Chairman, I think you are in the Dallas area. Do you, have you, ever used a folding machine for making your welt cording applications? If so, how well do they work? *It's actually an accessory to your standard upholstery sewing machine.
I spoke with Dali, at Dema Industrial Sewing (in Lancaster/Dallas area)
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I sent him an email with my use/needs info. As best I understood him, he said there is such a machine and there are different ones for the different cording applications, including double welting, and that they run about $100, or there about.
Do you have any experience/feedback you could offer, regarding these machines? I could benefit with one, for speeding-up my long lengths of cord making/sewing, especially for thicker fabrics, rather than using my present (slow) hand-fold/hand-feed method.
I tried making a jig and it fed both the fabric and cord okay, but there was no good control of the fabric feed. The fabric would not remain lined up properly. So, I'm looking for something more appropriate, something that works.
I haven't used one per say, but do they have pic of it on their site? I looked a little bit but didn't see one. I looked on e-bay, too, but didn't see anything but binding folders. I use a guy here in Dallas at
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I've used a couple of folders for ties, but end up going back to my old way by hand. It seems that some fabrics work better than others in the folders and they just seem to get in my way. As you said, some fabrics won't remain lined up properly. When fabrics are cut on the bias, they all react differently when sewing them I asked my ex partner about them and he said he's used one but he didn't like it because it didn't sew it tight enough for him. On the other hand, his brother swears by his, But I don't see how it could fold it tight enough to keep it consistent When it comes to double welt, I'll only use 4/32" welt cord or even spring twine to keep the bulk down on heavier fabrics, some fabrics you just can't make double welt with and just have to use gimp, decorative tape or nailheads. Are you using the twin welt or 2 single cords? I like to use 2 singles personally because that way with heavier fabrics I can use the 4/32 on one side and the spring twine on the side that has the extra bit of fabric. It's harder on my hands, but I like the results better HTH
I 'd like to hear your results if you try one I've got one of these, but honestly I haven't used it yet
No, they don't have a pic. Dali said he'd get a pic and email it, with dis cussion, for the application I described to him, since there are different folders.
up properly.... ex partner - used one but he didn't like it because it didn 't sew it tight enough for him.
Even folding by hand, my latest thick fabric didn't tuck tight enough. The jig I made didn't quite tuck it tight enough, either, but was an improveme nt to my hand-making process.... My jig didn't keep the fabric aligned, it would skew to one side. Seems a thin roller would have helped tuck the fa bric into the fold, better than my finger, which was too far from the sewin g machine needle. A thin disc roller could be placed closer to the needle, preventing the cord from relaxing/become loose, again, just before it gets sewn. With the Christmas rush of projects, I didn't have time to try to fabricate another design, incorporating a roller.
Same as you, I use 4/32 and spring twine for hand folded double cording. Y eah, tightness and consistency is my concern when using any folder accessor y.
I don't have any type of accessory for any trim making. All my fabricating is by hand, since I do upholstery as a hobby. If I were in business, I'd probably have other accessories.
This holiday season, I took on more projects, than normal, and was huffing and puffing to get them done before Christmas. I suppose you have customer s who want things done for their holidays. I would have preferred to be hu nting or hanging out with the guys, rather than doing this upholstery. My last 2 chairs, delivered yesterday, was covered with really thick fabric, w ith 120' of single cording.... I've never had a project with so much cordi ng.
Will do. The furniture manufacurers have to have something that works perf ectly, since they make miles of cording, so there has to be some accessory that works properly, unless they use dedicated cording machines.
I watched a video of its use (I Googled, further, for the video). With you r other comments, I'm gleaning ideas of how to improve my (last minute) cor ding jig. Now that I'm finished with the holiday rush, I have the time to rework my jig making. Maybe, rather than a thin roller, the video gave me the idea of a flexible skinny finger extension, to hold the cord firmly int o the fold, even closer to the needle, than a thin disc roller would have d one.
I had expected to hear from Dali, yesterday. He seemed eager to help. I'l l keep you updated.
Like I said,some fabrics are just a too thick to make DW with. i use to try, but now I just say NO
Ahhh, the Xmas rush, the reason I hate this time of year. I'm getting smarter in my old age, I've been just saying no more and planning better the last few years.(Doesn't always work, but) This year I had a custom chair, sofa an oval ottoman and reupholster a couple of chairs I built for the same client
20 years ago, promised for T-Day. Nothing promised for Xmas, but I'm building a custom sectional(136"x 102") that has to go on a truck to Florida in January
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Are you using a walking foot machine or a presser foot?
After 36 yrs in biz, I very few sewing machine accessories other than differnt feet
120'? thats just 30 yds and single? I've sewed 1-200 yds and more of double welt when wall upholstery was more popular. Talk about a pain in the ass and thinking you'll never see the end of it
Yeah, they have alot of dedicated machines for zippers, boxings, they also have the room for them. You should see how fast some of the gals sew, too.......DAMN
Make 2 if they work well and I'll buy one from ya :) My old hands can't take anymore Good luck
All your pieces are very nice, excellent work. The alignment on the ottom an must have taken some time and patience to match, so well, that way.
I learned upholstery at the local tech school and just before finishing the program (2007), I bought 4 machines, w/ table & motors, at the state surpl us auction, each requiring just a little repair: A Pfaff, a Juki, and a Sin ger single and a double needle machine. I use the Singer single needle wa lking foot and have a few different presser feet. I gave the Pfaff to the repairman in exchange for repairing the others. I have never used the doub le needle machine and am considering selling it. I gave the Juki to my sis ter.
Later, I bought a Rex (Artisan) and use it as a backup, if/when the Singer is malfunctioning (rarely). I can, generally, repair my machines.
I had bought a Singer 3o" longarm, but it was a monster, 4'X 8' table, head weighed 250 lbs., I never used it, so I sold it. The opportunity to buy i t, cheap, was there, so I got it. Like with woodworking, buy a tool if you need it, not just to have it, in case you need it. Anticipating needing i t was my thinking, at the time.
It didn't take me long to realize I wanted to do upholstery as a hobby, onl y, so I didn't need a whole compliment of tools and such. I do mostly/only furniture, with an occassional auto, lawn mower, 4 wheeler seat repair.... additional projects, as that, and mostly for friends & relatives.
more popular. Talk about a pain in the ass and thinking you'll never see th e end of it
I'd hate to do that much double welting. That kind of work is beyond my ho bby work. I do lots of upholstery for 3 decorators and I've never had anyt hing approaching that much work. I think, when in-business upholsterers ha ve too much work, the decorators give me particular jobs, because I can usu ally start on them immediately, since I don't have the backlog other uphols terers have. It helps that the decorators like my work, too, though I thin k I work much slower than the other guys (or seamstresses, i.e., slipcovers , etc.).
t take anymore Good luck
My hands aren't old, but they aren't as nimble or dexterous as they once we re. I'll get to the jig making/remaking after New Years, unless Dali shows me something better.
Additionally: The tech school, here, discontinued the upholstery program. The teacher ca lled and let me know the school was to discard everything except the sewing machines and some hand tools. We went over there and collected almost eve rything being thrown out: Cutting tables, work tables, bolts of fabric, lo ts of other hand tools (framing squares, Klinch-It tool, etc.), cushion stu ffers, all upholstery supplies (burlap, crinoline, dust cover, tacks, stapl es, coil & K arc springs, channel tins, button tops/bottoms, button cutters and dies, etc., etc,.... everything). I called other students to come get some, but they weren't interested. I collected several truck loads of stu ff. I've yet to use lots of this stuff and a good bit is stashed in the ga rage attic of the woodshop.
Several months ago, the upholstery teacher and I noticed one of the school' s embroidery machines (5 yrs old) was at the state surplus auction: a 36 sp ool $20K machine. We went to the auction. It sold for $3k. We're watchin g for the other (15 or so) sewing machines to show up, there.
Those first 4 machines I bought at the state auction, I paid $250 for all o f them. A few months ago, I bought 6 Consew machines, w/table, motors, lam ps, bobbin winder, for roughly $16 apiece. I kept 2, sold the other 4. I haven't had a chance to troubleshoot, in detail, the 2 I kept, but they see m to be in reasonable working order. They might need some timing adjustin g, or the like.
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