WP Jackson Report post Posted February 14, 2013 New guy here, and a bit confused. I know absolutely nothing about sewing machines, so I'm reading a lot of material (great site, by the way!) about the different sewing machines and I see a lot about 441 clones. When I finally get around to buying a machine, it will be used for anything from purses to western belts and holsters. Another question I have is about the thread sizes being used. I have seen where thicker thread is used on top and thinner thread on bottom. Doesn't this defeat the purpose of the thick thread? And finally, a member posted pictures of his machine which had two foot controls. My left foot is not capable of operating anything with any type of finesse, so I would like to know if this is normal for sewing machines or was that a special setup, maybe? Thank you in advance for any help, and for not laughing at my ignorance. Well, if you want to laugh at me, at least have the courtesy to do it behind my back... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldtimer Report post Posted February 14, 2013 (edited) No worries about the two pedals,mate. You operate them one at a time. one is the speed control and the other lifts the presser foot. so your right foot will do the job. /Knut Edited February 14, 2013 by oldtimer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Chee Report post Posted February 14, 2013 If you check out a Cobra Class 4, Artisan Toro 4000, or Cowboy 4500 you will see a 441 clone. They are all clones of the Juki TSC-441 machine. They are made in China and imported by different companies under their own brand name. Although they are all basically the same machines, the more reputable dealers on this board will import the machine from China, check them up, and adjust them to make sure they are working correctly before selling them to you. They will also follow up the purchase with good customer service. Really that's what you're buying when you buy from one of the guys here. They are designed for sewing thick leathers using (practically speaking) a size 138 thread and thicker. You want to sew purses to holsters. I can tell you that one machine generall can't do it all. If you're sewing thinner lady's purses then you would probably want to use a much thinner leather and maybe a 69 thread which these machines won't handle very well. On the other hand, if you want to sew a heavy holster with 277 thread then a smaller machine won't handle it well and these machines will work great. As for the two pedals. One is for the motor and the other is for the presser foot lifter. You won't have to work both at once. Andrew Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billymac814 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 I switched my pedals around that way my right foot which I can use better controls the speed and the left raises the foot. I still find myself using the hand control for the foot lift most of the time unless my hands are full or I need to lift it higher. You can definitely customize it to suit your needs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JojoSinclair Report post Posted February 14, 2013 When people talk about 441 clones not 'handling' light work very well, what do they mean by this? I read this a lot. What problems would you likely run into? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billymac814 Report post Posted February 14, 2013 You'd have to really make some adjustments in tension to use the thinner thread plus the needles used in the 441 are really long so when you get the small ones for thinner thread they are really long and thin and flex a lot. Also you cant get leather point needles for the thinner threads so you'd have to use a round point needle. Unfortunately there's no one sized fits all machine. The 441s are heavy stitchers. Its best to have at least two machines, preferably 3 or more. Start with the one you'll use most. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Chee Report post Posted February 14, 2013 The 441 clones have very big presser feet and feed dogs. This is necessary for moving heavy leather. But because of the larger feed dogs you have a larger needle plate opening to accomodate the feed dog. If you have two layers of 3oz chrome tan leather, the feed dog and presser feet can kinda chew them up a bit. On thicker, heavier leather that is not a problem and the larger contact area helps feed the material along. Conversely, if you try to use something like a Consew 206 to feed super heavy leather, the machine may not have enough foot lift or power to handle something too thick. I guess what I've personally found is that there is no one machine that can handle everything. You'll need at least two (if not more). Andrew Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WP Jackson Report post Posted February 15, 2013 Thank you for the feedback folks, my questions are answered and I understand that to sew both lighter and heavier leathers I will need at least two machines.... Time to re-assess the budget, eh? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
