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Thread: Sewing Machine Advice requested

  1. #1
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    Sewing Machine Advice requested

    I'd like to get a sewing machine capable of handling heavy material:

    Cordura nylon, sailcloth, canvas, leather, that sort of thing

    Goal is to make bags, harnesses, camping gear and accessories.

    I know very very little about sewing machines other than my grandma's old treadle machine.

    I am paralyzed by an overabundance of choice in machines, in my initial attempts at Internet research.

    All tips/recommendations appreciated :-)

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by bae View Post
    I'd like to get a sewing machine capable of handling heavy material:

    Cordura nylon, sailcloth, canvas, leather, that sort of thing

    Goal is to make bags, harnesses, camping gear and accessories.

    I know very very little about sewing machines other than my grandma's old treadle machine.

    I am paralyzed by an overabundance of choice in machines, in my initial attempts at Internet research.

    All tips/recommendations appreciated :-)
    I would recommend a Singer Industrial. You can start with a Singer Heavy Duty

    but from what you are describing, one of the old Industrials might suit you.

    Here's a Singer heavy duty that is cheap and easily available.

    https://www.joann.com/singer-heavy-d...BoCCWsQAvD_BwE

    I bought one to supplement my other machines and it's okay but for sailcloth etc. I'd be tempted to go to the Singer Industrial (or whatever they are called these days.)

    https://www.ebay.com/b/SINGER-Indust...56/bn_17644398

  3. #3
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    My DD and future SIL both sew and are starting to do it for commercial purposes. SIL just made DD a great messenger bag out of some type of canvas. I'll ask them what kind they got and what features you should look for.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

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    I'm intrigued by this one but have never used one:

    https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Ul...hoCG0AQAvD_BwE

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    A big thing will be how thick of leather!!! Leather is a game changer.
    My father wanted one for decades. I don't remember if it was bought for him, by a former coworker he does a bunch of stuff for (Hyatt survivor), or if Tandy Leather had it as a closeout (I think after a class). It is packed away right now, as they were looking at moving, right before this stuff hit, so I will email him and ask what it is.
    Off hand, I think I remember it as a Tippmann Boss. Tandy currently sells one, that I believe replaced that, and it is called a Craftool Pro Stitchmaster sewing machine. I think that replaced the one he got from the store.

  6. #6
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    I agree about leather. Bae, you might want to think about whether you want to start with the lighter fabrics and a heavy duty machine. Here is an interesting article about sewing leather, and he talks about the Singer Industrial I was referring to. (Not a new one, obviously.)

    http://andrewcaddle.com/wordpress/wi...e-sew-leather/

  7. #7
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    "It is manual (no motor). It works with most leathers. I don’t have to have it by an outlet. When I broke a needle and jammed the machine in the next pass I wasn't able to repair it and I had to send it in so you should keep the box. I was working in very thick leather and had broken the tip of the needle and didn’t know it. You have to make sure you make a complete pass forward and back with the lever. I sometimes don’t get it done correctly so it skips a stitch.


    Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LSZ-1



    This is the secondary machine I had hoped to get when I worked in the cave. It is mostly used on boats to repair sails. Some lightweight leathers my Tippmann Boss tends to tear and this would handle correctly. This can be powered from 110V but as on boats can be run manually also. It can also do zigzag with sometimes would be better on some lightweight materials. It cannot handle the heavy weight leathers."

    From my father

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    Sounds like another vote for the Sailrite for the sail sewing.

    I think you will need more than one machine to do the range you are talking about--it's like trying to buy one saw to cut everything from logs to doing carpentry work.

    (I think that works as a metaphor, but I know nothing about saws.)

  9. #9
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    I’ve seen a couple of Singer Industrial machines turn up on Facebook Marketplace lately.
    and I agree, you are probably going to need more than one machine to handle that range of materials.

  10. #10
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    You could invest in one of those ten thousand dollar Berninas...I don't know if they sew on leather, but I would think they should be able to do that and cook dinner for you at that price. Good luck in finding a good machine--or machines, and keep us updated on your output.

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