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melushell

Best Sewing machine?

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I was wondering what is the most suitable sewing machine for a dz
i looked at some models , but i was wondering if they have the neccesarry force to sew thick materials
waiting for inputs



The best all around machine to get is a bernina with removable cams (I cant remember the model off the top of my head), this machine can perform straight sew, 308 (double throw) ziz zag and a variety of other stitch patterns.

The stitch length and width can be adjusted all the way down to simulate a bartack (a much stronger stitch than an original bartack). One drawback, the simulated bartack is a bitch to unpick. This one machine can do the job of three different machines and can plough through some very thick material. I miss my old one, it was a great piece of equipment.

Mick.

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Any idea which Bernina? Is it possible that they don't make that model anymore? I was just in to a dealer this week and they told me about a "semi-industrial" machine that Bernina makes, model # 950. It does not have removable cams, and it does have a number of "decorative" stitches that turned me off. Unfortunately they didn't have a demo, so I can't try it out. I asked about E thread and the manager of the store looked at me like I had antennas growing from the top of my head. They said that if I could get a thread sample, they know someone who owns one and they could get the thread to that person who would try it out. Doesn't make me too anxious to buy one from these people!
Anyway, just curious if you knew which model you had.

Cindy
Cindy

Life on earth may be expensive,
but it includes a free trip around the sun!

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Any idea which Bernina? Is it possible that they don't make that model anymore? I was just in to a dealer this week and they told me about a "semi-industrial" machine that Bernina makes, model # 950. It does not have removable cams, and it does have a number of "decorative" stitches that turned me off. Unfortunately they didn't have a demo, so I can't try it out. I asked about E thread and the manager of the store looked at me like I had antennas growing from the top of my head. They said that if I could get a thread sample, they know someone who owns one and they could get the thread to that person who would try it out. Doesn't make me too anxious to buy one from these people!
Anyway, just curious if you knew which model you had.

Cindy




Give me a day or two to look up my records and I'll get you a model #. You may wish to visit an industrial machine dealer not a domestic machine dealer, the industrial guys have a much broader understanding of manufacturing and related materials.

Mick.

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well as i see i have a lot of profesional opinions
i am not a professional rigger ( yet :P )
i was very courious what sewing machine is the most popular on DZ's
becasue honestly i could co into a shop and buy a "full of options and features" small machine for 300 bucks , but it will do shit, because i am still worried that it wont suport double cordura with some insertions.... uknow what i mean

as i see Bernina is quite hard to find iand i am courios what other modell might do the job


Be courious
Never Kills you ..but it might bring some headache to others

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I love my 217. Here's some info I got from a guy who makes cams and other stuff for these machines:

The history goes back to the 117 L Bernina machine. This was the first of any zigzag sewing machine produced back in 1938. The 217 of course, is much
larger but the mechanics are very similar. The 217 was produced from about 1962 until 1997. The machines were very similar and the average person could not tell the difference up until 1976 when they started to take on a new look with special features. These last machines with the automatic cam devices were known as the Z machines for "zierstiche" or decorative stitch
device. These machines were fitted with a complex cam device that used cams of about 2.5" in diameter. Practical stitch cams found their way into sailmaking and similar applications. A newer 217 was made so as to try and fire up the commercial market for the 217 with much improved devices, i.e. cloth puller, and cam stitch device that used cams of about 5.0" in diameter. The latter 217N machine is much more sought after so you have a real valuable machine. The 217 Bernina machines are somewhat antiquated in design but robust and of extraordinary high quality. They are known as the finest zigzag machine ever made. There were heavier made machines but not of this quality. The class 98 Adler is one of these. Adler purchased 217 machines from Bernina since if fit a large gap in their commercial market but had very little success.

These cams are available in 8mm and 12mm. I believe you said you had an 8mm machine. The part numbers are 310 308 03 for the Stitch type 308, (three step zigzag) @ $181.00 List. The two step does not exist officially in the 8mm machine. There is a two step in a 6mm width, part number 310 294 031 that would list at $140.+ . The reason for the expense of the cams is that they are not production items and are hand made, that is to say, very few are made for stock requirements. The three step should be available within one week. Let me know what you might want.


One thing I don't like about my Bernina is that parts are expensive. A new hook will run you ~300 dollars.
--
drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend.
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A lot of places use a 20U (my dz included). They're great if you are gentle. They're cheap, you can pick a used one up for 200 dollars with table, lamp and motor.
--
drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend.

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Pfaff 230 is a good light weight 301/304 (straight or single-throw zig-zag) sewing machine. It is great for simple canopy patches and will even sew a few layers of Cordura.
I sewed together two kit canopies with my Pfaff 230, however it was not strong enough to sew through the multiple layers of reinforcement tapes on production canopies. Mind you, I am talking Strato-Cloud vintage canopies.
E thread is also known as commercial size 69 thread and you will need needles ranging from 18 to 22 on the American scale. Europeans call them size 110 needles.

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Any idea which Bernina? Is it possible that they don't make that model anymore? I was just in to a dealer this week and they told me about a "semi-industrial" machine that Bernina makes, model # 950. It does not have removable cams, and it does have a number of "decorative" stitches that turned me off. Unfortunately they didn't have a demo, so I can't try it out. I asked about E thread and the manager of the store looked at me like I had antennas growing from the top of my head. They said that if I could get a thread sample, they know someone who owns one and they could get the thread to that person who would try it out. Doesn't make me too anxious to buy one from these people!
Anyway, just curious if you knew which model you had.

Cindy



I only have partial records of my old machines and the bernina model # isn't in there. Looking through my records though did jog my memory, I also had a Brother 308 cam driven zig zag and it was an amazing machine. Now that I think back to the aplications it was used for it truly was my favorite machine. I also had very good luck with the Brother 46 stitch high speed bartacker, but they are more specialized. The Brother cam driven zig zag is quite possibly the finest machine of it's type out there.


Hope this helps.

Mick.

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You posted:
These cams are available in 8mm and 12mm. I believe you said you had an 8mm machine. The part numbers are 310 308 03 for the Stitch type 308, (three step zigzag) @ $181.00 List. The two step does not exist officially in the 8mm machine.

Can you help me please. I need a 2 step for the 8mm Bernina. I could build it at my work. So my questions are:
Can I buy it?
Can i buy the the drawings to construct it?
If yes to the 2nd question, How many should I build?(for others?)
I only need one. but the programming on the CNC is the laborious part.
Please let me know, I am a USAr in Germany with an awesome 217 that sews like a dream.
Take care,
Tracy

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You posted:
These cams are available in 8mm and 12mm. I believe you said you had an 8mm machine. The part numbers are 310 308 03 for the Stitch type 308, (three step zigzag) @ $181.00 List. The two step does not exist officially in the 8mm machine.

Can you help me please. I need a 2 step for the 8mm Bernina. I could build it at my work. So my questions are:
Can I buy it?
Can i buy the the drawings to construct it?
If yes to the 2nd question, How many should I build?(for others?)
I only need one. but the programming on the CNC is the laborious part.
Please let me know, I am a USAr in Germany with an awesome 217 that sews like a dream.
Take care,
Tracy



I found a guy a few years ago that deals in sewing machine parts

Tell him what you need and he finds it!

He found parts for my Durkopp 30-1!


His name is Alfonso

his email is [email protected].

If he cant find your part, IMO there is a good chance it does not exist anymore
"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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On 8/6/2004 at 8:06 AM, f1shlips said:

I love my 217. Here's some info I got from a guy who makes cams and other stuff for these machines:

The history goes back to the 117 L Bernina machine. This was the first of any zigzag sewing machine produced back in 1938. The 217 of course, is much
larger but the mechanics are very similar. The 217 was produced from about 1962 until 1997. The machines were very similar and the average person could not tell the difference up until 1976 when they started to take on a new look with special features. These last machines with the automatic cam devices were known as the Z machines for "zierstiche" or decorative stitch
device. These machines were fitted with a complex cam device that used cams of about 2.5" in diameter. Practical stitch cams found their way into sailmaking and similar applications. A newer 217 was made so as to try and fire up the commercial market for the 217 with much improved devices, i.e. cloth puller, and cam stitch device that used cams of about 5.0" in diameter. The latter 217N machine is much more sought after so you have a real valuable machine. The 217 Bernina machines are somewhat antiquated in design but robust and of extraordinary high quality. They are known as the finest zigzag machine ever made. There were heavier made machines but not of this quality. The class 98 Adler is one of these. Adler purchased 217 machines from Bernina since if fit a large gap in their commercial market but had very little success.

These cams are available in 8mm and 12mm. I believe you said you had an 8mm machine. The part numbers are 310 308 03 for the Stitch type 308, (three step zigzag) @ $181.00 List. The two step does not exist officially in the 8mm machine. There is a two step in a 6mm width, part number 310 294 031 that would list at $140.+ . The reason for the expense of the cams is that they are not production items and are hand made, that is to say, very few are made for stock requirements. The three step should be available within one week. Let me know what you might want.


One thing I don't like about my Bernina is that parts are expensive. A new hook will run you ~300 dollars.

--
drop zone (drop'zone) n. An incestuous sesspool of broken people. -- Attributed to a whuffo girlfriend.

Hello there,

 

I am looking into a 217N in either 12 mm or 8mm. Can you disclose where to get those cams? Are they still produced? 

Also: You don't happen to have a 217N-12 that you could sell?

DM if youknow anything.. thx

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16 hours ago, Chris-McKite said:

Hello there,

 

I am looking into a 217N in either 12 mm or 8mm. Can you disclose where to get those cams? Are they still produced? 

Also: You don't happen to have a 217N-12 that you could sell?

DM if youknow anything.. thx

Hi Chris,

It has been over 4 yrs since I sold everything.  I had a Bernina 217 with the rear-mounted cam box.  Also, had a number of cams.  I only used the cam for the 308 stitch pattern; commonly known as a double-throw zig-zag.  If I remember correctly, you do not need a cam for a simple zig-zag stitch pattern as that is a selection on the machine.

As I said, over 4 yrs, so I might be incorrect.

Jerry Baumchen

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