Sewing machine recommendations for canvas work?!

[Callish]

The upholstery , sail bags, spray hood and Bimini have been repaired before but it's time to replace. Toying with the idea of doing it myself but my old singer definitely isn't up to it! Any recommendations?

 

[Foolish Muse]

Actually your old Singer should be up to it, if it's old enough. Something from the early 60s or earlier with metal gears is the cheapest way to do it without getting a specialized machine. Buy an old used one or borrow your Grandma's.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Sailrite is the gold standard, but expect to pay £800 for a new one. Expensive, but the cost is recovered many times over during a lifetime of sailing.

 

[nigelmercier]

Sailrite is the gold standard, but expect to pay £800 for a new one. Expensive, but the cost is recovered many times over during a lifetime of sailing.

+1

Don't be tempted to buy a Sailrite clone on eBay, utter disaster.

 

[geem]

Our trusty Singer 201k must be from 1950. It has made both stackpacks, bimini, cockpit cover, bean bags, binnacle cover, saloon cushions, liferaft cover, etc. We paid £90 for it about 5 years ago. It was refurbished by a dealer.
Basically, what ever you can fit under the foot, it will sew through. Its powerful and reliable. We are now using it with Tenara thread with no adjustment or problems

 

[Poignard]

(...)
Basically, what ever you can fit under the foot, it will sew through. (...)

That's a good rule of thumb. I have a hand-cranked Singer 99K and it's amazing what it can tackle if jeans needles are used.

 

[prv]

Sailrite is the gold standard, but expect to pay £800 for a new one. Expensive, but the cost is recovered many times over during a lifetime of sailing.

Definitely the best, especially with the heavy flywheel. But for a few covers and bags, a sturdy old machine for £50 or so will do the job. I'm not sure how old mine is, but the baby blue and stylised chrome bits suggest early 60s to me.

Pete

 

[sarabande]

call in to a sewing machine shop (not High Street one). They are usually run by a wizened old bloke


Ask if they have an old Husqvarna; the green ones. The frame and body is steel, the motor and gears are really old-fashioned and heavy duty. I've had one for twenty years for all kinds of industrial stuff.

Very similar to this manual one on ebay, but with a motor.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-Vint...111319?hash=item281c659597:g:eKsAAOSwa-dWjBvP.

Should be around £60.

 

[ghostlymoron]

1960s Singer or Jones models are what you need. As stated, all metal gears are a must as is zig zag capability. They are often found for 50 quid or less.

 

[KellysEye]

>Sailrite is the gold standard, but expect to pay £800 for a new one. Expensive, but the cost is recovered many times over during a lifetime of sailing.

That's what we had, ,Jane made all our canvas work for our ketch - sprayhood, 3 awnings, 2 sail covers and instrument covers for the GPS and SatC. Use Dabond UV resistant thread.

 

[Poignard]

Built-in zig-zag capability is not so easy to find unless you want to spend a fair bit. There is a zig-zag attachment available for my Singer 99K but when I was going to buy one from a supplier of Singer machines I was told it would not be suitable for heavy materials.

Interestingly, none of my professionally made covers has any zig-zag stitching but all my sails do.

 

[nigelmercier]

What the Singers and others lack, that the Sailrite has, is a walking foot.

 

[doug748]

Our trusty Singer 201k must be from 1950. It has made both stackpacks, bimini, cockpit cover, bean bags, binnacle cover, saloon cushions, liferaft cover, etc. We paid £90 for it about 5 years ago. It was refurbished by a dealer.
Basically, what ever you can fit under the foot, it will sew through. Its powerful and reliable. We are now using it with Tenara thread with no adjustment or problems

Might try Tenara, do you have a retail source in the UK?

I have used a number of machines for covers and have never used zig zag except for repairs. It holds down the edge of the cut fabric and helps prevent fraying, and is also marginally stronger.

For sails, I believe there is nothing fundamentally wrong with straight stitch for repairs, if that is all you have. Except for the point above, of course, which will mean you will not have such an aerodynamically polished sail.

 

[GrahamM376]

What the Singers and others lack, that the Sailrite has, is a walking foot.

Sailrite has far more if you consider the backup service and spares off the shelf, also comes with comprehensive adjustment and self-servicing instructions. Can always be sold for good price when the work is done but I've kept mine - just in case

 

[ghostlymoron]

What the Singers and others lack, that the Sailrite has, is a walking foot.

you can get a walking foot attachment that fits most machines for little dosh http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/19165623145...d=c0619bad24d24e3f8f16b0d326da3f97&pid=100463

 

[ghostlymoron]

I don't dispute that Sailrite is the best but for the type of sailor that has to make his own Bimini, a cheaper machine makes sense.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

If you want heavy duty and zig-zag keep an eye out for second-hand industrial machines. I have an old PFAFF 437 on which I have repaired sails, converted them to roller furling, made stack-packs, biminis, etc. Although the machine was originally three-phase I altered the same motor to run on single with no problem.
If you can find one, they are usually dirt cheap but are massively heavy.

Similar to this one:

 

[mersey]

+1 for 1950s Singer 201k. Does all I need.

And I have a walking foot for it.

 

[TQA]

Another machine that will do the job is an old Pfaff any of the ones with the cast iron armature.

Check by trying to pick it up.

Mine cost 35 squid in a thrift shop and came with a walking foot.

 

[Roberto]

I think a big difference is if the machine has to be portable, or a normal one with its workbench; some industrial machines can be adapted to be portable, most cannot (I have been told, just repeating).
I have a sailrite on the boat, it has repaid its price severalfold (also, just sit next to it in places like Camarinas, or Horta, and by the number of people queuing you have a seasonal job ) ; for use at home I might probably prefer something with a table and a slightly longer arm.