Seiko STW 8 B

[Marievee]

Hi everyone

I’m looking into buying a heavy duty industrial machine. I make bags and find that my good old vintage singer is pretty good at a few layers but can struggle a little. I’m in the U.K. and have been looking at the jack Direct drive walking foot machine it around £600 new. But I have seen the seiko STW 8B reconditioned for £500. I can’t find much information about the seiko. I mentioned the jack machine to the seiko supplier and he’s said they can be temperamental. Would the seiko be a better investment? Would really appreciate a little guidance as the industrial sector is totally new to me. A lot of bag makers recommend the juki 1181 or the 1541 but they are a bit out of my price range. 
thank you

marie xx

[chrisash]

I did look at the Jack machines but they don'd seem very good at specifications so hard to know for instance if they sew 138 thread or just 69, they obviously have a good guarantee and the UK fit for purpose over expected life gives even better protection along with spares

The seiko is a great machine by all reports, though at the same price area, it could be well worn so would need good checking

Best advice is to take a sample of the leather you intend to use and also the tread and get a demo on both

I assume the Jack will also have a servo motor where the seiko may have the traditional clutch motor

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Seiko STW-8B also known as Consew 226 was made over the years by Seiko with three different castings, no idea how old the one you are asking about is without images and or a serial number.  The first model had a clunky reverse mechanism that was quickly upgraded.  All were at least decent or very good quality.

Edited April 14, 2020 by Gregg From Keystone Sewing

[Marievee]

8 hours ago, chrisash said:

I did look at the Jack machines but they don'd seem very good at specifications so hard to know for instance if they sew 138 thread or just 69, they obviously have a good guarantee and the UK fit for purpose over expected life gives even better protection along with spares

The seiko is a great machine by all reports, though at the same price area, it could be well worn so would need good checking

Best advice is to take a sample of the leather you intend to use and also the tread and get a demo on both

I assume the Jack will also have a servo motor where the seiko may have the traditional clutch motor

The jack has a direct drive motor so I’m not sure how good these are? The Seiko comes with a 3month warranty and the jack has a 12 month warranty. The Seiko supplier is going to send me some pics and video sewing different thickness fabric. I’m still undecided but maybe after seeing the Seiko I may go for the new machine. 

[dikman]

Direct drive units are compact and in some ways simpler, as in no external motor and pulleys, but if something does happen to go wrong they could be more expensive to repair. Most on here prefer an external servo motor and pulleys because it's relatively cheap to replace a servo in the unlikley event it fails.

Which model Jack are you talking about? It's hard to tell from the website I looked at whether they are suitable for leatherwork.

[chrisash]

Is the seiko gear driven or belt driven, never done it but understand replacing a belt is a skilled job

[Handstitched]

@Marievee I know I'm biased, but I have  a well serviced 54 year old Seiko STW 28B, ever reliable, I mostly do horse rug repairs, but also light/ medium leathers .Never heard of ' Jack' machines before until now . 

@chrisash they are belt driven . I've never had to do it , and hope I never will, but to change a belt, I guess it would be like changing the timing belt on a car engine , don't dare get the teeth in the wrong place, or "  clunk ka- ping !!"  

HS

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Jack sewing machines?  They are only the largest current manufacturer of industrial sewing machines in the world, just recently overtaking Juki.

[Marievee]

Thanks for all the replies. The supplier sent me some pics and he has taken all the badges off and repainted the machine so I don’t suppose you get a true impression of the work it’s done. It is fitted with a servo motor 

[Marievee]

Do all compound feeds have timing belts? 

[Handstitched]

@Gregg From Keystone Sewing Oops, sorry  Theres only one company  in NSW ,  the east of  Oz that sells them . Even one of the biggest  industrial sewing machine specialists in Qld doesn't have a listing or a reference for them, unless they're under a different name. 

HS 

[dikman]

On 4/16/2020 at 7:53 AM, Marievee said:

Do all compound feeds have timing belts? 

Not all, but in my (limited) experience most older machines do.