31-15 for leather and canvas?

[Pete1969]

I have the opportunity to get a good working 31-15 with industrial table for $200 near me. I heard its good with leather with a roller foot I also heard just get a 111w .   Im not sure what to get to start out with. I plan to work with leather and boat canvas covers.  Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. 

Edited February 3, 2021 by Pete1969

[leecopp]

Hey Mr Pete,

A 31-15 is a garment sewing machine. A rugged design allows it to be pushed a bit further including boot top decorations. Max thread size is usually V69 (like jeans topstitching thread). With only an "underfeed" you dont get much help for sticky or stiff material, and not much help with keeping the stacks of material lined up.

SO if you have room for more than one machine the 31-15 will be handy for lighter work, but a true walking foot or triple feed might be what you would need for heavier canvas and leather.

While I like old Iron, if the budget would allow it, I would skip the 111w family and go for a newer Consew 206RB style for the larger bobbin, ease of stitch length adjustment and reverse. Heavy leather requires a different class of machine entirely.

Have lots of fun.

Lee in Florida

Edited February 3, 2021 by leecopp

[sandmanred]

I have a 31-15 and I really like it.  It's can handle about 1/4 inch thick work and the manual claims up to a #23 needle.  Though with a simple mod (drill out the need plate) I can run up to a 25 needle though I can tell it's really pushing the machine. I've slowed mine down with pulleys and added  servo motor. I never got used to the roller foot.  I like to run a teflon one most of the time.  I've run from T90 to T210 on both top and bottom.  Though the T210 is really limited on the bobbin due to the short lengths you can wind.  Parts are available and it's a really solid simple machine.  I've also lengthened the stitch length a bit by opening up the adjustment slot, I can get to almost 4 stitches per inch.

 

It should do great with the boat canvas as long as you can get by without reverse.  I've done a little large canvas work and I usually lock the stitch by spinning the workpiece 180 degrees so it's a little more work when the workpiece is large but it works.  There's such a wide range of thing folks want to do with leather it's hard to say if it will meet your needs there but if you stay under 1/4 thick it should work for you.

[DonInReno]

You won’t regret spending extra money for a walking foot with triple feed, like the 111w155, or a newer big bobbin model from any of the major brands.   Where you will notice the biggest difference is in the evenness of the stitches and how much easier the walking foot goes over thick seams.

As for the 31-15, great basic machines, but at $200 that is what I’d call top dollar.  After you get a walking foot and if the 31-15 still has your attention I’d suggest finding one without the table and swap both into the same table - the cutouts are the same.  I don’t look very hard for them, but still see a handful well below $100 - often $50.  

[Wizcrafts]

I have a Singer 31-15 that is now sitting on the floor in my shop. I used to swap it out with a 111w153, but it is now gone, along with the table.

My 31-15 is from the early 1920s and has a fixed, pinned hook. It maxes out with #92 thread using a #19 needle. I have walking foot machines for heavier thread and thicker work.