$100 Sewing Machine, opinions please

[Bert03241]

Has anyone tried one of these, whats your opinion. Do they work OK . I realize these are just for now and then use.

[chuck123wapati]

couple threads at least in the last month lol.

[Bert03241]

probably me asking about these machines getting no answers 

[chuck123wapati]

Just now, Bert03241 said:

probably me asking about these machines getting no answers 

If you search you can find at the least two recent threads. That may be the reason no one is responding, or it could be a holiday.  I think the overall impression is, at least what i got out of them, that they take some work to get to sew well if at all. they have small bobbins and there is a Fakebook page about them somewhere that can help you get them running.  At least two people on this forum have made them work. Search for Chinese shoe patcher or  shoe patcher the threads aren't to old. 

Good Luck and Merry Christmas!!

[chrisash]

From what I have read, most need adjustment when first put together and the metal work needs cleaning up rough edges, apart from that they work and sew medium thick leather

At £120 or there is you don't expect them to sew such a nice stitch as machines costing from £300 second hand to £3000 new, but that;s to be expected, but the stitch quality can be improved by tinkering with them and the feet teeth softened

For many Hobby people they seem a good first machine to learn on without great expense 

Edited December 24, 2021 by chrisash

[CowboyBob]

There's a page on Facebook(Chinese Shoe Patcher)for them too you might want to check out & you can read all the work that's involved to get one sewing,I've heard of a few that no matter what they do they won't sew.But for the price you can't get anything cheaper.

[kgg]

3 hours ago, Bert03241 said:

Has anyone tried one of these, whats your opinion.

Yes you can get them to sew but that can be a frustrating process for some people. I do have one and they are a true tinkers delight providing hours of entertainment. The quality of fit and finish to say the least is generally poor at best. They do have their place but the quality is nowhere comparable to that of a old Singer 29K or a new clone patcher. There is a fair number of mods that will be needed to make constant decent stitches such as resetting the height of the needle to accept 135 x 16 needles, polishing / replacing the pressor foot to reduce marks, polishing parts to get it to run sort of smoothly and retiming are just a few. If this is all someone can afford and has the time to invest it maybe a starting point until they could afford something better.

If someone could stretch their budget to $565 US maybe what Walmart is selling which appears to be a clone of Singer 29k72 ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/TFCFL-Hand-Crank-Patch-Leather-Sewing-Machine-Cobbler-Shoe-Sewing-Repair-Machine/975331286?athbdg=L1700 ) or in Canada for $769 CA ( https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/INTBUYING-Leather-Sewing-Machine-Sewing-Mending-Machine-Shoe-Repair-Industrial-without-Table-Motor/PRD442E8MWFN5KN ). 

I think better options out there in the new machine market for about the $500 US price range for a first new machine.

kgg

 

[DocReaper]

Being a penny pincher, i gave it thought. using 2 hands to sew is far better than using one to sew and one to crank. I would be sacrificing quality, then wasting the time to screw with a cheap china made machine. A different machine with a motor is also a time saver. if this is all you can afford, id say save up and keep looking for a decent sewing machine. get to know the product before you buy. Becoming frustrated will make that $100 machine will become a $100 paperweight.

[Dwight]

The first thing I noticed about it is the corrugated presser foot is up on top . . . denting and scratching the top surface of the item you are sewing.  

So unless you want to sew everything upside down (bottom stitches never look as good as top stitches) . . . you are just buying a a project scratcher.

Wouldn't buy one if it was $10.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Bert03241]

Great thanx for all the replies now to think a bit more.

[chrisash]

12 hours ago, kgg said:

Yes you can get them to sew but that can be a frustrating process for some people. I do have one and they are a true tinkers delight providing hours of entertainment. The quality of fit and finish to say the least is generally poor at best. They do have their place but the quality is nowhere comparable to that of a old Singer 29K or a new clone patcher. There is a fair number of mods that will be needed to make constant decent stitches such as resetting the height of the needle to accept 135 x 16 needles, polishing / replacing the pressor foot to reduce marks, polishing parts to get it to run sort of smoothly and retiming are just a few. If this is all someone can afford and has the time to invest it maybe a starting point until they could afford something better.

If someone could stretch their budget to $565 US maybe what Walmart is selling which appears to be a clone of Singer 29k72 ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/TFCFL-Hand-Crank-Patch-Leather-Sewing-Machine-Cobbler-Shoe-Sewing-Repair-Machine/975331286?athbdg=L1700 ) or in Canada for $769 CA ( https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/INTBUYING-Leather-Sewing-Machine-Sewing-Mending-Machine-Shoe-Repair-Industrial-without-Table-Motor/PRD442E8MWFN5KN ). 

I think better options out there in the new machine market for about the $500 US price range for a first new machine.

kgg

 

They look a great buy at that money

[Brewerkel]

I've known a few people that bought them because they were cheap. (The machine and / or the people.) Every one of them got a better used patcher as soon as they could scrape together the coin. Apparently you have to spend a lot of time just getting them to work smoothly.

OTOH, a used Singer K29 can be incredibly finicky as well. Most shoe repairmen we sold to wouldn't let anyone touch their's once it was tuned to their liking.

[Northmount]

@Bert03241 Moved this thread to leather sewing machines

[TonyV]

there are a few youtube vids that show sidewalk shoe repairing and sandal making done in Thailand or Pakistan etc.  These guys use the machine day in, day out, and know how to use them.  You don't see them making purses, jackets or saddles with it, though.    

Tinkerer's Delight is a true statement.  I have a knack with mine now, but I still wouldn't try to get a professional looking stitch on fine leather with it.  I use mine to repair things like the doggie seat cover in my pickup, making small canvas articles and such.  I even repaired a pair of my own sneakers with mine.  The hardest part of using it is keeping the seam straight with one hand while turning the crank with the other.   You could add a motorised pulley to it, but I ain't gonna bother.

So yeah, even though I have one, I'm still hand stitching my leather projects.

 

 

[JollyDodgerCanvas]

I bought one years ago and as a repair machine it's fine. For making new leather products I would look elsewhere. It is difficult to run a perfectly straight line of stitches, but that's not what the machine was designed for! I keep mine for mending things I don't want to disassemble and the 360 degree sewing is amazing if you are aware of the machines limitations, the bobbin is small so it's not a production machine by any standard. As for scratching the surface of your work, get another presser foot and fill the teeth with JB weld and then keep it rough sanded for traction, not hard to do. For applying patches to hats and jacket sleeves it can't be beat and is worth every penny for that alone.

[JayEhl]

Hi, from what I am gathering here, it is the old adage:  You get what you pay for.  

[DrmCa]

Spent the morning playing with my patcher as I planned on how I will motorize it with a lawnmower PMDC motor and a thyristor voltage regulator.

It stitched fine through 1, 2, and 5 layers of upholstery leather. Used the stitch length from 3 to 8 spi, and the machine did fine. It does not like sharp corners on the go but if stopped and restarted after a turn, it does fine. Was using American and Efird Permacore TEX47 thread that I randomly grabbed from a shelf. It will likely run better with bonded nylon that I was too greedy to waste. The foot is not marking leather either, no matter how many layers. Maybe it would mark harder leathers? Dunno.

I do not know if it is my luck that I got a sewing sewing machine or others do something wrong until they figure it out.

The threading method I use is to thread through both of the tensioners set to the lowest possible tension. On the bobbin, I used the nearest hole. Maybe I will experiment with the far hole but for now the patcher just stitches.

Edited January 16, 2022 by DrmCa

[Garyak]

On 1/11/2022 at 10:45 AM, JollyDodgerCanvas said:

I bought one years ago and as a repair machine it's fine. For making new leather products I would look elsewhere. It is difficult to run a perfectly straight line of stitches, but that's not what the machine was designed for! I keep mine for mending things I don't want to disassemble and the 360 degree sewing is amazing if you are aware of the machines limitations, the bobbin is small so it's not a production machine by any standard. As for scratching the surface of your work, get another presser foot and fill the teeth with JB weld and then keep it rough sanded for traction, not hard to do. For applying patches to hats and jacket sleeves it can't be beat and is worth every penny for that alone.

No complaints, makes nothing but money, and people look better. Only used for 207. My TAKING 29k is maxed at 138, but it’s brown. Doesn’t matter what rig is chosen, it matters who’s driving. Whatever the operator is using it for is still gonna look like the last thing made by that operator. 15000$ machine, or a goodwill freebee. You still gotta add skill. 

[DrmCa]

1 hour ago, Garyak said:

Only used for 207

Which needle system do you use, in that size?

[dikman]

That bobbin's not going to hold much #207!

[kgg]

4 hours ago, DrmCa said:

Which needle system do you use, in that size?

These can easily be converted to 135x16 system by simply adjusting the needle bar up by about 5mm from the original position.

kgg

[Garyak]

10 hours ago, DrmCa said:

Which needle system do you use, in that size?

I’ll have to look. I use two different types. The needles that came with it were ball point so I swapped needles. No doing anything to the machines I use 23 in the 16 and 17 system for my 29k. The others fit my Union Special 61300 and I’ll have to look. Crazy thing, neither will work in the other, but the both work in the patcher. Go finger. 

[Matt S]

14 hours ago, Garyak said:

No complaints, makes nothing but money, and people look better. Only used for 207.

Is that with or without pre-punching the holes? 

[Garyak]

20 hours ago, Matt S said:

20 hours ago, Matt S said:

Is that with or without pre-punching the holes? 

Whatever it takes to better than the rest, and whatever I do is. 

[Matt S]

11 hours ago, Garyak said:

Whatever it takes to better than the rest, and whatever I do is. 

I'm going to take that as a yes.

You make some cool looking stuff. You have an eye for design and you're clearly pleased with your work, but I really don't understand why you like to imply on the internet that you're actually stitching the leather through with your machine.

The amount of effort you use to get that contraption to do something it's really not suited for is impressive. If you presented the steps and time it takes you to use one of these machines to put 207 size thread through holes you've already punched through the leather on an open forum, with an honest discussion about its severe limitations that several people have tried to discuss with you, I'd be more impressed.

This forum has some of the most honest and generous tradespeople I've ever encountered. I don't think it's fair of you to advocate to beginners to spend their time and money on something that, at best, will need a considerable amount of skill to sew leather to a mediocre standard at roughly the overall speed of hand stitching.