Need Help Picking Out A Machine

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

Not a big fan of trying to make one machine do everything as there are always compromises - as Wiz has pointed out.

There are lots of options that will sew up to about 3/8" with 135X17 needles such as the Seiko CW8. Like all cylinder bed machines a flat bed is not hard to cobble up.

[Wizcrafts]

If you can sew your projects on a flat bed machine, a beefed up walking foot machine should handle either 3/8 of medium, or 7/16 inches of soft temper leather. The Juki 1508NH has a huge bobbin and high lifting feet. It is equipped with the Pfaff needle system 190, which is 3/16 inch longer than the standard 135x(16/17). Material is also cut out in the back of the head to allow the feet to alternate at these heights, without hitting the opening on the back.

A new Juki LU-1508NH sells for approximately $2600. Check with our dealers and see what kind of deal they might be able to offer you.

For the same money you could buy a short cylinder arm Cowboy CB3500 (441 clone), with a flat table attachment. The machine could be setup to ensure that it sews with thinner thread that you want to use in your wallets, up to #346 used in thick holsters and such. The bobbins are huge and this machine can do it all, from about 6 ounces, up to 7/8 inches. I have the longer arm version and it handles everything from #92 up to #346 thread that I have on hand. I use it to hem leather and denim cuffs, sew chaps, sew belts, assemble holsters and ammo pouches, saddlebags and motorcycle seats. I even use mine to sew in new zippers onto jackets, chaps, etc.

[Techsew Ron]

I have never posted in a forum, so let's see if this works.

I have been in business 20 years, manufacturing and selling gift items at trade show.

I have recently begun making items of leather and am in need of a more powerful sewing machine than I now own. (Janme HD 3000)

I will sew leather from light weight to medium-heavy weight. (up to approximately 1/2" thick)

I only need a straight stitch with forward and reverse. The simpler to use, the better for me. It would be nice to have an automatic thread cutter to cut the thread even with the material at the end of a seam, speed very easily adjustable from slow to medium speed, a very powerful motor, a large bobbin with the ability to fill the bobbin without removing the needle from the item being sewn.

It would also be nice to be able to operate with 115 volt electricity, but I can provide 230 volt if necessary.

Please understand that my "wish list" is not all necessary, but the more items available, the better.

I mainly need to sew heavy men's wallets without leaving any scuff marks and have a very pretty seam around the wallet.

Please advise me what you might recommend. I have located an overseas source for a clone of a Juki TSC-441 for $1150 plus freight from Hong Kong, but it looks like it might be too much machine for my needs. There is also the issue of buying a piece of equipment without knowing what I am doing and then finding out I have to buy a bunch of accessories that cost an arm and a leg.

Any advice for a new guy to the leather business will be greatly appreciated.

It may be unpopular opinion but I'm going to go ahead and say you don't need a 441 clone to sew wallets. We have many customers using flatbed or cylinder walking foot machines with 3/8" sewing capacity for sewing wallets, phone cases, belts, notebook covers and more. In our experience 3/8" is enough for most kinds of general leather work. This kind of machine will use up to a #24 needle and #210 thread.

Also I would not pursue the purchase of a machine directly from an overseas supplier...warranty and tech support are extremely important and you'll breath a lot easier making this investment knowing that if something goes wrong you'll have a dealer to back you up.

Cheers,

Ron

Edited October 9, 2012 by Ronnie

[copbadge]

Ronnie, thanks for that input.

I am just about to come to the same conclusion. I realized my original "wish list" was a gross overkill when I wrote it, but I didn't realize that leather machines are that much different from household machines.

Tell me, would it be a huge mistake to buy a Singer 153 from a local established industrial machine dealer here in Fort Worth for $300 complete that he has cleaned and tuned up with a 30 day guarantee.

My thinking is that it should get me one step up from what I now have and give me much more experience before I decide what I eventually want. It seems like it would also be a "keeper" for light weight stuff if I decide to get a really heavy machine in the future.

Also, would the Singer be too complicated for a beginner like me to use?

[Northmount]

Ronnie, thanks for that input.

I am just about to come to the same conclusion. I realized my original "wish list" was a gross overkill when I wrote it, but I didn't realize that leather machines are that much different from household machines.

Tell me, would it be a huge mistake to buy a Singer 153 from a local established industrial machine dealer here in Fort Worth for $300 complete that he has cleaned and tuned up with a 30 day guarantee.

My thinking is that it should get me one step up from what I now have and give me much more experience before I decide what I eventually want. It seems like it would also be a "keeper" for light weight stuff if I decide to get a really heavy machine in the future.

Also, would the Singer be too complicated for a beginner like me to use?

I likle my Techsew 2700. Does a great job. You can add a flat table adaptor to it so you have both the flat bed and cylinder arm. If you are going to work on the heavier end like 2 layers of 8 oz, I would add a speed reduction pulley as well.

CTG

[CustomDoug]

Tell me, would it be a huge mistake to buy a Singer 153 from a local established industrial machine dealer here in Fort Worth for $300 complete that he has cleaned and tuned up with a 30 day guarantee.

Also, would the Singer be too complicated for a beginner like me to use?

$300 is a great price IF it includes table/legs/motor/bobbin winder/light/thread stand/knee lifter/etc. I do not think it would be too complicated for you - as you have experience with the home machine and could probably figure this one out. The big negative (in my mind) is the lack of a reverse, it's awfully handy especially if you're used to having it. Good luck.

[Techsew Ron]

Ronnie, thanks for that input.

I am just about to come to the same conclusion. I realized my original "wish list" was a gross overkill when I wrote it, but I didn't realize that leather machines are that much different from household machines.

Tell me, would it be a huge mistake to buy a Singer 153 from a local established industrial machine dealer here in Fort Worth for $300 complete that he has cleaned and tuned up with a 30 day guarantee.

My thinking is that it should get me one step up from what I now have and give me much more experience before I decide what I eventually want. It seems like it would also be a "keeper" for light weight stuff if I decide to get a really heavy machine in the future.

Also, would the Singer be too complicated for a beginner like me to use?

$300 sounds almost too good to be true. Is that including table and servo motor? Make sure it works before purchasing - take some samples over and don't give the guy a penny until you like what you see and are comfortable with the machine. We sell a 153 clone with reverse and it's a very user friendly machine so I don't think it'll be too complicated for you to use as a beginner. A servo motor definitely helps when starting out so you can control the sewing speed.

Ron

[CowboyBob]

I'll have to agree @ $300.00 it's a great price & we work on alot of these & have all the parts,needles,thread,servo motors & etc in stock.

Bob