Sewing Machines

[chasroberts]

Can anyone out there suggest a suitable make/model of sewing machine to take on board an extended cruise. Obviously must be beefy enough to handle bits of repair jobs etc. but not so heavy/bulky as to take up too much space.

All ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Chas

<hr width=100% size=1>Semper in excretum sum. Sole profundum variat!

 

[Evadne]

Speaking from experience (well, my wife's experience actually), you don't need a hugely powerful machine. She has made hatch covers and the like from acrylic canvas with the smallest £99 Singer (electric) and it will go through two layers routinely, three if you're careful, and uses the heavy yarn as well. The right needles are probably more important.

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[chasroberts]

Thanks for that Dave. Was thinking more of a manual machine but point taken.

Chas

<hr width=100% size=1>Semper in excretum sum. Sole profundum variat!

 

[pandroid]

Hmmm. My wife's got one of these posh Brother computerised thingies, and she says its 'too delicate' to do important things like hatch and sail covers. Is she having me on?

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[dickh]

I'm also not allowed to use the 'domestic' machine so have recently bought a secondhand industrial machine which certainly copes well with canvas etc. For onboard use, try some of the US sites - there are a couple who specialise in "Sailmaking" machines, and I think they can be hand powered. Electrics will be 120v of course - see http://www.tuffsew.com
also search on eBay.com under 'industrial sewing' and you'll see several identical machines cheaper than the above, but shipping would be expensive from the US. Various models, straight stitch only or zigzag & straight stitch. I tried searching in the UK but no one seems to sell them over here.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Redmond]

there was a thread a few weeks ago I think Read was the name suggested

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[Evadne]

Re: Girls Toys

Maybe not, you pay a lot of money for a sewing machine to be able to do lots of fancy patterns and whtaver else sewing machines do. To join 2 thick bits of cloth together without worrying about the type of stitch is probably a bit alien to the culture. Our £99 was new, you see them in 2nd hand in sewing machine shops for a fraction of that, so why not buy a dedicated "boat" machine? After all I have lots of "boat" tools that don't get used domestically, knives, spannners, battery-powered wotsits etc., not to mention the endless lengths of rope, so why should SWMBO be denied the pleasure?


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[freebird1]

Re: Girls Toys

My dad used a 1918 Singer hand driven sewing machine to make a sprayhood, boom cover and dodgers and a complete set of seat bottoms and backs when he fitted out his Colvic 26'. It only does a straight stitch, but it will go through anything. I suppose it is no bulkier than any other, but it does weigh a fair bit. That's probably why it has survived 86 years! I think later versions will do zig-zag.
I still see them about in second hand shops.

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[Avocet]

Re: Girls Toys

I'll second that! I have a lovely 1902 Singer hand operated one out of my parents' loft. We tried my mum's modern electric one and it was pretty useless but this one will happily ram a needle through whatever I ask (probably even 1/8" plate!) without complaint. It's quite bulky though and very heavy but if you have room in the forepeak, I'd not hesitate to recommend an old mechanical one.

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[Rabbie]

Whatever machine you decide on - always use needles designed for leather if using on acrylic canvas or similar. Ordinary needles will bend or break. At least they did whenI used them!.

<hr width=100% size=1>A day not spent on my boat is a day in my life wasted.