Machine company with best customer service?

[Jordanball33]

I'm looking to get into sewing with a machine for my leather goods. I've been handsewing for years and I'm ready to take the plunge and buy a machine.

Rather than discuss machines, I would like to know who has the best customer service and can help with any setup problems, and issues that may arise down the line. I'm in a rural area and don't even know where the closest tech shop would be. I want to buy from a company that has the best customer service.

This is why I'm choosing to buy new instead of used.

 

And of course I'll need a specific machine, to sew 2 layers of up to 6 ounce (each) leather.  But I would think there are more than a few companies that have a machine to meet my needs. 

 

[MADMAX22]

There are several. Bob toledo sewing, Steve cobra sewing, Ron Techsew, Neel Neels saddlery are the few I have personally been provided excellent service from. 

Not sure about in your area though. Imagine Bob or Neel are the closest to you. 

[Wizcrafts]

There are several esteemed industrial sewing machine dealers who advertise their wares via banners on top of every page on our forums. They pay to support us and value their reputations when it comes to customer service. You should consider using these banner ads to investigate the machines and prices from these dealers.

Many of us own machines from two or more of our supporting dealers. I personally own machines bought from Cowboy Bob (Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines), Cobra Steve (Leather Machine Co.) and have parts purchased from Techsew. These are not the only places I buy machines and parts, but are my primary suppliers. I can tell you from experience that these dealers do support their customers. But, the first two are not large scale operations (2 or 3 people) and it may take a while for the owner or technician to reply to messages and emails. Despite any delays, none have ever left me hanging.

Sometimes a servo motor may quit (electronics!) or a v-belt may shred, or I may need accessory presser feet, a different needle plate, needles, bobbins, thread, or oil. In my experience, the item is usually in the mail or on a truck the next day after talking to the company.

[brmax]

I think its a wise decision to look around ones area say 50 miles and talk with others like upholsters, leather, canvas fabricators.

This just for the homework, that they may share with locating tech's or even retired tech's as there seems to be many more of them in this area. I suppose because we manufactured sometime ago!

I'm in the Heartland and know of several others in Florida and its the same as here as mentioned there's just not mechanic technicians for these machines anywhere close to the numbers that was available. Far and few between actually!

This small bit of info runs into I hope, the thought that each of us has to answer "how much do we want to do ourselves" and then more importantly what level we should attempt.  There are task we will have to do, even in the best situations.

I have found not one forum on the internet that begins to even rate on scale with this Leatherworker net.  When it comes to sew machine knowledge, troubleshooting problems and the open thanks to others. Members with their interest here and many times sharing these results to better others machines and operations they learned is great.

So welcome, take a look around, do some searchin and even google brings back amazing results "right back here", go figure!

 

Floyd

[Jordanball33]

Thank you all very much. The cowboy 3200 and the techsew 2700 look great on the top ads. I've watched videos of them on YouTube and both seem like solid choices. Glad to know they have great support here. 

[JLSleather]

If 2 layers of 6 oz is as thick as you need to go, then many machines will do what you need.  If you just want one, and can afford it, then by all means.  But a '441 clone' is far more machine than you need.

 

[Jordanball33]

Who sells the 441 clone? I'm not familiar with that machine. 

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, Jordanball33 said:

Who sells the 441 clone? I'm not familiar with that machine. 

The Cowboy CB3200 is an entry level 441 clone. It can sew with thread sizes #138 up to #346. Its range of thicknesses is from about 6 ounces up to 32 ounces.

If that is too heavy duty, the CB227R will use thread sizes up to no more than #207 on top, with #138 in the bobbin, and thicknesses from about 2 ounces up to 20 ounces.

If you want to get into very heavy work, the Cobra Class 4 can sew over 3/4 of an inch.

[bikermutt07]

2 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

The Cowboy CB3200 is an entry level 441 clone. It can sew with thread sizes #138 up to #346. Its range of thicknesses is from about 6 ounces up to 32 ounces.

If that is too heavy duty, the CB227R will use thread sizes up to no more than #207 on top, with #138 in the bobbin, and thicknesses from about 2 ounces up to 20 ounces.

If you want to get into very heavy work, the Cobra Class 4 can sew over 3/4 of an inch.

But Wiz, the link for the 3200 says it will run thread from #69 up to #346?

Is this a misprint? The stated range of this machine has had me leaning that way for a while now.

I do understand I would have to learn how to adjust it well to take advantage of such a range.

(Humbly bows and backs away)

Edited February 25, 2017 by bikermutt07

[MADMAX22]

 

7 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

They pay to support us

Support you the webmaster , na but really they advertise to sell there services. Yes lots of them are on the forums and answer alot of questions and they also get a ton of referrels from this site and sell alot of machines either directly or indirectly from primarily content on this site and the ads that the forum gets paid for. Doubt they pay the forum out of the kindness of there heart like some of us have.

 

49 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

But Wiz, the link for the 3200 says it will run thread from #69 up to #346?

Is this a misprint? The stated range of this machine has had me leaning that way for a while now.

I do understand I would have to learn how to adjust it well to take advantage of such a range.

(Humbly bows and backs away)

They all advertise that these big machines handle that range or in the case of say the 4 class bigger thread. Yes they can theoretically but if your stitching with 69 or even 92 thread into a couple or few layers of upholstery leather there are far better machines. If your sticking with thinner layers say 12oz of softer temper leather and less than 207 thread than the 26, 20, 18, 227 ...... are more versatile and easier to setup for that situation. To add I would save up if your getting the bigger stitcher and grab the 3500. Its a better overall machine with better resale, better feeding for leather that you want to avoid marks on,