How do I sew some heavy webbing without a big sewing machine?

[Gymnast]

I have got a few projects, that include heavy webbing, and I like to use a heavyer thread, than my sewing machine can handle. What is the best way?

So I consider using:

1) Saddle stich. Then I use make the hole with an awl first. However I still think it can be hard to pull the needles through, and you may penetrade a tread with the needle.

2) Use a Speedy Stitcher or Meyer Sewing Awl. In this case I need to use needles with no leather point, because they can cut the webbing. I don't think you can buy needles for the Meyer Sewing Awl without a diamon point. And then you will have to grind the point to get rit of the sharp edges of the needle.

3) Use a jerk Needle (I have seen them with more names: hook needle, Union lock needle, Mckay needle). I have got a cheep one from china:

Cheep jerk needle ebay

I am not that satisfied. The handle is small. The needles have leather point and the sharp edge on the hook tends to catch webbing fibres when I pull the needle out.

I look forward for your help on what to do.

[bermudahwin]

Depending on the amount and accuracy, hand stitch with large rounded needles and a leather thumble or sailors palm

http://www.primitiveways.com/pt-thimble.html

If accuracy and speed are key, its hard to avoid heavy machines, for me anyhow.

H

[Gymnast]

Thanks for your reply hwinbermuda.

No accuracy and looks are not that important. But strength and resistance to wear is more important.

I just Wonder if hand stitch and pulling the needles with pliers may be slow. So in this case the speedy stitcher with a regular point needle may do the work faster?

[Matt S]

Between you and Harry I think you've got most of your manual, inexpensive options covered. 

Potentially a silly question but will the heavy thread be for looks or function? That is to say, will the thickest thread your machine can use produce a sufficiently strong product? If so you could apply a decorative, thicker thread by hand much easier than sewing through the thickness of the webbing. Just sew with your machine then see the heavy thread through/around the loop s on top of your seam.

What quantity of product do you want to make? Over here industrial sewing machine dealers will rent you machines per month if you can't justify buying a particular machine for a specific purpose.

Or, of course, you could farm it out to another manufacturer who has a heavier machine.

[Gymnast]

Thanks for your reply, Matt

I do have some D-rings attached to the webbing, that may concentrade forces on seams near them. When you add up many passes with thinner thread by a sewing machine, the layers of webbing gets harder, and I think it may be to much for my machine. The sewing machine is a somewhat modified household machine, and it will work resonable with V-92 and perhaps V-138. So I love to have a few areas covered with some heavier thread.

Yes, it may be an idea to go by some leather or unholstery shop to have it done. On the other hand there is not much to be done. It may in any case by hand be done in 3 hours.

Edited February 18, 2019 by Gymnast

[Gymnast]

Regarding the jerk needle - do they have more designs, that might be better for webbing? I mean no leather point and a somewhat rounded hook, so it will not catch the webbing when the hook is filled with the thread to be pulled.

[bermudahwin]

This may be slightly quicker than the jerk needle.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professional-Speedy-Stitcher-Sewing-Awl-Tool-Kit-for-Sail-Canvas-Heavy-Repair-/352552871458

I used one to repair a sail years back, but replaced the blade with a reversed very large matress type needle, do the the hole out and the point within the handle.

May or may not work.

[Tejas]

Here is a link to an article on hand sewing webbing. As for strength of the union, several parallel stretch lines orthogonal to the edge of the webbing is apparently the strongest. Climbing webbing is sewed that way,

https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/37_52/features/Is-Hand-stitched-Nylon-Webbing-Strong-Enough_11663-1.html

 

[Dwight]

4 hours ago, Gymnast said:

I have got a few projects, that include heavy webbing, and I like to use a heavyer thread, than my sewing machine can handle. What is the best way?

So I consider using:

1) Saddle stich. Then I use make the hole with an awl first. However I still think it can be hard to pull the needles through, and you may penetrade a tread with the needle.

2) Use a Speedy Stitcher or Meyer Sewing Awl. In this case I need to use needles with no leather point, because they can cut the webbing. I don't think you can buy needles for the Meyer Sewing Awl without a diamon point. And then you will have to grind the point to get rit of the sharp edges of the needle.

3) Use a jerk Needle (I have seen them with more names: hook needle, Union lock needle, Mckay needle). I have got a cheep one from china:

Cheep jerk needle ebay

I am not that satisfied. The handle is small. The needles have leather point and the sharp edge on the hook tends to catch webbing fibres when I pull the needle out.

I look forward for your help on what to do.

I'm not sure what you are attempting to do, . . . but I've used a plastic $99.00 Brother sewing machine to sew multiple layers of heavy webbing to themselves for pulling straps, . . . and to canvas to make a makeshift carrier for a human body (long story, . . . totally legal and above board).

The secret is doing two things:  1)  put the pieces together first with contact cement, . . . and leave them together for 24 hours under some small weights (a board and a 5 lb sack of flour), . . . then  2)  sew it and use carpet thread purchased from Joann fabric.

The strength of that "union" defies common belief.  AND, . . . it can be done with your basic home style sewing machine.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Gymnast]

I think you are right, Hwinbermuda.

Actually I already did get the Meyers Sewing Awl some years ago - see here:

https://youtu.be/doSNwF86YvQ

It do actually Work well on webbing, but the supply of different needles to it is very limited (3 kinds of needles from Groz-Beckert.) They have a leather point, so you need to grind off the point edges of these needles when it is to be used on fabrik, so the fabric fibres are not cut. The special thing of these needles are, that the the grove continues into the shank part of the needle - se Photo below.

The speedy stitcher is able to use a large amount of common industrial sewing machine needles, with a round Ø 2mm shank. Perhaps I need one.

Tejas - I have not read your link yet. But I have seen articles, that argue, that these bars of sewing on climbing webbing or heavy duty webbing are not the best stich pattern. I will be back with more.

Dwight - when you use contact cement - then I assume it is for the canvas and not for the webbing.