Could the Artisan Toro 3200 be the one machine to do it all?

[garethkerlin]

Long time member, first time poster! Thanks for all the posts and knowledge that you guys have!

I have been looking at buying my first industrial cylinder arm walking foot machine. The used market is scarce on the East coast so I've been looking at new machines though I find myself in the same place so many are. I want to do thicker foods like work belts, holsters etc. but I also really want to work in waxed canvas goods. 

I looked at the class 26 (or equivalent) which is good for light/medium that maxed out at 1/2" and the class 4 which is great for heavier work but struggles with lighter work... I can only afford one... Well maybe I can't even afford one but I'm gonna try haha. 

Found the newer Artisan Toro 3200. Says it can do light work "2-3 pieces of paper" to 9/10 of an inch. I know each would require setup and tension adjustments which is normal but does anyone have any experience with this machine? Can it run the gamut it says it can? Can it perform well in both scenarios? If so, then I think it might be the one for me. Any thoughts appreciated! 

TORO3200LineBrochure09302014.pdf

[bruce johnson]

If you want a straight up comparison of the Toro vs 26, call Leather Machine Co. Dave and Vince at Leather Machine Co both used to work for Artisan. I have no experience with the latest owners at Artisan  but have a long running relationship with Steve and now Dave and Vince that all worked at Artisan before they started Leather Machine CO.  

[kgg]

3 hours ago, garethkerlin said:

Any thoughts

My thoughts are the Artisan Toro 3200 is a class 441 machine with a chopped down cylinder arm as the original Juki TSC-441 machines have a 16" cylinder arm. When I was looking for a Class 441 clone machine, couldn't justify a true Juki TSC-441, I drove myself nuts looking at the specs of a lot of machines. I finally just went with a standard Juki 16" clone using standard readily available parts that can be had from a lot of suppliers and figured it would be a lot easier to sell down the road.

That said if the price was right and it was in great shape it maybe worth a consideration.

What are they asking for the machine????

kgg

[Patrick1]

http://www.artisansew.com/pdf/specs/TORO_3200.pdf If this is the machine your looking at, it's a 441 clone with a 7/8 thickness capacity. It's same as the Cobra class 3, or the Cowboy CB 3500, not the Cowboy 3200 which is not a 441 clone because the all the parts are not compatible. You're better off with the Toro 3200 because you can upgrade the machine with the narrow feed dogs and plates to sew thinner material. Just the best versatile machine out there in my opinion.

[nylonRigging]

19 hours ago, garethkerlin said:

Found the newer Artisan Toro 3200. Says ..."it can do light work "2-3 pieces of paper". to 9/10 of an inch. I know each would require setup and tension adjustments which is normal but does anyone have any experience with this machine? Can it run the gamut it says it can? Can it perform well in both scenarios? If so, then I think it might be the one for me. Any thoughts appreciated! 

I use one all the time. It can be easy dumbed down to sew 138 size nylon thread, but that is about as light as I have taken mine for thread size. The artisan model you quoting I bought and setup 95%+ of the time for just seam-binding using 138 on thicker edges to bind using 1" type2 heavy nylon tape, and it does really good with lighter #138 for that large shuttle system and machine. I am under-working that 3200 machines stroke and power,. but I always like to ask sew machines to do less than the suggested factory Maximum load.

I basically never tried to sew thinner items with the Artisan 3200 because I have a lot of other machines to sew thinner materials that are setup and tuned for that job . it sewing..." light work "2-3 pieces of paper".  I seriously doubt that. you can try ?, but I don't think the machine would do that thin unless you really changed out a plethora of things, Dog, small hole Needle plate, Feet, choices of 794 needle size, and really work playing with tensions ..etc. .. ( imho )  you don't buy that machine to sew thinnest of material. That's not what the machine was design to do. there so many other lighter and cheaper-$ machines already do that job well .

.

Edited Thursday at 08:40 PM by nylonRigging

[dikman]

If, as others have said, it's a 441 clone (and in the brochure it certainly looks like one) then you will NOT be sewing 2-3 pieces of paper - unless it's bloody thick paper!! If you fit the modified needle plate/feed dog combo then you will be able to sew fairly thin leathers comfortably with #138 thread and if you can find suitable needles possibly #69 thread. While it is not a do-everything machine the modified fittings do make it pretty versatile.

[Cumberland Highpower]

I think your 3200 would "probably" be a more user friendly machine than the full on 441 clones as a do everything machine.

The longer arm on the full length machines is more useful, there is no doubt, but there is something to say for ergonomics....The longer the arm, the further you have to reach for the handwheel.

I don't have any 441 clones on hand, but I have owned a few similar class machines (Adlers) and I prefer the standard versions over the 16" jobs for that reason.  I'm fairly tall, with long arms but that little extra reach you have to do on the 16" machines adds up in a day's time.

(That's part of why I like the old Randall Stitchers and still keep them, I can sit, do some quality work on small goods and keep my arms and elbows at the same level at a comfortable spacing).

If you can get by without the 16" arm,  go for your 3200.  I have run 69 thread on a 205-64 in the past and had no issues,  I don't see why a Juki clone would be any different?  You could sew all day on a bobbin! 

 

Edited yesterday at 12:15 AM by Cumberland Highpower

[1hp]

this craft, 2 machine minimum.

[Gump]

I have had my Toro 3200 about 10 yrs, and it is a 12 inch version of 441, 90% same parts. Does the same job as all other 441 clones. No machine can properly sew something thinner than the diameter of the thread you are using. I have used 92 nylon, but needles that thin are trouble when there that long. So no on sewing paper properly.  No major problems, just a little hook adjustment after about 50 hours break-in. Came properly set up and still works fine.