Sewing Machine For Gloves

[Ogoki]

Hello all,

I am looking to get into making gloves, and I am wondering if anybody can offer any recommendations for machines.

I just started sewing recently, and I'm using a commercial Kenmore machine, which was given to me. It seems to sew my material fine, but the flat bed is not great and the presser feet I have are just too big for the job. I have lifted the presser foot and used my fingers and the hand crank in the tricky corners, but I can't get good tension that way.

It seems that machines with a really small post bed - "finger bed"? - are used, and I have come across the Singer 91K5, 46K, as well as Kansai and Porkert versions.

The Singer 91K5 seems to be easy enough to find (although not exactly cheap), but my main concern is regarding the stitch type, as it is a chain stitch machine. Should I worry about chain-stitching unravelling if the stitches are nicked? The gloves will be for work and riding.

Also, would a cylinder or post-bed machine be appropriate? I would rather go this route, as I would eventually like to sew boot uppers, and I think that a machine like this would be much more useful overall.

Thanks for any responses!

[Hockeymender]

After spending many years sewing hockey gloves, I would agree that a cylinder arm machine would be the best choice. I have found that the cylinder arm machines can do a lot of different tasks and sew thru fairly heavy material as well. Just try to get the most expensive machine that you can afford, for if it is properly maintained it could be a lifelong investment. Hope that helps.

[Ogoki]

Thanks for the response. That's kind of what I was hoping to hear.

Do you have a favourite for the Cup?

[Wizcrafts]

I use a Singer patcher for sewing gloves. But, I mostly do repairs, not new builds. Patchers are cylinder arm machines, with narrow snouts, small or tiny bobbins, and long arms.

[Hockeymender]

Do you have a favourite for the Cup?

NYR

[Techsew Ron]

Do you have a favourite for the Cup?

NYR

Good luck...after they beat the habs I wouldn't mind losing to the team that won the cup.

[Ogoki]

I spoke with a woman the other day who used to work in a glove manufacturing plant and, surprisingly, she said they used flat-bed walking-foot machines.

I'm still leaning toward a cylinder machine, but I'm wondering if it's possible to put a flat-bed attachment (I don't even know if such a thing exists) on a cylinder or post-bed machine? Or has anybody fabricated such a piece?

Yeah, hopefully the Rangers can even things out tomorrow...

[Hockeymender]

There are certain cylinder arm machines for which table top attachments are available. As for sewing gloves on a flatbed, that is something I have never been able to do. However, I am working on hockey gloves which are in a world of their own when it comes to sewing them. Other glove types can most likely be done on a flatbed (at least part of the sewing operations required).

I hope the Rangers can even it up, but I'm starting to wonder if anything can stop the runaway train that the LA Kings have seem to become.

[Wizcrafts]

I'm still leaning toward a cylinder machine, but I'm wondering if it's possible to put a flat-bed attachment (I don't even know if such a thing exists) on a cylinder or post-bed machine? Or has anybody fabricated such a piece?

Yeah, hopefully the Rangers can even things out tomorrow...

Techsew sells a cylinder arm walking foot machine and has an optional table attachment for it.

[Wizcrafts]

I just learned that Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines also sells a table attachment for their CB227R cylinder arm, walking foot machine.

[Hockeymender]

Sounds like the above mentioned machine with the table top attachment may be the answer to your query. It allows for a great amount of function, all in one machine.

[Techsew Ron]

I spoke with a woman the other day who used to work in a glove manufacturing plant and, surprisingly, she said they used flat-bed walking-foot machines.

I'm still leaning toward a cylinder machine, but I'm wondering if it's possible to put a flat-bed attachment (I don't even know if such a thing exists) on a cylinder or post-bed machine? Or has anybody fabricated such a piece?

Yeah, hopefully the Rangers can even things out tomorrow...

Most equipment managers have a patching machine (ie. Techsew 2900 / 2900L ) in their repair shop for fixing tears in shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin guards and especially in glove palms, they're great because they have very narrow cylinder beds for sewing into tight areas in the glove. These can be set up on a table with motor and speed reducer to control stitching speed, or can be manually operated with machine's hand wheel.

The next step up would be a cylinder walking foot machine which will allow you to sew a bit thicker (up to about 3/8"), preferably with a narrow cylinder bed.