Chinese Vs Sailrite walking foot sewing machines

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by rbk

Was in the same situation and ended up getting a REX for around $300usd. Very pleased with the price and performance. Best part is you can throw out the instructions that come with it and use the sail rite ones instead along with every single maintenance video they have online. It starts to get a bit much around 14 layers of sunbrella but will do it, along with all the accessories and Tenara thread. Biggest issue I have is the foot pedal was stiff at first and was ‘all or none’ but with time and practice you can get it to go slow. Bought a binding feeder off of Amazon for $10 and it works awesome, only had to thread the two holes to accept the machine screws that came with it. I did screw up though and ordered the straight version instead of the zigzag.

Exactly what I did too. The Rex didn't come tuned as well as a Sailrite would, but Sailrite has all their tuning videos on YouTube and the adjustments are pretty easy. Used to be you had to buy their machine to get the DVD's with the videos. I added the Barracuda monster wheel which is actually the original version of Sailrite's wheel for about $100 US on Amazon. It helps a lot, only downside is it's harder to disengage the internals for winding bobbins. I just leave it engaged and let the needle go up and down while winding. Not a problem. Check out their video showing the differences between thier machines and the "knockoffs". (Actually the Sailrite is a knockoff too, the original was the Thompson.) They show some parts that will likely break and they have beefed up on their versions, and sure enough two parts did break on my Rex. But Sailrite will sell you those parts and they're drop in replacements. Not expensive either.

[rbk]

Originally Posted by TooCoys

Just curious... what would you be sewing that would have 14 layers of sunbrella?

It happens. Doubled up overlapping layers, with overlapping binding on a corner with a fold.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by BBill

Im curious when the spinnaker sock was invented. I bought a used 20' Bay City sloop in 1967 that had a Ratsey Sailmakers sock onboard...same as the original build 1960 sails. I assumed the sock was developed in the 40s or 50s and later made popular by Spinnaker Sally. Pretty cool device but I managed to get a seriously tight forestay wrap the fist time I used it single handed.

You mention a Ratsey sock. We had a Ratsey Lapthorn (sp?) storm jib for that boat for a while, till Jim made us a new one. We had never seen, nor heard of a sock at the time, but there was a net with large holes sort of snuffer, called a Spinnaker Sally, that Jim just thought all fabric would be better. I thought he was the inventor, but perhaps I'm wrong, or maybe it was an idea whose time had come and sprung up all over the place, simultaneous invention.

Ann

[wingssail]

Sail cloth, near a corner...all the time.

Canvas work with Sunbrella, I try to avoid that many layers.

[B_Hunter45]

The sailrite is made in China!.
I bought an Omega from a guy in Laval (QC, Canada) he gets them from the same factory that makes sail rite. Practically the same machine.

[BBill]

Originally Posted by capt jgw

Exactly what I did too. The Rex didn't come tuned as well as a Sailrite would, but Sailrite has all their tuning videos on YouTube and the adjustments are pretty easy. Used to be you had to buy their machine to get the DVD's with the videos. I added the Barracuda monster wheel which is actually the original version of Sailrite's wheel for about $100 US on Amazon. It helps a lot, only downside is it's harder to disengage the internals for winding bobbins. I just leave it engaged and let the needle go up and down while winding. Not a problem. Check out their video showing the differences between thier machines and the "knockoffs". (Actually the Sailrite is a knockoff too, the original was the Thompson.) They show some parts that will likely break and they have beefed up on their versions, and sure enough two parts did break on my Rex. But Sailrite will sell you those parts and they're drop in replacements. Not expensive either.

They started breaking parts when the monster wheel came out. It also was too heavy for the bobbin clutch and the posi pin added to correct that issue. Use any clone without the monster wheel and they don't break parts...and the bobbin clutch works fine too

[BBill]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

You mention a Ratsey sock. We had a Ratsey Lapthorn (sp?) storm jib for that boat for a while, till Jim made us a new one. We had never seen, nor heard of a sock at the time, but there was a net with large holes sort of snuffer, called a Spinnaker Sally, that Jim just thought all fabric would be better. I thought he was the inventor, but perhaps I'm wrong, or maybe it was an idea whose time had come and sprung up all over the place, simultaneous invention.

Ann

Yep, same Ratsey. No telling who was first I guess. I remember "inventing" the hobie cat design several years before hobie came out. I tried to get my dad to finance a mfg facility to make them but he declined. Two years later hobie placed a small ad in surfer mag for his new invention...and the rest is history and a funny memory for me.