Ferdco #6/6

[awharness]

I was wondering if anyone out there has used the Ferdco #6/6 ... I Saw the posts about the Lubertos and the ASE #9... I was just wondering where the #6/6 fell in on that discusion as far as likes and dislikes...

-Andrew

[Art]

Hi Andrew,

I had one for a short period of time. Although it ran well, it wasn't an ASE No. 9 and it definitely wasn't a Pearson or a Classic. When you compare it to the others, something was different, it however did sew ok. I got rid of it (I got offered way more than I could refuse). I see them come up for sale at over $3,000 which I think is a little high as you can buy a new 441 clone for that and you get reverse. If you can get a really good deal (under $2000 or LESS) it is an ok harness machine. You don't see a lot of them around and I don't think they sold well.

Art

I was wondering if anyone out there has used the Ferdco #6/6 ... I Saw the posts about the Lubertos and the ASE #9... I was just wondering where the #6/6 fell in on that discusion as far as likes and dislikes...

-Andrew

[awharness]

Thanks Art,

I was falling in love with the lubertos, But I am having a hard time with the price. I saw the 6/6, and thinking that the ferdco was a good machine in general that the 6/6 would be a fair substitute for the Classic. If thats not the case! I've seen recomendations for the Toro 3000 and other 441 clones and 205 clones, is that basically the only way to go as far as heavy stitchers? Where would you put your money Art? I love the adjustible foot on the lubertos... they sound like a great machine but 7k...

-Andrew

[Art]

Hi Andrew,

I have A No.9, A really big Artisan, a smaller Artisan, A Campbell needle and awl, A Double needle Pfaff and a couple of small Singers that are now property of the wife, and a few of the wife's home machines that I maintain. I have had many other machines pass through that I have bought right and resold, a 6/6 was one of them, I have also owned the bigger Ferdco and Ferdinand machines. I have looked at and played with a Classic but have never owned one, it is so similar to the ASE No.9 that either would do.

If you are new to sewing machines and/or not technically inclined, I would buy from a distributor/dealer with a good service dept and track record. If you are not comfortable with talking with them and working with them, go find someone else. Talk to the guys in the back, not the president/owner, these are the folks you have to deal with when the manure hits the windmill. You can find deals on the used market and at consignment auctions. but not for your first machine, you just won't know enough to walk away from a disaster looking for a new owner.

I can recommend two sellers that I have experience with. Artisan and Ferdco. Right now, I feel Artisan machines are a better value dollar for dollar, the machines are similar in function and performance, Ferdco's medium machines tend to follow the Pfaff look and function, whereas Artisan's tend to look and work like Juki and Mitsubishi. All the big machines from both are like Jukis.

There is a company, Sewing Machine Sales and Service that sells the brand Sewmo, they have the clone or both the Juki 441 and the Adler 205-370, I have heard good things about these machines, but don't have any hands on with them, and no experience with the SMSS company. Their prices are a little higher than Artisan for the 441 clone.

I don't know what your financial limits are, but if you can deal with the 9" arm, The Artisan 3000 is about the best buy out there (see the Marketplace section of leatherworker.net and look under sewing machines->new). In longer arm machines (16") the Artisan 4000R is around $3000. If you really need a long arm, they have a model of the 441 that has a 25" arm for around $3500, nice machine but heavy and the stand column is about the size of a fire plug (and about as heavy); nice machine if you need it at a really great price (long arms are notoriously expensive).

If you lean more toward Ferdco, Bruce Johnson can fill you in on his experiences with them, I don't want this to sound like an Artisan commercial. Weaver Leather sells Adler machines and they are excellent machines. They are developing a clone machine of their own which looks like and Adler head with a Juki bottom sort of thing. This doesn't surprise me as they have so much Adler experience and it looks like they wanted a little longer arm. I don't know if they have it to market yet, but I have seen the prototype.

Art

Thanks Art,

I was falling in love with the lubertos, But I am having a hard time with the price. I saw the 6/6, and thinking that the ferdco was a good machine in general that the 6/6 would be a fair substitute for the Classic. If thats not the case! I've seen recomendations for the Toro 3000 and other 441 clones and 205 clones, is that basically the only way to go as far as heavy stitchers? Where would you put your money Art? I love the adjustible foot on the lubertos... they sound like a great machine but 7k...

-Andrew

[awharness]

Art, What seems to be the differnce from the fredco 2020 and the Toro 3000 or the super bull v. 4000? They are both 441 clones... Whats the differnce from there? I've been using a Boss and a 29-4 and am ready to make the next step up... I need something thats got good control for doing bridle work normally 1/2" wide up... to thick, but limited thick... I do do 12oz doubled up regularly, but when I say thick thick I mean like damn close to 7/8" on a D ring pulling harness. I do have the Boss and the 29-4 that I can use for light stuff. I just dont know which direction to go in... I figure I have three catigories for heavy stitchers

1) 441/205's Clones, remakes knock offs and orginals be it weaver, sewpro, sewmo Cowboy artisan Ferdco ect.

2) THe harness stitchers ASE #9, Lubertos, Ferdco 6/6 ect

3) the needle and awl, the Champions, the Unions, Campbell-Bosworths.

I just dont know which way to go... I dont want to deal with the pain in the butt timing of the needle and awl on a daily basis... but maybe work my way up to one if I get a lesser of a machine right now...

-Andrew

Art, whats your Big artisan?

[Art]

Hi Andrew,

I haven't had my hands on a 2020, but it looks remarkably similar to an Artisan 3000. The Pro 2000 Super Bull and the Artisan 4000 R are basically Juki 441 clones, there may be a claim of things like lower needle guides etc, but I know more people who have taken them off (basically it is just the hole part of the feed dog) than who see them as useful. Either of them will do 7/8" or even 1" with adjustment. Extremes either way will need adjustments as with most all machines.

I am not real conversant in the 205s, they are 3/4" machines by spec, I don't know if you can push them. I just went to the shop and ran 1" of sole bend through the No.9, BY HAND, sure don't want to do that for long, no adjustments, worked fine.

I have the Artisan 4000P, it is bigger than the 441 and has a bigger and much heavier casting, higher quality parts, 7/8" for as long as you want as fast as you want. Have to adjust a little bit for 1" and over, machine is plenty strong enough. It is a little pricey but a brute.

The Campbell is a pretty solid machine, you need to adjust a little for different setups like lock depth, but timing is pretty mechanical and usually stays put, needle and awl work together, shuttle can be a little intimidating, just the sound of it wacking back and forth in there can be a little scary, not to mention running with the covers off. I would not recommend it as a first machine. The Union is a PIA, set it up and oil it and don't mess with it. Champions are easy to work on but have pretty narrow throat, even on the "wide" model. All of them bring new meaning to "heavy metal". In slow mode, most of the needle and awl machines run pretty fast.

Hope the observations help.

Art

Art, What seems to be the differnce from the fredco 2020 and the Toro 3000 or the super bull v. 4000? They are both 441 clones... Whats the differnce from there? I've been using a Boss and a 29-4 and am ready to make the next step up... I need something thats got good control for doing bridle work normally 1/2" wide up... to thick, but limited thick... I do do 12oz doubled up regularly, but when I say thick thick I mean like damn close to 7/8" on a D ring pulling harness. I do have the Boss and the 29-4 that I can use for light stuff. I just dont know which direction to go in... I figure I have three catigories for heavy stitchers

1) 441/205's Clones, remakes knock offs and orginals be it weaver, sewpro, sewmo Cowboy artisan Ferdco ect.

2) THe harness stitchers ASE #9, Lubertos, Ferdco 6/6 ect

3) the needle and awl, the Champions, the Unions, Campbell-Bosworths.

I just dont know which way to go... I dont want to deal with the pain in the butt timing of the needle and awl on a daily basis... but maybe work my way up to one if I get a lesser of a machine right now...

-Andrew

Art, whats your Big artisan?

[bruce johnson]

Andrew,

To jump in here on the Alder, I used to have a 205. It is a good machine and I am sure would sew with bullet holes after a nuclear holocaust. That said it had no needle guide or center foot, and the feed dog hole was a fairly small target for a needle capable of sewing 346 to hit. It would sew doubled 9 oz latigo reins all day. It would sew new saddle skirts and normal back cinches all day. I made the mistake of building some wide calf roping back cinches based on an old style I used. I used doubled skirting for the bodies, and 10/11 oz for the tunnel loops. The ropers loved them because they are dang sure stout. The top side stitches looked fine. The bottom stitches due to needle deflection wiggled all over and missed the bottom groove in random patterns when it hit the 3 layers. If the needle missed the feeddog hole and snapped, it was pretty impressive. Tended to skip on some relining of skirts due to needles holes not quite matchining up in the skirts/plugs. Needle deflection was an issue with it.

When I got my Pro 2000, the bottom stitches match the top, and I don't even think about it. The 205 is now side seaming boots in Oregon. I think 3/4" would be a real generous allowance for the Adler I had. I know a guy who had a Sewmo 205-370 clone, and that was his experience too. Good up to 1/2" and then it is a push.

[msbarrelchaser]

Andrew,

To jump in here on the Alder, I used to have a 205. It is a good machine and I am sure would sew with bullet holes after a nuclear holocaust. That said it had no needle guide or center foot, and the feed dog hole was a fairly small target for a needle capable of sewing 346 to hit. It would sew doubled 9 oz latigo reins all day. It would sew new saddle skirts and normal back cinches all day. I made the mistake of building some wide calf roping back cinches based on an old style I used. I used doubled skirting for the bodies, and 10/11 oz for the tunnel loops. The ropers loved them because they are dang sure stout. The top side stitches looked fine. The bottom stitches due to needle deflection wiggled all over and missed the bottom groove in random patterns when it hit the 3 layers. If the needle missed the feeddog hole and snapped, it was pretty impressive. Tended to skip on some relining of skirts due to needles holes not quite matchining up in the skirts/plugs. Needle deflection was an issue with it.

When I got my Pro 2000, the bottom stitches match the top, and I don't even think about it. The 205 is now side seaming boots in Oregon. I think 3/4" would be a real generous allowance for the Adler I had. I know a guy who had a Sewmo 205-370 clone, and that was his experience too. Good up to 1/2" and then it is a push.

Hi Bruce

Are you happy with your pro 2000? I am about to take the plunge and purchase one. I have heard so many good things about the machine.

[bruce johnson]

Kristina,

This topic is a couple years old, and I still like my Ferdco 2000. I bought the saddlers package and later on got the case/boot foot. It does everything I want it to. I bought it before the sewing machine price wars started, but I still would buy it again. It has been trouble free. FWIW, I have a Ferdco 1245 also. I have had it a few years and am waiting for it to skip the first stitch.

[msbarrelchaser]

Kristina,

This topic is a couple years old, and I still like my Ferdco 2000. I bought the saddlers package and later on got the case/boot foot. It does everything I want it to. I bought it before the sewing machine price wars started, but I still would buy it again. It has been trouble free. FWIW, I have a Ferdco 1245 also. I have had it a few years and am waiting for it to skip the first stitch.

Wow. I didn't realize the post was so long ago. I googled the 2000 to see what people were saying about it. Sounds like I am going in the right direction. Can't wait to start sewing on it! Thanks so much