Todd and others; Which sewing machine??

[Hal Forsen]

Help Please!
We're in the market for a new multi use sewing machine.
We only have space for one and don't mind spending money on quality tools..
I've just about got Sherry convinced we want a Sailrite LSZ1 as most of my projects are heavier weight fabrics and leather etc. and I know they have a decent reputation and service; but she's concerned it won't handle silks and rayons properly for art and clothes projects.
Will the Sailrite work with that type of fabric or should I be looking at something else?
And if not a Sailrite then what should I be looking at?
Thanks in advance.......
HF

[HR]

We have the LSZ1 and love it. We haven't done much with fabrics other than Sunbrella and sailcloth, but my wife says that she doesn't see any reason why it wouldn't work well. It doesn't have all of the fancy stitches and embroidery options that some of the high end "regular" machines have, but it is a solid, powerful machine. I'm sure that if you call Sailrite they will give you a straight answer - their support is very good.

Howard

[kc8pql]

We bought an LSZ l about ten years ago, from the first batch. It's been trouble free. I've used it to repair and build sails, upholstery, sunbrella and canvas work. My wife does simple household sewing with it without complaining and a friend borrowed it to put together a nylon spinnaker, so it does light work too. Just maybe not as easily as a fancy dressmakers machine.

[Todd Bradshaw]

The Sailrite machines and service are both top of the line and for boat, sail and canvas sewing I think they're extremely hard to beat, but I have a feeling that they'll make you happier than they will Sherry. An LSZ1 can certainly be adjusted to sew very light fabrics and do it well, but if you're sewing clothing-type-stuff, some of the modern, mid-priced home machines are much, much easier to work with and will do so much more. Without going overboard on fancy stitches and stuff you'll probably never use, you can still get a machine that uses new technology to do some very neat stuff and do it quickly and easily. The old-style, purely mechanical machines like the Sailrite line just can't compete (or even come close) if your making clothing.

For example, we recently bought my wife a Husqvarna (Viking) Huskystar C10, which is the middle machine in Viking's mid-priced line and was about $450.

http://www.huskystar.net/us/29.htm

It's computerized, but most of the fancy stitches are things that you actually might use, instead of being loaded with software that makes cute embroidered bunnies and frogs all over everything. It comes with a DVD tutorial. You sit down with the DVD and TV remote control, set up the machine where you can see the TV and follow along with the mini-course. An hour later, you know how to use the machine and all it's functions. Want a button hole? Drop the button into this gizmo, pick one of several button hole styles from the LCD screen, stick the garment under the presser foot, push start and stand back. A minute later, you have a perfect button hole. My wife sews beautifully, but I honestly didn't know it when she was using my machines because they're just not designed for that type of work.

The Husqvarna obviously is not as solid and heavy-duty as a Sailrite machine with a cast iron head and I'm not sure I'd want to try to build a sail or big boat cover with it, though it will sew blue-jean hems without a problem. On the other hand, manufactured clothing is expensive. Fabric is relatively cheap. I'm sure my wife saved enough money in the first month of making clothes to pay for the machine and the instructional DVD was worth it's weight in gold.

Both machines do their jobs equally well and the range of jobs that they'll do does overlap a bit in the middle, but one is clearly a boat-cover-builder and the other one will make you a great set of silk pajamas. You might be able to push one or even both of them to sew the full range, but it will be far from ideal. I'd figure out which projects (yours or hers....wait, let me guess) take priority at the moment and proceed accordingly. I know that buying two machines probably isn't the answer you wanted to hear, but there really is a huge difference between the two types.

[Dick Wynne]

I recently bought a Pfaff 1525 for canvas work and domestic use. The makers claim it'll handle 12 layers of denim. I believe them, it goes through (so far) 4 layers of acrylic canvas on rolled-over seams as if through butter. Has the necessary walking foot which works really well. I have been really impressed with it (which wouldn't be difficult as I have never used a sewing m/c before). About £300 new in UK. I believe the same mechanism is sold as a sailmaking machine through other manufacturers. This is a pretty basic model as regards stitch types, but they make computerised versions which all the fancy embroidery stuff. It seems pretty bulletproof so perhaps a used one would be a good deal. More info here (http://www.pfaffmachines.co.uk/Pfaff/1525.htm).

[Bob Cleek]

The short answer is "no." The Sailrite machines (and their English built Reed's predecessors) are small machines designed to be carried on board a cruising boat, and yet still have the punch to sew heavy fabric. They will run a straight chain stitch and a zig-zag, but that's about it. Forget trying to sew any sort of elasticized material on them, which is frequently done with clothing machines. Most all other smaller machines are designed to sew clothing and have a hard time punching through the tough stuff you will need on a boat. The Sailrite/Reed's clones are at the lower end of the "heavy duty" line. They are about the only small portable machines that will do this sort of work.

However, if cost is not a major object and you aren't looking for a machine to take cruising, you would be best off finding a used industrial sewing machine that will do both jobs well. This is really the only option if you want to purchase a machine that will do both clothing and canvas. These are what the sailmakers use. One of their best features is a deep throat (always a good option anywhere!) that permits you to roll up a sail-sized piece of material and sew seams. On the smaller machines, the size of the work sometimes exceeds the machine's capacity to fit it under the arm. On the used and reconditioned market, you should be able to find a good industrial machine for somewhere around six hundred to a grand. Figure that if you bought a Sailrite canvas machine and a decent home sewing machine, you'd be spending that anyhow. Most of the top of the line home machines have now gone "computerized." Some will even allow you to scan in designs for patches or appliques from your computer and then stitch the embroidery to replicate the scanned image! Pretty slick. And pretty pricey. On the cheapo end, used sewing machines are all over the place. You could get a decent ten year old Husqvarna or comparable for a very reasonable price, I'd think. It won't be computerized, but it will do ruffles, lycra spandex, automatic buttonholdes and so on.

http://www.quiltingmachines.com/Images/machines/bind3sml.jpg

[Todd Bradshaw]

First of all, a straight stitch is NOT a chain stitch. A chain stitch is that quick-release stitch used on dog food bags. Pull one thread and it all comes out. Obviously, this can be very bad if that thread is holding your wife's dress together at the company Christmas party. The only reason a chain stitch is ever used on clothing is to cut labor costs and production time. The machine sews the entire seam with only one thread because it doesn't need a lower thread or bobbin. You can put a three-mile-long cone of top thread on, step on the pedal and you don't need to stop until the thread is all gone. Great for cranking out crap for The Gap, but not the solution for quality and durability. (Interestingly, back when I worked for a hot-air balloon inspector there was one popular brand of balloon that sewed all their panel seams with a chain stitch. It's great if you need to sew fast, cheap, 80' long seams, but just don't snag the wrong thread unless you can grow wings quickly. We always thought that their company slogan should be "From basket to casket".)

Secondly, industrial sewing machines are used make clothing, but are a lousy choice for doing it at home. Factories have specific types of machines which are designed and set-up to only do one job. Your average factory uses about ten different industrial machines, all doing different specific jobs, to make a simple shirt. The good home machines are set up to duplicate these various tasks and switch between them quickly and with minimal tinkering. They also run at a slow enough speed that the average person can handle them. Few industrial machines can even make these switches. The Sailrites, for example, can do some of these tasks, but are nowhere near as fast and easy to switch from one mode to the next. They're also a bit on the coarse side when it comes to delicate clothing work. Ask your wife whether she'd rather sew all of her skirt hems with a zig-zag, a straight stitch or a real blind stitch?

If you can find a good one and a reliable source of help (very important) when it needs adjustment or repair, a used industrial machine could be fine for boatwork - but don't buy one for making clothing unless you want your clothes to look like they were made by a sailmaker - because they will!

[Hal Forsen]

Thank you all for the input.
We found a good deal on a Pfaff 2046 that had been a show demo. Early Christmas gift for Sherry, she got it home and finished a pair of pants she'd put away a couple years ago when the old machine died.
WOW! What an amazing machine! Heaps of power and several bells and whistle's; I think we'll both have fun with it.
Thanks Again and Happy Holidays
HF