Re: A Sewing Machine For The Workshop

[Spehro Pefhany]

On occasion I find myself needing to create items for the home

>workshop that require a sewing machine. > >I am looking for recommendations in what to look for in a sewing >machine that will handle a number of differnet materials (canvas, >cotton, thin leather) > >Any suggestions? > >Any suggested machines? > >Thanks > >TMT

You in a city with much schmatta trade? If you go to an industrial sewing machine place they'll fix you up with a used machine like a Juki that will run forever. (those machines actually have an oil pan). They often do this for young 'uns setting up as fashion designers.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

[Richard J Kinch]

Isn't the HF item a Chinese clone of that?

Look at the machines for sailmaking sold at

where they do the sorts of applications you describe.

[Lew Hodgett]

Yep, my landlord has a bunch of industrial machines used to make motorcycle bags.

Doubt he has a machine that is less than 50 years old.

Also, if you are in an area that has some sailmakers, talk to them.

Lew

[Gunner]

Or a good ConSew.

Reliable Tool gets em in from time to time also.

Gunner

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. Lazarus Long

[Bob in Phx]

My 1950's anker sewed through 7 layers of marine vinyl and then about a 1/8 inch pvc extrusion. (camper awning cover). Then the wife used it to work on her quilt. Great machine, big, black and chrome!!! I also have a Singer Red Head treadle, with a leather belt foot power drive. Check with any good old sewing machine and vacuum repair place. They can tell you the best machines, or try an industrial machine repair center. Then watch Craigslist or the classifieds... I found my Anker in a thrift shop... 15 bucks.

bob in phx Side story on the Anker. I found the Anker in the "as is" section of the local Mormon run thrift shop. I figured I had better plug it in and see if the motor was good. Well I plugged it in and it started to run, but without me touching the foot peddle. So I un-plugged it and gave a close look at the peddle. I noticed a couple of the rivets on the bottom were worn off. I also hear the remains of the rivets inside the peddle, where they should not be. So I decided to see if there was an speed up if I pushed on the peddle. So I plugged it in again and put my hand on the peddle. Bang, 110 volts were shooting up my arm. So again, I am in the middle of a very religious run store.... What came out of my mouth as I got my hand off the peddle????? You guessed it, profanity. And at the top of my lungs!!! I must have had 20 people, employees too, looking at me.. I sheepishly explained that I had just gotten a pretty good electrical shock... They bought it and I bought the machine!!!!

[Larry Jaques]

On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:21:18 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Lew Hodgett quickly quoth:

He'll need to talk to them in the winter, when they're not busy. They'd charge an extra fee right now just to look. ;)

I picked up my used Consew 210 for $395. It's an oil-sump machine and came with table, motor, clutch, extra clutch disk, bobbins, spools of thread, extra needles, extra feet, and a stainless binding feed.

It's used to go through 2 layers of 680 denier nylon sheeting, a layer of 1/8" or 1/4" foam, 2 layers of spray glue, and 2 layers of folded binding. It'll do this all day long. (though I can't ;)

- Metaphors Be With You -