Pfaff 1245/seiko Sth-8Bl - Questions

[dikman]

More questions (sorry). I'm interested in a Seiko STH-8BL, but I'm waiting to see if the seller will drop their price. In the meantime a Pfaff has just come up for sale, there's no model number given, nor can I see one on the photos, but it appears to be a 1245. Looks to be a late model, pretty good condition, comes with a binder attachment (which I don't need) and is $300 cheaper than the Seiko. (I'm guessing that the Seiko is the older of the two).

Which one is considered to be the better of the two? Are their capabilities similar - needle size/thread size /thickness of material they can handle? Both appear to be clutch motors.

[Constabulary]

Show us some pictures of the Pfaff and I´m sure someone will know it. I´d buy the 1245 because I prefer the vertical / top load hook.

[BigMatt]

I own a Singer 531-8BL (Made by Seiko) and I like it. The bobbin is a little hard to change, but it is a large bobbin and when you get used to it, it is fine.

The Pfaff 1245 looks to be the same bobbin setup as the Singer 111 series. It is easier to change the bobbin, but I think it is the smaller bobbin setup (I may be wrong).

I like the Singer (Seiko), but I am sure they are both great machines.

[dikman]

I can only link to the advert, as it won't let me copy the photos - http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/findon/miscellaneous-goods/pfaff-industrial-sewing-machine-binder/1089516209

I'll see if I can find the manual online, as that should tell me the needle/thread size it can handle. I did look at some youtube videos of one, and it looks like it can take some pretty thick thread.

Just found the manual for a 1245, but doesn't give the bobbin size. Judging by the videos I don't think it's a huge one, but that's not an issue for me as I won't be doing "commercial" quantities. If it is a 1245 (I've emailed the seller asking for a model number) it looks like it might be a fairly good buy (at least for Australia!!).

Edited September 17, 2015 by dikman

[dikman]

All rather irrelevant now as it's been sold!

[Constabulary]

I also missed a few nice machines in the past. You sometimes have to act fast when you see a good deal... sorry that it is gone.

[dikman]

Yeah, bit unfortunate, but I wasn't going to buy it until I'd found out a bit more about that model first. (I still don't know for sure that it was a 1245!).

In the meantime the other ad has suddenly had a "make an offer" thing attached to it - so I offered the same ($900). What is interesting is that the Seiko has been on the board for nearly two weeks, and is unsold. The Pfaff was on maybe two days and sold, so if the Seiko owner was watching it may have finally occurred to them that maybe their price is too high!

[dikman]

Well, that one went too. That's the third ad that I've responded too where the seller has taken their time to get back to me only to say that the ad has finished. Seems obvious that they were too slack to take the ads down once sold! I keep forgetting how ignorant some people can be.......

Not a great loss, though, as I have a servo motor coming for my Singer 51W59 (hopefully will make it more manageable on leather).

[Ferg]

You will love the control you have over your sewing with a servo.

Everything I have has one.

ferg

[dikman]

Thanks ferg, it's a bit of an experiment. The servo is from China, price was good, so I'm curious to see how it will perform. As for the other machines, I don't really need a walking foot machine (but another toy would be nice to have!!) so I'll just keep looking and if I miss out I won't loose any sleep over it. There are lots of industrial sewers for sale, some at very good prices, but they are all straight stitchers. Unless I can find a compound walking foot there's no point buying anything else.