Advice on a new machine

[AndyM]

My Adler 267 sits dead in the water I may try to get it fixed however I am now struggling with options. I made two mistakes ( only two:) ) I went ad test drove a new Juki with a servo motor now I want a servo motor. While I could update my Adler if its fixed or fixable it needs a new table top as well now the price for everything puts me at or above value. Don’t get me wrong I loved that machine and its served me well. 

 

And the other I bought a new Sailrite  Ultrafeed which I’m really impressed with it will serve a double purpose as I hit semi retirement and will carry it with me to Florida when i winter over there. I’m looking at machines to replace the Adler. To date any leather I’ve worked with was upholstery which really isn’t what I’d call really  leather work its just upholstery an my Adler handled it well. However now that I have been on this forum I have to ask myself if I wouldn’t like to be able to make gun holsters and things like that. so the two dollar question what machine would you buy to handle the the task of heavy layers of upholstery work and leather to make holsters and other things out of if you had a Sailrite Ultra feed to cover some of the gaps that a leather machine of this caliber might create if there is such a machine. 

 

Now if price was not object and what if you wanted a used older machine. I dont know what a machine fort this runs if its $2500 to $3000 new I’d go new if its $3500 or more I might be better served used? But I don't know. Probably never should have opened the door to this forum now I’m looking at a complete different world of sewing I needed  another hobby in my life I guess. Now saying all that I fix my Adler put a servo motor and new top on it and buy a leather machine to handle other leather work however my Adler may not be repairable. So door number two buy a couple used machines one to replace the Adler ad one for leather. Now I’ve really complicated this haven't I. A month ago I was content with one functioning old machine now I dont know. 

Thanks for helping me make this as complicated as possible. 

[Pintodeluxe]

I would focus on getting an upholstery class machine that can do that work well.  If you still want to do gun holsters, then you'd have to add another machine at some point.  The upholstery machines I like best are # 3 the Pfaff 545, #2 the Pfaff 1245, and #1 the Juki LU-563.  The reasons I like the Juki so well are the extra large U style drop-in bobbin and paddle style reverse.  I run my Juki with a servo motor and a box style speed reducer and it's a great machine.  You'd be able to poke around with leather crafting with that style of machine.  It will run up to #138 thread.   

[Wizcrafts]

Upholstery class sewing machines are neither built for, nor are they capable of sewing serious holsters. Shift your sights up to the 441 class of harness/holster stitchers. This includes such brands as Cobra, Cowboy, Techsew and the progenitor: the Juki TSC-441. It also includes the deprecated, non-441, Adler 205-374 and its clones. The 205 was Adler's answer to the 441 challenge in the late 1980s.

If you are unwilling to Chinese up, look at the super heavy duty, needle and awl, Campbell Lockstitch and Union Lockstitch machines that are rebuilt in Texas; land of the free and home of the brave.

[chrisash]

Or just hand sew the odd holster

[kgg]

Some good advice given. I would for upholstery class sewing recommend Juki DNU-1541S or Juki LU-1508n. For holsters definitely going to need much heavier iron in a 441 class machine.

kgg