New Toy!

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

Today I picked up a pallet of machines from the customs agents warehouse in Sydney so I can prepare some stock for an event on the weekend. The pallet I picked had some new versions of the machine I call the ABLE290 - have a look at the pics of the standard machine on my facebook page.

The new machine is a monster. Imagine a shortened Bradbury on steroids with a 216X1 needle (same as a 132K6) and a foot lift of nearly an inch. Unlike the 29k, the stitch length is constant regardless of material thickness so it will probably sew through the best part of 3/4" of anything and give around a 1/2" stitch length.

Obviously I need to put it through it's paces and I can already see one potential problem. These machines use the same pivot arm to drive the needle bar as used on a Singer 15 clone and they are not brilliantly made. In the short term I will get some better quality ones from India but for this beast I might get something custom made for the job.

Pics will follow in the next few days.

Should have put in my f/b address

http://www.facebook.com/AnneBonnysLocker

[simran]

That thing is cool Darren, Who made it??

Sim

Today I picked up a pallet of machines from the customs agents warehouse in Sydney so I can prepare some stock for an event on the weekend. The pallet I picked had some new versions of the machine I call the ABLE290 - have a look at the pics of the standard machine on my facebook page.

The new machine is a monster. Imagine a shortened Bradbury on steroids with a 216X1 needle (same as a 132K6) and a foot lift of nearly an inch. Unlike the 29k, the stitch length is constant regardless of material thickness so it will probably sew through the best part of 3/4" of anything and give around a 1/2" stitch length.

Obviously I need to put it through it's paces and I can already see one potential problem. These machines use the same pivot arm to drive the needle bar as used on a Singer 15 clone and they are not brilliantly made. In the short term I will get some better quality ones from India but for this beast I might get something custom made for the job.

Pics will follow in the next few days.

Should have put in my f/b address

http://www.facebook....nneBonnysLocker

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

They are made in China by half a dozen different companies but the castings and major components seem to originate in the same place by the tooling marks. The new machine does not look much bigger until you place them side by side and you realise it is about 3 times as large.

I've only spent about ten minutes with it but punching through 5 layers of 8-9 oz veg tan wasn't too hard even with the rubbish needle supplied and a good quality needle should give better results. I used the heaviest thread I have - probably 8 or 10 ticket poly - and it didn't even touch the sides of the eye!!