Machine For Horse Tack?

[Valleee]

What machine should I be looking for? I don't even know where to start looking, and what to look for.

I am going to be sewing horse tack, and would prefer to get one that is a step above what I need, so that I won't be ever taking the machine to its limits.

Any advice, pointers, and warnings on what to avoid and what to look for would be greatly appreciated. :D

[mikesmith648]

ask wiz..........or better yet call Bob or Steve..............they are on the banners above

[ChrisS]

I have dealt with Steve before,he has always been helpful for a leather machine virgin. You wont be disappointed.

[Wizcrafts]

You will want a machine known as a 441 clone. Or, a 205 clone. Or, a real Juki 441 or Adler 205. The problem with the real Juki is that it is not setup to sew leather or harness. You would have to pay extra to convert it. An Adler 205 is equipped to sew leather, out of the box.

The 441 clones are what most of us here are now using. I have a Cowboy CB4500, which has a 16.5 inch cylinder arm. The equivalent in Cobra would be a Class 4. For Techsew, it is the 5100. These are triple feed walking foot machines, with huge bobbins, extra strong moving and take-up parts and very strong bodies. They are mounted on adjustable height pedestal tables, having powerful servo motors and large speed reducers. All of the above can sew at least 3/4 inch of leather, or a little more.

[Valleee]

Thank you very much! Is there a big difference between the machines from Cobra, Cowboy or Techsew? I really want to be sure because this is a huge investment for me!

[Valleee]

Any opinions on the Tippmann machine? The contents of an entire personal leather shop is for sale in my area, including leather, patterns, and a Tippmann machine.

[TwinOaks]

The tippmann machine is worth it's weight in gold for a novice. Each stitch goes exactly where you put it. It will handle up to 3/4, and has a variety of feet available. Many of us (myself included) use one of these, as it does everything we need it to.

HOWEVER, there is a point about it tht you need to be aware of: it's 100% manual. This can be a good thing if you're hauling it to shows or stables to do repairs, but it's a drawback if you are looking to do production work with any sense of speed. A 36" double layered and stitched belt requires at least one Advil or Tylenol.

If you're just starting out, it should serve you just fine. If you know what you're doing with a sewing machine.... Buy the whole shop that's for sale, use the Boss or re-sell the tippmann (there's always someone wanting one), and purchase a big machine.

[Valleee]

So I just talked to the guy. Its a Tippmann Boss, has been used for only a few small projects. Also comes with 6" splitter used 10 times, patterns for chaps, saddle bags, spur straps and more, stitching pony, dies, punches, 3 different font and size alphabet stamps, swivel knife with hairblade, un used leather rolls, and lots more.

The bad thing is that it was all bought brand new, from Tandy in 2005, so its all Craftool. I'm not sure if this is something I should bother looking at or not, any thoughts?

Thanks to everyone that has replied!

[Longview]

If the price is right for the Tippmann, it's a good starting point but as TwinOaks stated it's a manual machine and a lot of work if you do any amount of stitching. I use a Campbell and a Cobra 4 (441 clone) The Cobra is a joy to use...very easy to stitch with the servo motor. I've sewn as light as 3 ounce up to 3/4" with the Cobra...an amazing machine. A Cowboy, TechSew or Cobra would be a perfect machine for you. They will run about $2200 plus freight. I see you're from Manitoba, so freight from the States is an issue. I'm near Calgary and we arranged to pick the Cobra up from Steve at the Sheridan Wyoming leather show last year.

[Valleee]

I think I'll pass on the stuff for sale, as he doesn't want to split it up, and I don't want to waste money on garbage, I want good quality stuff. The leather and absolutely everything was bought brand new from Tandy. I'm ok with saving $ on some stuff that isn't as important, but not everything.

I've done lots of reading and I'll be going with the Cobra, Techsew or Cowboy. I'm really liking the Techsew due to the lifetime support and the fully loaded package. I'm open to looking into used ones though.

Does anyone have any opinions on these machines?

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

I have to disagree on the Tippman Boss. There seem to be more questions here about Boss problems than any other modern machine.

To be honest I would rather see you go for a GA5-1R style machine from one of the dealers here than a Boss. If the budget will stretch and you are looking at heavier work in the future then a 441 clone is probably best for you.

The dealer you chose is more about location than anything else. Cobra, Toledo and Bob are all going to go out of their way with after sales service but if you have a major problem (unlikely) then you want the dealer closest to you.