Heavy canvas/sailcloth machine advice

[jfhspike]

I've got a Bernina 217 that I like a lot. My sewing is mostly sails, canvas covers for boats, and things like 'dodgers'  (http://www.shipshapecanvas.com/canvas_dodgers.php) which involve sewing through both thick plastic and multiple layers of Sunbrella. 

What's not great is that the foot pressure is (somewhat) limited, and the bobbin is small. For really substantial jobs I'll haul out a Juki 562 (with no reverse) that I picked up amazingly cheap...but it's straight-stitch only, and has no reverse. 

I've got a chance to get an Adler 98-2-8.  It's not a walking foot, which would be nice, but otherwise looks like a beefier machine than the Bernina, and at least one place I read said that it had a really strong feed, which would be great.  I'd probably sell the Bernina if I got the Adler. 

Any thoughts? (Availability of parts? Quality of the machine? Suitability for these kinds of tasks?)

Thanks in advance. 

Edited September 13, 2020 by jfhspike
typo.

[Wizcrafts]

My thoughts regarding sewing vinyl, Sunbrella and canvas are walking foot or bust. If you are serious about sewing these cloths, get a walking foot machine. A Consew 206RB-5 is a fine compound feed machine with a rotary switch for stitch length and a push down reverse lever. And, it doesn't suffer from the floating stitch lever syndrome like the LU-563 did.

[Constabulary]

If you need Zick Zack I think THE heavy fabric machine is the Durkopp Adler 266 or its Hightex / Cowboy clone. Its not a walking foot machine but thats not always necessary.

Since Hightex is selling clones parts should not me an issue.

https://www.cowboysew.com/Durkopp-Adler-266-heavy-duty-zigzag-sewing-machine.htm

http://www.duerkopp-adler.com/commons/download/download-text-attachments/Vintage_Leaflets_Adler/Leaflets_Adler_class_266.pdf

https://www.duerkopp-adler.com/export/sites/duerkoppadler/commons/download/public/266/TL_266.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZuNkq4SciM

 

Or maybe the forerunner Adler 166 is an option if you can find one used.

 

Edited September 13, 2020 by Constabulary

[Michiel]

The adler 98 is definitely stronger than an berina 217

the feed dogs are much wider and its an stronger machine, verry useful for sails

the adler 266 / 166 is for heavy needles and threads (needles 140-230)

but like wiz says : for boat covers and other stuf which does not require zig zag an triple feed machine is better

(i use an adler 167 for stuf like that)

michiel 

[jfhspike]

Thanks, folks.

 

I do a lot of zig-zag sewing -- thread costs less than my time, and I make enough errors that the ease of removing zig-zag stitching is of real value still.  Also, zig-zag tends to not "bunch up" the cloth as much as does straight-stitch, when I'm working with few or lighter layers.

For making a dodger...I'll use mostly straight stitching, and for the cloth-only parts, I'll probably use the Bernina (or Adler if I buy it); for the parts that involve strataglass, or vinyl-plus-sunbrella assemblies (e.g., handhold areas) ... well, that's a really good place for the Juki and its walking foot. I sure wish I had the Juki-with-reverse, but having picked up this one, with table!, for $60, it's hard to let it go.  

I'll mull over the Adler for a little longer keeping thoughts of what you've said in mind. 

--John

 

[Tejas]

I've had both a Bernina 217 that could also sew 2- or 3-step zig zag and a compound walking-foot machines, originally a Singer 111W155 and then a Juki 1508, used almost entirely for marine sewing applications. The Bernina 217 was useful for occasional sail repair. Were I to have had only one machine, it would have been either of compound walking foot machines.

BTW, I've also used a Consew 206RB-5 sewing marine canvas and vinyl extensively for about two weeks and was less than thrilled compared to either the Singer or the Juki.