Looking for a postbed sewing machine for sewing bags

[Parfektionisto]

Hi guys,

I’m looking for a postbed sewing machine for sewing bags. I sew mainly with duck canvas, sometimes will have to sew through 2-3 layers of 24oz canvas. Which postbed machine will you guys recommend? I have found a Durkopp Adler K268, and a Consew 289RB-1, anyone has either of this machines that can provide some review. I’m also open to other option. Thanks!

Tony

[Wizcrafts]

I see you're located in:Singapore. You could contact CowboySew/HighTex to see if they have a dealer in or near Singapore. They make post bed, cylinder arm and flat bed sewing machines in your part of the World. The have various types of feed, including compound feed.

6 hours ago, Parfektionisto said:

Hi guys,

I’m looking for a postbed sewing machine for sewing bags. I sew mainly with duck canvas, sometimes will have to sew through 2-3 layers of 24oz canvas. Which postbed machine will you guys recommend? I have found a Durkopp Adler K268, and a Consew 289RB-1, anyone has either of this machines that can provide some review. I’m also open to other option. Thanks!

Tony

 

[Parfektionisto]

16 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

I see you're located in:Singapore. You could contact CowboySew/HighTex to see if they have a dealer in or near Singapore. They make post bed, cylinder arm and flat bed sewing machines in your part of the World. The have various types of feed, including compound feed.

 

Thank you wizcrafts for the info. What I can find here for new machines are mostly china made. For machines wise I preferred those made in Europe, USA or Japan. Second hand or vintage machines are hard to find here,  they are either exported out to the neighboring countries in the 90s or they are still used by some small operations. 

[Wizcrafts]

7 hours ago, Parfektionisto said:

Thank you wizcrafts for the info. What I can find here for new machines are mostly china made. For machines wise I preferred those made in Europe, USA or Japan. Second hand or vintage machines are hard to find here,  they are either exported out to the neighboring countries in the 90s or they are still used by some small operations. 

Juki is mostly made in Japan and they certainly have post machines. Because they are so well built they last a very long time and the price reflects that fact.

Your other options for European built machines include Pfaff and Durkopp-Adler.

USA built industrial sewing machines are few, purpose built and expensive. USA modified is another story. The are quite a few dealers who will modify industrial sewing machines to meet a specific requirement. We used to have Ferdinand and Luberto industrial/leather sewing machines made in the USA, but they are long out of business. There are other ancient design American made sewing machines that were specific to the harness, gun leather, saddlery and luggage trades that can still be found used or rebuilt. They are extremely heavy, hard to master and parts can be extremely expensive, if available at all.

[Uwe]

I have two Durkopp Adler 268 post bed machines, one single needle and a double needle. They are among the nicest post bed machines I’ve worked on (The Pfaff 1295 is just as nice.) The DA 268 is a very good design and generally easy to adjust and maintain. Common wear parts like feet, hook, etc. are readily available OEM and aftermarket. Throat plates and feed dogs are harder to find for post beds in general, mainly because that type of machine is so rare. Some internal parts like the main shaft are becoming increasingly hard or impossible to find new for these machines. Make sure the machine is complete and serviceable. I’d also recommend looking for a second parts donor machine. Just a few new OEM parts will cost you as much as an entire parts donor machine that can supply dozens of good OEM parts.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Uwe

[Parfektionisto]

9 hours ago, Uwe said:

I have two Durkopp Adler 268 post bed machines, one single needle and a double needle. They are among the nicest post bed machines I’ve worked on (The Pfaff 1295 is just as nice.) The DA 268 is a very good design and generally easy to adjust and maintain. Common wear parts like feet, hook, etc. are readily available OEM and aftermarket. Throat plates and feed dogs are harder to find for post beds in general, mainly because that type of machine is so rare. Some internal parts like the main shaft are becoming increasingly hard or impossible to find new for these machines. Make sure the machine is complete and serviceable. I’d also recommend looking for a second parts donor machine. Just a few new OEM parts will cost you as much as an entire parts donor machine that can supply dozens of good OEM parts.

Thank you Uwe for the review and info for DA 268. The Price is double of the Consew 289 I found here, but also better in condition. 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Parfektionisto

[Parfektionisto]

12 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

Juki is mostly made in Japan and they certainly have post machines. Because they are so well built they last a very long time and the price reflects that fact.

Your other options for European built machines include Pfaff and Durkopp-Adler.

USA built industrial sewing machines are few, purpose built and expensive. USA modified is another story. The are quite a few dealers who will modify industrial sewing machines to meet a specific requirement. We used to have Ferdinand and Luberto industrial/leather sewing machines made in the USA, but they are long out of business. There are other ancient design American made sewing machines that were specific to the harness, gun leather, saddlery and luggage trades that can still be found used or rebuilt. They are extremely heavy, hard to master and parts can be extremely expensive, if available at all.

Even Juki machines are made in China now. I preferred old machines than the newer one, be it the outlook design or the color, although the function doesn’t differ much. Postbed machines are not common in my area, I would say it’s rare to see one. What we commonly see here are machines for tailors, or domestic machines