What's the best sewing machine?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Fyi....You can bolt a 220 motor from many other makes onto the 201k so it becomes very portable... Mine has a brother motor I took from my mum's old Novum...it seems in the old days things were more sensibly designed...
 
I use my wife's old New Home. It handles multiple layers of acrilic canvas and webbing easily. I increased the mass of the flywheel by wrapping it in strips of roofing lead and tightened up the clutch. There are several useful websites on sewing machine tuning.
 
pandos said:
Fyi....You can bolt a 220 motor from many other makes onto the 201k so it becomes very portable... Mine has a brother motor I took from my mum's old Novum...it seems in the old days things were more sensibly designed...
Click to expand...

Also you can buy a new 220 volt motor with foot pedal for about £15 on Ebay. Chinese of course but works OK.
I bought an unbranded Sailrite LSZ1 copy on Ebay for £265 and this seems to be well made and works fine.
 
I haven't actually used one but it stops one layer of fabric sliding over another which would be great on sailcloth which is pretty slippery. As for low shank - I'm afraid I've no idea but it does say suitable for Singer machines so worth a punt I'd say.
Poignard said:
That's easily affordable and I'm interested in buying one for my Singer 99K.

Do you have one and if so, can you tell me if it is capable of handling several layers of canvas?

Also the description says it's for low-shank machines. What is a low-shank machine?
Click to expand...
 
I do a fair bit if sewing and wanted a new machine but with a limited budget. I bought the Toyota Power Fabriq. It weighs next to nothing so it needs fixing to the work table when using heavy fabric, but otherwise it's great. Ive just made new cockpit cushions in leatherette inc piping. Easy peasy even without the walking foot. Have knocked up heavy winter curtains and adjusted leather motorbike trousers. Best machine I've had for the money.
 
I got this Reads Sailaker for £70 , never done any machine work before but i can say this is a cracking bit of kit. made a table for it but its both electric and manual powered. Does eight layers of Topgun canavas.

20190114-174554.jpg
 
I've also got a Singer 20u 43. Semi industrial machine with large motor and foot control clutch. Had to slow it down with smaller drive pulley, no walking foot but has sewn spray hood, cockpit cover, uv strip to Genoa and sail repairs. Zig-zag and straight stitch, the last number (43) indicates size of zig-zag. Lots around on eBay etc or from dealers. Always use double sided tape for holding material together.
 
I bought a walking foot machine, Singer 132K6 it's a beast will drag your fingers into the needle if you loose concentration!
 
AngusMcDoon said:
I don't think you'll get a budget new with a walking foot. It seems to be only metal mechanism semi or full professional machines that have that feature.
Click to expand...
I recently bought a walking foot attachment for my Singer 401G Slant-o-Matic machine. I have tried it out today on 4 layers of polyester webbing, and it works brilliantly with either straight or zigzag stitching using a 100-16 Schmertz needle
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Share this page

Top