Sewing Machines

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
kind regards,

[tamicatana]

welcome, and a standard search will garner you some discussions in regards sewing machines. Here is a link to my standard advice:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post908485

Another link, here, to a nice PDF from Bainbridge on machine needles and thread compatibility:

http://banner-flag.bainbridgeint.com...ls_133_150.pdf


And, as an alternative to Sailrite, have a look at Sailmaker's Supply: Sunbrella, Marine Canvas, Fabrics, Hardware and Supplies - Sailmaker's Supply (disclaimer: I do sometimes work there.)

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Oh, here we go with more thread drift...




Nomadgurl,



I fixed her machine in 24 hours.

The next day she came into the store full of customers and in her tipsy condition, loudly announced what a great guy I was and asked me to come live with her.

I said pointing to my wife, "Thanks for the compliment, but I'm happily married to that lady over there".

She then said, "Well, if you ever dump her, let me know!" to which another lady at the counter said quietly, "Get in line, honey..."

AAHhhh--- She had a sewing machine but no boat!!!

[Nicholson58]

I have been having a hard time figuring out what features are on which machines. Finding an affordable Pfaff 130 or 230 on EBAY is easy. Other interesting older machines pop up too but even a search for the specifications on machines by model number doesn't turn up the capabilities. Sounds like ZigZag and large foot height with walking foot are the basics. It would be nice to be able to colate the machines by ability.

[gjordan]

senoremechanico, do you do tune ups on Vikings from the 1960s era? I am soon going to get my moms old Viking that has been passed around the family for a half century or so. I did a lot of canvas work and one drifter with an old Singer plastic featherweight. I flat wore the thing out. I tried the Viking many years ago and never had good luck with it, even after a shop worked it over. It has been gathering dust for the last 25 years and I would like to know if it is worth putting money into it, or get a newer machine? Any advice is welcome._____Grant.

[philocat]

I recollect posting similar on another thread but here goes again.

inverter or shore power is probably the easiest way to power rather than buy a dedicated and expensive? DC machine. For intermittent or emergency use on board consider installing a hand crank on the drive wheel. Can be simply a bent piece of aluminium strip with a bolt in drilled hole acting as the handle, fixed to the wheel with an oversized hose clamp. Half an hour to build and no modification to original machine. Makes it easier to slowly sew very thick sections without stalling motor

FWIW I got an industrial zzag singer with a clutched motor. Weighs a ton so I'd probably again adopt the hand crank idea on board or down size the motor.

I went against advice of having a walking foot due primarily due to expense. If seams are pre glued together with sliicone sealant and/or assistant pulls top fabric then fabric slippage is not really much of a problem for the casual sewing situations most of us would face.

[Krawdad]

One thing not mentioned here as desirable option was length of stitch adjustment. I have a high end Kenmore electronic limited edition that will stretch a stitch as far as one would care to & is great for basting. It has no power for sewing multi canvas layers however & will stall. On the other hand my commercial Juki will just about pound through sheet steel at a mind bogling 6000 stitches a minute but it is useless for canvas work because the max stitch length is too close. Something to consider.

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by Boulter

Hi:

My wife has a 30 YO Bernina. I know pretty much next to nothing about sewing machines. Is there any reason we would want a different machine for sailor usage, say the Sailrite?

Thanks,

Boulter

Oh, Those old machines are no good at all. Really. They just fall apart all over the place.

Sell the old Bernina to me, and go buy a brand new one, all shiny and with blinky lights.

Please?????

Pretty Pretty Please???

; -)

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by gjordan

senoremechanico, do you do tune ups on Vikings from the 1960s era? I am soon going to get my moms old Viking that has been passed around the family for a half century or so. I did a lot of canvas work and one drifter with an old Singer plastic featherweight. I flat wore the thing out. I tried the Viking many years ago and never had good luck with it, even after a shop worked it over. It has been gathering dust for the last 25 years and I would like to know if it is worth putting money into it, or get a newer machine? Any advice is welcome._____Grant.

PM sent.
Steve

SARA, you are at it again, aren't you? LOL

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

PM sent.
Steve

SARA, you are at it again, aren't you? LOL

Honest Steve, I am trying to love my pffaf 1222e... really I am!

but it ain't my Bernina...

Can't blame a girl for tryin....
;- )

Find me a 1020, would'ja?

[senormechanico]

Sara,
Don't try too hard.
I don't like 'em either!

[olaf hart]

So how does a Bernina 1020 match up against an Elnastar?

Sounds like a Pfaff 230 would be a good option for heavy work though.

I have an old hand cranked Singer for work on the boat, haven't used it much but it's a simple option.

[Celestialsailor]

I like my Pfaff 230...but really...who am I? I'm so new at this. I can talk circles around people in regards to Motorcycles and Vintage T-birds. Sewing?...nope.

[Sumner]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I have been having a hard time figuring out what features are on which machines. Finding an affordable Pfaff 130 or 230 on EBAY is easy. Other interesting older machines pop up too but even a search for the specifications on machines by model number doesn't turn up the capabilities. Sounds like ZigZag and large foot height with walking foot are the basics. It would be nice to be able to colate the machines by ability.

For the projects we have done....

Ruth Canvas Mods Index

... which have all been canvas except for an anchor sail zigzag has not been a requirement. I believe that even making a sail can be done without zigzag you just need to make multiple passes and the zigzag can cut down on the time to make a sail with fewer passes.

We started with ...



...an older industrail Singer that Ruth used for numerous projects and still have it and still use it for some jobs. The negative to it was no walking foot and the small area under the arm but both of those aren't game stoppers.

We really like sewing (both of us) and wanted to do more projects so bought the Sailrite machine and would do exactly the same again.



The main reason for us has been the service and backup. Any of these machines will get out of adjustment over time and probably need parts also if you really use them. We are not near any service centers and Sailrite has the videos and will give you help over the phone whenever it is needed and believe me sooner or later you will need some help and/or parts from someone.

I have a good friend that picked up an industrial machine pretty cheap, but had to have another friend that worked where the machine came from set it up and work with him with it and he still isn't using it much. It is heavy duty and fast which means that it was setup for production work for a person that can sew fast.

With the sailrite machine it will go through anything and if adjusted properly is very easy to sew with slow or fast. You do need a machine that will go through a lot of layers as you will find that happening when hemming and sewing panels together. It does have the zigzag and the walking foot that does make it much easier to control the stitch.

If you have very many projects ahead of you get the sailrite machine and don't look back. Ours has been a joy to use and has saved us thousands and there is more on the Singer and Sailrite machines and using them here....

Ruth Canvas Mods Index

Neither one of us had done any canvas type projects before getting a boat, so anyone can do projects like above,

Sum

[Seaworthy Lass]

Hi all, I have a query that I posted as a separate thread yesterday, but I have had no response. If anyone here can answer this I would be very grateful:


Has anyone had any experience with Sailrite in the UK?

The general comments from people in the US seems to be:
"buying a new Sailrite includes the great support from the folks at Sailrite".

I have not had a lot of joy corresponding with them in the UK. I tried to buy an LSZ-1 while we were on the hardstand last winter and I had a mailing address. They didn't have one in stock, but said they would let me know as soon as it was in. Every couple of weeks I would email and ask had one come in yet (I was really keen to get one before we left) with the same reply. Eventually we launched and seven months later I have still not heard back from them.

Also contacted them a couple of years ago regarding a query on purchasing sewing thread. Never had a response at all.

I will be in a spot again soon where I will have a delivery address again and am tossing up what to do. I am a bit concerned purchasing an expensive item like this if after sale service mirrors my experience so far.