Confessions Of A Starter Sewing Machine Buyer

[stelmackr]

I remember my change over from hand sewing to machine stitching. The initial trial of the old Singer treadle with leather needle (only worked marginally and only on thin leathers), then a Boss with it's long learning curve and sore arm after making a belt, then a used Juki-562 without a reverse and a broken hook (expensive part to have replaced) and finally contacting a sewing machine retail seller and asking for advice, I seem not to learn from past experiences.

I think of my early young adult experience every time I read someone else wanting to buy leather stamping tools, or a starter leather sewing machine.

When I was about 14-years old I saw a nice tropical aquarium tank at a Chinese restaurant.

I was hooked.

I saved up some money and bought a 5-gallon tank with all the tropical requirements: heater, filter, tank hood, light, air pump, sand, plants and some fish. All items were brought home and set up in the living room. Everyone spent a lot of time watching and enjoying the aquarium.

I was hooked.

The small tank would only support a few fish. So, again, off to the pet store I went and returned with 15-gallon tank that need a larger heater, larger filter, different tank hood, different light, larger air pump, more sand and more fish. There they were—both tanks on the marble topped chest in the living room. The larger tank now had more fish in it and more action. At the pet store I had seen a 29-gallon show tank that really showed off the tropical fish the best and allowed for larger fish.

I was hooked.

Returning again from the pet store, this time with a 29-gallon show tank with, you guessed it: larger heater, larger filter, different tank hood, different light, larger air pump, more sand and more fish. No room for all three tanks on the marble top chest.

Moral of the story: If I started with 29-gallon tank I could have saved enough money to purchase an additional 29-gallon tank and a stand to hold both of them. And—there was no one who would purchase my other tanks so I didn't have room for them and they became garage sale items.

I keep finding out that I am better off when I purchase the “right thing” for the “right purpose” upfront. I spend more money, but actually save by not buying the interim steps between low cost entry item and the final fully functional item.

P.S. I am the owner of three sewing machines and bought each one for specific usage:

Singer 29-4 patcher (thin leather projects)

FERDCO 1245 (Pfaff 1245 clone) (medium leather projects)

FERDCO Pro 2000 (Juki 441 clone) (heavy leather projects)

Bob Stelmack

[Techsew Ron]

Very insightful post Bob, thanks for sharing!

[Ferg]

Bob,

I agree. I have a Consew 206RB5 - Flatbed medium weight leather

Seiko CW 8B - Medium weight leather.

I want a Singer 29-????

I have no intention of making heavy leather products.

ferg

[ELeBlanc]

I drive to State College periodically from NYC and I have a couple of 29-4's and I may have a 29k to sell.

[midwestislander]

so, so can relate. I wanted to get into machine sewing with the intention of using it for bolsters, straps belts, and heavy stuff. bought a Techsew 3650HD and went merrily on my way... Until I wanted to do bags, pouches and light to medium leather. now I am looking for a free arm compound walking foot with servomotor.

[Wizcrafts]

When I got back into doing leather crafting in January of 2009, all I had was a handful of stamps and hand tools. I had sold off thousands of dollars worth of tools, supplies, cutting dies, patterns, dyes and waxes, a sewing machine and all of the thread I had on hand, back in 2004. My first job was a hand tooled guitar strap that needed a liner sewn onto the back. I had to rent the use of a friend's shop and sewing machines, plus purchase the leather and suede from him.

After the strap was completed and delivered, I got hooked all over again. Being a broke musician, it took me another year to save enough money to buy a collection of hand tools and patterns from a private seller. A few months later I located a used walking foot machine, not far from home and bought it for all the cash I could wrangle up.

That machine then went to work for me, sewing rifle slings at home for by buddy who let me use his stuff 6 months earlier that year. The machine was paid for in one month. Since then I have acquired a long arm Singer 29k172 patcher, a straight stitch Singer 31-15, a Union Lockstitch machine which I recently sold, a Cowboy CB4500 heavy stitcher, a 4 thread - 2 needle Pfaff serger and a handful of iron body Singer, Kenmore and White domestic sewing machines. I am looking to add a long body walking foot machine and a bell knife skiver to this collection.

I have the patcher, my 2009 walking foot machine and the CB4500 at my shared leather shop and I need each one of them to do the jobs that come in the door. When I get a long body machine it is going in the shop, as will be the skiver. I could not possibly sew all of the things people want sewn with just one machine. I wish I could, but it just ain't so.

Edited April 22, 2013 by Wizcrafts

[lightingale]

Deleted post (was asking about light, med, heavy definitions), found my answer in http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=25239

Edited April 23, 2013 by lightingale

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

I often send potential customers here to look at the posted topic from Wiz before I will sell them a machine. Too many people want to buy one machine that will do everything and I equate that to having a toolbox that contains one screwdriver and nothing else.