First sewing machine, advice please.

[Rylando]

Hi! I've been tooling leather and hand stitching stuff together as a hobby for a few years now. I want to be able to produce products to sell in small volume as a side gig and definitely do not want to handstitch them together, lol. 

I'm looking for a machine around the $1500-2500 range and would really appreciate advice. I'm looking to do wallets, belts, leather/canvas tote bags, acessories, bags, that kind of stuff as a side gig. No saddles or crazy thick work. Maybe a holster in the future? 

This is all new to me, so from reading the (amazing) post by Wizcrafts around sewing machines, I want a Compound/Triplefeed machine? I also figure (please advise as I am totally new to sewing machines) I would like a machine that can go pretty slow so I can get used to it, it seems most machines are able to go stitch by stitch slowly? 

I live close to Houston TX and have http://www.southwestsewingmachines.com/ a short drive from me. I asked about the "CONSEW 206RB-5 1-NDL. WALKING FOOT MACHINE" as I've read alot about them here, and they said it's a good beginner machine and it would likely fit my needs and is about $1500 but the quality isn't what it used to be as they're now made in china and not japan. However they said a Juki (I didn't get the particular model) would make for a better all around machine and is in the $1900-$2000 neighborhood.  I realize I talked to a salesperson whose job it is to sell me stuff, lol. What would y'all suggest? Or is there another brand these folks don't sell that would make for a better machine I can find online? 



 

[Rylando]

I was also reading maybe a Cowboy CB3200 would be a good choice for a general starting place? 

[Wizcrafts]

Welcome to Leatherworker.net, Rylando.

You are asking about two totally different classes of sewing machine. The walking foot machines sold by most dealers are for upholstery materials ranging from a couple ounces up to about 18 or 20 ounces. But, these machines are not so good with thread heavier than #138 bonded nylon or bonded polyester. Holsters should be sewn with the heaviest thread possible, which is usually from #277 up. Upholstery class machines cannot handle and tension this heavy thread.

The Cowboy CB3200 is not for upholstery or other thin work. It is for holsters, knife sheathes, pouches and cases ranging from about 6 ounces to 32 ounces thickness. There are no leather point needles for it under size 23, which is for #138 bonded thread. It takes over where the upholstery machines leave off.

There is a Juki machine that is specifically beefed up to handle #207 bonded thread, top and bottom and can sew almost 1/2 inch of material. I would probably not include hard, dense leather in that description. It is really a heavier than usually duty walking foot machine with a longer needle system than usual. The model is LU-1508NH. Expect to pay close to 3,000, or more, for one of these machines.

The Juki that your dealer is talking about is probably a DNU-1541, and possibly the more advanced features LU-1508 (not the NH heavy duty model).

There is no reason to avoid a Consew 206RB-5. They are well built. Perhaps the dealer near you has one is stock that's setup and ready to try out.

Anywho, $2000 will buy you a very good upholstery class walking foot machine that can handle #138 thread into about 18 to 20 ounces of leather. It will be good for thin work like wallet interiors or a few ounces, bags and belts. The only thing they aren't good for are items with a shape on the bottom. For that you will need a cylinder arm machine. That's a whole nuther story that includes machines like the Cowboy CB341.

[Rylando]

6 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

Welcome to Leatherworker.net, Rylando.

You are asking about two totally different classes of sewing machine. The walking foot machines sold by most dealers are for upholstery materials ranging from a couple ounces up to about 18 or 20 ounces. But, these machines are not so good with thread heavier than #138 bonded nylon or bonded polyester. Holsters should be sewn with the heaviest thread possible, which is usually from #277 up. Upholstery class machines cannot handle and tension this heavy thread.

The Cowboy CB3200 is not for upholstery or other thin work. It is for holsters, knife sheathes, pouches and cases ranging from about 6 ounces to 32 ounces thickness. There are no leather point needles for it under size 23, which is for #138 bonded thread. It takes over where the upholstery machines leave off.

There is a Juki machine that is specifically beefed up to handle #207 bonded thread, top and bottom and can sew almost 1/2 inch of material. I would probably not include hard, dense leather in that description. It is really a heavier than usually duty walking foot machine with a longer needle system than usual. The model is LU-1508NH. Expect to pay close to 3,000, or more, for one of these machines.

The Juki that your dealer is talking about is probably a DNU-1541, and possibly the more advanced features LU-1508 (not the NH heavy duty model).

There is no reason to avoid a Consew 206RB-5. They are well built. Perhaps the dealer near you has one is stock that's setup and ready to try out.

Anywho, $2000 will buy you a very good upholstery class walking foot machine that can handle #138 thread into about 18 to 20 ounces of leather. It will be good for thin work like wallet interiors or a few ounces, bags and belts. The only thing they aren't good for are items with a shape on the bottom. For that you will need a cylinder arm machine. That's a whole nuther story that includes machines like the Cowboy CB341.

Thank you for the info! I looked into thread sizes a little and I definitely do not need that CB3200 then, I do not plan for leather that thick anytime soon! Still learning about thread sizes for what size stuff. 

I however am tempted now by the cylinder arm machines, it seems (again, school me if I'm wrong) like you can do the same stuff you can with the flatbed ones on a cyliner machine as most manufacturers seem to make a table attachment that is smaller than the flatbeds tables but seems plenty big for my uses personally. The dual usage as a cylinder arm and the smaller flatbed machine is pretty attractive to me. 

At thetop end f my budget sits the Cowboy CB341 vs the Techsew 2750, I looked some more at these and I have to say that roller edge guide that atleast the techsew has looks AWESOME for helping to get straighter edges. looks like the Cowboy has a mount for it? not sure. Any advice with these machines? am I overlooking a better choice?

[kgg]

You have a great budget for a machine. I think you need to decide on what thread size you are going to use and how thick the item you are going to sew 90 percent of the time. For the other 10 percent buy a good used machine. No one machine is going to be able to do everything well. You need to find the sweet spot, to light a duty machine and it will struggle or worse not be able to do the job while too much machine will have to be dumbed down and still may not do a nice job. Both situations can be frustrating to say the least. I would advise you take a sample of your stuff that you are planning on doing to a dealer and see what does a nice job.

9 hours ago, Rylando said:

However they said a Juki (I didn't get the particular model) would make for a better all around machine and is in the $1900-$2000 neighborhood.  I realize I talked to a salesperson whose job it is to sell me stuff, lol. What would y'all suggest?

It sounds like your local dealer has both a brand name machine (Juki) and clone machines so you could do a honest side by side comparison. Buy the best you can afford. Buy Once, Cry Once.

kgg

 

[Rylando]

Thanks for all the help guys  I found a used (but barely used) CB3200 locally for sale for $1500 which after looking more into what I want to make and looking up all the info about needle/thread sizes it will work just fine for me. Gonna use the rest of my budget to pick up a Consew 206rb sometime in the future. Now to make something! 

[DonInReno]

Excellent!   I was going to suggest spending a portion of your budget on a used flatbed upholstery machine first since they are relatively inexpensive and plentiful, but finding the 3200 is even better - with careful searching and not being in a hurry you’ll find a walking foot flatbed in good mechanical condition for not much more than $500.