Do I Need A Different Sewing Machine?

[Wizcrafts]

LJR and Paul;

I have friends in my town who make custom shoes and boots. They even come over to my shop and sew on my machines now and then. The main equipment they use (between theirs and mine) are an old Singer post bed roller foot machine (@15 spi), a curved needle Landis 12F outsole stitcher, small and large bobbin Singer 29k patchers (~ 6 spi) and my big Cowboy CB4500 straight needle, cylinder arm harness stitcher.

Missing is a medium duty cylinder arm walking foot machine, or a heavier duty modern walking foot post bed machine. Either would make it easier to complete the shoe projects.

I think you should look into a modern post bed machine

Edited October 2, 2015 by Wizcrafts

[Art]

The 8810 is made in only one factory in China. Everyone gets them from them. I have one and it is a dead on replica of the Pfaff 491 or 591. It is so much like the Pfaff inside, it is uncanny. I love it although I think V-138 thread is pushing it a little. I run V-69 all the time, but have used 138/92 and it worked very well. The post machine can fit in very easily in the shop. It can do a lot of repair work and any closing operations on uppers. For handbag repair, nothing beats it, and unlike patchers, the bobbin holds a lot of thread. Like most Pfaff machines, it uses the vertical shaft on the bobbin (bobbin lays flat). I've actually seen folks build flat beds (usually out of plexiglas) for them, really just a box that goes over the post. Be careful, the 8810 will sew pretty high stitch counts and actually weaken the stitch line or if you go too far, cut the leather. Great machine.

Art

[Wizcrafts]

I'm hoping that my next major machine purchase is something like the 8810. I have a lot of repairs and hat related jobs that would be so much easier to sew on a post bed machine. I used to have two ancient Singer post machines with roller feet. I used them to make biker and cowboy hats.

[DrmCa]

That makes a big difference, of course my question arose from not knowing that your sandals were so unique.

Hey DrmCa.

This is Paul. LJR's husband here! Our company model revolves around my experience growing up in Internationally acclaimed orthotic lab in the U.S.