View Full Version : What sewing machine do you use
Graywolf
03-31-2010, 17:28
I was checking out some sewing machines and the array in vast..So I would like to know what kind do you use?? Lets say for instance, making tarps, tarp/tents, backpacks, stuff sacks..... I also saw a little hand held one that maybe good for small jobs such as adding small attachments..
What are your takes??
Graywolf
I use a Kenmore. It's not electronic it just has the basic stitches plus a few fancy stuff but it sets up manual. Retails for about $250. Singer is not really singer anymore so I'm not sure what quality they have. I just bought my daughter a Brother at Wal-mart. She just wanted to get started and she seems to be doing well with it. Mine sews rip-stop fine and I've made lots of backpacking stuff with it.
Snowleopard
03-31-2010, 18:27
My first sewing machine was a 1920s White electric. Unfortunately I left it in a damp place and it got a bit rusty so it needs some work. Being too lazy to repair it, I picked up a used Singer (1970s?) for about $60. A very basic older used machine is fine for MYOG camping equipment.
My guess is the handheld one is useless, but ask people that actually know more than me.
Graywolf
03-31-2010, 18:29
I use a Kenmore. It's not electronic it just has the basic stitches plus a few fancy stuff but it sets up manual. Retails for about $250. Singer is not really singer anymore so I'm not sure what quality they have. I just bought my daughter a Brother at Wal-mart. She just wanted to get started and she seems to be doing well with it. Mine sews rip-stop fine and I've made lots of backpacking stuff with it.
Thanks..Thats what i'm looking for.. Something that will sew rip stop..Does hers sew rip stop?? What model is it??
Graywolf
I'm sure my daughters Brother would sew R/S but she makes stuff for my grandbabies:0). I'm sure no R/S ...yet.
Link below shows the one I have.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=kenmore+sewing+machine&cid=14909082966249058755&os=sellers#p
If you can get a vintage 1960's Singer 'slant-o-matic' in working condition, jump for it. The slant needle makes it possible to sew through all manner of fabric, from dense webbing to multiple layers of tough fabric. The machine is driven by metal gears, rather than plastic whatever and fiddly belts. A walking foot attachment is highly recommended, too.
If money is no object, a good industrial machine, such as a Juki or Consew, is really tough and durable.
Handheld machines are not a good idea. Most of them make a chain stitch (one spool of thread) rather than a lock stitch (spool and bobbin). If a chain stitch comes loose at one end, the whole seam can unravel.
I used the industrial machines at school and when we had a business that needed them. I am using a 1961 Singer SOM at the moment, and have mended and modified my pack on it with no problems.
I have a Kenmore and an Innovis, plus my find of finds, and old White rotary circa 1910.
The key is going to be simple: can you adjust the feed dogs? The Innovis doesn't care - with a straight stitch footplate and a 90 needle, it'll sew sil-nylon all day. The Kenmore doesn't adjust, and is sensitive to fabric thickness and slipperiness, so it doesn't have a home in the gear shed. The White is fully adjustable, more rugged and durable than the day is long, and once dialed in to a fabric/needle combination, will sew sil-nylon or nylon taffeta and move on to webbing and cotton canvas without fail. But you HAVE to take the time to adjust for each needle and fabric change, or you can tangibly FEEL the difference while sewing.
Head over to www.rayway.com and read his take on machines. I find my results pretty much parallel his - you can take a salvage yard rust bucket and make it sew backpacks or tarps, if you can adjust it properly. If not, then you are either a slave to the computer in your machine, or you have a non-starter that will only snag and pull, not sew cleanly. Use a clean sharp needle at all times.
If you are buying a machine, bring in a sample of sil-nylon to try. The gray hair set that mans the counter in many sewing shops know nothing of modern synthetic fabrics, so bring some along - don't bother asking 'cuz they won't know. Now, here's a little trick I picked up from the resident sewing expert - place a sheet of last year's phone book between layers when sewing super fine fabrics. It lends just enough rigidity to make the machine feed it well, and it will disintegrate into nothing first time it's wet.
That ole White on Ebay is looking pretty good right now.
HYOH, MYOG, Sew yer own chiffon, and be the belle of the ball.
Ranc0r
.
daibutsu
03-31-2010, 19:59
Singer 357, made in England, anyhow bought for 15 bucks at Marin Cty. flea market, works great, simple, bulletproof. I'd pay 100 bucks today to get a second one, like I'd ever need it.!!!
Bags4266
03-31-2010, 20:24
1955 Kenmore, all cast metal. Only forward and reverse.
Snowleopard
03-31-2010, 21:09
If you have a sewing machine repair shop near you call and ask if they have any used machines for sale that are good and not fancy.
skinewmexico
03-31-2010, 22:45
I've got a 1953 Pfaff 140? that has been great. Paid $75 for it. Factories used to connect them to big motors and use them for industrial uses. I sewed canvas for our sailboat once, it had no trouble with 6 layers of Sunbrella canvas. May have been 8. It has forward, reverse, and zig-zag.
Most sewing machine features are rarely if ever used by an individual. I would suggest just buying an inexpensive sewing machine. A couple of weeks ago I bought a Brother LX-3125 at Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Brother-14-Sewing-Machine-LX3125/10543333). It is likely to do everything you need to do and more. If, someday, you need to do a lot of sewing of extraordinarily heavy materials or something, you'll have the knowledge to choose a more expensive, deluxe machine. But odds are this one will do what you need and you'll have a new machine (used machines often come with used machine problems and can be difficult or impossible to fix yourself) at an excellent price.
I use a Zhitshat pre-1940 dtard 603 model, Swiss made for the Army, will sew thru any type of heavy material like canvas for tarps, great for punching holes in aluminum cans for stove making and piercing fingers is a plus :datz
Snowleopard
04-01-2010, 12:19
I use a Zhitshat pre-1940 dtard 603 model, Swiss made for the Army, will sew thru any type of heavy material like canvas for tarps, great for punching holes in aluminum cans for stove making and piercing fingers is a plus :datz
My Zhitshat 666 model will rotate to horizontal and has an attachment that allows it to shoot poisoned needles at 500 needles/second. This works great as a bear or bigfoot repellent, but it really needs a larger caliber for blackflies.
My Zhitshat 666 model will rotate to horizontal and has an attachment that allows it to shoot poisoned needles at 500 needles/second. This works great as a bear or bigfoot repellent, but it really needs a larger caliber for blackflies.
the horizontal rotating model 666 is very rare, only 205 units came off the production line. The 666 was made for jungle use, post WWII. Hang on to it, very few are still operating as they were intended.
Well, I sew... clothing, home dec, gear, all sorts of stuff. My grandfather had a sewing machine shop back in the 1950s and 1960s in Philly, and I inherited a couple of nice old all-metal singers that still work very well. The newer ones have lots of plastic bits and pieces, and I find the tensioning on them to be inconsistent after the machine has been used for a while. I also have a Pfaff 1529 Classic. Basic as far as Pfaff goes, but it has a couple of bells and whistles, including some good combinations of stitches and tensions. I've been able to work with everything from silk to canvas, knit or woven fabrics on that machine. The variable speed is very responsive, too. Then, to top it all off, I have a Husqvarna Viking serger. Great for specialty tasks. If you've got the money, and the time and inclination to learn how to use a serger, you may find that you get very professional, strong seams with it. However, a serger can't do everything, so you still would need a traditional sewing machine.
I just purchased a Singer Simple from Wal-Mart for about $90. I wanted to go to a shop and get one that was older and from someone that knew what they were talking about, however I am inpatient. I had to have it now! So I went to Walmart one night and bought this. I also bought up 11 3/4 yards of some 1.1 ripstop for $1.50/yd. I picked up some of the regular thread and took it all home. (I also bought some cotton fabric to play with first.)
I have never even touched a sewing machine up to this point. Let alone knew what bobbin was. I have since then learned what a bobbin is and how to load it in the machine. I have the basics (very very basics) kinda learned. I have made stuff sacks of various sizes, with drawstrings! I have even made 2 hammocks for my kids, and they work. Oh, and I did this using the ripstop I got at Walmart.
I have looked at some of the diagrams for the tensioning and it seems to be tensioned right, by looking at my lines I have sewed and comparing them to the pics in my books. Other than this, I am not 100% sure I know what to look at on it, but it seems to do well. It took me a while to get holding the threads when first starting a stitch so it didn't come loose out of the needle, and I would have to stop and rethread the needle, but I got it.
Sewing the hammocks is nothing (just hemming each end), but it really helps to learn to sew a straight line (which I am getting better at, but still need to practice, practice, practice!)
I like my sewing machine. I am going to give it a few more weeks before I start to make it mine by drawing on it and putting stickers all over it (in case I need to return it), but for a beginner I would assume it's okie dokie. I have only used the straight and the zig zag stitch, and figure that is all I will ever need. Oh and the reverse.
I have some silnylon and some mesh and once I feel a tad more comfy with it I am going to attempt a Bug Bivy similar to the one at MLD. Oh and I do have some poly thread that I will be using for it. I will buy some smaller needles than the ones that came with it as well. Also, I plan on buying the quilt kit from Thru hiker and making it according to neatomans instructions:
http://home.comcast.net/~neatoman/quilt.htm (http://home.comcast.net/%7Eneatoman/quilt.htm)
This will be my first "big project."
Sewing is fun, and I think it's good for every backpacker to learn. It seems to offer so much more freedom once the skill is learned.
All of this for:
I have a Singer Simple.
Have fun!
Rocketman
04-02-2010, 15:49
I picked up the "sewing machine bug" when I started MYOG. The appeal is that you can find good cheap old quality machines and bring them to life and make things.
My keepers include a Pfaff 130 which is a 1950's zigzag machine that has often been "industrialized" by putting a large 1/3 HP electric motor on it and mounting it in an industrial style table.
A Pfaff 230/automatic which is a modernized version of the 130 which has hundreds of (unused) fancy embroidery stitches in the Automatic mechanism.
My first machine for $15, a Viking 6340 which is a Free Arm machine with a pretty small free-arm. I used this to make a RayWay quilt. It has cam things to make about 15 different stitches.
I have two of the Singer "Slant Matics" a 301A which is a straight stitch machine and makes a very nice perfect straight stitch. The other is a Singer 503 with nearly 20 cams for different stitches. The multifunctional version doesn't make quite as perfect a straight stitch as the straight stitch model -- which makes sense....
I gave away or threw away a number of lesser quality models, Singer 328, a Necchi 535, a Singer 2010 Electronic model and it was evident that some portions of the electronic circuit boards were considerably aged, and a Nelco model unknown and a Kenmore that cost $10 that never worked well, model forgotten.
I have also acquired a couple of books on sewing machine service and repair, as well as service manuals (repair manuals) for each of the models that I have retained.
I appear to have finally developed resistance to acquiring new used machines, bu there are a few things that I would buy in a flash if they were available inexpensively because of the reputation among experienced sewers.
I am glad that I took this route as I have learned a lot and spent many hours learning to make old dirty equipment look, feel, sound and sew nicely.
tothetrail
04-04-2010, 14:11
I use a basic Husqvarna Viking Freesia 415. I have a heavy duty jeans foot as well as a foot that has little rollers that I have use to mend a Costco vinyl storage cover.
It can handle the lightest whispy materials to very thick vinyl and canvas. I love this machine.
Graywolf
04-04-2010, 20:40
I just purchased a Singer Simple from Wal-Mart for about $90. I wanted to go to a shop and get one that was older and from someone that knew what they were talking about, however I am inpatient. I had to have it now! So I went to Walmart one night and bought this. I also bought up 11 3/4 yards of some 1.1 ripstop for $1.50/yd. I picked up some of the regular thread and took it all home. (I also bought some cotton fabric to play with first.)
I have never even touched a sewing machine up to this point. Let alone knew what bobbin was. I have since then learned what a bobbin is and how to load it in the machine. I have the basics (very very basics) kinda learned. I have made stuff sacks of various sizes, with drawstrings! I have even made 2 hammocks for my kids, and they work. Oh, and I did this using the ripstop I got at Walmart.
I have looked at some of the diagrams for the tensioning and it seems to be tensioned right, by looking at my lines I have sewed and comparing them to the pics in my books. Other than this, I am not 100% sure I know what to look at on it, but it seems to do well. It took me a while to get holding the threads when first starting a stitch so it didn't come loose out of the needle, and I would have to stop and rethread the needle, but I got it.
Sewing the hammocks is nothing (just hemming each end), but it really helps to learn to sew a straight line (which I am getting better at, but still need to practice, practice, practice!)
I like my sewing machine. I am going to give it a few more weeks before I start to make it mine by drawing on it and putting stickers all over it (in case I need to return it), but for a beginner I would assume it's okie dokie. I have only used the straight and the zig zag stitch, and figure that is all I will ever need. Oh and the reverse.
I have some silnylon and some mesh and once I feel a tad more comfy with it I am going to attempt a Bug Bivy similar to the one at MLD. Oh and I do have some poly thread that I will be using for it. I will buy some smaller needles than the ones that came with it as well. Also, I plan on buying the quilt kit from Thru hiker and making it according to neatomans instructions:
http://home.comcast.net/~neatoman/quilt.htm (http://home.comcast.net/%7Eneatoman/quilt.htm)
This will be my first "big project."
Sewing is fun, and I think it's good for every backpacker to learn. It seems to offer so much more freedom once the skill is learned.
All of this for:
I have a Singer Simple.
Have fun!
Lots of good recommendations here..Hmmm so many choices too..thanks for this link..Good designs and instructions..Now if I can get a hold of a sewing machine..I walk/bike almost everyday when it isnt raining, and even then, some..So Having a machine handy on those bad weather days could really get the mind working..
Garywolf
camper10469
04-08-2010, 22:18
My Grandmother's Singer 99K. I cleaned n lubed it, adjusted everything and it works so well I can't find a good enough reason to get anything else.
I bought an old 1960s era Pfaff from an estate sale for $35. It had a sticker on it from a local sewing machine person that indicated it had been serviced less than a year ago. I called the guy to come service it again since it wasn't feeding properly.
He told me the older machines from before the 70s are better than the newer. They are made to last and have better parts (no plastic gears). Even the older ones like mine will do zig-zag and a bunch of other things.
I asked if an old machine like mine can sew through webbing and he said I could sew through denim folded over 24 times and then proceeded to give me a demo on how to do that. What you do is fold a scrap piece of fabric over several times, then with the needle in the fabric as you are approaching the webbing, lift up the foot and place it down on top of the scrap. That will make the foot level with the webbing and you can sew straight ahead over the webbing.
He also said to use only the best needles and replace them any time they hit a pin or feel the slightest bit bent. Only use polyester thread and not cotton. Oil the machine before each use. Never open up the area where the feed dogs are. Okay to take off the small plate, but not the big one housing the whole mechanism. That's how I ended up calling him in the first place.
Anyway, I highly recommend prowling estate sales. Older folks often take better care of their things than younger and older machines are better made than newer ones.
curtisvowen
05-27-2010, 16:14
Husqvarna Viking, free from the dump. Slow rpm's....great for a beginner!
i use a early 80's singer 290C. i have a commercial singer 95-8C as well, and several others in various stages of disrepair. the 95-8C is for sale for $150, fresh service with no problems, and a bunch of extras, no reverse.
Red Diamond Ranch
09-28-2010, 17:04
I have acquired 21 sewing machines over the years. Singers 1906 - 1965, Pfaff 1954, Kenmore 1953 - 1968, Consew 1960's upholstery machine and a few lesser known brands that are heavy 1950 - 1968. Most didn't work at all when I got them. But they all sew great now. Four of the Singers didn't have a scratch on them when I got them, just sat for 50 to 60 years. I like to repair them and we both like to sew. Here are a few.
http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm354/RedDiamondRanch/100_1035.jpg
Mike :D
burntoutphilosopher
09-28-2010, 19:19
i have an affordable kenmore, but i really enjoy my Janome Professional memory craft 6600
9257
I sew, but I am a total clutz with a sewing machine.
So I do all of my DIY and repair sewing projects by hand.
If I need to do something that really needs a sewing machine, I take it over to my mother-in-laws or my sisters, ask the borrow their sewing machine, and then fumble away for a 5 minutes until the finally step in and do it for me. :D
The have Singers.
My mother-in-laws is a really nifty tiny little thing.
She is teaching my daughter to sew. I can't wait. :D
I got the MYOG bug when I started hiking.
At the time, I had a Singer 348. When it worked, it was okay, but it was very hard to adjust and would get "out of time"
Finally, I bought a old "Domestic" on Ebay. This is a post WWII japanese machine, cloned from a Singer Model 15. delivered cost was a bit over $100.
It is a straight stitch and sews up to 5 layers of denim. It can be upgraded to near industrial strength with addition of a larger motor and smaller driven wheel.
While having zig zag would be nice, my stuff doesn't seem to fall apart, so I guess I don't miss it.
1 1/2 years later it's still going strong.
I paid $30 at an Estate sale for a Pfaff in top condition from the early 60s. The sewing machine guy said if you can get a machine this old, it's worth it because all the parts inside are metal. Nowadays they make them with plastic.
To sew silnylon you need something called a walking foot. It's not the machine that is important so much as the foot. I do not know if my machine will take a walking foot. I might even have one since I have a box of feet. But I don't know enough about sewing to have gotten as far as figuring out the feet.
Rocketman
09-29-2010, 17:21
I paid $30 at an Estate sale for a Pfaff in top condition from the early 60s.
To sew silnylon you need something called a walking foot. It's not the machine that is important so much as the foot. I do not know if my machine will take a walking foot. I might even have one since I have a box of feet. But I don't know enough about sewing to have gotten as far as figuring out the feet.
Home machines, and I am assuming that your Pfaff is a home model, have three different "shank" lengths which is the distance between the bottom of the foot and the screw-on attachment point.
Low Shank (most common for home machines)
High Shank
Slant Shank (virtually a Singer SlantOMatic only)
You might find some nice illustrations if you Google "sewing machine shank length" or something similar.
There are a few oddball machines that utilize a proprietary shank, but they are less common today.
Your Pfaff is a low shank machine, most likely. IO have two, a 130 and a 260 by model number. Some have argued that the 130 is rugged enough for industrial sail making. The 260 has a LOT of fancy stitches that are purely for decoration and of no use to outdoor sewing. Except to add weight and color.
You can go to Hancocks Fabrics or Joanne Fabrics and buy a generic low shank walking foot. You generally do not need to match the brand of the foot to the brand of the machine, so long as the shank length is correct.
Of course, there are cheap devices and expensive devices, and often the expensive devices are better than the cheap ones.
If you want support for your Pfaff, there is a Yahoo group strictly for old Pfaffs called :
oldpfaffpforum
Invited ♫
[email protected]
There are lots of files including numerous instruction manuals and some actual service manuals as well as a lot of history and other useful items. These are available to members only. I have contributed a few files to that group.
Enjoy your fine old machine. Maybe we'll meet again on a different forum.
My Pfaff is a fine machine. It doesn't have any fancy stitches. It can sew through some pretty thick fabric but I guess my needles suck because I break them or bend them if I get too thick with the fabric. It has all the manuals, including one in German. The only reason I thought it was from the 1960s is because of the shoes and hairstyle of the lady in the manual.
Rocketman
09-30-2010, 19:51
My Pfaff is a fine machine. It doesn't have any fancy stitches. It can sew through some pretty thick fabric but I guess my needles suck because I break them or bend them if I get too thick with the fabric. It has all the manuals, including one in German. The only reason I thought it was from the 1960s is because of the shoes and hairstyle of the lady in the manual.
Do you use heavier (higher number) gauge needles for the thicker fabrics? Some manuals have suggestions for what size needles to use for different fabrics.
I can bend thin needles easily on heavier fabrics myself. On any machine that I own, not just Pfaff. There are also sucky needles. The real cheapies tend to suck.
Finding out when the major fabric/sewing stores have a sale on needles or notions (which includes needles and a whole lot more) for up to 50% off lets you stock up on high quality Schmetz needles possibly still made in Germany.
I have heard of some people claiming the low quality of Singer needles, but others claim otherwise. I've had little to no trouble with them, but many of their bobbins for old machines are just junk.
I use mostly Schmetz "sharp" points, not the "universal" ones, and over the years of bargain buying have no worries about running out of needles unless I get crazy making dozens and dozens of pieces of gear.
You may be able to buy such bargains on the internet sites of Hancock's and Joanne's during the sale. Check the internet sites or get on their mailing list for sales and 30% to 50% of coupons for stuff like scissors, tweezers and more.
When I bought the machine it came with some needles. I tried one of the larger gauge needles on something I was having trouble with and immediately broke it. With the first stitch. It seems the thinner ones I have are better. Some of them are made by Pfaff.
Rocketman
10-04-2010, 10:05
Well, it does appear as if your Pfaff sewing machine in infected with a severe sewing machine virus, and needs to be disinfected. That is about the only explanation left.
I advertised on the wanted forum of
CRaigs list and I got about a dozen offers with various prices. Someone moving gave me a singer with the auto bobbin fill feature that sews ripstop just fine. They didn't want to move it so it was offered to me for free. When I get good making stuff sacks I plan on moving to slnylon and make a tenttarp....The "gray hairs" at Joannes were very helpful to me as to thread and other notions. they also sell ripstop there.
Rocket Jones
04-12-2011, 06:09
Keep an eye out for surplus sales, a good place to ask is about them is your local sewing machine store. My daughter picked up a brand new industrial model for 75% off. It will sew up to ten layers of denim at once!
In some ways, getting an industrial or heavy duty machine is the better way to go. The lightweight beginner or casual consumer models aren't robust enough to handle anything more than very light duty work, and are often missing important features that make sewing silnylon (for example) easier.
Consider the Janome Sewist 500. Check Amazon for best pricing.
Does great handling material thickness changes (up to 12 layers of denim) as seen HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBvuGn5t3D8).
Plus it's jam proof (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOXvd0ko8Hw&feature=related).
camper10469
04-13-2011, 21:27
I just scored a Singer 401a, slant needle model that is amazing. Now that I can do so many different types of stitching n designs I can give my Grandmother's 100 year old Singer 99K to my daughter... although I may have to borrow it once in a while just to keep it oiled.
1927 Singer Model 99 50.00 on ebay.I have made a G$ pack a two man sil tent and a10,6 x8 sil cat tarp. It would be niceto have Bar Tack available, but I just do multiple stitches to copmpensate. So far all my gear is holding up well!
double j
04-22-2011, 09:14
1969 singer
JaxHiker
04-22-2011, 09:44
I have a pink 80s Singer that works very well. The lady that sold it to me thought it was cute that I was buying it for myself and not a woman. :)
I have switched from a singer model of the 70's to a singer clone 15 made in the late 50's looks brand new and sews ripstop real good. Now to get some silnylon to try and I will be set for some projects.