Best Machine For Thinner Leathers (Purses, Wallets,etc)

[horselady21]

Hi! I read through some of the very comprehensive info on deciding on a machine, but I am wanting to just occasionally sew a purse or wallet, nothing over 2-3 oz. For instance, right now, I am doing my first purse with some gorgeous garment leather I bought from Weaver, but my regular machine won't even begin to stitch it!

So, without spending more than a few hundred (or close), what would someone recommend? Not that I wouldn't love to have one of the top of the line machines, but I actually enjoy saddle stitching the thicker leathers by hand! And for a hobby, I can't justify spending too much.

Thanks for any help!

[Colt W Knight]

Machines that sew leather well are expensive. I had an old Singer 66 that would sework what you are describing, but I had to buy a new motor and pulley to add power and torque. Even then, it didn't control the feed real well. I fussed with it for a while, but got fed up and bought a real compound feed walking foot machine. The lighter to medium duty machines pop up occasionally for 4-600 $ used, and sometimes a good deal will pop up less than that. In most markets though, used leather machines are pretty rare

[Wizcrafts]

Look for a straight stitch Singer tailoring machine, like a 31-15, or 96k40. These go back to Noah's Ark. His wyfe was a seamstress and a singer, if legend serves me well. You can convert them into a roller foot machine for under $40.00. With this conversion you can sew garment leather, chap leather and suede. They max out with #69 bonded thread, which is all you need for thin leather projects.

I used to have a Singer 96k40, from 1984 through 2004. It was my first industrial sewing machine. I used it to make leather vests for one year, until I eventually got a real walking foot machine. I currently keep a 31-15 at home for tailoring jobs.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Wizcrafts

[cdthayer]

I agree with Wiz that a Singer 31-15 with a roller foot should do your projects well. I really like mine for the thin materials. The only part that I differ from Wiz on, is that I’m using T92 bonded thread in mine with no problems

I ran into problems trying to put the small roller foot on my Singer 96-40. The bottom thread guide on the needle bar interfered with the roller, so I’d have to remove the guide to keep it from hitting and breaking something. I turned that machine into a darning machine for thinner thread, and put my roller back onto my 31-15 treadle.

CD in Oklahoma

[Wizcrafts]

I agree with Wiz that a Singer 31-15 with a roller foot should do your projects well. I really like mine for the thin materials. The only part that I differ from Wiz on, is that I’m using T92 bonded thread in mine with no problems

I ran into problems trying to put the small roller foot on my Singer 96-40. The bottom thread guide on the needle bar interfered with the roller, so I’d have to remove the guide to keep it from hitting and breaking something. I turned that machine into a darning machine for thinner thread, and put my roller back onto my 31-15 treadle.

CD in Oklahoma

My 31-15 is from 1921 and threw fits when I tried sewing with #92 thread. It was all I could do to keep the bobbin cases from popping out of their housing. There are still some newer bobbin cases that want to rotate out of the fingers that hold them in position at the top tab on the case.

I prefer the one inch roller on my straight stitch machines.

[billybopp]

I don't know anything about the sewing machines ... but I LOVE that seat in your picture, CD!!

Bill

[Art]

There is also the Singer 110, which you see for sale now and again. Better stay away from it if you aren't mechanically inclined as it has gear sets for stitch length which isn't a problem unless you like to fiddle with stitch length. Both of them 31 and 110 will sew two 4 oz pieces of veg tan (or veg tan chrome tan mix, even most exoitics) all day long, which on an intricate pair of boot tops might be the case.

If you want new, any of the 5550 machines (Juki or Clone) will serve just fine. If you find a deal on a used 5550, have someone check it out and sew it off before you buy.

Art

[cdthayer]

I don't know anything about the sewing machines ... but I LOVE that seat in your picture, CD!!

Bill

Thanks Bill. I bought that motorcycle seat stool for my wife about ten years ago for Christmas while we were deep into motorcycles. We each rode our own. I thought she’d like it, but she hardly ever used it. I used it more than she did. (But I’m the kind of guy that bought her a coffee maker when we got married, and she doesn’t drink coffee. I do drink coffee, and thought that she would appreciate having a nice coffee maker to make coffee for me with, but no. I still haven’t heard the end of that, after 45 years of marriage.)

The lift cylinder crapped out after a couple of years, so I strapped blocks of wood to the cylinder to make it rigid. Since I only use one foot on all of my treadles, I can get by with wheels under my stools. It doesn’t work as well for 2-foot treadle operation, as a person tends to “migrate” a tad without an “anchor foot” planted on the floor. With the way that the seat is built, just don’t bend over frontwards in it to pick something up off of the floor...you’ll be the first one to know why.....

CD in Oklahoma

Edited March 23, 2016 by cdthayer

[SissipahawLeatherCo]

I also sew lighter weight upholstery and garment leather and suedes but I use a Juki manufactured Econosew Walking Foot. I've only been trying to use the machine for a few months and currently have size 22 needle and 138 thread which does NOT seem to work for my lightweight leather. What needle and thread size/type would you suggest?

[Art]

Hi Julia,

What two pieces of leather are you trying to sew, type and thickness?  Exactly what problems are you having?

 

Art

[OLDNSLOW]

Julia, sort of off topic here, but how are things in Taos?  So you work out a shop there?  I really need to get up there for a visit I have an Aunt and cousins that live there and have lived there for ever even before hippie communes were the in thing to do in Taos, they live over in the Rancho De Taos area, any way thanks if reply good luck.

 

O n S

[cdthayer]

18 hours ago, SissipahawLeatherCo said:

I also sew lighter weight upholstery and garment leather and suedes but I use a Juki manufactured Econosew Walking Foot. I've only been trying to use the machine for a few months and currently have size 22 needle and 138 thread which does NOT seem to work for my lightweight leather. What needle and thread size/type would you suggest?

I don’t know the age of your machine, or if this could have anything to do with your problem, but I’ve got an old Singer 111G156 walking foot machine that doesn’t sew thin or soft leathers well at all (Tex92 thread).  It causes the material to pucker like the tension is too tight, but I got to studying it closely while hand cranking it, and could finally see what the problem was. 

The inside foot begins its forward motion just a bit before the foot is completely clear of the material, dragging the top layer of material with it just a tiny bit.  I hadn’t ever noticed this when sewing wovens, and I haven’t really used the machine much at all since obtaining it.  It was a basket case when I got it, so I may have something out of adjustment in the feed, but excess movement front to back of the inside foot when just clear of the material (push/pull with thumb and finger) makes me think that it’s wear in the mechanism.

CD in Oklahoma

PS - My wife and I like the Taos area too.  We rode our motorcycles across US Hwy 64 from Cimarron to TA several times over the years.  Great ride!

Edited March 26, 2016 by cdthayer

[Primosand]

Yes the seat is very nice.