And you think industrial sewing machines are expensive

[graywolf]

Finally got around to a reasonable near by industrial sewing machine store the other day.

They had the Juki DU-1541S for $1600. Physically bigger than I expected. Seemed expensive, so I asked about those plastic sewing machines out front.

Know what the most expensive one cost? $10,000. Yes, that is right "ten thousand US dollars". $1600 actually bought one that was pretty much the equivalent of my old Singer 750. So I guess industrial leather sewing machines are not so expensive after all.

[Colt W Knight]

Were they like the CNC embroidery and quilting machines? The new Adler leather sewing machine have all the fancy bells and whistles, and they are super expensive too

[graywolf]

Oh, sure, that is what the 10K one was. But still... plastic. Obviously, you are rather well off, or you have some kind of business that will support such a machine. You also probably have to replace it every 3~5 years because it is obsolete, while the industrial will be doing its thing 40 years from now.

[gottaknow]

I bought a Reece 101 keyhole buttonhole machine two years ago. $14,500. And all it does is buttonholes. Really nice ones though. My seam sealing machines for waterproof breathable fabric were 35k each. And I have two of them. The return on investment in a factory happens very quickly though. 

Regards, Eric 

[Wizcrafts]

My biggest single purchase was my first Union Lockstitch machine and all manner of parts and accessories. Combined, it cost me about $4,000, way back in 1988. I spent another thousand adding needles, awls and more bobbins and special presser feet. Thread for it used to cost $25 a pound for nylon and $30 a pound for linen.

The machine paid for itself over the first 5 years and began making a profit after that. I eventually sold it for $5,000, including boxes full of Barbour's Irish linen thread and heavy bonded nylon thread. Good equipment holds its value over the years.

What's strange to me is that back in the 1980s and 90s, heavy duty leather sewing machines like the Union Lockstitch, Randall, Campbell, Adler 205, Juki 441 and such, always sold new for anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000, where the 441 clones made today sell for $1600 to $2700 --- and people bitch about how expensive they are!

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

1 hour ago, Wizcrafts said:

My biggest single purchase was my first Union Lockstitch machine and all manner of parts and accessories. Combined, it cost me about $4,000, way back in 1988. I spent another thousand adding needles, awls and more bobbins and special presser feet. Thread for it used to cost $25 a pound for nylon and $30 a pound for linen.

The machine paid for itself over the first 5 years and began making a profit after that. I eventually sold it for $5,000, including boxes full of Barbour's Irish linen thread and heavy bonded nylon thread. Good equipment holds its value over the years.

What's strange to me is that back in the 1980s and 90s, heavy duty leather sewing machines like the Union Lockstitch, Randall, Campbell, Adler 205, Juki 441 and such, always sold new for anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000, where the 441 clones made today sell for $1600 to $2700 --- and people bitch about how expensive they are!

I agree!  Around here, it's even worse. I don't know why, but so many people new to the business or wanting to get into it think that a "good used sewing machine to sew heavy leather" should run a couple hundred bucks. Of course they're the same people that think $10 an hour is a fair rate to have to pay for my work:-) I remember thinking the same thing though. A couple hundred bucks seemed like plenty for a "sewing machine". The $5000-$8000 machines seemed like an incredible amount of money for a machine. So instead, I wasted money on a couple machines that weren't meant to do the work I wanted them to do (even though they were advertised as such), and in the end, had to spend the money anyway.  It took awhile to fully realize that time is serious money and without the right machine for the job, I was handicapping myself by being able to do only what I could do by hand in a given amount of time, and that just wasn't enough most of the time.  Of the tens of thousands of dollars that I've spent on equipment over the years, there are only a handful of things that I feel were a waste of money or have not paid for themselves.  Incidentally, they are all things that were new innovations and marketed to be a real time or labor saver. 

[Tejas]

Cordes sewing machines made in Australia might be the most expensive -- six figures I was told -- I've seen in operation. Here is a video showing four-point, three-step zig-zag. The rotating disk on top of the arm is a cam that is machined internally to provide the zig-zag cam surface, and that alone probably costs more than most otherwise expensive sewing machines.

 

[Wizcrafts]

Here is a Cowboy/Hightex automatic sewing machine, sewing a holster. I'll bet this machine costs a small fortune.

Here is more information about these automatic patterns sewing machines.

[gottaknow]

Our luggage factory uses a similar machine to that one Wiz for setting all the leather straps and buckles on our luggage. It's made by Brother, who seems to be fairly aggressive in their automation work stations. If I recall, the price was less than I thought it would be. I have a Brother memory label setter that sets all of our different labels. It can be set for different sizes in about 10 minutes. It was about 7k and has paid for itself in less than two years. I've always been a firm believer in buying the very best you can afford. I understand this can be tough for hobbyist to justify, but if you're going to make a profit as you know, you really need good reliable machines. 

Regards, Eric 

[graywolf]

Kind of interesting the way this is going.

I think my point was that a machine that makes you money, is actually free..

But, a hobby machine is expensive. Heck a $!00 sewing machine is expensive if it is not generating any income. Although a cheaper machine may save you enough that it is worth investing in, especially if you figure you time is free (and that does not mean worthless, just you do not feel you have to make a wage).

Anyhow, my original surprise that pretty damn good heavy duty triple feed sewing machines are a bargain compared to some, not Walmart type, home hobby machines still stands.