A Sewing Machine For The Workshop

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
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

I found an old Singer model 152 (walking foot straight stitch) from about 1940.
A man was selling his marine canvas shop and had it setting in a corner. He
had three newer machines that he used and this one had just been taking up space
for a long time. It had the motor replace with a bigger one at some point. I
got it and the table for $200.

When I got it home and got it all cleaned up, I started playing with it just to
see how it worked. One of the things I did was to see just how much heavy vinyl
fabric it would go through easily. It went through 8 layers like they weren't
even there. I'll bet it would treat a finger the same way so I give it a VERY
healty respect.

However, what I wanted to say in responding to your question is that I would
suggest you find one that has a reverse. Mine doesn't. I have found myself
wishing that I had a reverse a few times like for tacking the end of a stitch,
etc. What I have to do is either 1). Lift the foot and drag the piece back a
little, drop the foot, and go again. This leaves a long piece of the thread
open where you moved the piece but it works. or 2), Turn the piece around.
This is ok for smaller pieces, but when I was re-stitching my boat cover it was
a little impractical.

Wayne

NoOne N Particular wrote:
However, what I wanted to say in responding to your question is that I
would suggest you find one that has a reverse. Mine doesn't. I have
found myself wishing that I had a reverse a few times like for tacking
the end of a stitch, etc. What I have to do is either 1). Lift the foot
and drag the piece back a little, drop the foot, and go again. This
leaves a long piece of the thread open where you moved the piece but it
works. or 2), Turn the piece around. This is ok for smaller pieces, but
when I was re-stitching my boat cover it was a little impractical.

Wayne

Do you have a stitch length lever? If so, lower the number of stitches
at the end of your seam to make very small stitches close together.
Nearly on top of each other. I do that, not with the stitch lever, but
by holding the fabric under the needle for the last 3 or 4 stitches,
which does lock the end of the seam. You may find it easier to use the
stitch length lever.
--
Joanne
stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us.earth.milky-way.com
http://members.tripod.com/~bernardschopen/

"Ted Frater" wrote in message
...

Iknow, im a sucker for old machinery.
Collect anything thats old and restorable.
As an applied art smith, hammers are my real interest.
Especially those made before 1860 when Bessemer introduced the blown steel
process.
These pre 1860 hammers were always from wrought iron with crucible
steel ends fire welded on.
te oldest I think I have is a roman one but cant be sure of its age
The design is right so is the form.
Heres hoping.!!
Ted
Dorset UK.

Interesting! Photos? Web site?

-- Mark

Mark Jerde wrote:
"Ted Frater" wrote in message
...


Iknow, im a sucker for old machinery.
Collect anything thats old and restorable.
As an applied art smith, hammers are my real interest.
Especially those made before 1860 when Bessemer introduced the blown steel
process.
These pre 1860 hammers were always from wrought iron with crucible
steel ends fire welded on.
te oldest I think I have is a roman one but cant be sure of its age
The design is right so is the form.
Heres hoping.!!
Ted
Dorset UK.


Interesting! Photos? Web site?

-- Mark



It will be a few days for me to get out all these hammers and take some
pics. then upload tomy website.
thanks for the interst.
ted.

17:01:21 GMT, NoOne N Particular wrote:
little, drop the foot, and go again. This leaves a long piece of the thread
open where you moved the piece but it works. or 2), Turn the piece around.

There's also option 3: decrease the stitch length to near 0 or 0, and/or
hold on to the fabric and keep it from feeding for a few stitches at the
end of the seam. Either will lock a line of stitches.

Kay

Pogonip wrote:
NoOne N Particular wrote:
However, what I wanted to say in responding to your question is that I
would suggest you find one that has a reverse. Mine doesn't. I have
found myself wishing that I had a reverse a few times like for tacking
the end of a stitch, etc. What I have to do is either 1). Lift the
foot and drag the piece back a little, drop the foot, and go again.
This leaves a long piece of the thread open where you moved the piece
but it works. or 2), Turn the piece around. This is ok for smaller
pieces, but when I was re-stitching my boat cover it was a little
impractical.

Wayne

Do you have a stitch length lever? If so, lower the number of stitches
at the end of your seam to make very small stitches close together.
Nearly on top of each other. I do that, not with the stitch lever, but
by holding the fabric under the needle for the last 3 or 4 stitches,
which does lock the end of the seam. You may find it easier to use the
stitch length lever.

The stitch length IS adjustable, but not while the machine is running, and not
easily done with a heavy load of fabric on the bed. To change the stitch length
you have to have the machine at a very specific point on it's rotation, then
press a button on the bed of the machine and turn the hand wheel until the
number of stitches per inch appears in a hole on the front of the machine. I
think I might try the other technique of trying to slow the fabric so the
stitches are closer together. Hadn't thought of that one.

Wayne

On Jun 30, 5:51 pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
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?
For canvas, cotton, and thin leather you should be fine with a typical
"workhorse" sewingmachine from the swapmeet or a garage sale. Look for
a brand name metal-bodied sewing machine, like Singer, Kenmore
(Sears), Viking, or Husquvarnia. A good machine around here goes for
~50. If you can, try to get one with the little box of accessories...
there should be some extra feet for making button holes or different
kinds of hems.

I don't know what you're making, but I'd guess that you don't need to
go crazy with the stitches, just straight and zig-zag and maybe a
button hole should do it for you. If you are looking to make clothes
or something that will be washed a lot you might want to check out a
serger. They'll sew up a seam, trim it and finish it so it wont fray
all at the same time.

If you know that you are going to do a whole lot of a particular kind
of stitch you might want an industrial sewing machine. For example, if
you are going to make a few tents or awnings you might want a straight
stitch industrial machine and table w/clutch motor. If you don't have
experience sewing I wouldn't recommend going that route.

BTW, you might take a look at Sewing for Dummies, or other sewing
books, or checking out alt.sewing, rec.crafts.textiles.sewing; or
other forums.

"NoOne N Particular" wrote in message
. net...

|
| The stitch length IS adjustable, but not while the machine is running, and
not
| easily done with a heavy load of fabric on the bed. To change the stitch
length
| you have to have the machine at a very specific point on it's rotation,
then
| press a button on the bed of the machine and turn the hand wheel until the
| number of stitches per inch appears in a hole on the front of the machine.
I
| think I might try the other technique of trying to slow the fabric so the
| stitches are closer together. Hadn't thought of that one.
|
| Wayne

That sounds weird! What kind of sewing machine do you have? I've owned
various types of sewing machines in the past and presently, I still keep 12
vintage machines in my collections( Pfaff, Elna, Necchi, Singer, Viking ).
None of them have to be stopped to adjust the stitch length. All of them
have infinitely variable stitch length( up to the max length) adjustments
that can be done even when running at full speed.
If you want a simple machine that would last for many generations that could
do all you wanted to do as have been discussed here, I recommend a Pfaff
138. It is a real industrial machine for heavy duty work built like a tank
with adjustable stitch length, zigzag, reverse and a very convenient
knee-operated foot lever to raise the sewing foot. It's very simple to
maintain or adjust and the design is straightforward for any mechanically
inclined person to understand.
The older Consew machines are good choices too.

On Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:34:01 -0700, wrote:

On Jun 30, 5:51 pm, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
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?
For canvas, cotton, and thin leather you should be fine with a typical
"workhorse" sewingmachine from the swapmeet or a garage sale. Look for
a brand name metal-bodied sewing machine, like Singer, Kenmore
(Sears), Viking, or Husquvarnia. A good machine around here goes for
~50. If you can, try to get one with the little box of accessories...
there should be some extra feet for making button holes or different
kinds of hems.

I don't know what you're making, but I'd guess that you don't need to
go crazy with the stitches, just straight and zig-zag and maybe a
button hole should do it for you. If you are looking to make clothes
or something that will be washed a lot you might want to check out a
serger. They'll sew up a seam, trim it and finish it so it wont fray
all at the same time.

If you know that you are going to do a whole lot of a particular kind
of stitch you might want an industrial sewing machine. For example, if
you are going to make a few tents or awnings you might want a straight
stitch industrial machine and table w/clutch motor. If you don't have
experience sewing I wouldn't recommend going that route.

BTW, you might take a look at Sewing for Dummies, or other sewing
books, or checking out alt.sewing, rec.crafts.textiles.sewing; or
other forums.

Btw..this reminds me. Anyone in the sewing machine repair business?

I bought one of those units with all the little drawers in it..just
filled with every kind of sewing maching foot you could possible think
of. Some Ive never seen before. Came out of an auction as part of a
lot.

Most of the feet are marked $10 and so forth. Got a couple hundred of
them.. Anone want to make me an offer for the whole shooting match?

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

Gunner wrote:


Btw..this reminds me. Anyone in the sewing machine repair business?

I bought one of those units with all the little drawers in it..just
filled with every kind of sewing maching foot you could possible think
of. Some Ive never seen before. Came out of an auction as part of a
lot.

Most of the feet are marked $10 and so forth. Got a couple hundred of
them.. Anone want to make me an offer for the whole shooting match?

Gunner

If you go over to alt.sewing and pose your question there, Ron Anderson
will probably come to the rescue. He has a sewing machine repair shop
in upstate New York and has been astonishingly helpful to many of us.
BTW, that group has waaaay more traffic than this one does, so you might
get more replies. If you can't find alt. sewing, come back and I'll get
you a link.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

--
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