Sailrite Ls-1 Sewing Machine.

[Massive]

I don't think your friend is cheating you. The thing will sew through very heavy leather with ease, a quarter inch or more, but as others have said, it may not have the thread capacity you would want for the products you are sewing. Recently I was trying to sew velcro onto a leather patch with mine. To set the tension I sewed through some heavy leather, like it wasn't there. But when I applied the velcro it would not touch it. Kinda strange. I was using ball end needles, and I haven't tried it yet with leather needles.

Another limitation is that while parts are available from Sailrite, they are very expensive. While it is not a unique machine, simple parts like the foot are not available on ebay.

I think it is a very useful machine around the home, and for some leather, but you are actually straying into harness work. The problem there is that while there are deals, they are not really great. Second hand machines are currently often as expensive as the better knock-offs, which can be better machines since they may have undated features and electronics. Maybe the heavy bit isn't as good as on an oldster, but your production might be better. So basically you have people who think they are giving you a great deal selling you an old machine, who want more for it than a new Cowboy or Cobra. Then you have some unique old machines that are still very valuable, over all it is just not a very easy place to find a reasonably priced machine. Cheaper than 10 years ago for sure, but not new economics cheap.

So, to some extent it depends on price. If you are being offered an LZ1 for 10% vs 90%, and does it have the monster wheel, and a good electronics package. There comes a point where a deal is good enough it is no-cost to carry and later resell. These are prized machines among yachties, so there is a market. You can fill the foot with epoxy so it doesn't mar, and then when you go to sell it, just take a 3 corner file to the epoxy.

[Paddy58]

I don't think your friend is cheating you. The thing will sew through very heavy leather with ease, a quarter inch or more, but as others have said, it may not have the thread capacity you would want for the products you are sewing. Recently I was trying to sew velcro onto a leather patch with mine. To set the tension I sewed through some heavy leather, like it wasn't there. But when I applied the velcro it would not touch it. Kinda strange. I was using ball end needles, and I haven't tried it yet with leather needles.

Another limitation is that while parts are available from Sailrite, they are very expensive. While it is not a unique machine, simple parts like the foot are not available on ebay.

I think it is a very useful machine around the home, and for some leather, but you are actually straying into harness work. The problem there is that while there are deals, they are not really great. Second hand machines are currently often as expensive as the better knock-offs, which can be better machines since they may have undated features and electronics. Maybe the heavy bit isn't as good as on an oldster, but your production might be better. So basically you have people who think they are giving you a great deal selling you an old machine, who want more for it than a new Cowboy or Cobra. Then you have some unique old machines that are still very valuable, over all it is just not a very easy place to find a reasonably priced machine. Cheaper than 10 years ago for sure, but not new economics cheap.

So, to some extent it depends on price. If you are being offered an LZ1 for 10% vs 90%, and does it have the monster wheel, and a good electronics package. There comes a point where a deal is good enough it is no-cost to carry and later resell. These are prized machines among yachties, so there is a market. You can fill the foot with epoxy so it doesn't mar, and then when you go to sell it, just take a 3 corner file to the epoxy.

Massive, good reply. Thanks.