Which (used) machine for an Aussie noob?

[Fognozzle]

Hi everyone, noob alert, sorry! 

I want to make some heavy canvas bags with leather trim. The leather will all be hand stitched, but I want to machine sew the canvas, which could be up to 24oz (800gsm) and there may be several layers sandwiched at the seams.

I'm browsing machines on eBay, but of course I have no idea. Ideally I'd like to find something reasonably common and reliable, with good online availability of parts and information. Cheap would be great, but I'm prepared to cough up for the right machine. I'm pretty handy and can make general mechanical and electrical repairs, replace a motor etc.

Are there any obvious contenders I should be looking out for?

[dikman]

Where in Oz are you? Gumtree often has a lot of industrial machines listed, not all of which are reasonably priced!!

Just how thick, in mm, is the thickest seam likely to be? If the bags are heavy duty, what thickness thread are you looking at using?

[Fognozzle]

Thanks dikman. I'm on the NSW/VIC border near Echuca, but I get to Melbourne periodically. Bendigo & Shepparton are both large cities and pretty convenient.

As for seams and threads, I just don't know yet and could use some advice. Based on nothing other than googling I would guess that V138 thread and a #22 needle are realistic? A rough guess puts 24oz canvas at about 0.7mm thick, so 3 layers doubled at the seam would be 4-5mm, tripled  6-7mm?

[Bert51]

Hi  Fognozzle, I'm just down the road a bit from you.

I was making a new peg bag out of two layers of glued canvas and when I went to do the seems I had to change from the Singer 31K47 to to my 132K6 as it was just to think for the little Singer. I don't know if the glue was the problem, but I was struggling to get the seems under the feet of the 31K47.

You will need a machine that has good clearance and a bit of hand wheel weight to get it thru the seems.

Bert.

[Fognozzle]

Thanks Bert. So realistically, am I looking at the heaviest end of the market, with a $2-$3,000 price tag for a good working example? Or is there another path I can take?

[Handstitched]

@Fognozzle hows that ? all Aussies   

Talk about 'great minds think alike'  .  I thought about the 132K6 as well . Never used one, but I know they are a good reliable machine . As for price, you can get them a lot cheaper than $2-3k .

Theres also a Seiko SK-2B , similar to the K6  or a SK- 6 F 

 The 132K6 is on my ' bucket list of machines' , that and a post bed   4 down 2 to go .  ' One Powerball...."  Where they're going to go when I finally get them ?  

HS 

[Bert51]

Your right Handstitched, sews what ever fits under the feet, just like my Adler 105-6, I slowed them to my speed and now I just keep my finger out of the way.

If you want a new machine, yes your looking better then 3K, but if your patient keep your eye on ebay or gumtree, you'll find one at a reasonable price. I drove to Sydney to get my Adler.

Bert.

Edited April 28, 2020 by Bert51

[dikman]

If you're only looking at a max (seam) thickness of 7-8mm then any of the upholstery-class machines should do, they generally have about 10mm under the feet (some will do 12mm) and can usually manage #138/M20 thread. Singer 111/211, Juki 562/563, Consew, Seiko, Pfaff, Adler are all older machines that you might pick up at reasonable prices (well, maybe not Adler so much). Just search for "industrial sewing machines" on gumtree, where you are gives you reasonable access down to Melbourne and the suburbs so you've got a pretty good chance of finding something, just keep looking. If you see something and aren't sure just ask on here.

Buying new is nice but bloody expensive here in Oz, particularly if it's only for occasional/part-time use.

Bert, I reckon you're right about the glue.

Edit: I just had a quick look at gumtree and saw at least 3 132k6's in Vic, one of them is at Echuca (!) but he wants $1750 for it, which I think is a bit on the high side myself. It does have a servo, but servo's are pretty cheap on ebay ($100 - $120).

Edited April 28, 2020 by dikman

[Bert51]

Thanks dikman, I was looking for that one, could remember where I saw it.

I have a old type motor on my 132K6, which I have a smaller pulley on and it will sew through anything that fits under it's feet. I have only toyed with one with a servo motor on it and felt it had heaps of speed, but was short on torque, I think it needed a reducer on it to give it some grunt.

Go and talk to them, take some thing with you and play with it your self.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/echuca/sewing-machines/singer-132-k6-sewing-machine/1245314602

Bert.

[dikman]

It's been up for three weeks, I see. Being out in the sticks (), as in not near Melbourne, probably reduces his selling opportunities a bit so he might be open to offers?