I Need A Wallet Making Machine - What Should I Look For?

[UKRay]

In these uncertain times it pays to have a broad skill-set, so this winter I'm planning to improve my soft leather skills and explore wallet and soft bag making. I currently have a Highlead GC0618 mid-range flatbed sewing machine that stitches 138 thread (UK20s) . I also have an ancient Singer 29k. Unfortunately, both machines seem too heavy for fine work on very soft leather.

Can anyone please advise me on a suitable machine for wallet and soft bag/pouch making please? What features must this machine have?

I would also appreciate your thoughts on what thread and needle size to use for soft wallets.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ray

[CowboyBob]

In these uncertain times it pays to have a broad skill-set, so this winter I'm planning to improve my soft leather skills and explore wallet and soft bag making. I currently have a Highlead GC0618 mid-range flatbed sewing machine that stitches 138 thread (UK20s) . I also have an ancient Singer 29k. Unfortunately, both machines seem too heavy for fine work on very soft leather.

Can anyone please advise me on a suitable machine for wallet and soft bag/pouch making please? What features must this machine have?

I would also appreciate your thoughts on what thread and needle size to use for soft wallets.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ray

Ray,

There's a feed dog available for your machine that has a smaller hole in it & by going to a smaller size thread & needle & loosening the foot pressure your machine should sew better in thin leather.

Bob

[Art]

Hi Ray,

That is a good machine for what you are doing, the only thing better is the cylinder arm version. My wife does a lot of quilting work with mine, using 46 bonded nylon thread. I have smooth feet on mine and they are not a problem for her. That machine uses Singer 111 feet, of which there are hundreds of varieties to do many different sewing functions. The Superior catalog has a lot of them, although there are many on eBay also. The cylinder arm version of the 618 is a bit on the expensive side, so an alternative would be a used Singer 153W102 (or 103), again that also uses 111 feet, downside, no reverse (really, turn the work around) and probably the motor from hell.

A step down, without needle feed is the 797 from Highlead (and Cobra Class 17) and the Brother 797, the Juki 141, the Nakajima 180L, 181L and 280L and the Consew 205RB. If you find any of those, they will probably have wup-ass motors on them and of course check for heavy heavy use (trimmers run these things heavy). I think Steve and Bob both carry the gear reduction 300 watt motor for these which is a simple swap out.

As with anything leather related, you will have to provision anything you get for leather, slow and smooth (motor dogs and feet). You need to be buddies with someone who has a sewing business to get access to the Superior catalog, they can order for you, there is probably a different company that does the same thing on your side.

Art

In these uncertain times it pays to have a broad skill-set, so this winter I'm planning to improve my soft leather skills and explore wallet and soft bag making. I currently have a Highlead GC0618 mid-range flatbed sewing machine that stitches 138 thread (UK20s) . I also have an ancient Singer 29k. Unfortunately, both machines seem too heavy for fine work on very soft leather.

Can anyone please advise me on a suitable machine for wallet and soft bag/pouch making please? What features must this machine have?

I would also appreciate your thoughts on what thread and needle size to use for soft wallets.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ray

[UKRay]

Thanks for the suggestions, Art & Bob. The thing is, I don't particularly want to mess too much with the Highlead GC0618 as it is nicely set up to do a regular (and profitable) job - which it does twice or often three times a week. I guess I should be looking for another machine that might perhaps work soft leather even better.

I wouldn't actually mind getting another Highlead GC0618 machine if that is the best machine for the job as I have been really pleased with it's performance; but it makes sense that a small compound drive cylinder arm machine could probably be the best solution.

I have checked out a fair number of second hand machinery dealers in the UK but nobody seems to have a Singer 153W102 (or 103). Is there anything else you can think of that might do the trick? Sorry to ask daft questions, but I'm so NOT a sewing machine expert!

Ray

[CowboyBob]

Thanks for the suggestions, Art & Bob. The thing is, I don't particularly want to mess too much with the Highlead GC0618 as it is nicely set up to do a regular (and profitable) job - which it does twice or often three times a week. I guess I should be looking for another machine that might perhaps work soft leather even better.

I wouldn't actually mind getting another Highlead GC0618 machine if that is the best machine for the job as I have been really pleased with it's performance; but it makes sense that a small compound drive cylinder arm machine could probably be the best solution.

I have checked out a fair number of second hand machinery dealers in the UK but nobody seems to have a Singer 153W102 (or 103). Is there anything else you can think of that might do the trick? Sorry to ask daft questions, but I'm so NOT a sewing machine expert!

Ray

You can also ask for an Adler 69 or a Pfaff 335 both of these are alittle lighter weight machines the the 618 & have cyl arms w/rev the 153 is a great machine but it doesn't have reverse a Consew 227R does & is a clone of the 153.

[Art]

Hi Ray,

There's always the Highlead GC22618. Beautiful machine, you can get it either with the big bobbin or the small. Small has a little less diameter on the cylinder, but then less bobbin thread means more refills. If you can find a used one in good shape.

http://www.highlead.com.cn/hailing_english/admin/product/product_show.asp?productID=product_10030

I don't know if you can get that gear reduction motor that Bob and Steve sell on your side of the pond, but at 300 watts, it would be good match. I also am not sure if servo motors will work on 50Hz.

Art

Thanks for the suggestions, Art & Bob. The thing is, I don't particularly want to mess too much with the Highlead GC0618 as it is nicely set up to do a regular (and profitable) job - which it does twice or often three times a week. I guess I should be looking for another machine that might perhaps work soft leather even better.

I wouldn't actually mind getting another Highlead GC0618 machine if that is the best machine for the job as I have been really pleased with it's performance; but it makes sense that a small compound drive cylinder arm machine could probably be the best solution.

I have checked out a fair number of second hand machinery dealers in the UK but nobody seems to have a Singer 153W102 (or 103). Is there anything else you can think of that might do the trick? Sorry to ask daft questions, but I'm so NOT a sewing machine expert!

Ray

[Art]

Ray,

They also made the Singer 153 in Kilbowie, so you should also look for 153K102 and 153K103.

Art