Brother Db2-B790-5

[Bara1895]

I have a friend of a friend who closed down a shoe repair shop and is selling one of these, brother db2-b790-5. I can't find a manual online or much info on this particular model at all. Does anyone know anything about these?

What materials this can handle?

Space under foot?

Max needle and thread size?

Walking foot?, etc

I'd mainly be sewing multiple layers of 40 oz vinyl coated polyester and maybe some leather belts. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Wizcrafts]

All I have found is that this is a Japanese built Brother needle feed machine. It was designed for high speed sewing of fabrics, using thinner needle/thread combinations. My guess is that due to having needle feed, it will sew vinyl items and thin leather.

Leather tend to be grabby on top and requires more pressure to hold it down than cloth and vinyl. If the leather lifts with the needle, you get skipped stitches. Increasing the foot pressure tends to cause the leather to drag under the standard flat steel foot. This causes short and varying length stitches. You will probably end up changing the presser foot to a roller equipped foot to let leather move through it without dragging. I can imagine it will have enough clearance to use #69 (T70) bonded thread and a #16 (100) or 18 (110) needle. Use round point for cloth and vinyl and leather point for leather. As long as your belts do not exceed 1/8 inch (3mm) and you use a roller equipped or a Teflon foot, it should sew them fine.

Note, that because this machine has needle feed, meaning the needle moves backward and forward, any accessory feet you buy must have a centered slot, not a little round hole.

Also, this machine contains an oil pump and must be run at a very high speed to circulate the oil properly. Make sure you run it at at least 2500 to 5000 rpm every time you sew or get ready to sew. This can be done while winding bobbins, or before using it to actually sew, and in between projects. The machine is meant to be used at the rate of approximately 60 to 90 stitches per second for optimal distribution of oil. That would cause smoke to come off the thread as it goes through leather and the needle will probably get stuck due to burning the thread inside the leather.

On second thought, don't use that machine to sew leather, unless it is garment leather about 3 to 4 ounces thick.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Wizcrafts

[gottaknow]

These are actually decent machines. That generation of Brothers, (70's) were well built. Like Wiz says, I'd stay away from leather, but there's a lot you can do with that machine. Great for denim, canvas, and garment leather. It has about the same capacities of a Singer 211W151. Value with a clutch motor is about $300. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Regards, Eric

[Bara1895]

Thanks for the info guys! They wanted 600 for it. Also I was hoping to be able to sew some weightlifting belts too, which are often 1/4 to 3/8 inch, so I might pass on this one. My budget is only about 500-600 right now.. Are there any machines out there I should look for in this price range? Or does it pretty much limit me to a lucky craigslist find?

[gottaknow]

I'd buy it for $300 max, just to have it, but $500-$600 could just get you a headache. I'd save my green until I hit $1000-$1400 and then go looking. Good luck.

Regards, Eric

[Bara1895]

Thanks, I'll see if I can talk him down quite a bit.

[Wizcrafts]

Thanks for the info guys! They wanted 600 for it. Also I was hoping to be able to sew some weightlifting belts too, which are often 1/4 to 3/8 inch, so I might pass on this one. My budget is only about 500-600 right now.. Are there any machines out there I should look for in this price range? Or does it pretty much limit me to a lucky craigslist find?

Forget Craigslist ads if you need a real leather sewing machine. Chances are not very good that such a machine will be listed there. I tell you this from experience and because I sew leather items every day. This is the machine I use for all thick leather projects, including doubled saddle skirting weight lifters' belts, up to 1/2" thick and holsters over 3/4 inch thick. I use #346 thread to hold them together.

Save your money until you can buy a machine like this one. If that is beyond your budget, this machine will probably sew weight belts, up to 7/16" thick.

[Wizcrafts]

Bara;

The Brother machine you asked us about is NOT a leather sewing machine! You will be wasting your money if that is what you want to sew on it.

First of all, I told you what it was made to sew: cloth. Second, it only sews up to about 1/4 inch of compressible cloth and uses very thin needles and thread (garment weight). It will not effectively sew belts and straps, especially anything 1/4 inch thick. You are in for a lot of headaches if you make this mistake. Leather belts are dozens of times denser than cloth. You need a dedicated leather stitcher for thick leather belts (anything over 6-8 ounces).

[Bara1895]

I looked at the cb2500, that one will be good for the vinyl too? I'd be using 40oz vinyl, probably up to 6 layers thick at the seams.

[Wizcrafts]

I looked at the cb2500, that one will be good for the vinyl too? I'd be using 40oz vinyl, probably up to 6 layers thick at the seams.

Yes, it will do fine on 6 layers of vinyl. What is is not good at is sewing thin material or using thin thread. The 2500 is best used with #138 or bigger thread, with #23 or larger needles. You could use #22 round point needles with #138 thread to sew vinyl. Then move up to leather point #23, 24, 25 and 26 to sew heavy thread into double leather weight belts.

[Bara1895]

That does sound like what I need.. I'm gonna have to save up a bit!

[Wizcrafts]

Glad to help. The other machine is best suited to a garment factory or dress makers' shop. There, little old ladies wearing babushkas sit and sew on machine like this, 8 hours a day, at 90 stitches per second.

[Bara1895]

Are there any videos of the cb2500 in action out there? I found lots of the 4500 but couldn't find any of the 2500!