CB 3200 or 3500 tomorrow!

[Rodzhobyz]

 I'm pretty excited. After much indecision, I have decided to go with a Cowboy from Bob at Toledo for my 1st leather machine. 

 Bob has been readily available and a pleasure to discuss the options with. 

 It is a terribly long drive and of course shipping is available, but I really want to meet the vendor and take advantage of any hands on information / education I can get and of the two available vendors for me, I live 8-1/2 hrs from one in Texas and 9+ hrs from Toledo. The Texas option would've saved me an HR of driving but I wasn't able to talk details with anyone there and Bob is Johnny on the spot. 

 I am just about to leave home on my 9+ hr drive and will meet Bob in the morning. 

 I now have about 21 hrs to decide if there's any reason, as far as for my use, to spend the difference & purchase the 3500 instead of the 3200. 

 The cost difference is certainly not insignificant, and at the moment I don't see myself ever sewing anything 7/8", however, 9/16" - 5/8" may not be out of the question and both machines have the same specs as far as the 6 oz lightest weight capacity, but the 3500 is supposedly capable of sewing nearly double the thickness of the 3200 and so I can only imagine it being a far heavier duty built machine, which all other things being equal, I prefer. 

  If this were a profitable endeavor I suppose it would be a no-brainer, but the 3500 would effectively double the budget I was hoping to get into a machine for.

 I do fear regretting the decision in the future. 

 Having the 3500, along with a couple of the vintage machines I already own for the 6oz & under needs, should pretty well give me the capability to produce anything I might want. 

 Besides not having the adjustable table height / standing option, which Bob has agreed to provide for the 3200 for the cost difference, is there even one single feature or advantage that the 3200 has over the 3500 that I am not finding?

Cheers. 

[Rhale]

I can’t tell you the difference or advantage of one over the other, but I own a 3200 I bought about a year ago from solar leather. Because it closest to me,  and couldn’t be happier with the machine. I have sewed everything from doubled 24 oz canvas , roughly doubled 3 or 4 oz leather to about 3/4” leather and it has worked flawlessly.  I did not get the stand up type and I bought the flat top table to go with it.  I am an old guy and prefer to sit while sewing.  I am sure you can’t go wrong with which ever you chose. Enjoy your new machine!

[Rodzhobyz]

7 minutes ago, Rhale said:

I can’t tell you the difference or advantage of one over the other, but I own a 3200 I bought about a year ago from solar leather. Because it closest to me,  and couldn’t be happier with the machine. I have sewed everything from doubled 24 oz canvas , roughly doubled 3 or 4 oz leather to about 3/4” leather and it has worked flawlessly.  I did not get the stand up type and I bought the flat top table to go with it.  I am an old guy and prefer to sit while sewing.  I am sure you can’t go wrong with which ever you chose. Enjoy your new machine!

Thank you. It is very reassuring to hear so much positive feedback from satisfied Cowboy / Toledo customers when I am about to spend such a chunk of $ on equipment that I am not intimately familiar with. 

 Im no spring chicken myown self and not 100% sure I will want to always stand & sew but I figure if I get the adjustable table, at least Ill have the option to do whichever works best for me. 

 Cheers

[toxo]

1 hour ago, Rodzhobyz said:

 I'm pretty excited. After much indecision, I have decided to go with a Cowboy from Bob at Toledo for my 1st leather machine. 

 Bob has been readily available and a pleasure to discuss the options with. 

 It is a terribly long drive and of course shipping is available, but I really want to meet the vendor and take advantage of any hands on information / education I can get and of the two available vendors for me, I live 8-1/2 hrs from one in Texas and 9+ hrs from Toledo. The Texas option would've saved me an HR of driving but I wasn't able to talk details with anyone there and Bob is Johnny on the spot. 

 I am just about to leave home on my 9+ hr drive and will meet Bob in the morning. 

 I now have about 21 hrs to decide if there's any reason, as far as for my use, to spend the difference & purchase the 3500 instead of the 3200. 

 The cost difference is certainly not insignificant, and at the moment I don't see myself ever sewing anything 7/8", however, 9/16" - 5/8" may not be out of the question and both machines have the same specs as far as the 6 oz lightest weight capacity, but the 3500 is supposedly capable of sewing nearly double the thickness of the 3200 and so I can only imagine it being a far heavier duty built machine, which all other things being equal, I prefer. 

  If this were a profitable endeavor I suppose it would be a no-brainer, but the 3500 would effectively double the budget I was hoping to get into a machine for.

 I do fear regretting the decision in the future. 

 Having the 3500, along with a couple of the vintage machines I already own for the 6oz & under needs, should pretty well give me the capability to produce anything I might want. 

 Besides not having the adjustable table height / standing option, which Bob has agreed to provide for the 3200 for the cost difference, is there even one single feature or advantage that the 3200 has over the 3500 that I am not finding?

Cheers. 

Oh you silly man! You've inflicted hours of torture on yourself. I can feel the trepidation from here in the UK. Turning the volume up on the radio isn't gonna help. But if it helps, buying quality  will never come back to bite ya and the price will be of no consequence  a short time down the line. I think you've already made the decision so firm it up now in your head and then smile and enjoy the rest of the trip. Good luck.

[Double Daddy]

Get more than you think you will need (if you can at all swing it). I've had the 3200 for 6+ years (purchased from Bob with the intent of only doing holsters and other gunleather)...now I do portfolios and other larger projects that machine's limited throat and stitch depth can handle but are sometimes a "challenge". If I had it to do over again, I would have went ahead and got the 4500 (same feet, etc but longer reach and thickness capacity).

Don't know who said it...but..."buy once, cry once."

[sbrownn]

53 minutes ago, Double Daddy said:

Get more than you think you will need (if you can at all swing it). I've had the 3200 for 6+ years (purchased from Bob with the intent of only doing holsters and other gunleather)...now I do portfolios and other larger projects that machine's limited throat and stitch depth can handle but are sometimes a "challenge". If I had it to do over again, I would have went ahead and got the 4500 (same feet, etc but longer reach and thickness capacity).

Don't know who said it...but..."buy once, cry once."

Well, from looking at the specs there are more differences than that.  The 3200 will sew down to #69 thread, while the lower limit on the 4500 is #138.  In addition the cylinder diameter on the 3200 is 2.5" while the 4500 has a 3.5" cylinder.  Granted, these things might not matter much to the average sewer but then...they might.

[dikman]

If you already have machines capable of handling the "lighter" work - up to #138 thread? - then it makes sense to get the machine that can handle the heaviest work. At least it won't leave you thinking that you should have bought it further down the track.

[JLSleather]

1/4" difference in the diameter of the cylinder wouldn't matter to me at all.  BUT... do the 3200 and the 3500 use the same "stuff".... pretty sure the bobbins and feet are interchangeable, but with a difference in cylinders the holster plate, slotted plate, stirrup thingie likely won't be.  

Bob can tell you in less time than it take me to type this, but might ask IF that's a consideration for you.

 

 

[Rodzhobyz]

1 hour ago, sbrownn said:

Well, from looking at the specs there are more differences than that.  The 3200 will sew down to #69 thread, while the lower limit on the 4500 is #138.  In addition the cylinder diameter on the 3200 is 2.5" while the 4500 has a 3.5" cylinder.  Granted, these things might not matter much to the average sewer but then...they might.

It's the 3500 I am considering if not the 3200 and it will take #69 thread also. 

 And I am fine with the cylinder diameter on either one so will most likely bite the bullet and go with the 3500. 

[Rodzhobyz]

So after much agonizing whether to buy a 3200 or 3500, I ended up with neither. 

 First, I gotta say that making this two day (+) trip was, without doubt the right thing to do to make the best purchase decision, especially having almost zero hands on experience with these machines. Although I'd likely have been happy if I had just ordered any of the models & had it shipped, being able to see them side by side changed the perspective and even though I will probably never make a saddle and might never need it's full clearance / capacity, the advantage of spending yet a little more was painfully evident seeing how short the 3500 arm was in comparison to the 4500 and after another moment of agony, decided to make the full leap. 

No surprise to anyone here I am certain, Mr Bob Tovar is the perfect salesman to get you outfitted with the right equipment for whatever  your sewing needs are, there was no pressure, no up-selling efforts, no BS, just knowledge offered to help make a decision and all questions answered thoroughly. 

I have blown so far beyond the budget I'd had in mind to begin with at this point that it's irrelevant, but, as Bob pointed out, if the time comes I do loose interest in it, these machines have a good resale value and the 4500 is certainly useful for a broader range of potential buyers and would probably sell even quicker than the 3500 or 3200 ect, so I am the proud owner of a new CB 4500 and even tho I'm a little lighter in the wallet than I'd anticipated, there is sure no chance of regretting not buying a little larger machine and judging from the looks of the stitching on the lighter material samples I took in with me, I expect the 4500 will easily handle 90% + of any projects I anticipate making. 

Cheers!

[dikman]

It's amazing how often "budget creep" comes into decision-making. I suffered the same problem myself, spending 50% more than I intended.

I think you made the right choice, it should last you out.