Chinese Jack Jk-6380 Is It Worth Buying It?

[Doru]

Hello everybody,...I found to a local seller a Chinese Jack JK-6380 sewing machine,that is supplied with the table and a Jack JK-561A-1 servo motor.The machine is like new still have the warranty until march 2017 only 10 wallets sewn with it.Price-425 dollars.What do you think is it worth it?Thank you.

[CowboyBob]

This machine would work great for canvas or nylon webbing BUT both the feet & feed dogs have teeth that will mark the leather.

[Uwe]

It looks very much like a copy of the Juki DU-1181N, which runs about $1,300 new with a table and servo motor (plus shipping which can be substantial). This machine does not have needle feed, but bottom and upper feed may be all you need. The central pump lubricating system can be troublesome if you sew really slow all the time - the pump needs to run at a certain speed to keep oil moving.

But for $425 it looks like a perfectly good starter machine in very clean condition. Manuals and parts like different presser feet should be readily available from Juki part bins, but they may be harder to find in aftermarket sources - the feet seem less common than other models.

The nice solid wood table (not a particle board weakling) and decent servo motor alone are worth $200 in my mind.

Go try it out and see if you like it and if it works with material you're planning to sew. If it's okay, go for it. Decent new-ish industrial walking foot sewing machines don't get any cheaper than that, really.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Uwe

[dikman]

I looked at a couple of youtube vids of the machine, and didn't think it was a needle feed 'cos the needle didn't look like it was moving back and forth but I wasn't sure so didn't want to say anything. The company appears to be a fairly big manufacturer of machines, and I thought that this one looked pretty good for the money, given that it has a servo motor with it.

[Doru]

Thank you all for your answers,..I believe I'll go for it.Thinking that the motor only is 130 pounds on "college-sewing.co.uk" plus let's say 20 pounds for shipping would be 130 pounds.About 235 american dollars.So I think that 190 dollars for a new walking foot industrial sewing machine(even if it's a chinese one) is not that bad.For lighter leather I have an old Singer 18-3 which works great,so I'll keep this Jack for thicker leather and other heavy materials.Thanks again.

[LumpenDoodle2]

Go for it.

At that price, you are getting yourself a handy machine, which will easily sew 1/4 leather (it looks similar to the Joy pf5318, but better, but don't quote me on that). It may not be perfect, but for $400, it's increasing your options.

As to the feed dogs and feet. You can pick up another set of feed dogs easily enough, and what I did was grind down the teeth a bit to stop them marking the leather. Smooth feet will solve marking the top lair.

Later, if a more suitable machine comes along, you already have the servo to swop over.

Edited November 5, 2015 by LumpenDoodle2

[Colt W Knight]

The real question is, What do you want to sew, and will this machine sew that. If not, you are throwing 425$ at something that wont do what you want whether its a good machine or not.

[Doru]

Well,...thicker leather that can't be sewn with a Singer 18...and other heavy materials that I usually have to sew by hand.Thanks.

[LumpenDoodle2]

I bought a Joy's pf-5318 from a local upholsterer. Ok, not the greatest machine for leather on the planet, but it was cheap, and does sew what I need to sew (up to 6mm leather, webbing, and canvas). I can also quickly stitch up prototypes on it to check pattern accuracy/viability.

I sew leather belts on it (again, limited by thickness), and anything thicker, I hand sew.

In truth, because my budget is limited, I have found it's better to have a tool to do some, if not all of the job for you, than wait to afford the best, while struggling along just now.