Re: Free Pm1 Juki
Eilal Pichardo
I have since found a few people who say the "S" version is more headache than it is worth, and I'm all about keeping things simple. And that timing one of these machines is quick and easy. If I have never had an industrial machine, but am more than willing to learn to work on them myself, should I stick to the regular 1541?
Edited to add; I want to make bags, like backpacks primarily and I have used a 1541s for this purpose, and it gave me issues. I was able to then switch to a juki lu2810-7 for the remainder of that project and it was a much more capable and highly controllable machine, but I can't spend that kind of scratch on a machine right now, nor do I want something that has to be connected to compressed air. But I knew the 1541 could handle everything inwas asking of it, but it wasn't my machine and the owner didn't want me tinkering with it, he just called a service tech. He said it just needed to be adjusted and that it had something to do with the safety clutch.
Think of the "S" version as cheap insurance. The cost difference between the 1541 and the 1541"S" is about $100. The safety clutch when it kicks in protects a lot of internal parts from getting damaged. Depending on how badly you fool up usually it is just a matter of resetting the safety and you are sewing again. Without the safety clutch timing issues could be the least of your worries should a problem occur.
what kgg said . Big Yes, on 1541S w/safety clutch. Cheap insurance if using heavier thread and catch and you get jammed. Threads heavier than the lighter #69/t70 are not so forgiving.
1541 is one of the best daily workhorse machines out there .
My next question is about where to purchase. Like I said, I live kind of far away from anything in a little mountain town. but I regularly visit my mother, who lives in a bigger city 1.5 hours away. Near her is a sewingmachinesplus, a store that isn't the most well regarded but who do have the 1541 with table and servo for 1750. They would be the closest place to me if I were to have to bring the machine in anywhere. They are not an industrial machine place, more sell quilting stuff, but they do have a few industrial machines there.
The other option would be international design supply, in los angeles, a highly regarded store that supplies students with materials as well as the public and some small businesses use them as a supplier for all kinds of stuff. I've been told I should buy my machine here, but it would be at least 2 hours each way for me if I need to go back and forth (If I were to have a problem with the machine) and would have to dedicate a day of sitting in traffic any time i would have to go there. However, I fell like they'll have more useful knowledge and know how when it comes down to it. Their price is similar, or close enough to sewingmachinesplus.
Should I just go to the closer store that is more convenient, or should I go with a more reputable shop that will be a pain if I ever have to go in? I assume that either way, I'll have to bring this thing in somewhere if it ever needs work, I doubt anyone will want to come out to where I am for anything affordable.
My first industrial machine was a flatbed Consew (similar to the Juki with safety clutch you were considering) and I love it dearly. But I added a cylinder arm machine because I also do quite a few bags and the cylinder arm is a tremendous help for that. I added an after market aluminum flatbed table attachment that goes on and off in about a minute and that really gives me the best of both worlds. If I'd didn't already have the flatbed machine I probably would have been very happy with just the cylinder arm with flatbed attachment and I wouldn't have had to buy a second machine.
Well now you guys have me reconsidering what I think I want or need. I had the opportunity to spend some time in a production facility, where they were mostly making backpacks, but also duffel bags, fanny packs, totes, etc. They did most of this on 1541s', but also had lu2810-7 and I think 1508 for doing binding with nylon webbing and zippers, and a few other machines for specialty things, etc. But most of what they were doing was with the 1541s and I know everything they were doing there could have all been handled on just the 1541s. I had never thought of a cylinder bed, but I do find that my home machines that allow me to fit something over the throat plate do offer some versatility. And I did not realize that you could convert a cylinder bed into a flatbed, that's kind of awesome. Is it really worth that much more money? Or what about the clones? I really liked the lu 2810-7 that I used, but I can't run compressed air or spend that much right now, and I need the machine to be a little smaller and quieter like the 1541.
Again, I'm not really using leather (I will every once in a while) but more like - usually multiple layers of- ballistic nylon, cordura, canvas, taurpalin, nylon webbing, ability to make straps and bind edges with webbing, etc.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I like the idea of a cylinder arm. I'm imagining how much easier it would have been to turn certain things or how it would be useful in making smaller items. But I also need a one trick pony, and need to be able to do binding on the same machine, will there be a problem with that on a cylinder bed?
I got mine from "Goldstar Tools". My only complaint was the table and the servo were the cheapest you can find. They work, they just aren't as good as my other machine table and servo I got from Amazon.
I think the cylinder arm Juki Ls-1341 or a clone is probably as close to a "one trick pony" as you are going to get. Add a table attachment and you sort of got a flatbed machine. I turned my Kobe LS-1341 into a binding machine. I do a fair bit of binding. When it comes to binding you can use the expensive 90 degree style of binding attachments and they well allow for doing binding around tighter corners. For my situation as I had flatbed machines before I got a cylinder I wanted to be able to use the same binding attachments that I use on the Juki 1181N or the 1541S and use them on the LS-1341 clone or the TSC-441 clone. So to that end I designed up some attachments and printed them to allow for this. There is also quite a bit of difference cost wise between the standard inline and the 90 degree binding attachments, $100 versus $20 per tape size.
If you are planning on visiting a vendor call them a couple of days before hand to set up a time and tell them what machines you are interested in so they can set one up for you to test drive. If they don't or can't set a machine up for you then they maybe they are just selling you an untested "fresh off the boat machine". If they are selling "fresh off the boat machines" you probably can get the same / similar machine with that same level of service from a lot of online vendors.
The Juki LU-1508 is a different series of machine with 7 variants then the Juki DNU-1541 series which has 3 variants. Both series look very similar but the main visual difference is the bed size and weight.
I get so many questions about sewing machines, and honestly I am NO expert on sewing machines, I only know what I have! So I thought I'd write a quick update about my sewing machines, what I'm using and what's working! Here is my last post 4 years ago that is more in depth with more links.
Last week I was answering an email with questions about my Juki and I told her I've had it for a "couple of years"....then she emailed me back after reading my first post about it and said...."actually, you've had your Juki for 4 years". Whoops! And that's why I blog....because I can't remember ANYTHING unless it has been documented.
So...I've had my Juki for 4 years. I still LOVE this machine. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. I have had zero problems with it...but this is also my second machine. I had my first for a couple of weeks before I broke it and sent it back for a replacement within the warranty. You can read all about that at the bottom of this post. I purchased my machine here (I think SewVacDirect also sells directly on their website) and I would highly recommend buying an extended warranty. I bought this machine for $975 at the time before tax. I have no plans to upgrade or change machines...this baby should last me many more years (knock on wood)!
What I love about this machine: It is fast, it is reliable, it's very low maintenance, it has no computerized mechanisms I worry about breaking, it still has the needle down and thread cutter I love, it free motion quilts like a dream with a much larger throat space, it's powerful when sewing through multiple layers, and it's very easy for my kids to operate and sew on now that they are more interested in sewing (this model has the speed control, so I can turn the speed dial all the way to slow and it's perfect for kids). It's just a great, basic, non-fussy, powerful machine.
What I would change about this machine: The walking foot is still loud, clanky, and really a pain to use. I rarely use it, but on the plus side this machine is so powerful that I can bind quilts without the walking foot without any issues or dragging. The tension is the main problem I've heard with Juki's, and if it gets off it's really hard to get back to perfect. I've never had serious tension issues, but there have been a few times my kids have turned the tension dials just for fun and it's a nightmare to re-adjust. Also it's annoying there is no zig zag stitch, this is only a straight stitch machine. Luckily those have been very minimal things and are the only things I dislike about this machine (and maybe the walking foot issues have been fixed since I bought mine 4 years ago?).
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