How Do I Determine Which Machine Would Be Best.

[deborah195412]

I have a chance to purchase my 1st true leather machine. There are 2 available used Singer machines. One is a model 29-4 the other is a 29k70. Due to my inexperience, I'm not sure which would be the the better machine. Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

[Wizcrafts]

Well, the 29-4 is probably over 100 years old and is likely worn out. The 29k series have replaceable "gear boxes" where the shuttle driving components live. They also have much better tensioning parts on top.

No matter the condition of the machines, they both do the same kind of work. That is: shoe, boot and purse patching, sewing biker patches onto vests and jackets, especially over pockets, or onto sleeves, You can also sew zippers onto some garments and not too thick leather jackets, but it is often a struggle on a patcher.

What to expect in capacities:

Older patchers are mostly limited to #69 (T70) bonded nylon thread, top and bottom. If the machine is very tight and in very good repair, it will handle #92 (T90) thread. The lift of the foot, which has teeth on the bottom, determines the thickness that can be sewn and advanced. In practical terms, most Singer patchers won't sew over 1/4 inch and still be able to advance the work for the next stitch. The teeth are required to pull the material and will seriously mark veg-tan leather on the top facing side. The stitch length of a brand new unit is 5 to the inch, at no more than 1/8th inch thickness. The stitches get shorter as the thickness increases. Machines that have seen a lot of hard use often only produce very short stitches, like 7 or 8 to the inch.

[dirtclod]

If your wanting to sew straight lines for any distance i would save my money and get something else. I have a patch machine and their good for what Wiz discribed but their not so good for everday sewing making something and reading your profile it seems you want to make stuff.

[Wizcrafts]

If you scribe or gouge a stitch line along the edge you can lock the presser foot and sew pretty straight. This depends on how many beers you had before sewing.

[Wizcrafts]

I forgot to mention that both the 29-4 and 29k70 use the tiny Singer #8604 bobbins. They are about the diameter of a US dime and as tall as three dimes stacked together. These bobbins don't last very long before running out of thread. Most cobblers and vest patch installers use #69 thread in them and only sew very short distances.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Wizcrafts

[oltoot]

Patch machines will do lotsa things but I would certainly not advise that one would make a best first machine unless you have a huge potential customer base that uses horse blankets and would keep a lot of blankets for a longer life if there was someplace that would repair them. And since most laundramats won't allow them to be washed in their machines, another possible investment would be in a washing machine to wash them in and you could easily specify that you would only patch blankets that were clean and a few posters around and watch them line up at the door or at least that's what somebody told me when they wanted to sell me their 29k70 and Wasco commercial washing machine.

[dirtclod]

Oltoot reading your post brought back some not to pleasant memories patching blankets....LOL. I had people that would bring a blanket covered in manure and soaking weat with pee and stinking to high heaven and want them patched. Then swell up like a toad when i told no, wash it and bring it back. The next question was always where can i wash it at ? My answer was the car wash, some did and some never came back.

[oltoot]

And it didn't break my heart when they didn't come back. Some were held together by that dertitus and washing them 'killed' them

[deborah195412]

Thanks everyone. I'll try to hold off till I can get a better machine.