111W155 modern equivalent

[Willie0]

I truly love this tough old machine and have sewn lots of canvas, denim and upholstery leather with it.  I have lots of feet and a binder set up for it.  I use 138 thread, but would like to use thinner thread for some projects, like leather jackets.  I have a Cobra 4 and a Juki 8700 for bigger and smaller projects.  However, the Singer is finicky for changing any settings, and I sure get envious thinking about machines with reverse.  My question is, what new machine would make a close replacement, that could use the same feet?  The 1541s looks good to me, but I see it maxes out with 138, and I am leery of running a machine at a maximum parameter.

[Uwe]

Look for the Juki LU-1508NH,  it's rated for size 207 thread.

 

[Wizcrafts]

Uwe beat me to the punch. I second the recommendation for the 1508NH. Note that they also offer a sub-class N, which is not the same capacity as the NH. Expect to pay a lot for this model.

Adler also has a couple of really high end walking foot machines in the ECO series that are for sale at Weaver Leather. I tried them out a couple years ago and wish I had more money! Check out the Adler 869 ECO from Weaver Leather. Weaver is one of our supporting advertisers.

[ZigZag]

The Juki 1508 is a great machine. Strangely enough I bought mine to replace a Seiko STW8, which is a copy of the 111. The other huge bonus for me was having a large bobin, I was forever changing the smaller one in the Seiko. I really don’t have any complaints about the 1508, it even uses the same feet. 

[Uwe]

The Juki LH-2800 series is another candidate that accepts Singer style feet. The 2800 is quite imposing when you sit in front of it, compared to the 1508 and Singer 111W155.

[rant mode ON] These machines likely run between $4K-$7K, depending on model and configuration. Not everybody wants the cheapest possible tool for a job. Some want the best possible tool they can afford. The cost of a Singer 111W155 a hundred years ago wasn’t all that different, when you account for inflation. $5,000 in 2021 is roughly the same value as $400 back in 1920. Another example, the Adler 205-370 cost $5,000 back in 1990 (that’s $10,000 in 2021 money,) but many people nowadays think it’s insane that a modern, improved version of that machine should cost about the same (e.g. the DA 969-H Type.)  The availability of cheap vintage machines and mass produced clones are distorting the perceived value of these machines.[rant mode OFF]

There’s fairly detailed discussion of both Juki machines in this topic:

 

[Willie0]

So the 1508 sews the same sorts of materials as the 111?  I don't need one that sews thicker material, so much as it is quite happy with the 138 thread, and uses the same feet.

[Uwe]

I’d say the Juki LU-1508NS is very close in certain design elements and capability to the Singer 111W155, likely better in several aspects, definitely better in terms of usability and convenience. The 1508 should be able to sew anything the 111W155 can sew. 

As for the max thread specs on industrial sewing machines, they really mean that you can run that thread in the machine at full speed all day long in a high-volume production setting at a factory. Sewing a handful of projects per day at count-along speeds isn’t going to stress out the machine.

The Juki LU-1541 is a very different design internally from the LU-1508, even though they look nearly identical on the outside. The LU-1508 runs about $1K more than the LU-1541.

The LU-1508 design is available in various clone versions from several vendors (Cowboy, Artisan, TechSew, etc.) The Artisan 1508-10H might be worth a look - it claims to sew up to size 277 thread. Artisan is located in California, too, which might make logistics easier. Being able to pick up a machine in person is priceless. 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Uwe

[Tejas]

For what it is worth, I'm just a hobbyist, upgraded from a 111W155 to a Juki 1508, and am quite pleased with the decision.

I had  really good 111W155, and truthfully most of the sewing I've done could have been accomplished about as well as with the 155, but just a bit more fiddly.

[Willie0]

First let me say that I am so appreciative of the help from the very knowledgeable people here.

I am ready to order my machine now, and am leaning heavily toward the Juki 1508 NS, but would feel better with a second opinion.  At the lightest, it would need to be able to sew 2 layers of denim or upholstery fabric with a 138 or 92 thread.  At the heaviest, up to 1/2 inch at the seam intersections of upholstery leather, still with 138 thread.

I notice the 1508 has a much larger needle hole than the 111w155, and wonder if that is a limiting factor.  The 1508H is in my budget range if it can handle the desired fabrics.

The outer shell is an example of the lightest fabric to be sewn.

[Wizcrafts]

@Willie0, If you really need to sew up to 1/2 inch seams, with #138 thread, I think you should look at the Juki LU-1508NH. Price it setup with System 190 needles which are 3/16 inch longer than standard walking foot needles. Setup as such, the NH can actually sew 1/2 inch seams.