Canvas stitchwork repairer, recommendations Brighton area

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FairweatherDave

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As the title says. My sail cover stitching is giving up and the zip probably should be replaced. Any recommendations near to Brighton/Shoreham? Here or via PM appreciated. If I had a heavy duty machine the job would be pretty simple, but not by hand. Thanks for any suggestions.
 
Nicky is totally overbooked, as is Marcel of Italian Upholstery. Both do good work, but it might be a long wait, especially with all the additional canvas damage from the last weekend. Definitely a business opportunity here in Brighton.

I have an old Singer machine coming in the post and will try to fix my blown in cockpit tent window myself.
 
To be honest I'm in no rush so I might join the back of the queue. We do have a sewing machine but apart from my limited skills I don't know how to set it up for heavy work (or light work!). If it was just a case of purchasing the right heavy needles and thread maybe I should do that (looking for encouragement and info here and support at home :))
 
Yngmar.. I did see that you posted a Wanted ad for a sewing machine recently. I did wonder about passing one of my three sewing machines your way but I just couldn't bring myself to part with any of them. I don't know where you're getting the machine from but if it's stitching is not up to scratch or you need a hand getting it sewing then just ask.

To the Op... if you were in Southsea I'd have offered to do the sewing for you.
 
Thanks for the pointer Sarabande. I'm debating whether to try it myself with family help, but both occasional users of our Jones D66 DL machine say it is "not very good" or something less polite. If I were to need to replace the zip I think that would make it a pro job. But could a Jones D66 DL ever be heavy duty enough for canvas?
 
FairweatherDave said:
Thanks for the pointer Sarabande. I'm debating whether to try it myself with family help, but both occasional users of our Jones D66 DL machine say it is "not very good" or something less polite. If I were to need to replace the zip I think that would make it a pro job. But could a Jones D66 DL ever be heavy duty enough for canvas?
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I don't know much about this, but having just hand-stitched enough of my cockpit tent to keep it from tearing apart further, I know the canvas isn't that heavy duty and fairly easy to pierce with a needle - but the windows aren't. The clear PVC stuff is pretty tough to shove a needle through and I had to use a sailmakers palm, until I discovered I could just sew through the existing holes, which vastly sped up the provisional repair job.

Martin_J said:
Yngmar.. I did see that you posted a Wanted ad for a sewing machine recently. I did wonder about passing one of my three sewing machines your way but I just couldn't bring myself to part with any of them. I don't know where you're getting the machine from but if it's stitching is not up to scratch or you need a hand getting it sewing then just ask.
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Thanks. Found a Singer 507 on the cheap (about as old as me) - we'll see if it works at all when it arrives :) I might need advice. All I know so far is it's all about having the right needles for the job. Oh, and how to thread the thing, which is a start.
 
TonyBuckley said:
I asked Nicky in May about some work I needed doing. Was told August was doable.
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Well I'm in no rush and I'm quite curious to poke around the chandlery, but it's on the wrong side of town so a bit of a mission from Hove Actually.
Duncan I will bear in mind too, thanks. I may yet make it a DIY project .
 
Been on the mission. Went to Nicky's. Liked what I heard advice and price wise so they have the job. Although they are expecting work coming in from the gales I don't think they are swamped at the moment. Feel bad not to be attempting it myself but my list of things to do is just a bit too long.
 
FairweatherDave
Your Jones D66 should be up to the task of re-stitching your sail cover. It should even be capable of making one with new fabric. The hardest part (especially with new acrylic canvas) is ensuring that it feeds under the foot correctly and doesn't get caught up.

Photos of my machines below... Even the smallest modern Frister Rossman copes with four layers of acrylic canvas (plus webbing). They all cope, just that some are easier to use than others for certain tasks.

Frister Rossman lightweight machine

1930s Singer

Brother - still good for acrylic canvas

Brother close up - for windows in sprayhoods

Brother close up

Jack industrial walking foot

Jack close up

Needle burr

Window corners - altered stich length

Joys - Original (but longer) Sailrite chassis
 
Once on the first link above, you might just be able to scroll through the rest.

One day I'll register with a photo hosting site that will allow for preview pictures on the forum.

FairweatherDave - If the machine is not stitching (or missing stitches) then I'd start by cleaning out all the dust from the workings, oil all the in-contact moving parts, check the shuttle timing, check for sharp edges and burrs on all lower shuttle parts, check lower tension, check correct threading, check upper tension, check the spool thread is not likely to get caught up, check needle is correct orientation (seriously, the groove needs to be at the correct side), put a new sharp needle in (correct size for the thread).... then let us know how it goes!

Note - if using a large Dabond style spool with V92 thread then you need thread take off from the top - so use a thread stand and put the spool in an old sock :)
 
Thanks for the encouragement. I will give it a go on something but not this particular project.
Great piks of not just your machines, lots of nice boat shots.
 
Thank you.

I should have explained a couple of things more clearly...

Check lower bobbin tension - This isn't so easy to find instructions for but if you have a bobbin that sits in a removable bobbin holder then place the full spool in the bobbin holder and pick it up by the loose end of the thread. The tension should be just enough to prevent the spool from dropping.. but not so much that it needs more than a little downwards pressure to make it unwind.

Put the spool in an old sock - Socks are a good way of looking after your spools of thread, preventing knots and stopping the loose end from flying away and unwinding. Just thread the loose end of the thread into a large unused sock and out through the centre of the toe. Let the spool then follow the thread into the sock, cut the sock to just a few inches longer than the bottom of the spool if needed, then tuck the cut end (or top of the sock) into the bottom of the spool.

The spool can then be left in the sock. It should happily sit on a spool holder like this whilst sewing, it keeps it safe in the event of it falling off the table or being kicked whilst sewing and prevents knots whilst stored.
 
Yes OP should try to sew his canvass with the sewing machine he has or is getting. You buy thread sometimes described as upholstery thread. Gutterman make one. It has about 100m of thread on reel compared to similar looking reel of 250 m of ordinary sewing thread. (polyester) Buy a heavy gauge needle. Nothing special just the thicker of those available. As said adjust the tension of the lower bobbin. A little spring plate tensioned with a small screw until it will just take the weight of the bobbin holder by holding the thread.
Thread up the needle as per the instruction book. (if you have one) The thread will go through a tensioning regulator. (often tension is only applied when the foot is lowered to sew position) then up to a moving arm which pulls the thread through the tensioner at the appropriate time. From there down to the needle eye via guides.
The tension of the top thread should feel similar to the tension of the bottom thread.
Sew a line of stitching on a scrap of cloth. Look at the stitches closely. Especially if you do zig zag you may get a bottom thread that is almost straight and a top thread that follows to accommodate the straight thread. This will mean the bottom thread (bobbin) has too much tension or the top thread too little. Adjust the top tension by turning the dial. The opposite also applies. If you find the top thread breaks then total tension or top tension is too much.
Once it seems to sew ok on scrap you can tackle the canvas. You should find that a simple double layer of canvas not too much trouble. But when the double is folded to make 4 layers it will be difficult to sew. You may mange by hand winding the machine.
You may find an adjustment for foot down pressure. This should be as hard down as possible. The foot can be lifted when the needle is withdrawn on heavy cloth.
Sewing machines can demand a lot of patience. But if you can master it. You can get much pleasure and kudos from helping SWMBO with her sewing.
I got an old Toyota which I set up for myself. SWMBO did not like me abusing (so she said ) her machine also a Toyota. Now hers is playing (does not always pick up the top thread to drag it around the bobbin. So we are back to one machine (mine) good luck (and you will ned it plus much patience) olewill
 
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