What machine to buy

[Kcstott]

Ok I have the leather machine co. right up the road from me and I'm ready to buy a machine. I'm a hobby leather worker.  Question is which one? A class 26, class 3/4? 
What I plan on sewing is gun belts and holsters on down to lighter stuff. I don't think I'll need to run a thread heavier than 277 but I don't want to be at the max capacity of a machine and fight it to sew. If that's the case with the class 26 I'll just step all the way up to a class 4 and never look back. but if the class 26 can run 277 all day with no issues I don't need the extra presser foot lift. Money is not the issue. Size of the machine is not the issue. I just don't want to over buy when I could dump the extra cash into supplies with the class 26 or buy the class 4 and have far more capacity and have to scrimp buy on only a few spools of thread for the time being.

So what say you all?

[Wizcrafts]

5 minutes ago, Kcstott said:

What I plan on sewing is gun belts and holsters on down to lighter stuff. I don't think I'll need to run a thread heavier than 277 but I don't want to be at the max capacity of a machine and fight it to sew.

I strongly recommend the Cobra Class 4 for gun belts and holsters. The model 26 will not handle #277 thread or very heavy stacks of leather.

If you buy the Class 4 and have projects too thin for it the way it was setup,  you can dumb it down.

[Kcstott]

1 hour ago, Wizcrafts said:

I strongly recommend the Cobra Class 4 for gun belts and holsters. The model 26 will not handle #277 thread or very heavy stacks of leather.

If you buy the Class 4 and have projects too thin for it the way it was setup,  you can dumb it down.

That was what I wanted to know. 
I don’t mind over buying but under buying is never fun. Ok class 4 it is. 
I’ll read the blog too, I appreciate the link.

i do have a Janome HD1000 that can sew garment grade leather. It can handle up to a total stack up of .090”ish. And #69 thread with a # 18-21 needle. But that is the absolute max. I’ve tried to double stack oil tanned 4oz and the machine just doesn’t have the torque to push through. 
 

buy once cry once as they say. 
 

thanks again

 

[Kcstott]

Well wizcrafts. All I can say is thank you. best advice ever.

I talked to Steve up at leather machine co. Set up a day to pick up a machine. And was on my way in a few hours. 
now the few hours was my fault. Dave, Steve, Vince, and Heather, all helped me out a great deal. I got a demo on machines they were prepping, they are getting ready for the show in Arizona.

So, the class four is by far the best sewing machine I’ve ever run, my lord this thing is built like a take but has the finesse to be smooth and easy to run 

Thank you for the advice. My only complaint is the machine is heavy and took a little work to get in the house but I was stitching within an hour. 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2020 by Wizcrafts
Rotated photo to correct orientation

[dikman]

" so the class four is by far the best sewing machine I’ve ever run, my lord this thing is built like a take but has the finesse To be smooth and easy to run ".

When I bought my 4500 it sewed fine straight out of the box, whatever I could get under the feet, with #277 thread. Once I started checking it over, however, I found that the timing and feet adjustment weren't quite right and needed tweaking, and yet it still worked while out-of-spec. Impressive. And yes, built like a tank.

[Kcstott]

8 hours ago, dikman said:

 

Once I started checking it over, however, I found that the timing and feet adjustment weren't quite right and needed tweaking, and yet it still worked while out-of-spec. Impressive. And yes, built like a tank.

Well that’s what experience gives you and the forgiven of a good machine.

i need to play with the presser foot pressure and the step height and other stuff I don’t even know about. 
thank you to for that bit of experience. 
I’m sure like every other piece of machinery I’ve ever owned there is going to be a learning curve for sure. 
I will e taking my sweet time playing with personal projects that I refused to hand stitch. A personal facepalm is that in getting back into leather work I found pricking irons and saddle stitching. Yes I’m that much of a novice.  

[dikman]

Ignore some of the waffle in the post (I tend to waffle a bit!), wiz provides some .pdf's that will be useful for adjusting the machine and on page 2 rockyaussie has a link to Uwe's excellent video for doing the adjustments. It's worth taking the time to check those adjustments.

Edited February 15, 2020 by dikman

[Kcstott]

4 hours ago, dikman said:

Ignore some of the waffle in the post (I tend to waffle a bit!), wiz provides some .pdf's that will be useful for adjusting the machine and on page 2 rockyaussie has a link to Uwe's excellent video for doing the adjustments. It's worth taking the time to check those adjustments.

Ill take a look at that in the morning and look at ,my machine.