Leather sewing cylinder arm

[stanan]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for a vintage cylinder arm machine for rather heavy leather.

I stitch boot uppers and belts up to ~10mm, usually more like 4-7mm (double 4-8oz)

Something like singer 153w 

1) What are the other models to look for? The market is somewhat limited...

2) I have some experience with patchers and post beds (bottom feed), but never had a cylinder with compound feed. Is it worth it? Or at that weight better to have something mechanically simple and easy to maintain.

Textima 17-2 on the pic. Super hot and available to buy nearby, bottom feed dog only

 

Thank you and happy sewing!

[Constabulary]

The Textima 17 is a clone of the Singer 17, made in east Germany after the War at around the early 1950s. Not really a heavy duty machine and the bobbin size is quite small.

Pfaff 335, Adler 69 come to my mind. Adler 5, 105 or Singer 45K are way heavier but are drop feed machines, some may have a jump foot. CLAES 233 may be something to look for they were quite common in the former East Block and are excellent machines.

[stanan]

12 hours ago, Constabulary said:

The Textima 17 is a clone of the Singer 17, made in east Germany after the War at around the early 1950s. Not really a heavy duty machine and the bobbin size is quite small.

Pfaff 335, Adler 69 come to my mind. Adler 5, 105 or Singer 45K are way heavier but are drop feed machines, some may have a jump foot. CLAES 233 may be something to look for they were quite common in the former East Block and are excellent machines.

Thank you! What about the compound feed? Is it a game changer or just nice to have.

I like simple machines, I repair and tweak them myself, I'm not a mechanic though. 

But, if it does allow me to stitch thick uppers more confidently, without glueing I'd go for that and figure them out.

[kgg]

To further what @Constabulary said here is a line from ISAC.net about the Singer 17-2 ( https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-class-17-sewing-machines.html )

" Machine No. 17-2 has drop-feed across arm at right of needle and is used for closing the seams of Shot or other bags after they are filled, sewing buckram on Jean Pants, Pocketbook manufacture, etc. "

Personally I think you should be looking for machines similar to at least a Juki LS-341 or clone depending on the thread size / toughness of the leather (chrome tan or veg tan). With old machines when you get into the 75 year bracket whether they are brand name or clone finding replacement parts can be expensive or sometimes impossible to find. If you can't find parts you wind up with a pretty boat anchor. 

2 hours ago, stanan said:

What about the compound feed? Is it a game changer or just nice to have.

When setup properly it is a game changer as you get the presser foot, the needle and the feed dog moving your item along particularity on thick items or multi layers.

kgg