fearmhuir
Well-Known Member
For several year now, I have been repairing canvas on my boat with a Singer 201K machine. It can be coaxed to cope with all but heavy sewing, but coaxed is the operative word.
Reading posts here at various times, I decided to investigate a 'proper' canvas sewing machine.
First up was a Sailrite, which I used for a few days about five years ago, and was very impressed. However, looking at the costs landed in UK, these worked out at $1095, plus $185 for shipping. On top of that add 20% VAT and import duty at 1.5% gives a total of $1559, which a couple of weeks ago was £1350 which was way, way over my budget.
So I had a look at all the alternative clones that were available.
I registered for alibaba.com, and searched there and found several sources but eventually settled on the listing below:
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.73cd7808CEaJpj
The total for the machine, the large balance wheel, and a wooden box came to $670, which I paid through Alibaba, which guarantees payment, and have a return policy.
So the $670 was assessed at £637 and duty and vat came to £137, a total of £774. I then waited for a week in deep trepidation.
Two boxes arrived by FedEx, and both were very well packed, with the sewing machine and balance wheel in a wooden box. Having read some warnings and horror stories I set up the machine, and on initial inspection was pleased. It looked identical in every way to the Sailrite I had used before.
Reading a post here, I opened up the top end to liberally oil and 'run in' for a day before use. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was liberal amounts of oil already there. I checked underneath, and the same there. I also had a close look, and the quality of the castings, the linkages, the walking foot setup were all of good quality, without a pressed steel fitting in sight.
The machine came with some thread on the bobbin, and a length through the upper tension unit, with a small test piece which had been test sewn. I loaded new thread, and did some sewing and was pleasantly surprised that it worked straight from the box.
I have attached some pics of the box (pretty good quality), the machine itself, and some test sewing - the thick multilayer on the left is eight layers of sunbrlla, and it sailed through it.
The machine I received is pretty much identical to the Sailrite I used five years ago - identical in fact. Nowadays, Sailrite have some improvements - the stitch length plate is improved, and there is a pin to give direct drive without the clutch, but the wheel I bought has an allen screw that can be screwed down to give full drive.
With the large balance wheel, the speed is quite slow, which suits me as I am not a great machinist. It is easy to 'rock' the machine back and forward, a half stitch at a time which is ideal for corners. The large balance wheel comes with a handle for use if there is no power.
So, the machine I received is everything I had hoped it would be. If it had been rubbish, it would have cost me around £150 to return to China for a refund.
Now, I have started a big job - remaking a complete sailcover with lazyjacks, sprayhood and cockpit cover using the original tattered covers as patterns, so the machine will have paid for itself a couple of times when I am finished.
Reading posts here at various times, I decided to investigate a 'proper' canvas sewing machine.
First up was a Sailrite, which I used for a few days about five years ago, and was very impressed. However, looking at the costs landed in UK, these worked out at $1095, plus $185 for shipping. On top of that add 20% VAT and import duty at 1.5% gives a total of $1559, which a couple of weeks ago was £1350 which was way, way over my budget.
So I had a look at all the alternative clones that were available.
I registered for alibaba.com, and searched there and found several sources but eventually settled on the listing below:
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.73cd7808CEaJpj
The total for the machine, the large balance wheel, and a wooden box came to $670, which I paid through Alibaba, which guarantees payment, and have a return policy.
So the $670 was assessed at £637 and duty and vat came to £137, a total of £774. I then waited for a week in deep trepidation.
Two boxes arrived by FedEx, and both were very well packed, with the sewing machine and balance wheel in a wooden box. Having read some warnings and horror stories I set up the machine, and on initial inspection was pleased. It looked identical in every way to the Sailrite I had used before.
Reading a post here, I opened up the top end to liberally oil and 'run in' for a day before use. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was liberal amounts of oil already there. I checked underneath, and the same there. I also had a close look, and the quality of the castings, the linkages, the walking foot setup were all of good quality, without a pressed steel fitting in sight.
The machine came with some thread on the bobbin, and a length through the upper tension unit, with a small test piece which had been test sewn. I loaded new thread, and did some sewing and was pleasantly surprised that it worked straight from the box.
I have attached some pics of the box (pretty good quality), the machine itself, and some test sewing - the thick multilayer on the left is eight layers of sunbrlla, and it sailed through it.
The machine I received is pretty much identical to the Sailrite I used five years ago - identical in fact. Nowadays, Sailrite have some improvements - the stitch length plate is improved, and there is a pin to give direct drive without the clutch, but the wheel I bought has an allen screw that can be screwed down to give full drive.
With the large balance wheel, the speed is quite slow, which suits me as I am not a great machinist. It is easy to 'rock' the machine back and forward, a half stitch at a time which is ideal for corners. The large balance wheel comes with a handle for use if there is no power.
So, the machine I received is everything I had hoped it would be. If it had been rubbish, it would have cost me around £150 to return to China for a refund.
Now, I have started a big job - remaking a complete sailcover with lazyjacks, sprayhood and cockpit cover using the original tattered covers as patterns, so the machine will have paid for itself a couple of times when I am finished.
