What 29K Is Best?

[Wizcrafts]

Hey Wizcrafts, there is a 47w66 on ebay for sale in Texas. Would this do for what he wants?

Probably not. This is a very old Singer, meant to sew about 5/16" with #92 thread or less. It was meant for sewing gloves and soft shoes.

Further, it has a snap foot and bottom feed, which is not a good system for either slings or holsters. I had two snap foot Singer machines and neither did a good job of feeding slick (polished), or thick leather.

[CowboyBob]

The 29's top foot is what pulls the material & it has teeth on it & it'll leave alot of teeth marks on the topside of your leather.

That is why it's called a shoe patcher,for making patches were people don't care what it looks like.

[Wizcrafts]

I am trying to stay under 1000.00. probable wont sew over 3/8" and if I do I would probably outsource it to someone who really knows what they are doing and has the machine to do it with. That is why I was thinking of the 29k. Not really sure as this is a new aveue for me. All I have ever done in the past is handstitch.

You are probably going to have to look for old iron at that price point. Look into auctions at harness shops for an old fix-er-up or traded in machine.

Here is what you need to look for to sew holsters and slings:

• Minimum clearance under the foot with foot or knee lever: 5/8 inch (more is better)
• Large bobbin: Standard walking foot type M; Juki type LU bobbin; Juki 441 bobbin
• Triple feed walking foot with a smooth feed dog. Or, no feed dog, but needle feed with jump foot
• Very thick take-up parts, at least double those on industrial machines
• Very heavy tensioning spring, to bring up thick thread in multiple layers of veg-tan leather
• Needle sizes ranging from 22 through 26, handling thread sizes 138 through 346
• 1/2 to 3/4 horsepower servo motor with a speed reducer, mounted under a pedestal table.

There are a very few flat bed machines meeting these specs. But, there are many 441 clones exceeding the lift spec. I have a Cowboy CB4500 cylinder arm machine that sews 7/8 inch, with up to #415 thread, using a #27 needle. In contrast, my modified National flat bed walking foot machine sews 7/16 inch, with up to #207 thread, using a #24 needle. It will take a #25 needle, but cannot hold down the leather as the needle ascends after picking up the bobbin thread.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Wizcrafts

[Art]

Hi Mike,

Many times on this board (and others), I see folks that want to cap their expenditure at a grand. This is not a good number to start looking for a heavy duty big stitcher. I hate to see what you will have to settle for looking for the $1000 machine (even used) that will do what you want and is a FIRST STITCHER. If you buy old iron with no experience, you will usually be less than satisfied, mostly due to getting it running and keeping it running. Your first machine should be a new or used current model stitcher from a brick and mortar dealer (Cobra, Cowboy, and Techsew). Don't buy off eBay until you can completely adjust your machine, as things on eBay are usually set-up for high speed operation and will disappoint you sewing leather. Get your experience with a new machine and a dealer as a lifeline. If you think you only need to sew 3/8" of leather, you are wrong, you always need to sew bigger no matter what you think. If a factory manager said he only needed to sew X, then it is easy to believe, but a leatherworker will need to sew X+++ because that's the way it works.

So, your budget is low, save more or adjust your budget to $2000 at least, $2,800 for a big 16 inch arm machine. Once you get a stitcher and some experience, there are plenty of old iron machines out there that will do the light stuff cheap.

Art

I am trying to stay under 1000.00. probable wont sew over 3/8" and if I do I would probably outsource it to someone who really knows what they are doing and has the machine to do it with. That is why I was thinking of the 29k. Not really sure as this is a new aveue for me. All I have ever done in the past is handstitch.

[mikesmith648]

Will the "better" machine do the light things like purses and patches also? Not wanting to get 2 or 3 machines. Would like to get one that will do all I want. Also I am a Travel Nurse and will be mounting this in my 6 x 12 trailer and take everything with me as I go, at least until I retire and then planning on doing leatherwork full time then......well between the fishing and hunting anyways!

[Wizcrafts]

Will the "better" machine do the light things like purses and patches also? Not wanting to get 2 or 3 machines. Would like to get one that will do all I want. Also I am a Travel Nurse and will be mounting this in my 6 x 12 trailer and take everything with me as I go, at least until I retire and then planning on doing leatherwork full time then......well between the fishing and hunting anyways!

You are going to need two machines to sew everything you described. Get a 441 clone, with a flat table attachment and a foot treadle operated patcher. Patchers have universal feed and can sew up the arm, or any direction. Although they are light duty machines, they will patch boots, vests, jackets, garment sleeves and legs, install zippers and repair purse interiors and do other small odd jobs. Between these two machines and some accessory feet for the 441, you can sew almost any leather project.

FYI: I use a patcher for odd jobs, as well as a 16.5" arm 441, a walking foot machine, a straight stitch flat feed machine, a huge harness sttitcher, a serger, an electronic machine and two very old Singer iron machines. Each one does something different and is adjusted to do so.