Buying My First Machine....

[FHL FERG]

Thanks Wiz.

I apprecaite you two taking the time to help me out. I have a efeling it won't be the last as I venture down the sewing machine road.

I hope this one works out, I have been chasing sewing machines for the last two months trying to find the right features and price.

[Wizcrafts]

Thanks Wiz.

I apprecaite you two taking the time to help me out. I have a efeling it won't be the last as I venture down the sewing machine road.

I hope this one works out, I have been chasing sewing machines for the last two months trying to find the right features and price.

Do I read correctly that you want a sewing machine to make motorcycle seats? Are you certain that a flatbed machine will work properly?

[Jimbob]

Do I read correctly that you want a sewing machine to make motorcycle seats? Are you certain that a flatbed machine will work properly?

What kind of motorcycle seats we are talking here....if you want to stitch up two layers of 8-10 oz of saddle grade hide with a metal pan inbetween...wont work, need a cylinder machine and a bigger one two.....I do this with a Adler 105-64!!

If you want to stitch panels and skirts on foamed chopper seats, the 211 will work.....I do that with my 211-155.....if you want to sew designs on the top seat panel....even something smaller would work....I use Singer 99 with hand wheel and soon a Singer 31-15...

Send some pictures of what seats you are working on......and keep in mind I am a bloody beginner myself, just putting in my two cents!! hahaha....

Most of all.....have fun!!

Aloha

James

[FHL FERG]

Ok, here's the deal. I make all sorts of things, like most of us do. I want to be able to do more guitar and rifle straps along with thr occasional holster or sheath. Most of what I do is leather suspenders er firefighting gear. My motorcycle seats to this point have been hand laced. I use a steel pan with foam and I want to be able to mate a top piece and a bottom piece and machine sew over the foam and pan so the whole pan is covered.

Is there a style of machine that can effectively do both the seats, sheaths, and straps?

A post style machine seems to make more sense for the seats, I couldnt figure out how I could get the seat pan with foam and leather in a flatbed machine. Will the post machine work ok for straps and such?

[Wizcrafts]

You'll need one hell of a post machine to do all of those projects, especially the assembled seats. I'll look over some specs and see if anything presents itself as a heavy duty post sewing machine. They are usually used to sew moccasins, ball and biker caps, shoe uppers, etc. I've even sewn cowboy hats on old post machines. However, they used really thin #69 thread and had roller feet that barely allowed 1/4" to be sewn. Newer post machines may have a walking foot that possibly allows up to 3/8" thickness and #92 or 138 thread.

Otherwise, a heavy duty cylinder arm machine, perhaps with a raised throat plate, will be required.

1. How thick is the leather, at the thickest point, when you sew it together?
2. What is the thinness of the suspenders?
3. What size thread are you using?
4. Can you tolerate tooth marks on the bottom side?
5. How deep of an open space do you need to the right of the needle?
6. How much can you afford to spend on a machine?

Edited March 11, 2011 by Wizcrafts

[FHL FERG]

I just realized I said post machine in my previous post, I meant to say cylinder machine.

1. How thick is the leather, at the thickest point, when you sew it together?
2. What is the thinness of the suspenders?
3. What size thread are you using?
4. Can you tolerate tooth marks on the bottom side?
5. How deep of an open space do you need to the right of the needle?
6. How much can you afford to spend on a machine?

1. Two pieces of 8-10oz , so roughly 1/4" to 5/16" on the seats

2. one piece of 9-10oz for the fire gear plus a liner of 1-2 oz so again roughly 1/4" or less

3. Right now I'm hand sewing with the waxed thread off the shelf at tandy, I want to use a thick thread in the machine for a nice bold look.

4. Tooth marks on the bottom side of the suspenders no problem. on the seats big problem but really it just depends how bad

5. The seat pan is 13" at it's longest point but thats on the short side at the nose so it could go through at an angle if I had to

6. I wanted to stay under 500 but could go 800 for the right machine.

I kknow im' all over the place on these projects and needs, I really appreciate your input wiz.

Ofcourse if Icould run the seat in the machine on the left side of the needle then it doesn't really matter and I would never need more than 6 inches or so for my other stuff on the right side

Edited March 11, 2011 by FHL FERG

[Wizcrafts]

If you want a sewing machine that can handle thread as thick as the type used for hand sewing, you are not going to find it for much under $1000. If a seat is 13 inches long at the longest point to be sewn, you'll need a work space at least that long on the right side of the machine. Of the machines commonly available, only a few have more than a foot inside the body.

One type is a long arm show patcher. These machines have an 18 inch long snout, that is really narrow at the left end and gets wider as you move to the right. The work is entirely moved by the pressor foot, which has teeth on the bottom and can be turned 360 degrees, by means of thumb paddles under the head. The bottom cover plate has a hole large enough for a big needle on one end and a narrower needle on the other end. The bobbins on this particular machine are about 1/4" x 3/4" and are best loaded with #69 or #92 thread. You can use #138 thread on top, with a #21, or #22 needle (maybe even a #20). I have tried to thread #138 into a #19 patcher needle but it won't go through the eye.

Patchers like this, mounted onto a cast iron treadle base, typically sell for between $800 to $1200 used. The machine and base weigh in at about 200 pounds.

If you want to sew with heavier than #138 thread, look for a harness stitcher and triple your budget.

[Wizcrafts]

I just read your edit. If you can sew the seats hanging down on the left end of the machine, a shorter cylinder arm machine will work for you. There are a bunch of 9 inch long cylinder arm machines on the market. They will sew with very thick thread and huge needles, have very large bobbins and come with servo motors and can sew from 1/16" up to 7/8" of leather. Called 441 clones, these 9" arm walking foot machines sell for between $1500 to $2000, depending on the brand and how badly they want to move that type of machine. The same machines are also available in 16.5" arm and 25" arm lengths, but for more money ($2500 and up).

If you want brand names, PM me.