Looking for a sewing machine to add

[ruffwerkz]

Hello all,

I'm not quite sure where to post this since the machine in question is not quite for leather. 

What kind of machine would you recommend mainly to be used on fabrics (bag lining etc.) and the occasional lighter leather? My wife just recently bugged me into making tote bags and make-up pouches using fabrics and accent it with leather and so I'd like to find a machine that would be just for those types of materials so I don't keep changing my settings on my other machines. The fabrics would range from thin (think designer handbag lining to thicker outdoor fabrics) it would be great if I can use it to sew in lighter leather. I'm also going to be using this for volume production so it needs to be sturdy enough for that. Budget is about  2K, I'm getting confused just wading through all the machines. Thanks! 

[sandyt]

I don't have enough experience with different brands. So I can not recommend a certain machine brand. But it looks to me, a machine with double feed (drop and needle) sounds perfect. 

Sandy.

[suzelle]

For light leather & linings, I would think you could get away with a teflon foot on a Pfaff 130?? The zigzag feature would be great for the linings too. That's what I would do anyhow! Or perhaps an older Adler machine, like a 187?

[shoepatcher]

With a budget of 2k, you could get two machines. One would be in the Consew 206 class or clone, and then a higher speed drop feed machine for linings say Juki 5550.  If picking them up, you would have change  left over even buying the two machines.  Just a thought but the two machines would be more versatile then trying to find one to do it all.   Just my 2 cents.

glenn

 

[ruffwerkz]

Thank you all for the replies and the recommendations. Just as shoepatcher wrote, I might just have to get two machines. I'll have to check these two machines out in person and see. I also was looking at the Juki 1181N and saw that it's a walking foot, I might check this too.