Juki Du 1181 Questions

[pursemaker]

Hello.

I'm looking to purchase a juki du 1181. I'm wondering if anyone else has one and what their thoughts are. I will be using it for leather handbags.

I haven't been able to find any reviews on the machine and hoping to get some feedback here.

I want to know if anyone has any problems with the machine or if they are happy.

Does it mark up leather when sewing?

Is it difficult to get parts for it.

Can you buy extra presser feet for it

Thank you.

[Wizcrafts]

The Juki DU-1181 is a very quiet "walking foot" - dual feed machine. It is fed by the bottom feed dog and outside presser foot. The needle and inside foot are fixed position parts. The specs say it can sew with thread sizes 33 through 92, nylon thread, using system 135x17 needles. The maximum lift of the presser feet is stated as 15 mm, which is over a half inch. However, the actual stitching capacity will be no more than 3/8" to 7/16" maximum. It is common these days to find new machines with huge amounts of foot lift, but using standard industrial needles the limit the thickness than can actually be sewn. The extra lift is to get over piping, corners, spots and studs, buckles, etc.

The feet on this machine will most definitely mark veg-tan leather. It is not designated as a leather sewing machine, by Juki. They intended it for use in the vinyl sewing trades.

I just realized that the motor and pulley system that ships with these Juki's makes the machine sew at 2000 RPM! The clutch motor rotates at 3450 RPM, double that of the clutch motors fitted to leather sewing machines. If you buy the machine with that motor, you are going to need to replace it with a servo motor, or a standard, 1725 RPM clutch motor; either fitted with a 2 or 2.25 inch pulley. You are not going to sew leather at 2000 RPM! 600 RPM is about the most I use, after considering the pulley ratios Even then, the needle smokes..

Edited August 3, 2011 by Wizcrafts

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

The Juki DU-1181 is a very quiet "walking foot" - dual feed machine. It is fed by the bottom feed dog and outside presser foot. The needle and inside foot are fixed position parts. The specs say it can sew with thread sizes 33 through 92, nylon thread, using system 135x17 needles. The maximum lift of the presser feet is stated as 15 mm, which is over a half inch. However, the actual stitching capacity will be no more than 3/8" to 7/16" maximum. It is common these days to find new machines with huge amounts of foot lift, but using standard industrial needles the limit the thickness than can actually be sewn. The extra lift is to get over piping, corners, spots and studs, buckles, etc.

The feet on this machine will most definitely mark veg-tan leather. It is not designated as a leather sewing machine, by Juki. They intended it for use in the vinyl sewing trades.

I just realized that the motor and pulley system that ships with these Juki's makes the machine sew at 2000 RPM! The clutch motor rotates at 3450 RPM, double that of the clutch motors fitted to leather sewing machines. If you buy the machine with that motor, you are going to need to replace it with a servo motor, or a standard, 1725 RPM clutch motor; either fitted with a 2 or 2.25 inch pulley. You are not going to sew leather at 2000 RPM! 600 RPM is about the most I use, after considering the pulley ratios Even then, the needle smokes..

Machine and motor are sold seperate here, and machines calls for a low speed 1725RPM motor. Nobody should be setting this machine up with 3450RPM motor, and if this is they case, it's wrong for this model.

[brodenny]

This is a late post....i wish that I would have come across this web site earlier. The Juki DU-1181 is a very good walking foot machine but it does mark leather. My wife was able to sew vinyl but veg tan and suede takes a beating. You will most definitely need a good servo motor, the clutch is too fast. I also ended up installing a pulley reducer kit to make speed control more manageable to sew purses and bags. Also note if you purchase on the web as I did, you have no product support. Juki has a Miami location but charges $700 per day for training on adjusting it!! One other problem is the foot height. 15mm (slightly over 1/2") is not sufficient for areas where you have several layers of fabric. I will try a teflon foot and see if it helps prevent marking veg tan leather.....If that doesn't work I think that I'll contact Steve at Leather Machine Co and order the Cobra 4.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

I love Juki products, but we feel that there are better options within this price range.

BTW, this machine would not be considered a walking foot, but, even as per the Juki book, a 'Top & Bottom Feed'.

A true walking foot (also called a compound feed, triple feed, or whatever else) is a machine with top, bottom and needle feed, with alternating presser feet.