Want To Buy: Sewing machine, walking foot (and zig zag preferred)

[chienbizarre]

I'm looking for a good deal on a sewing machine. If you want to get rid of one I'll try to make it easy for you. Definitely need walking foot. I really want zig zag, but for the right machine I can forego that. Price depends on condition and features.
I'm in Merritt Island, FL.

[islandplanet]

You can buy a new Morse that does what you want it to do for $450. Maybe 300 if you can find a used one.

[chienbizarre]

Thank, but having a hard time finding Morse. How are Rex, or Reliable, or Family Sew, or are any other Taiwan or Chinese machines decent?
It's starting to look like I'll have to get a cheap Chinese straight stitch model.

[islandplanet]

Have you tried googling "morse zig zag sewing machine" ?
I don't want to post a link in violation of the TOS as the moderators here are, err, well, very active enforcers.

[ohdrinkboy]

There is a morse zig zag on ebay now for $95

[chienbizarre]

I did a search for "morse sewing machine walking foot" since walking foot is more important than zigzag.
I did find one Morse that looks like a clone like all the others similar to the sailrite, but the site is pretty sketchy. I can't see giving them my cc info.
Are you referring to the older Morse machines that are more for household use? They look like good machines but not robust or powerful enough fo sew many layers of canvas and sails.

I did find several Morse machines on eBay, but no slow, torquey w/walking foot. They were all household type machines.

The REX seems cheapest at about 300, but no feedback, Alphasew at $400 and the Reliable at $500.
Can anybody recommend any others? You can PM me!

[islandplanet]

Looks like the ones on ebay are 4300 which aren't the right one.
Here's a hint:
morsesewDOTCOM "forward slash" about.html

I have no affiliation, personal, business, or otherwise with the above. I tend to accumulate sewing machines rather than ever selling. Aside from the color, the machine in the "link" appears the same as the one we carry on our boat.

I highly recommend buying new versus a used one you cannot test before you buy. If you buy sight unseen, be sure to factor in some money for a tuneup.

[chienbizarre]

That's the site I thought looked sketchy. Fake looking testimonials and poorly sorted site. Have you dealt with them?
Machine looks good. Had it long?

[tamicatana]

I do canvas for a living, and I'll tell you that you don't need a walking foot, but for repairing sails, you'll really wish you had zag

Suggest considering old Pfaff. The 138 has a nice large throat area and is tuff as they come, and can be found for less than $500. Also for a very versatile machine, consider the Pfaff 130 ($250 range).

I've used both machines in the profession, so yes, they're industrial quality.

[islandplanet]

Originally Posted by chienbizarre

That's the site I thought looked sketchy. Fake looking testimonials and poorly sorted site. Have you dealt with them?
Machine looks good. Had it long?

I have never dealt with that company. I bought our Morse secondhand and tested it before I bought. So I can't advise you one way or the other. However if you use paypal or credit card, there is recourse if the machine does not arrive. Be sure to verify they have it in stock and get a commitment for when it will ship. I agree the site looks sketchy but it's one of those free-bee websites.

I don't judge too harshly based on the hokey website. I know of a retailer selling sails that defrauded many people with a good website only to get shut down by the attorney general in their state. Then they went to a different state, started an even slicker website and are at it again from what I'm reading on the web.

Best thing to do is educate yourself on what your credit card or paypal will do if someone fails to deliver and make sure you don't wait too long to start the claim process if an item fails to show up as promised.

On a personal note, I always look to see who is involved in the company. If they aren't publishing any names in their "about us", it seems a bit weird.

Back to the machine it works great as an onboard machine. It's not something I'd use day in and day out. I have no complaints. Remember that you need to be prepared to hand sew because there are a lot of jobs you can't do with a machine that small because the material simply doesn't fit under the arm. I know one sailmaker who doesn't carry a machine and just hand sews everything on their own boat. YMMV.

[chienbizarre]

Originally Posted by tamif27

I do canvas for a living, and I'll tell you that you don't need a walking foot, but for repairing sails, you'll really wish you had zag

Suggest considering old Pfaff. The 138 has a nice large throat area and is tuff as they come, and can be found for less than $500. Also for a very versatile machine, consider the Pfaff 130 ($250 range).

I've used both machines in the profession, so yes, they're industrial quality.

Hi Tamif,
I did some genoa repair on my Moms old Singer. Looked horrible. The serrated lower foot got no purchase at all on the heavy Dacron. It went sideways as easy as any other direction. Maybe you can sew without a walking foot, but not sure if I can. My skill level is pretty low and I don't want to make it more of a challenge than I have to.
On the other hand cash isn't abundant, so options are a god thing. Thanks.

[sailronin]

If you plan on sail repair you need zig zag, probably won't find that with an inexpensive walking foot. You don't want to repair sails with straight stitch, they will just tear like a theater ticket along the seam.
The Pfaff 130 and 138 are both excellent.

Dave
(former sailmaker)

[chienbizarre]

OK, that's two pros for no walking foot.
So, am I better off with a $450-550 zig zag walking foot cheap Chinese machine, or a $350 Pfaff 130? (the 138's look extremely rare and prob too big for a boat)
BTW, it will live on the boat, mostly used for canvas builds and repair, with some sail repair. Real sail repair, not just emergency repair.

Back to the website, no names, no phone, no address, smells like 2 day old Bonito.

[sailronin]

A Pfaff 130 will be 40 years old, and last another 40 years. Don't know about Chinese machines, never used one.

[tamicatana]

I bought a 130 specifically with an eye to carrying it aboard. It'll do clothes and sails. Although I have a 138, I use the 130 for lightweight cloth (spinnaker) work.

You can modify the machines for ease of use: Add springs to the pressor foot shaft. Purchase aggressive feed dogs. Get a heavier wheel.

Learn how to help the cloth through the machine. You can get one of those puller things but you are better served to learn how to do it yourself.

Set up a large table next to the machine table to lay the cloth out on so it's not pulling down off the edge. My dining room table works for that. Roll and fold the cloth so it fits under the machine better, and that's what clamps are for.

BTW it cannot be stated enough that you need to learn about tension and thread-and-needle combinations. Puckering is mostly from poor choices of these.

FWIW, I had more like $1G into my Sailrite LSZ with all the bells and whistles, and when I went to work in the canvas house and learned about the old Pfaffs, bought a Pfaff and sold that LSZ in short order. BTW, even with a walking foot machine you're going to have to help some projects through...