Portable walking foot sewing machine comparison.
Glenn Ashmore
be useful.
I have been considering a machine to make things like cockpit cushions,
interior upholstery, Bimini and maybe even a Stackpak. I had been
constantly advised not to waste my time on a portable but look for a "cheap"
industrial. Well, there ain't no "cheap" industrials around here. Even if
there were it wouldn't fit in the boat and the list of other things needing
the next $1,000+ out of the boat kitty is long.
This weekend I had a visitor to the boat shed who was in the sewing machine
repair business and he invited me over to his shop for the rare opportunity
to get a look at 4 different portable and 2 industrial walking foot zigzag
machines side by side.
The industrials were a Juki and a Consew. Both were BIG, over $1,200 and
down right dangerous for a beginner.. Put a piece of Sunbrella in the Juki
and pressed the foot treadle. Scared the hell out of me. Damned thing like
to have ate my arm!
The portables were an old Thompson, a Sailrite LSZ-1, a Reliable 2000U33 and
a Mini-Brute. From the general look I couldn't tell the difference other
than the Mini-Brute was 2" longer under the arm and the Sailrite had the
monster wheel installed. All four were al lot easier to control and at
least to my untrained eye sewed 6 layers of Sunbrella equally well but the
Sailrite ran a little easier at low speed. We took the Monster Wheel off
the Sailrite and put on each of the others in turn and they improved to
about the same low speed performance.
We then turned the machines over to look at the guts. Again it was almost
impossible to find any difference. All 4 have all metal parts. No plastic
in the works. The Sailrite did have a couple of cranks that looked a little
better machined but not by much. All 4 were tight with virtually no play.
The Thompson, Sailrite and Reliable were made in Taiwan and I would swear
they came off the same line using the same molds. The Mini-Brute is made in
China and there is a bit more roughness in the castings but nothing that
would effect performance that I could tell.
All of them have 1/10th HP motors geared way down to sew 800-900
stitches/minute which is plenty fast for my fingers. The Monster Wheel will
gear down all of them even slower and gives a lot more punching power.
The Sailrite sells for $970 with the monster wheel but it also comes with a
wood case and $100 worth of good training and maintenance videos on CDs.
The Reliable sells for $500 with a plastic case. Add a monster wheel and
the Sailrite videos and you are close to $720.
The Mini-Brute sells for $600 with no case but has 2" more work room under
the arm. Add the Monster Wheel and CDs and you are at $800.
I don't think the Thompson zigzag is made anymore.
One down side of all of them is that they use hard to find presser feet.
Zipper and welt foot sets cost $60-$65 each and you need both to do any
decent cushions. Industrial presser feet are half that. The Reliable comes
with a 3/16" welt foot and the Mini-Brute comes with a 1/4" welt foot. To
sew 2 layers of Sunbrella over 5/32" welt cord you really need a 1/4" welt
foot so score $60 to the Mini-Brute. Zipper feet are a different matter.
Cushions need zippers to avoid a lot of hand sewing and you really need a
zipper foot to get close to the teeth.
I am leaning toward the Mini-Brute even if it is made in China because I can
see that extra 2" will come in handy.
--
Glenn Ashmore
I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com
Capt. JG
news:6bZDj.41654$f8.1...@newsfe23.lga...
I had the same idea, but couldn't find anything used that seemed worth
buying. I ended up going to a sewing machine store, and I bought a Janome,
Sewist 521. I watched the salesperson sew five really think pieces without
any problem. I paid under $200 for it, and it came with a nice warranty. It
may not be perfect, but it sure is useful. There was a short learning curve,
wherein I went through a couple of needles, mostly because I tried to go too
fast. I did some zippers on Sunbrella right the first time I tried. Not sure
if this helps any...
--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com
Glenn Ashmore
about the same $200 because the Admiral wouldn't let me near her machine.
It is a horse of a machine for the price. Sews zipper plaques and piping
very easily and will punch through 4 or 5 layers of Sunbrella but it is not
walking foot. With only the lower dogs pulling you have to help feed
several layers by pulling from the back side which results in irregular
stitches. Very obvious with zigzags and on straight stitches causes puckers
in the seams. I have managed to finish 3 cockpit cushions that are
acceptable but I now that I am getting half way good I am looking for
something better.
Quite honestly though the best part was the look on my wife's and
sister-in-law's faces when they saw the first boxed cockpit cushion with
piping and all tight with square edges. They think they are masters of the
sewing machine and this klutzy male could never make a straight stitch. I
can out cook them too! :-)
--
Glenn Ashmore
I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com
"Capt. JG" <jg...@sailnow.invalid> wrote >
Dennis Pogson
As one who has spent a lifetime in the sewing industry, I can sympathise
with your fear of heavy industrial machines. Our operators could control
these monsters at speeds of up to 6500 stitches-per-minute (yes, that's more
than 100 stitches-per-second!) But this was their liveliehood, and it ain't
yours!
However, all industrial machines have clutch motors, and some have
"stopright" motors with electronic clutches that can run the machine so
slowly that you can actually watch the needle going through the fabric in
slow motion! I would suggest that you have been misled, and the dealer was
trying to sell you a pup.
A stopright-fitted machine has one advantage in that it will always stop
dead with the needle either at the exact bottom of the stroke (in the
fabric), allowing you to turn the fabric using the needle as a fulcrum, or
by back-heeling it will do a half-revolution AND trim the two threads at the
same time, (no scissors required).
Naturally this is a tremendous advantage to a skilled operator who can run
the machine at or near it's maximum speed, but less so for an amateur sewing
enthusiast to whom accuracy demands a slower speed.
The key to good industrial sewing machines is the motor, not the machine.
Almost all the machines are made to very high standards, but many of the
older ones are sold second-hand with crappy single-phase motors, hence the
virtual impossibilty of running them at "idling" speeds. If you can find one
with an electronic clutch motor you can run it so slow you will fall asleep
watching it.
I confess to knowing little about "domestic" machines, except to look for
one where the hook and base (thats the revolving spool case beneath the
needle plate), is configured the same as on an industrial machine, the
spoolcase looks much the same as on an industrial machine, and is vertical,
i.e. perpendicular to the bottom shaft, and not horizontal (facing upwards).
This configuration is vital when sewing several plies of heavy fabric.
Many lightweight domestic machines are simply too fragile for heavy usage,
no matter what the makers claim. From your descriptions, it would seem to me
that the Sailrite or the Mini-Brute would be your best bet. The ability to
take different sizes of needle (thickness) would be one facility that would
sway me, as thicker fabrics definitey need thicker needles. Also watch out
for the availablity of ballpoint needles when sewing knitted or lightweight
fabrics (e.g. spinnaker fabrics) which can be prone to needle damage if
treated roughly.
Many RTW racing sailboats carry sewing machines to carry out sail repairs en
route. You could ask around and try to find some guy who has crewed on one
of these machines and ask what make, type etc they use, and how good they
are.
Ziog-zag machines are a different matter. No industrial operator would use a
zig-zag machine that was not a "dedicated" zig-zag, i.e. it will NOT do
straight-line sewing, however, recent advances in technology have brought us
quite reliable and versatile domestic machines which can do both zig-zag and
straight without any tendency to mis-stitch, so long as you use them slowly.
I saw a beautifull domestic overlock machine yesterday in a store in
Glasgow. This was a 3-thread overlocker, domestic weight admittedly, but
very well constructed, for £120 brand new! Such a machine in industrial
weight configuration would cost thousands. So we are moving in the right
direction, and your wife would find such a machine far more useful than the
domestic lockstitch machine she has bought which claims to do everything!
(Not much uise for making berth cushions, unless you are a perfectionist and
want them to look as good inside as outside!).
I wish you luck in your search. If industrial machines scare you, or you
have no room for these, then a compromise machine which is well constructed
and could be classed as a "heavy domestic machine" is your best bet.
Dennis.
Bruce in Bangkok
wrote:
>"Glenn Ashmore" <gash...@cox.net> wrote in message
>news:6bZDj.41654$f8.1...@newsfe23.lga...
>>I apologize in advance for the "Skip length" post but I thought this might
>>be useful.
>>
>> I have been considering a machine to make things like cockpit cushions,
>> interior upholstery, Bimini and maybe even a Stackpak. I had been
>> constantly advised not to waste my time on a portable but look for a
>> "cheap" industrial. Well, there ain't no "cheap" industrials around here.
>> Even if there were it wouldn't fit in the boat and the list of other
>> things needing the next $1,000+ out of the boat kitty is long.
>>
snipped
I have a Zig Zag Brother similar to the model previously sold by
SailRite that I bought as a bare machine in Singapore. I installed a
motor and built a box for it and have been using it for nearly ten
years. It is an older version of the ZZ 567, line. the accessories can
be purchased at any commercial sewing machine place. I have sewed a
complete mainsail with it. the only place that it can't quite hack it
is on the corner reinforcing. I can't sew the last six inches of the
corner patches.
The prices you are quoting for both the machine and the parts seem, to
me, to be unusually high. Are you being quoted these numbers from a
commercial shop or from Sailrite? If from SailRite you should be aware
that their prices ARE high.
Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct email address for reply)
Bruce in Bangkok
wrote:
Glen, try the commercial suppliers. I bought a new Brother LSZ some
years ago, in Singapore, for a bit less then US $500. for a bare
machine. I installed a motor and built a box and have been using it
ever since. It does help to make or buy the heavy flywheel that
SailRite sells. Helps, but is not a necessity.
I can do all my sail work, except for the last 4 - 6 inches of the
corner reinforcing with it (40 ft. sloop). Cushions and awnings are
like sewing a handkerchiefs, the little motor is sufficient unless you
are going to sew extremely heavy material and then the machine will
rapidly get out of time with the heavy material.
I suggest that you locate a shop that services commercial shops and
talk to them. AFTER I bought my machine I discovered I could have
bought the same machine, second hand in good condition for a third of
what I paid for it. the price for feet and accessories also seems to
be very high. I bought every foot made for mine at a cost of 5 - 10
dollars a piece.
If you buy one get a thread oiler and some silicon oil as when you get
to heavier material then the machine will sew, the oil gets you one
more layer of material :-)
Gordon
Take a look at the Pfaff 130 currently on ebay. Lots of sailors using
these.
G
Jim
> I had the same idea, but couldn't find anything used that seemed worth
> buying. I ended up going to a sewing machine store, and I bought a Janome,
> Sewist 521. I watched the salesperson sew five really think pieces without
> any problem. I paid under $200 for it, and it came with a nice warranty. It
> may not be perfect, but it sure is useful. There was a short learning curve,
> wherein I went through a couple of needles, mostly because I tried to go too
> fast. I did some zippers on Sunbrella right the first time I tried. Not sure
> if this helps any...
>
I made the same decision you did. The Janome worked just fine, until I
knocked it out of time. The machine is not adjustable by the user so
off to the sewing machine repair place. Just a hair over $100. This
wasn't going to work.
I sold the Janome and bought a used Thompson, which is exactly the same
as the Sailright.
The used Thompson needed timing adjusted, but the videos I got from
Sailright made it easy.
The Janome was useful, but the proper machine is far more useful.