Newbie Here Needing Help With A Sewing Machine

[Jason]

Hello,

I am new here.I am looking for a std sewing machine nothing big.I am looking for something so not like a ind. machine just a basic home sewing machine..I am into buck skinning..Looking to sew 2-4oz leather mainly deer and elk.All I am will be making 3 pair of pants,one skirt and a few coats out of deer hide and elk hide ..So looking to spend alittle as posible on a machine the being that I am going to use very little not like every day or every weekend..The tread I will be using is Z-69 Nylon.

I got told by a few sewing machine reapir guys..That a Pfaff 130 will do the job fine as long as you put a bigger motor on it..I found one cheap and he would put on a biggger motor for me..Plus here in Iowa there is no Ind. or heavy duty dealer around where I live..All of them work on older sewing machines( household)..The closest dealer on consew is 3.5 hrs away and he gets 120hr to repair a meachine.So if anyone knows of a singer or something else that will good and will handle Z-69 thread and be able to find parts with out hunting down the country side let me know please.That is whay I am looking at the pfaff 130 or a singer easy to find parts for.

Thanks for looking

Jason

[jbird]

machines can be a bear how much do you want to spend? I could help better if I had a price range

Josh

[Wizcrafts]

Deer and elk skins are sticky material. They will not feed properly unless you change the pressor foot to at least a teflon foot. Preferably, buy a roller foot to replace the standard foot. This is a wide pressor foot that contains two or more knurled rollers inside the front and back. These rollers allow the material to flow more freely under the foot, as the bottom feed dog moves the work. Failure to change the foot may result in tiny stitches that perforate the skins, due to the drag on top from a metal pressor foot.

Since you haven't bought the machine yet, I recommend that you look into your accessory pressor foot options first. Pfaff home machines may use different pressor feet than most other brands.

If you do end up with a home sewing machine and cannot find a roller or teflon foot, see if there is a compatible "Even-Feed" or "Walking-Foot" replacement foot for your machine. These look like big bugs from outer space. They screw onto the pressor bar and a moving arm gets attached around the needle clamping screw. The up/down motion of the needle cranks the alternating inner and outer pressor feet in the contraption so they walk with the material with each stitch.

This setup, coupled with a 1.2 or 1.5 amp motor, and maybe a solid state foot controller, is as good as it gets for sewing leather on a home style machine. The next step up, before a full blown industrial machine, is a portable walking foot machine (avail from ~$300 - $800, plus ~$40 shipping). Bob Kovar, of Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, 866-362-7397, sells portables. They are suitable for what you intend to sew and more.

[Art]

Get a Singer 31-15. They have an industrial motor (usually) but are a tailor's machine. A gear reduction variable speed motor is just the ticket for that machine. In lieu of that a Cobra Class 55 will also do the trick. You would probably have to buy it new but it would come set up and ready to sew.

A new Cobra 5550 would set you back $1000, the used (and probably older than you) Singer 31-15 would be well under $500, and add $165 for a gear reduction motor if needed.

Parts for either are not a problem.

Art

[Wizcrafts]

Last, but not least, please take time to read my topic about choosing the right type of sewing machine for leather. It may save you a lot of time, money and aggravation.

[Jason]

Well I am looking for home sewing style machine.I mite have found one a singer 319w.It will walk threw 4 layers of elk hide good with a walking foot but parts are very hard to find for it and it is a rare singer ..That is what the repair guy said so there is a good chance I pass on it don't know for sure.So if anyone knows of a home sewing style machine that you can find parts for fairly easy or common will handle Z-69 thread please let me know..The reason looking for a home style is I do not have the room for a Industrial sewing machine at all in my house plus I am only sewing alittle..I would like industrial but just don't see the need for one yet. I am mainly looking for a singer.Oh one last thing I want some that will sew slow industrial is just to fast I am just starting out..lol..

Thanks for all the replies.

Jason

Edited July 30, 2010 by Jason

[Wizcrafts]

I have a 1953 Singer 15-91, all fixed up, with a rebuilt motor and a walking foot attachment, in a carrying case. It will sew 1/4" of any leather or vinyl, with the flat foot, or 3/16" with the walking foot, with a number 18 leather point needle and #69 nylon thread. I'll sell it to you for $200 shipped. Everything on it works.

Edited July 30, 2010 by Wizcrafts

[Art]

Jason,

That is why they put a speed reducer of some kind and a variable speed (servo) motor on industrial type leather machines.

You have received good advice here, but it isn't apparently what you want to hear.

Like I said before, a Singer 31-15 will be the place to start although one of the Cobras (Class 17, 18, or 5550) would be better. An old Pfaff 545 or 645 would work too, but Pfaffs can have parts problems (availability and cost). If you don't understand leather sewing machines, then you need a dealer to hold your hand. You might pay a little more, but at least you would have something you can use, probably forever. Lose the Craigs List mentality, machines set up for leather rarely come up there.

There are plenty of used machines to fit the bill, they just need a little work and some parts to get them set up for leather. However, it takes a few years of farting with old iron to get the experience you need to do that.

Art

Well I am looking for home sewing style machine.I mite have found one a singer 319w.It will walk threw 4 layers of elk hide good with a walking foot but parts are very hard to find for it and it is a rare singer ..That is what the repair guy said so there is a good chance I pass on it don't know for sure.So if anyone knows of a home sewing style machine that you can find parts for fairly easy or common will handle Z-69 thread please let me know..The reason looking for a home style is I do not have the room for a Industrial sewing machine at all in my house plus I am only sewing alittle..I would like industrial but just don't see the need for one yet. I am mainly looking for a singer.Oh one last thing I want some that will sew slow industrial is just to fast I am just starting out..lol..

Thanks for all the replies.

Jason

[Art]

Wiz,

This isn't a charity site for ghod sakes. I do like the covering on the box.

Art

I have a 1953 Singer 15-91, all fixed up, with a rebuilt motor and a walking foot attachment, in a carrying case. It will sew 1/4" of any leather or vinyl, with the flat foot, or 3/16" with the walking foot, with a number 18 leather point needle and #69 nylon thread. I'll sell it to you for $200 shipped. Everything on it works.

[Wizcrafts]

Wiz,

This isn't a charity site for ghod sakes. I do like the covering on the box.

Art

Art;

I'm just trying to help the guy out. I will break even at $200, shipped, for what I have into the machine. I'm not using it now that I have a real walking foot machine, so why horde it?

That is a cute cover on the lid. I got it that way.

[Art]

That's great, I get them and never can part with them. Heard from his yet?

Art

Art;

I'm just trying to help the guy out. I will break even at $200, shipped, for what I have into the machine. I'm not using it now that I have a real walking foot machine, so why horde it?

That is a cute cover on the lid. I got it that way.

[JLSleather]

If ya figger Art went to school as a boy, that list down the left makes him about 175 years old

Seriously, Jason, I don't claim to be an authority but the Des Moines Sewing Machine Co. seems to know what they're talking about.

(515) 288-8269

[Art]

Unlike some, I can do things concurrently.

Art

If ya figger Art went to school as a boy, that list down the left makes him about 175 years old

Seriously, Jason, I don't claim to be an authority but the Des Moines Sewing Machine Co. seems to know what they're talking about.

(515) 288-8269

[Ken Nelson]

Unlike some, I can do things concurrently.

Art

And only those who multi-task well understand that. Ken

[Jimbob]

I have a 1953 Singer 15-91, all fixed up, with a rebuilt motor and a walking foot attachment, in a carrying case. It will sew 1/4" of any leather or vinyl, with the flat foot, or 3/16" with the walking foot, with a number 18 leather point needle and #69 nylon thread. I'll sell it to you for $200 shipped. Everything on it works.

Where would a man find a walking foot thingy...for the 15_91??

Thanks

Jimbob

[Art]

Hi Jim,

Just ask for a "low shank" walking foot accessory, they should be at most stores.

Art

Where would a man find a walking foot thingy...for the 15_91??

Thanks

Jimbob

[Wizcrafts]

Where would a man find a walking foot thingy...for the 15_91??

Thanks

Jimbob

I bought mine on eBay. It was somewhere around $20.00.

[Wizcrafts]

Here is my Singer 15-91, equipped with the walking foot attachment, sewing ~1/4" of medium temper leather.

Note, that these attachments are actually better called Even Feed, than walking foot, because they do nothing to move the material. They move with the material, as it is driven by the bottom feed dog. The inside foot presses down on the material as the needle goes down, then lifts as the needle is withdrawn. When the feed dog drops below the throat plate, the outer foot snaps forward for the next stitch. This allows the top and bottom layers to stay aligned as you sew. I used this setup to make some Naugahyde pouches that were being dragged out of alignment by the standard steel foot.

I am in the process of creating a photo gallery of this Singer 15-91 and will place a link to it once it goes online.

I may shoot a video on the machine at work. It's a neat little machine for how old it is.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Wizcrafts

[Jason]

Wiz,

I found a sewing machine that fits the bill..I am going to try it out here in a few weeks when I get the leather(smoked deer hide)..If it does not fit the bill I can take it back to them.I am interested I am yours for asking price. What kinda leather did it sew? I will let you know how I trun out with this one I got last thursday in waterloo.Oh it white sewing machine it weighs about 50lbs..lol..I will let let everyone know how I truned out in a few weeks..

Thanks everyone.

Jason

Edited August 4, 2010 by Jason

[Wizcrafts]

Where would a man find a walking foot thingy...for the 15_91??

Thanks

Jimbob

JimBob;

You can order an even feed walking foot attachment here