If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
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 |
Ads |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
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/ |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
"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 |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
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. |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
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 |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
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 |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
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. |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
"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. |
#29
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
|
#30
|
|||
|
|||
A Sewing Machine For The Workshop
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. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Old sewing machine question .. EMDEKO machine | NE Sailboat | Sewing | 1 | January 18th 07 06:39 PM |
Is ths a good deal? Grace Quilting Sewing Frame +Janome 1600 Sewing Machine | bobbi | Quilting | 12 | December 8th 06 09:18 PM |
my new sewing machine | dreamboat | Quilting | 0 | December 8th 04 05:06 AM |
sewing machine | [email protected] | Quilting | 7 | December 7th 04 10:19 PM |
old sewing machine | Sindir | Quilting | 20 | May 5th 04 09:30 PM |