What would you pay?

[Southerngunner]

My local shop has a old Singer168w 101 for sale I am planning on buying it once he get serviced and shows me it's working properly. It has a table and light ,the motor is the clutch drive monster. I can get it for $400.00 ,the way it sits after the service,  the first change will be a servo set up, so I will be in it $525.00 or so with new servo.

I am new to machines so I was hoping someone here could give me an opinion on the price.

The photo that I have can't download because of size. It looks to be in good shape for a 60 plus year old unit.

Thanks in advance for any opinions good or bad I have no money invested yet.

Terry 

[Matt S]

That's a price I would consider acceptable... if I had a use for such a machine. The 168W is a post-bed upholstery-weight machine. Designed for sewing shoe uppers (not soles), hat crowns, bag bottoms that sort of thing. With care (or building a little add-on table) a person could use it for sewing wallets, purses, dress belts etc., but not anything heavy like holsters, knife sheaths or gun/tool belts. Apart from the ability to sew "into" certain hollow shapes I don't know how much utility you'd get out of it beyond what your Consew 207 can do.

[Southerngunner]

Thanks for the input my current machine is actually a Japanese Consew 206 Rb-2 that I made a holster for my son in law and I found the limits of what it can do.

I was hoping with the post bed and once a servo is installed that I might be able to go up to 3 layers of 8 or 9 oz leather,  perhaps I should keep looking.

[Matt S]

5 hours ago, Southerngunner said:

Thanks for the input

No problem sir, we all start from somewhere!
 

Quote

my current machine is actually a Japanese Consew 206 Rb-2 that I made a holster for my son in law and I found the limits of what it can do.

Ah, in which case the 168W would have a slightly increased accessibility advantage over a 206 than a 207. I've never used a 168W but I'd lay money on it having very similar upper limits to your 206 in terms of max thickness and max thread size. Probably a smidge lower, plus no reverse feed.
 

Quote

I was hoping with the post bed and once a servo is installed that I might be able to go up to 3 layers of 8 or 9 oz leather,  perhaps I should keep looking.

Unfortunately I'm not sure it'll be up to that. There are heavier post-bed machines but they're not very common. For a holster you'd be looking for what I think of as the "harness" weight class. A Singer 45K, Singer 7, Adler 4/5/104/105/204/205/304/305, Juki 441 (or one of its many clones), that sort of thing. Flat-bed is more common but cylinder-arm tends to be more versatile.

[Wizcrafts]

13 hours ago, Southerngunner said:

Thanks for the input my current machine is actually a Japanese Consew 206 Rb-2 that I made a holster for my son in law and I found the limits of what it can do.

I was hoping with the post bed and once a servo is installed that I might be able to go up to 3 layers of 8 or 9 oz leather,  perhaps I should keep looking.

I have a Singer 168g101 and there's no way it will meaningfully sew 27 ounces of veg-tan leather. It might handle 20 ounces with #138 thread using a #23 titanium coated leather point needle. The machine uses a Singer G size bobbin (aka: 1x) and has about the same walking foot mechanism and handling capability as a 111w103 or w153 (not 155). It is best limited to a sewing thickness of about 5/16 inch and maximum thread size of 138, top and bottom.

I mostly use my Singer 168 post machine to sew patches onto vests and ball caps. Once in a while I sew bag bottoms on it. It can also sew hats together if you want to venture into hat making. Miy machine is normally threaded with #69 bonded thread and a #18 round point needle (for sewing the edges of embroidered patches).

[Southerngunner]

Thanks for the input my current machine is actually a Japanese Consew 206 Rb-2 that I made a holster for my son in law and I found the limits of what it can do.

I was hoping with the post bed and once a servo is installed that I might be able to go up to 3 layers of 8 or 9 oz leather,  perhaps I should keep looking.

Edited December 23, 2022 by Southerngunner
Duplicate post please remove

[Wizcrafts]

11 minutes ago, Southerngunner said:

I was hoping with the post bed and once a servo is installed that I might be able to go up to 3 layers of 8 or 9 oz leather,  perhaps I should keep looking.

I recommend looking into a Cowboy CB3200 at a minimum. I personally have a CB4500 that I use for holsters, sheathes and all manner of heavy leather projects. These machines are built to sew thick, dense leather with large diameter bonded thread, using needles that resemble roofing nails.

The 3200 sews up to 1/2 inch. The 4500 sews 7/8 inch. Both easily tension #346 bonded thread.

Don't dink around with lesser machines if you want to get serious about sewing handgun holsters and knife/axe sheathes. They need thick thread to keep them from coming apart under stress. We even used our 4500 to sew a super sized sheath for a Pig axe carried by a volunteer firefighter. These axes are used to break down doors and walls. The sheath needs to be super strong to hold its weight. Don't dink around...

[Southerngunner]

1 hour ago, Wizcrafts said:

I have a Singer 168g101 and there's no way it will meaningfully sew 27 ounces of veg-tan leather. It might handle 20 ounces with #138 thread using a #23 titanium coated leather point needle. The machine uses a Singer G size bobbin (aka: 1x) and has about the same walking foot mechanism and handling capability as a 111w103 or w153 (not 155). It is best limited to a sewing thickness of about 5/16 inch and maximum thread size of 138, top and bottom.

I mostly use my Singer 168 post machine to sew patches onto vests and ball caps. Once in a while I sew bag bottoms on it. It can also sew hats together if you want to venture into hat making. Miy machine is normally threaded with #69 bonded thread and a #18 round point needle (for sewing the edges of embroidered patches).

Your reply is greatly appreciated, I don't think it is the right machine for what I  may be doing in the future , Thanks to you and Matt S for your honest advice . I will probably be better off saving the $500.00 plus and look for a machine more suitable for holsters and such. I belive I will call my dealer and tell him  I'm going to pass on the 168w-101.

Maybe a tippman or Cowboy will show up.  

Thank again,

Terry

[Burkhardt]

Something else nice about the heavier machines as @Wizcrafts mentioned is getting a speed reducer with the bigger machines for the torque through the thicker leather.

[Southerngunner]

I really appreciate everyone's advice.  I called my dealer and told him I was going to pass on that machine,at least I got to him before he spent the time to set it up and service it.

I think  I will  work more with my 206 rb and possibly look at a Tippman Pro, or Cowboy outlaw hand crank for a second machine for heavier  work