Reccomend sewing machine

[Teegs]

Can these machines you guys are mentioning stitch through a couple layers of webbing and such?

[xxl_hanger]

Can these machines you guys are mentioning stitch through a couple layers of webbing and such?

Yes, most of these iron swines can. Much nicer than most of the newer machines with nylon gears. But not all old machines were good. I would be a bit selectiv and try to get one of the very best ones cheap. As a second machine for example. Then you can test it out with which of your machines you can sew better. Don't spend much money. It is not necessary. I got two very good machines (one is considered as one of the best machines ever build) for 20 € in total and I'm still on the hunt to get at least one better. There will be no loss for you because you can always sell a machine too.

Edit: One of my old machines makes perfect bar tacks on four layers of webbing. With the other machine I never tried it.

[Morticiaskeeper]

All the machines I've got can handle two layers of webbing, two layers of Dacron ribbon and three layers of ripstop in one go.

Do it slowly and use a lube like Sewers Aid. If it's getting a bit heavy, turn the machine by hand.

Wear eye protection.

I once had a needle break while doing heavy stuff. The guard didn't stop the 7mm of needle that came out, but my eyeball did stop it. I only have one working eye, the needle hit the good eye. I had to be taken to hospital, with a new needle and all the bits my wife could get from the machine, so they could see what was missing. Amazingly, I only had a small scratch.

Wear eye protection.

[xxl_hanger]

I can't tell if that is a good thing or a bad thing....

For me it was the best thing. You will get a chance to evaluate it yourself with your trained dog nose as soon as it stops raining in Germany. I cannot make nice daylight pictures since three days because of dark rain clouds outside.

[Ramblinrev]

I once had a needle break while doing heavy stuff. The guard didn't stop the 7mm of needle that came out, but my eyeball did stop it. I only have one working eye, the needle hit the good eye. I had to be taken to hospital, with a new needle and all the bits my wife could get from the machine, so they could see what was missing. Amazingly, I only had a small scratch.

Wear eye protection.

this is a crucially important lesson to heed. the danger is very real. that's one reason never to sew over pins as tempting as that may be. when using those really thick layers always use a new sharp needle as it helps eliminate some of the risk. government regs in the us require the use of safety glasses for sewing machine operators. take this ti heart.

[That Dude There]

All the machines I've got can handle two layers of webbing, two layers of Dacron ribbon and three layers of ripstop in one go.

Do it slowly and use a lube like Sewers Aid. If it's getting a bit heavy, turn the machine by hand.

Wear eye protection.

I once had a needle break while doing heavy stuff. The guard didn't stop the 7mm of needle that came out, but my eyeball did stop it. I only have one working eye, the needle hit the good eye. I had to be taken to hospital, with a new needle and all the bits my wife could get from the machine, so they could see what was missing. Amazingly, I only had a small scratch.

Wear eye protection.

Ouch, hate that for you.

[kennethboyd]

I use a newer Brother machine, a CS-6000i. I prefer the computerized controls. Any sewing machine that works and can make balanced stitches will be fine for making gear.

I think there may be a bit of bias towards older machines on this forum. Arguably, any quality sewing machine will be fine for making gear, and an older machine is not necessarily "better" than a newer machine. Any name brand mid range model sewing machine will work great for our applications, just don't get the cheapest p.o.s. you can find.


Cheers and good luck in your endeavors!

I like my Brother CS-6000i as well, it does buttonholes which are nice for reinforcing where the drawstring comes out in stuff sacks. However I doubt it will last a lifetime because nothing does anymore.

[xxl_hanger]

I like my Brother CS-6000i as well, it does buttonholes which are nice for reinforcing where the drawstring comes out in stuff sacks. However I doubt it will last a lifetime because nothing does anymore.

I used the instructions in my 65 year old manual to make a buttonhole on the channel of my TQ. It was relatively easy without any special presser foot and almost perfect for a first try. I found in the accessory box an old special buttonhole presser foot and actually a special buttonhole knife for this purpose too but had no thin drawstring to reinforce the buttonhole with drawstring itself. There is only one truth. You need zigzag capability and perhaps a little training to do it without any electronic. You need also no motor to do it perfect. I like to watch it how my machine makes it, stitch by stitch.

There are a few old Brother zigzag machines which I would like too. They were build for the eternity and classified to be indestructible by sewing machine experts outside this forum. I'm sure all these old machines make nice buttonholes too.

But the dream machine I would currently like to have is a nice old black Singer 206 with a hand crank. (To satisfy my collector's instinct!). This would also be a nice second machine I would buy if I had a Singer 301a already. The Singer 301a makes perfect straight stitches with a powerful motor (most likely much nicer than newer machines) and the Singer 206 I would use for somewhat critical sewing tasks like buttonholes for example.

[j3T]

You will realy like the 301! I really like mine. It is about the fastest home machine at approx 1500+ stitches per minute. When adjusted correctly, it sews a beautiful straight stitch. I bought a vintage Singer zigzag attachment for about $12, and it works great allowing you to switch back and forth between zz and ss without removing the attachment.

Good find!

John Thomas
High Point, NC

[That Dude There]

What size needle is best for silnylon, and also webbing?