Tips for evaluating a used Nakajima 280L

[WILTIM]

Hi Everyone,

I have been in the leather game for about a year at this point and am interested in finding a sewing machine. Locally, someone is selling a Nakajima 280l with a NewTech Servo motor for $800 and it seems like I might get a chance at it. Do you have any tips for evaluating a used machine? From the photos it looks well used… any tips?

Thanks!

Justin

 

[ljk]

I have one, quality Japanese machine.  3.5 stitch to inch. As good as Japanese Consew  206.  Simple horizontal axis. big bobbin machine with pinon drive.  But no clutch and if you get a thread jam you can spin the hook out of time.  You will need to know how to retime.  Hooks are cheap.  You can sew with 207 thread top and bottom.  Florida climate is bad for sewing machines as far as appearance, but doesn't affect performance.  Machine I don't think has been made for years.

[kgg]

8 hours ago, WILTIM said:

Locally, someone is selling a Nakajima 280l with a NewTech Servo motor for $800 and it seems like I might get a chance at it.

I don't think the Nakajima have been around since 1966 when Juki took them over. That is not to say it is a bad machine just based on age as there are a lot of excellent machines of that age and older still working perfectly. It will depend on how it was maintained. The price of $800 US ($1018 CAD) to me seems high. I would have a tendency to look at machines from a dealer / repair shop that has been professionally serviced / restored. Some of the things I would look for are threads paths cut into the thread guides and take up arm; clunking noises; bearing slop; amount of paint worn from the bed; rust; condition of drive gears, condition of the table top and does it sew properly.

A couple of photo's maybe helpful and what are you planning on sewing?

kgg

[shoepatcher]

Juki bought Nakajima about 20 + years ago.  They made their own machines and also manufactured a lot of parts for Juki under contract.  When Juki bought Nakajima,  their engineers went thru all of the models of machines they manufactured.  Each one was tweaked and upgraded.  Some keep the same model number, some got new model numbers.  The Juki 441, 341, 245,246 machine were originally made and designed by Nakajima.  All three of those are very good machines today. 

glenn

[WILTIM]

Thanks for the responses so far!

The only photos I have are from the listing(attached). I will mainly be doing small goods: wallets, journal covers, padfolios. I do from time to time get to make custom knife sheaths with 6-7oz HO, so they can get to 18-21 oz thick. 

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, WILTIM said:

I do from time to time get to make custom knife sheaths with 6-7oz HO, so they can get to 18-21 oz thick.

That machine would have to mechanically 100% to properly handle 20 ounces of leather. It was not built with this in mind. It was for leather and vinyl upholstery. I had a similar machine with the National nametag. It worked great sewing 12 to 16 ounces, but struggled with anything above that. I had to crank down both foot pressure screws almost all the way to keep the leather from lifting with the needle on the upstroke. It let me use #207 on top with #138 in the bobbin, but was happier with #138 top and bottom (above 8-9 ounce thickness), down to #69 for thin leather seams. I paid for it sewing rifle slings and guitar straps for a friend who had a business.

[kgg]

3 hours ago, WILTIM said:

The only photos I have are from the listing(attached).

Definitely not pretty and by the looks of it was used in a industrial setting to have that amount of paint wear. I would go to a dealer with your stuff and look for a newer or new sewing machine before spending that amount of money for that particular machine. 

kgg

 

[dikman]

The worn paint suggests a lot of use. Not necessarily a bad thing as long as it has been well maintained. Your requirements for the machine were fine - until you mentioned knife sheaths, it's not designed for that.