I Need A New Machine

[Charlies Mum]

Hi Guys. I am new to this site. I came across it by accident when I was searching for info on sewing machine and thought what amazing group this is - so here I am

I am a saddler and up until now I have been doing all of my leatherwork by hand. I also repair a lot of horse rugs (cleaned 1st) and have been doing that on a Wimsew - 0618. I am losing this machine at the end of the month and need a replacement for it. My dilemma id do I go for another flat bed machine just for the rugs or do I get a cylinder arm that I can use for some leather work - bridle weight not harness, ie browbands dog collars etc, and make a table top to be able to use it like a flat bed for the rugs.

My sewing machine guy has offered me a Pfaff 145 flat bed walking foot and a Wimsew W246 cyinder arm. Can I have your thoughts on them both please.

I can see how some of you end up with several machines lol which reminds me that I need to dig out the 3 I have in storage and send them for repair/restoration

[Charlies Mum]

Wow 47 views and no one has any thing to say Surely some one among you knowlegeable people must have some advise - please

Edited February 8, 2016 by Charlies Mum

[Art]

Maybe because this has been asked and answered so many times, and a little search could bring up a lot of info. My suggestion is to take some of your type of work and sew on both machines. You obviously have experience in this area and don't need our help to do that. I have two flatbed 618 machines, I would trade one of them for a 227R machine in a heartbeat. I really don't need it as I have a post and other cylinder machines, but like I said, I'd trade a flatbed for a cylinder arm of the same size.

Art

[Uwe]

Don't take it personal. Most people click on the topic because the title doesn't say much in itself, to find out you're asking about specific advice on a machine they've never even heard of (the Wimsew brand).

The Pfaff is a well respected original, well known and broadly discussed class of machines. Good quality and expensive parts. Same general benefits/drawbacks as any other walking foot flatbed machine in the same class.

The Wimsew appears to be a local clone brand, which is why nobody outside of the UK know much about it, including me.

There are lots of past discussion in these forums already on the relative merits of flatbed versus cylinder arm machines. Some folks grow weary of answering variations on the same questions over and over again. Not your fault, I'm just stating a fact.

Do a Google search like "site:leatherworker.net flatbed or cylinder arm" to find out what people have already said about the topic. Then, if you have specific questions, post it with a meaningful, descriptive topic title.

Also, search for make and model of the original brand that a particular clone is based on to find relevant information. The folks who make Wimsew will be able to tell you which machines it's based on, or do a Google image search to find machines that look identical, save for the nameplate (originals are names like Pfaff, Adler, Durkopp, Juki, Singer, etc.)

It may take you less time than I just spent composing this reply and it will get you much better response rates and more meaningful information.

[Northmount]

If you repair used rugs/blankets, they are dirty and will drop junk in your machine. Use a separate old machine for this type of work, and save your good machine.

Tom

[Charlies Mum]

Thank you guys for the advice re searching, titles etc. I spent a lot of yesterday going through old posts and learnt so much Boy this site is addictive lol!

I have come to the conclusion that a machine suitable for rugs ( even though they are laundered 1st Tom ) wont be suitable for sewing leather beyond upholstery grade so I am going to go for the Pfaff for now and save up my pennies for a 2nd machine suitable for leather

I realise now that wimsew is not known in the states - didn't know that this time yesterday! but I think there are quite a few uk users on here that may know the brand?

Thanks again for your help/advice and hopefully I will speak to you again soon

[dikman]

Coincidentally, last weekend I was talking to a member at my shooting club about this very thing - repairing horse rugs. He has horses, and knows people who repair the rugs. He said that if the rugs come in dirty then the cleaning cost is added to the repair, as dirty rugs do nasty things to a sewing machine! It was recommended on here by a member that for someone who repairs rugs it's a good idea to have an old, heavy duty machine just for that purpose, and keep the rugs away from good machines.

I guess only you can decide which machine will suit your needs, based on what you do (or want to do), but a cylinder arm has to be more versatile overall, and with a table fitted, as you mentioned, should do pretty much everything that a flat bed will do.

[Charlies Mum]

Dikman I also insist on them being laundered 1st as it's also a health and safety issue. You don't know if that horse has had something catching like ringworm. If you put that on the machine and put the next customers rug on, that customer is going to be non too pleased when his horse then contracts ringworm. Also on a personal note I really object to having stinky rugs draped over me while I am repairing them. Mind you it's a good way of clearing a space when you go to the supermarket afterwards

[Leatherstrap1]

Wimsew machines are from Ray at wimbledon sewing machines...a singer 132 or 45k will do rygs and leather no probs but can mark the underside of leather depending on what you are sewing... there is a busm #6 harness stitcher on ebay.

Actually there are 3 but 2 of them are massive money and look a little rusty and oil dry...

Depending on your budget you might want to get the right machine first rather than one now then one later....

Where in the uk are you..

Atb

Ls1

[Uwe]

I think I can safely take "repair ringworm infested horse blankets" off my list of things to try.

[Art]

Also if you have any skin lesions, horses are notorious for Clostridium Perfringens bacteria which can cause Gas Gangrene. I'd sure be washing those blankets with something besides soap.

Art

[TinkerTailor]

Also if you have any skin lesions, horses are notorious for Clostridium Perfringens bacteria which can cause Gas Gangrene. I'd sure be washing those blankets with something besides soap.

Art

You are much more likely to get it from other humans. It is also present in human intestinal tracts, and is the largest cause of foodborne illness in the usa. Nearly 1million cases per year says the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/diseases/clostridium-perfringens.html

That is from the burger king employees not washing their hands after the washroom btw....

In addition, Clostridium Perfringens only multiplies at a faster rate than our immune system in anaerobic environments. With healthy bloodflow to healthy tissue there is no problem with the presence of Clostridium Perfringens. Flesh which has reduced blood flow due to injury or swelling is where it attacks and multiplys to create gas gangrene. Most common cause of gas gangrene in horses in injection sites, though rarely some horses do have the bacteria in their tissue, and have got gangrene from bad bruises, it is not common at all.

In other words, you need dead, damaged or dying tissue already to get the infection.

People tend to worry about germs too much.

[Charlies Mum]

Leatherstrap have pm'd you

[Leatherstrap1]

Leatherstrap have pm'd you

Sent you one back 👍👍

[Darren Brosowski]

Sometimes there is nothing polite to say.

Using an oil bath machine such as an 0618 is pure sewing machine abuse. Horse rugs are full of dust - even when they are allegedly clean - and when you mix dust with the oil in the sump it becomes a substance referred to as grinding paste.

Use a flat bed, open frame shuttle machine for your horse rug repairs and buy a specialist machine for leather