Sewing Through Leather And Plywood

[ratty]

I am new to sewing and have just purchased a singer 111g155. I want to make a couple of door cards for a vintage MG Td car,these are made from 1.5mm chrome leather sewn onto 4mm thick plywood. My question is :- do you think the singer 111g155 is man enough to sew through the plywood and also what size of needle and thread would you use? I am thinking of either installing a speed reducer to the clutch motor or machining up a much larger custom flywheel for the machine. I have asked numerous dealers about this and they all say that i need a singer 132k6; but i only need to make two door cards and the rest of the time i will be making seat covers,so i thought the singer 111g155 would be a better overall machine?

Your thoughts and comments will be appreciated

[Uwe]

I highly doubt a Singer 111 will sew through 4mm of plywood. If it does, not for long.

Consider sewing the panel leather material to a softer support material (thin gatorfoam or cardboard etc.) and then glueing the whole affair to the plywood, wrapping the edges. It'l still look it's been sewn right through and be just as durable and rigid in my mind.

The only machines I know of that are designed to sew through plywood and similar materials for suitcase, prosthetics and similar applications, are certain Needle & Awl machines. My Puritan advertises being able to sew through plywood and aluminum sheets, and the promo video of the Campbell Lockstitch machines sews right through a copper penny at the one-minute mark. Of course some of these machines may cost more than an old MG car.

If you have access to a laser cutter, consider cutting the plywood door panel shape including the stitch holes along the edges right on the laser cutter. I've made templates for hand stitching that way. Then you can just hand sew the leather to the plywood using the pre-cut stitch holes.

Edited November 21, 2015 by Uwe

[Art]

My beater 441 (it is a Highlead) will do it, ditto of course the Campbell, but let's face it, we're talking an "18 oz" luan sandwich on a machine (111) on which 18 oz leather is a practical maximum. I've went heavier, at the expense of a few needles. One of the problems is that the torsion you can apply to that big panel will bend the needle to the point of a needle strike. Practicality says sew a fake border and glue to the panel; you'd probably glue anyway. It will look great.

Art

[Uwe]

After searching for "sewing plywood" on youtube, there's a guy sewing plywood on his Pfaff 545, which is essentially identical to the Singer 111. So, depending on how precious your Singer 111 is to you, go for it!

Edited November 21, 2015 by Uwe

[Uwe]

I just had to try it, I'm like a little boy who can't resist a dare!

I carefully turned the wheel by hand and my Consew 225 (twin to a Singer 111) actually sewed 1/8" (3mm) plywood wrapped in 5oz (2mm) oil tan leather without skipping stitch. Who'da thunk?

This was sewn with a size 207 bonded polyester using a size 140/22 regular point needle:

Edited November 21, 2015 by Uwe

[pcox]

My Landis 1 has sewn 8 0z. leather to 1/2 inch plywood several times. I use 415 thread 27 needle. the Landis does it easier than my Randal. I have also sewn 1/4 inch plywood with my 3200 Cowboy.

[TinkerTailor]

Been saving these for just the right thread:

And here is a wood sewing machine....

Edited November 22, 2015 by TinkerTailor

[Darren Brosowski]

The 132k6 was one of the main machines in the Auto upholstery industry and they easily did this job.

[Constabulary]

It depends on the wood and the number of layers they have used for the plywood and the thickness. 4mm waterproof oak multiplex is harder than plain 4mm birch plywood.

These "Sewing Plywood and Sewing Metal" videos are just for impressing people but it is nothing special. Sellers like to show how strong their machines are . Well - even my Singer 307G2 (drop feed) machine can sew through some sort of Plywood or some sort of metal sheets. The needle tip will punch trough a lot of "things" - it´s all about pressure on a small spot and frictional force. But everything of course has it´s limits.

Edited November 22, 2015 by Constabulary

[Wizcrafts]

I once sewed through a ruler on a Singer 15-91, after rebuilding it. It was sewn with #69 thread using a #18 needle. As long as the plywood is soft and the full package fits under the presser foot/feet, and the foot/feet have a strong enough pressure spring to keep the wood from lifting with the needle, and the motor has enough punching power, it will sew. A walking foot machine may be limited to #138 thread, with a #22 or 23 needle. Straight stitch machines to #69 thread with a #18 needle.

I should mention that I preferred sewing wood on a Union Lockstitch machine!

Edited November 22, 2015 by Wizcrafts