Little help on sewing machines please

[Handstitched]

G'Day irish47 ,

This is my machine.  Look familiar ?

Its a ' Colt' by Qstitch Queensland Australia . I don't think they do them anymore. I've had this machine for 8-9 years, and with regular servicing,  its been so reliable( touchwood) , and its paid for itself now.  

I've never had a job that required that thickness( perhaps half that) , but I was just curious if it could do what the ad said it could ..........sure as eggs, it can  

With all the advice from other leather workers, I do hope we're able to help.

I  fully understand  about your hands. The 'age ' of my hands shows up after prolonged hand stitching. God bless sewing machines eh? 

But they certainly are a worthwhile investment , especially if you intend to do a lot of sewing for commercial purposes. 

HS  

Edited July 12, 2018 by Handstitched

[Mark842]

I tried the Tippman boss many years ago when first starting out. This was the old style that supposedly works better than the newer models. It was a boat anchor. It required constant adjustment and fiddling and still never gave me a decent stitch. Every time I used it I would spend 30 minutes adjusting for 2 minutes sewing. I finally went back to hand sewing and saved up for a Cobra 4 (juki 441 clone). I have two now. They extremely simple to operate with a very small learning carve which is more about learning to hold you project level than it is about using the machine. The support available for these machines is awesome. Save up once, buy a good motorized machine and then your set. I'll put money on it if you buy a hand stitcher you will be hunting for another machine in 6 months. You can find juki 441 clones for sale regularly in classifieds.  I just found one that a friend bought for $1250 and there is another for sale in Colorado right now for $1800

https://rockies.craigslist.org/art/d/leather-sewing-machine/6628948535.html

[Handstitched]

G'Day  ,

I was considering buying a Tippman ( and a few others)  before settling on  my 441 clone, but after, reading that, I'm so glad I didn't. And you're right, these machines are so simple to use, easy to maintain, and I have never had to fiddle with the adjustments, I have got  it adjusted just right  . Needles are easy to get,  however,  accessories are harder to obtain  in Australia . But so far theres nothing I need for it at this point. I got all the feet & feed dogs etc when I bought it. They are a great investment. 

HS