Looking for a leather sewing machine, but only have a limited space

[Wizcrafts]

1 minute ago, FellowLeathersmith said:

I was wondering about the Reliable Barracuda before. What do you think about them? 

It is a portable dual feed walking foot machine, much like the Sailrite. It is limited to #92 in the bobbin and #138 on top and 1/4 inch maximum thickness.

[FellowLeathersmith]

Just now, Wizcrafts said:

It is a portable dual feed walking foot machine, much like the Sailrite. It is limited to #92 in the bobbin and #138 on top and 1/4 inch maximum thickness.

I see I see! Thank you! What do you recommend if was looking of vintage Singer sewing machine? 

[Uwe]

The Singer 111W155 is the default choice for leatherwork. There’s a compact/stubby version called 151W which might be a good candidate for creating a luggable table-top setup. Quite capable for small projects like wallets, belts, perhaps even sheaths, I suppose. I have some in storage but I don’t have that bottom part shown in the picture for table-top operation. I’ve made similar table top setup out of plywood for testing full size machines.

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Uwe

[MarlinDave]

Have you considered a bigger house?

[DonInReno]

1 hour ago, FellowLeathersmith said:

I see I see! Thank you! What do you recommend if was looking of vintage Singer sewing machine? 

The Singer 111w155 is such a good solid performer it became somewhat of a go-to design copied more or less by a number of other companies.  Parts are readily available and inexpensive.    Well used, but fully functional with a table and clutch motor these seem to be available in the $400-$500 range.   At this price don’t worry if you pass one up because another will take it’s place eventually.   A good deal if you don’t have one would be $300ish.   At $200 if it is in sewing condition it makes it worth my while to picking it up, do a quick clean and adjust and sell it for $400.   At $100 it’s worthwhile to buy sight unseen if need be, able to make a stitch or not, because chances are it won’t take a lot to get it working.  Every year I see one or two of these being given away in Northern California.

If you get the 111w156 it is the same machine with reverse and is is worth an additional $100.

The slightly newer version is the 211w155, but the values are about the same.

Essentially the same design as the 111w and 211w machines are models from Juki, Consew, Seiko, and others.

The important thing to look for is to insure it’s a triple feed walking foot.   This means there is a walking foot and the material is advanced by rearward movement of the needle.    Shop around for a functional name brand machine in the average price range and you can sew with it for a year or two and still be able to get all your money out of it - it’s essentially a free machine for as long as you want it!

There is no shortcut list of suitable machines - as you come across one you’ll need to google it to see if it’s a triple feed or not.

For tabletop use I had played with the idea of a compact 5:1 planetary gear reducer directly coupled to a compact servo motor and mounted directly to the head instead of the table.    As you can see in the photo it is quite compact, but I never made the mounting bracket, because the reducer and servo were well over 10 lbs and combined with the head it was just too heavy and awkward to be practical.   

[DonInReno]

I can list a dozen ways a full size machine is significantly better than a sailrite or one of the half dozen or so clones, but the marketing hype makes the design of the sailrite sound quite ideal and many people buy them despite all our warnings here.

In addition to what others have said about them, keep in mind that despite having a built in reducer pulley, they are not capable of slowly sewing thick material.   The “monster wheel” accessory to increase slow speed torque should be considered essential - and an additional $120 or so.   

For leather work the feed dog is way to coarse and has to be filed down or replaced.  Sailrite now has a smooth feed dog for $40 or so.

These little machines are also not needle feed, so despite having a walking foot it won’t perform as well as a full-size triple feed model.

[Uwe]

Whoa, that planetary gear setup is quite something!

The Singer 151W and also the Singer 108W are compact triple feed machines, weighing in at around 35lbs, compared to nearly 70lbs for the full size Singer 111W155. 

With a modular servo motor setup, you have a great deal of flexibility for arranging the components in a small table-top footprint.

I replaced the motor on my serger with such a setup to make a compact, portable table-top solution for sewing masks. Works like a charm.

 

A similar setup could be used for the compact Singer for a rather portable solution. The  motor below is a 1,500W motor, way more powerful than you really need for this Singer. Just for illustration purpose a few pictures of a mock-up with a Singer 151K3. Imagine a cutout in the plywood box to sink the machine into. Lift the machine out for two-part transport, each piece weighing 35lbs or less. 

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Uwe

[sbrownn]

7 hours ago, kgg said:

 

I don't really think the Campbell Randall falls within the "doesn't take to much space" category of machines. It probably weights in at north of 150 lb.

kgg

It is certainly heavy but it doesn't take up much more space than a 441 clone or an Outlaw...especially if you just turn in over by hand.  The basic footprint of the machines is really dependent on the particular throat depth.  The Campbell Randall has a pretty narrow throat so it doesn't take up as much space as say a Cobra 4500; it probably has a smaller footprint than a lot of the 441 clones. 

[FellowLeathersmith]

54 minutes ago, Uwe said:

Whoa, that planetary gear setup is quite something!

The Singer 151W and also the Singer 108W are compact triple feed machines, weighing in at around 35lbs, compared to nearly 70lbs for the full size Singer 111W155. 

With a modular servo motor setup, you have a great deal of flexibility for arranging the components in a small table-top footprint.

I replaced the motor on my serger with such a setup to make a compact, portable table-top solution for sewing masks. Works like a charm.

 

A similar setup could be used for the compact Singer for a rather portable solution. The  motor below is a 1,500W motor, way more powerful than you really need for this Singer. Just for illustration purpose a few pictures of a mock-up with a Singer 151K3. Imagine a cutout in the plywood box to sink the machine into. Lift the machine out for two-part transport, each piece weighing 35lbs or less. 

 

Wow!!! That looks like a tank! Thank you for showing me. Thank you all for giving me some insight and suggestions! Much appreciated! 

[Hags]

I just got a pfaff 130. It needed a little work but with you tube I got it going pretty quick. I paid $300 for a very nice unit.  When I say it needed work  I mean I had to unstick the selector knob. I sewd though 8 layers of heavy canvas before I "fixed"it. Can't imagine it would have an issue with a wallet. I have a cobra class 3 for my holsters and gun belts though. I got this for wallets, canvas and leather aprons, and dang it,  it was just too cool to pass up! I'll post pics later. I mention this because you can find these around for not too much, they are German steel, and have a lot of info on  working on them. I hear of people getting these at yard sales but good luck with that.  Oh, and mine does have a hand crank so when the power is out  I can still sew!