You Have $1,000 To Spend On A Sewing Machine...

[simran]

check out zeussmachines.com

With the exception of the Sailrite all I seen were house machines on this site with pics. artistically take to make them look larger than life.

You might be able to sew a zipper in a motorcycle jacket with one of those but you'll probably be cussing before you're through.

I've got a Thompson Mini-walker; which is the same act as a Sailrite basically. With a few differences. It will sew zippers in leather jackets all day long.

However, I bent a lever on it trying to sew through 4 layers of kid skin & 2 layers of thick canvas.

The problem with these light machines is that they will sew just enough to think your doing something; then you come to the end of a zipper

where things are doubled or worse or need to fold over a pocket lid & you end up with multiple layers of material. That's when the fun starts.

Things can turn south in a hurry.

Notice I never even mentioned holsters. They're a whole nuther ball game as wiz so eloquently pointed out.

[Art]

Sim is correct in his assessment. The machines on

http://zeusmachines.com/

are old household machines that are quite rugged, but are not really up to the task of leather sewing on vegtan. The problem with a mid range or upholstery machine is that quite often we run it at the top range of it's capabilities. Take for instance, 2 layers of 9oz, that's 18oz plus glue of vegtan; at the bleeding max for that machine, and I wouldn't want to make even a good one do it all day every day. Then you oops, need a welt in there, well you can get it under the foot, so now you can do that, till one day it won't do it or the stitch line will look like crap, or something, because we are always pushing the envelope. So, instead save up and buy a 441, one from a dealer that advertises here and can provide the service you need. That machine will have the headroom, setup, accessories, and service you need.

Art

With the exception of the Sailrite all I seen were house machines on this site with pics. artistically take to make them look larger than life.

You might be able to sew a zipper in a motorcycle jacket with one of those but you'll probably be cussing before you're through.

I've got a Thompson Mini-walker; which is the same act as a Sailrite basically. With a few differences. It will sew zippers in leather jackets all day long.

However, I bent a lever on it trying to sew through 4 layers of kid skin & 2 layers of thick canvas.

The problem with these light machines is that they will sew just enough to think your doing something; then you come to the end of a zipper

where things are doubled or worse or need to fold over a pocket lid & you end up with multiple layers of material. That's when the fun starts.

Things can turn south in a hurry.

Notice I never even mentioned holsters. They're a whole nuther ball game as wiz so eloquently pointed out.

[Wizcrafts]

I have updated my topic about the type of sewing machine needed to sew leather to include information pertinent to this thread. It should prove beneficial to new leather sewers who may be tempted to buy a beautifully restored home sewing machine, such as those offered by the company mentioned by a previous poster. If you want such a machine as a collectors item, great! If you want to get one for your wife to sew skirts and shirts, great! But, if you think for one minute that these old iron machines can sew veg-tan holsters, with any kind or serious thread, please read my topic, linked to above.

Edited May 23, 2011 by Wizcrafts