aquinn1989 Report post Posted January 28, 2016 Hi i am a Firefighter that makes leather helmet shields, radio straps and truck belts. I am looking into purchasing a sewing machine but know VERY little about them. I use 10oz leather for the front of my shields and 7-8 oz for the back so im going through some thicker items and am unsure what machine would be good for that and easiest for some of the fine details i need to use it for as well. I will include some pictures of the work i have been hand sewing. Any input would be helpful thanks! Alex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aquinn1989 Report post Posted January 28, 2016 please let me know if this worked... have not posted any pictures yet and unsure if i did it correctly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted January 28, 2016 please let me know if this worked... have not posted any pictures yet and unsure if i did it correctly Pics are there. All you have to to see if it worked is to refresh the page after you have finished your post.And they look pretty nice! Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Report post Posted January 28, 2016 I have a Tippmann Boss, . . . love it, . . . I really do not think there is anything out there that will do a better job of "positioning" a stitch exactly where you want it. It is hand operated, . . . you cannot leave it running while you do something more important. It does need to be mounted to a substantial bench, however. It will sew through 3/4 inch of dry veggie tanned leather (I have done it, . . . only once, . . . but I did it). It is made for thicker leather jobs, . . . but I do purses, belts, holsters, billfolds, and some saddle work with mine. Investment is in the thousand dollar range. The stitching on the front looks beautiful, . . . the back not as pretty, . . . but you have a "one face" product anyway, so I think it just might do the trick for you. May God bless, Dwight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Uwe Report post Posted January 29, 2016 Nice work on your hand sewing! I'm not sure using a machine will help you all that much - it may cause more trouble than help for your particular project. If each stitch line is only a few dozen stitches long and the stitches have to be as precise and pretty as your hand stitched ones, you *may* save a few minutes trying to use a machine but you'll almost certainly add and mountain of frustration over ruined badges/shields, messed up stitch lines and marked leather. You'll still have to finish the stitch lines by hand to get even close to your hand-stitched look. It seems like you put a LOT of effort into carving and otherwise preparing those leather badges and shields. I'd hate to see all that effort ruined by some machine at the very end. A machine that does very slow manual stitch placement like the Tippmann Boss line may indeed be one of the few workable options. I'd be tempted to make the hand stitching process easier or faster by creating some templates for stitch placement, or things along those lines. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dikman Report post Posted January 29, 2016 Uwe makes a good point. While I admired the great workmanship I didn't pay any attention to the actual stitch lengths. Doing short runs with a machine will be, at times, annoying, and the potential to miss a stitch or otherwise stuff up will increase. Hand stitching gives you absolute control of the work. Plus machines require attention to function at their best (once you get them running properly!!). A machine may be of use with belts, but for the small bits what you're doing now may be the best way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Report post Posted January 29, 2016 One alternative would be a $49.95 drill press from Harbor Freight. Putting a leather needle in it and using it to do the hole punching, . . . it would speed up the process, . . . make sure the stitch is where it is needed, . . . and save a big bunch of cash from a machine. One could even get tricky by threading that needle, . . . and as it starts back up, . . . put a second needle through the loop, . . . effectively sewing the thing. Anyway, . . . good luck whatever you do, Alex. May God bless, Dwight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aquinn1989 Report post Posted January 30, 2016 Thank you everyone for you input, will have to do some research and thinking on what will work best for my projects! Alex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Nelson Report post Posted January 30, 2016 I have a Cobra class 4 that almost never misses a stitch, front is wonderful and back is just as nice but a bit different. It is easier to sew with than a tippman Boss, (and I have had one). The Class 3 would be a good option for you, same machine but a shorter throat. Dealer support is one of the best. Do not be afraid of a powered sewing machine, if they are set up correctly, the learning curve is short. Your hand stitching is very nice though. As you get to building other products, a sewing machine will be a real asset to you. HTH Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aquinn1989 Report post Posted January 30, 2016 Thank you ken appreciate the information. I will do some research into the Cobras. I also make some radio straps that are pretty much just long belts and i think a sewing machine on something like that would really save a ton of time as well. Alex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Uwe Report post Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) Yup, belts are a different story. A 441 class machine would be a great, well supported and capable choice. The 441 class of machines is based on the Juki TSC-441, which is still available new for around $6K. Copies include Cobra 4, Cowboy 3200/3500/4500, TechSew 5100, Weaver Master Lockstitch, and a few others. The copies run about $1,600 to $4,000 depending on brand and accessories. Pick the best tool for the job. Your hands are the best tool for those shields. The 441 is among the best tools for the belts. Edited January 30, 2016 by Uwe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
