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| I sew alot of school Letter Jackets. The material is thick wool & the patches are felt. I have a home singer machine, which it keeps knocking the timing out, so looking for an Industrial Machine. I only need it to do straight stitch, need advise on what to buy. |
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| You need to contact a shop that deals regularly with manufacturing firms. Not the Sew 'n' Vac who can "order" a Consew, Juki, Phaff, whatever. Go to a place that sells commercial machinery only. and go with samples of what you want to do. The salesmen will show you what you need to see. LISTEN TO THEM. Off the top of my head I'd say you'd want to look at needle feed machines. How many layers are you talking about? what sorts of fabrics (nylon outer, fleece lining, maybe some leather?). A walking foot might be nice, but might prove to be "overkill" for your needs, esp. if you want the machine to fill a lighterweight duty. You might be better served with the a basic needle feed machine and a specialized foot (teflon or roller foot) to ease the feed. |
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| Recently I bought a Singer 185J. Mine was made in 1962 and is green in colour. It is 3/4 size. It only sews straight with no zigzag. When these are auctioned on Ebay they state these are great for sewing leather, denim or multiple layers. Check out the completed auctions for information on these. I have only sewn cotton but have folded about six layers to try it out and it zooms along nicely. |
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| Regarding using the local "sew and vac" shop: Depends on your dealer. One of my Pfaff dealers regularly had an industrial Pfaff machine or two in his shop, brand new, sometimes a used machine. Not a heavy-duty home machine, a real industrial machine, mounted on a factory work table. This dealer regularly supplied industrial machines to customers with home businesses. If your local Janome, Pfaff, Juki, etc. dealer does not have experience with industrial machines, then that may not be the shop you want to work with. There are some vendors online (such as All Brands) that supply industrial machines, but you lose the chance to get personalized training, if that's important to you. I've read about scam artists on eBay who buy inexpensive home machines, with heavy-looking cases for maybe $100, slap a few stickers on them that say "Industrial Heavy Duty" then sell them for up to $1000. Research and know what you are looking for. Here's a link to straight stitch industrial machines on the All Brands web site, which shows a nice selection. CMC
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Here is a link that might be useful: Industrial straight stitch - All Brands.
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| I understand what you're saying about the Sew 'n' Vac shops, cmc. And you make a good point. My point, though, is that visiting a purveyor of the industrial line will prove more effective because they don't just have ONE model on the floor. They have several... drop feeds, needle feeds, walking foot machines, compound feeds, overlocks, blindstitches, coverstitch machines. You have the opportunity to sit and operate them ALL. AND, they will have the attachments and a variety of presser feet ON HAND for you to try. I've worked with industrial equipment for many years now. I've forgotten more than the local Sew 'n' Vac guy likely ever knew. I know that sounds really snotty, but it's true. My professional experience outstrips that of most "salesmen". I am a capable mechanic (you learn it along the way). Go to the dealership showroom, you'll be glad you did. |
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| Chelone, I have to agree with you that there is no substitute for actually working on the machine you want to buy and testing out multiple models or types. A specfic type (not available at a local sew and vac dealer) may be perfect for our shopper. Your advice is excellent. CMC |
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| I also agree. I've experienced an industrial equipment scam first hand and let me tell you, its not fun. Not only do you lose out on money (especially if you buy something without a money back guarantee) but the equipment you buy can potentially be very dangerous. If you're buying for a company, in which your employees intend on using the equipment, lawsuits may come your way if the equipment malfunctions while they're working with it. Take the advice above and test your equipment before you make any purchases. Trust me, it's worth it. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Industrial 101
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