Looking for the ideal sewing machine to stitch thin/soft leather

[UKRay]

Okay folks, I've finally sorted myself out with the monster Highlead harness leather stitcher, I've got the Singer 29K patching machine situation well under control and now I'm looking for a machine to stitch thin/soft leather. Ideally, I'd like to be able to make some wallets, pouches, basic leather waistcoat/vests and lightweight leather linings for my bags. I'm not looking for the cheapest sewing machine on the market but I do want the best all-round solution so please, take a minute and tell me what make and model you would buy if you could? More importantly why would you buy it?

Would I want a cylinder arm or flatbed machine for this work? I suspect a flatbed would be most useful but I'm really not sure. What do you use and what do you think would be best?

Thanks for the input, guys. As always, I'm most grateful.

Ray

Edited June 8, 2009 by UKRay

[Art]

Hi Ray,

On the previously owned market a Singer 31-15 would be a winner. For me however a Highlead GC24618 would be my choice. Post bed and driven roller feet top and bottom, 15 to 138 thread. The post is just too darned handy to pass that up, however, you already have a patcher which can fill in for the post, but can't do the really nice stitching of the 4618. If you are just looking for a flatbed that does a nice stitch (like for boot top decoration) the Highlead 5550 is a great machine and not too expensive.

Art

Okay folks, I've finally sorted myself out with the monster Highlead harness leather stitcher, I've got the Singer 29K patching machine situation well under control and now I'm looking for a machine to stitch thin/soft leather. Ideally, I'd like to be able to make some wallets, pouches, basic leather waistcoat/vests and lightweight leather linings for my bags. I'm not looking for the cheapest sewing machine on the market but I do want the best all-round solution so please, take a minute and tell me what make and model you would buy if you could? More importantly why would you buy it?

Would I want a cylinder arm or flatbed machine for this work? I suspect a flatbed would be most useful but I'm really not sure. What do you use and what do you think would be best?

Thanks for the input, guys. As always, I'm most grateful.

Ray

[UKRay]

I ws looking at that machine myself, Art. There is a rather fine looking one on eBay right now. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...alenotsupported

I'm confident it would do the job perfectly. At £1800 (inc tax), new, it is a high dollar purchase but I must say I'm delighted with my Highlead and woud be happy to go with them again. I'm keen to hear what the others have to say about this as finding the perfect machine is such a problem.

Just one thing, how easy is it to stitch long straight lines on a post machine? Would I need to built a 'table' to fit around the post? Do other people on here use post machines?

Ray

Edited June 8, 2009 by UKRay

[UKRay]

I have spoken to the owner of the Highlead GC24618 and negotiated a deal that involves me going over to Ireland to collect it.

Sadly, this means stopping over for a couple of days in Dublin on the way back, staying with some old friends who enjoy eating out in Dublin's very fine restaurants and spending time in pubs and bars listening to music, sampling Guinness and Irish Whisky...

This could be a very, very expensive sewing machine!

Ray

[Rawhide]

I have spoken to the owner of the Highlead GC24618 and negotiated a deal that involves me going over to Ireland to collect it.

Sadly, this means stopping over for a couple of days in Dublin on the way back, staying with some old friends who enjoy eating out in Dublin's very fine restaurants and spending time in pubs and bars listening to music, sampling Guinness and Irish Whisky...

This could be a very, very expensive sewing machine!

Ray

Yeah....And it could cost a lot of money too!!!

[Cobra Steve]

Hey UKRay, c'mon buddy, take me with you!! Steve

[UKRay]

Yeah yeah yeah, and I'd come home with fifteen sewing machines not just one! Your reputation preceedes you, Steve. LOL

Anyway, cousin Luke says he's coming too; tho I'm not sure Ireland is quite ready for that...

Hey UKRay, c'mon buddy, take me with you!! Steve

[kevind]

Hello all, this is my first post and on a slightly different topic. I've added it onto the end of Rays enquiries because it's a similar enquiry. I have also tucked it away because it's not directly about leather.... sorry, but let me explain. I work at an outdoor center in the north of England doing stores and maintenance. At the moment we send all our damaged waterproof gear away to be repaired in Scotland. I would like to set up a part time business of my own repairing these and also repairing rucksacks, tents, tarpaulins, webbing etc. I've spent quite a while online looking for information on purchasing a machine. I imagine from what I learnt that a cylinder industrial machine would be the best for what I am looking at. I was looking at, amongst others, the Highlead machines and surfing the web for user reviews and information led me to your site. As a matter of fact this is the only site which google finds which has discussions from users about these machines. Looking at the leather work on here and reading about it has made me want to include the possibilty of doing leatherwork in the future, so now I'm trying to choose something to buy which covers a wide area. Would this machine here be able to do nylon waterproofs and tents? Would I just be able to put in a smaller needle for this or am I asking for too wide a range of materials from a machine? Basically I don't know if I'm looking for too much from a machine or whether it is possible to work from nylon to leather on a single machine. Your guidance would be welcome.

Kevin.

[SteveBrambley]

Hi Kevin,

I haven't used this machine myself, however, I would have thought it was a bit too heavy for the type of light weight fabrics used in waterproofs and tents.

For a lighter weight cylinder bed machine, something like the old Singer 153K class would work better for light to medium textiles, as well as light leathers. However, for waterproofs and tents, a flat bed machine would be more suitable, such as the Highlead GC0318-1.

It is quite possible to move from Nylon to leather with the same machine, by simply changing from a 'cloth' point to a 'leather' point needle; although most sewing machines are happy to do this, some may be less so. Personally, whenever possible, I prefer to keep leather machines for leather and textile machine for textiles.

Steve

Edited June 17, 2009 by SteveBrambley

[kevind]

Hi Steve, with a flatbed though you can't get up in to do legs and arms if they have a tear in them. I was going to make a table to sit around the cylinder so that it would be easier to use as a flatbed. I don't have the space for different machines but I would spend whatever I needed to on one machine that fitted the bill... or as near to the that as I can find. Thanks for your reply though, I will think about it. BTW, if any of the UK people on this forum know of anyone doing this type of work who would be happy to share their knowledge I would really appreciate it.

Kevin.