Sewing machine choice (PICS)

[Roadking Larry]

I've got 2 machines that I use. An old Kenmore that dates to the mid '60s. It is a solid machine with zig-zag and does pretty well on most stuff. for the real heavy stuff I have an old singer 29K60 that was designed for the shoe trade. it will sew pretty much anything I can get under the walking foot.



Being able to control the speed of the machine is pretty important and double so for someone just startng out with sewing. A older "generic" commercial machine may not have the speed control you want.

I've been looking at the Sailrite LSZ-1 and will probably end up with one in the near future.

 

[John Nantz]

re: Singer MR needle recommendation

Tejas - thanks for the needle suggestion:

Problems with sewing Tenara can be mitigated by using Singer Multi-range (MR) needles and adding a bit of needle thread tension.

http://www.gore.com/fibers/english/tenara_a1d.html

I have had no problems sewing Tenara on my Juki 1508, use Singer MR needles for all canvas sewing, don't change needle-thread tension but do thread Tenara through every friction path.

I've been using Schmetz #90 needles and the highest upper tension setting to get the knot in the middle of the fabric but and the machine (shuttle clearance) was left set up for regular sewing because the Tenara is so fine and I didn't want to mess with it. The bobbin tension was adjusted the standard way (like a spider going down it's thread) using Tenara but maybe because it is slipperier it should be different. I'm still in the throws of learning with this thread so I'm making adjustments as I go.

According to posts on a forum used by professional marine canvas sewers, SolarFix, another PTFE thread, sews with fewer problems than Tenara.

Uhhh ..... "Now you tell me!" After waiting all this time and finally making the leap for a big spool of this stuff ... what, $120?, ..... (this is the way it often happens)

Unfortunately, I've got enough here to last me a lifetime.

My first project, the dingy cover, actually went quite well after the initial tension settings. The next project, the outboard gas tank cover, same fabric, not so well and I haven't figured out why yet.

In spite of the hassles it is kinda fun doing these little projects, though.

 

[Tejas]

Uhhh ..... "Now you tell me!" After waiting all this time and finally making the leap for a big spool of this stuff ... what, $120?, .....

Unfortunately, I've got enough here to last me a lifetime.

I have two spools of Tenara -- the second for winding bobbins as I sew -- so I have enough for two lifetimes, and that's the reason I've not tried SolarFix.

 

[John Nantz]

Singer MR Needle size?

Tejas - just wondering, what size needle do you use? An MR3 or maybe 3.5?

 

[Tejas]

Tejas - just wondering, what size needle do you use? An MR3 or maybe 3.5?

MR4.0

 

[John Nantz]

Tejas - needle may not fit my machine

Tejas - Thanks for coming back. 4.0 hmmm? Well, that's a surprise!

After doing some research I found in one place that the Singer needle may not fit my machine.

That's just ONE place, though, and it wasn't what I'd call a clear-cut "won't fit" statement. I've had to put the research (and the project) on the back burner for now due to other life "work issues" - it never ends!

 

[Tejas]

MR4.0 is what was recommended and used for canvas at the Marine Canvas Training Institute in Florida. MR5.0 was recommended and used for sewing heavy enclosures that included glass.

My experience is that the shank of industrial needles are fully rounded. The shank of non-industrial machines seem to typically be flat at the back.