Brother Ls3-C53B (Walking Foot, Cylinder)

[hought50]

Hi gang,

I started [trying to] sew leather handbags about 6 months ago and have been lurking here ever since to get a better feel for industrial machines and which one I need. I feel like I already know you all!

I live in the southwest, not exactly a hotbed for used walking foot, cylinder arm machines... So I've been keeping my eye out for a Pfaff 335/Consew 227 head to have shipped here, for my local sew-n-vac guy ("Joe") to put on a table with a servo, hoping to get it all done for under a grand - I'm a little skittish about investing any more than that before I know what I'm doing and where my business is going to go. I figure anything I buy will be near impossible to resell around here if I change my mind. For what it's worth I'm sewing up to 4 layers of ~2oz leather, nothing too burly, plus some occasional upholstery fabrics and sunbrella. I have an older domestic Bernina that is great for anything lighter.

But then! Joe comes into a Brother LS3-C53 (I think it's a C53B), which he'll install and purty up for me for $1500. It is one sexy beast. Older but very lightly used. A bit more machine than I was looking for or need, but I'd have the advantage of buying something I've met in person, from someone local. I've googled pretty thoroughly and haven't been able to find a manual on it or any specs, although I know it's in the same general class as Pfaff 345 / Consew 227.

My questions:

- What are its specs? (clearance, bobbin, needle/thread size range)? Joe says "it will work for what you want to do", ok I know that, but I want details.

- What will it be like finding finding parts, feet? Is it interchangeable with other makes?

- Anything else I should ask?

I've looked around and think this is a great price, but spending $500 more than I budgeted is a big deal for me, especially if this is heavier duty than I need. I really don't mind sewing on a clunker til I know what I'm doing.

Thanks so much for any thoughts. Hopefully I'll have finished work to brag about soon!

-joy

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

This machine was, for certain, made by Seiko Sewing Machine Corp. in Japan; this line was brought into the US and sold Under both the Brother name and Singer names, with their own model numbers, before Consew settled in and sold this line for a long time. Consew model is 227R, Seiko model is CW-8B, and all parts and accessories are available genuine Seiko and some generic parts as well. Still a new, current model from Seiko. Very common presser feet and needle system, regular size G bobbin, also very common.

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

Almost on topic Is the Singer 155B8B the Seiko LSC-8?

Gregg, you know more about the Seiko/Singer relationship than anyone else!

This machine was, for certain, made by Seiko Sewing Machine Corp. in Japan; this line was brought into the US and sold Under both the Brother name and Singer names, with their own model numbers, before Consew settled in and sold this line for a long time. Consew model is 227R, Seiko model is CW-8B, and all parts and accessories are available genuine Seiko and some generic parts as well. Still a new, current model from Seiko. Very common presser feet and needle system, regular size G bobbin, also very common.

[TwinOaks]

I can't comment pn the particular machine....but I ill tell you from experience and lots of advice from this site: get more machine than you think you'll ever need. This keeps you sewing well within the capabilities of the machine, as well as expanding your capabilities a bit.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Almost on topic Is the Singer 155B8B the Seiko LSC-8?

Gregg, you know more about the Seiko/Singer relationship than anyone else!

Yes, exactly, Seiko CW-8B, is same machine, for sure, as Singer 153B8B. This is a new, current model machine made my Seiko Sewing Machine Corp.(again, there are many Chinese copies of this model as well). New current model from Seiko is CW-8B-2.

In fact, if you do have the parts book for the 153B8B, they still use the Seiko part numbers. All parts and accessories are available, both genuine Seiko and many quality generic part as well.

This design for the Seiko machine was originally taken from the Singer 153W101, and, again, share many of the same parts. Singer 153W series does not have a reverse.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

http://keysew.com/Webpages/Owners&PartsBooks/PartsBooks/153B1,B8,B8B.pdf

Here is the "Singer" parts book, but every parts image and page is a direct copy of Seiko's parts book. All numbers are good, current Seiko part numbers.

Edited March 12, 2013 by Gregg From Keystone Sewing