost and in need of assistance. I'm hoping nobody minds if I ask some questions. First, a little background. I'm currently based in Dubai, having moved here for work just before the pandemic hit. I lost my job during the initial wave and started leather working as a way to deal with the stress of the situation. I have always loved leather, but never handled it before. I am teaching myself little bits at a time and still have a lot to learn, but I quickly became addicted to the craft! I'm sure many of you will know the feeling well! I've been making myself some small items using some 4-7ft leather pieces (from Etsy), a rivet press and some cheap rivets+snaps, leather belt hole punch, and contact cement. I've made 3 bags and a couple of card cases this way. A couple of those items were saddle stitched (using Youtube tutorials) but I quickly found that my hands can't take it (because I have rheumatoid arthritis), so I relied on contact cement and must say the stuff has been perfectly fine for my needs up until this point. Like many people, the pandemic has made me reassess my path and seek more joy. I've decided I'd like to start a small Etsy store selling purses and wallets. I'm aware that there's a ton of competition out there in this area, but I would like to spend my days running a modest operation and relishing in the joy of handcrafting unique items for others to enjoy. My designs have been unique (my own patterns) and I have had strangers comment on how beautiful my handmade bag was- which sent me straight to cloud 9! I have felt so excited, joyful and proud of my small creations and I'd like to lean into this passion project fully. Now onto the questions and issues I'm facing. I cannot picture selling items made with contact cement. I would have to stitch them for them to be worthy of other people's interest and money. However, I've never machine-stitched anything in my life! From my research, I have narrowed down the options for a sewing machine, but could use some input on which would be best suited to my needs and circumstances. Materials: - I'm using goat/lamb/chrome tanned leather and suede, ranging from 0.6mm-1.2mm in thickness. For some designs, I would need to stitch up to 3 layers of leather. - I'm using reinforcements/interfacing on the thinner leathers so they don't tear or stretch out when the bags are full. - I'm also lining my bags with thin microsuede fabric. Budget: I'm trying to save up to $2000 (usd) for my first leather sewing machine (including shipping). Machine options (based on the threads here): 1 - Techsew 2700 2 - Consew 260RB 3 - Juki 1541 + some sort of regular home sewing machine to stitch my linings and inner pockets- perhaps a Brother or Singer? *I've been reaching out to local suppliers but they're not forthcoming with information. Basically they say that I should decide what I want and then they'll let me know if they can source the machine. I also have the option of finding a supplier abroad who will ship internationally but the shipping cost would eat into my budget. ** I'm not including hand-crank machines due to my rheumatoid arthritis, however I'm willing to consider it if they're not as hard on the small joints as saddle stitching. Questions 1- Are the 3 options I've listed the correct ones for my needs? Is one preferable over the others? 2- I live in a small flat, but have enough space to set up desks/machines/shelves. However, I'm concerned about the weight of the machines and the amount of noise they make. Would any of these machines be an issue if used in a flat versus an outdoor studio/warehouse. Are they too loud to operate in a flat? I don't want trouble with my landlord or neighbors. 3- Is it difficult to set up these industrial machines without any prior experience? I'm planning to follow Youtube tutorials and/or any information provided by the supplier. 4- Franky, do you think I'm jumping in at the deep end and would be wiser, given that I know nothing about sewing machines, to use a basic domestic machine with a different head/needles for my leatherwork instead of investing in a proper leather sewing machine? Additional considerations: 1- My estimation is that the thickest total material I'll be stitching will be 4-5mm. Therefore, I would like to get a sewing machine that can easily handle 10mm so that I'm not having it cranking at its maximum capacity all the time. 2- I would like the option of a cylinder arm and flatbed attachment, as some of my designs have gussets and rounded corners. 3- I would like to buy a machine that would last me a few years before needing an upgrade, if possible. I don't think I want to learn/start on one machine, then have to buy a better one in 6 months' time as I won't be able to afford that. I'd rather learn from the get-go on the machine that will be my workhorse. Okay, I think that's everything! I hope it's not overkill, but I wanted to be as clear as possible so that I can be steered right. Thank you to anyone and everyone for your willingness to help us newbies out! I'm super excited to hear what will be recommended and to start my journey into this world properly. I hope to be able to share some of my work with you all soon!