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This is my 0.02.
The one machine that will do 'em all is a Singer 20U or a clone of it.
It's not too fast so it does not take too much time to get used it.
Its single stitch ain't that bad and you can mimic the bartack.
It will go through thicker stuff and it loves type E (69).
Next would be a double needle and then when you get your Master ticket a harness machine (7-33).
I have a 20U and do everything with it but harnesses, of course. With patient you can bind tape too, a bit of a PITA but it's doable.
I bartack lines of all types with it: from thin Vectran to 900 LB Dacron and the quality is really good sometimes better then some real bartack I'v seen.
Again it's not as easy to do as with a true bartack machine but doable.
One day I'll buy a double and a 7-33...
If I were in you that's what I would get a 20U.
Send me a PM so I can give you a link.
The one machine that will do 'em all is a Singer 20U or a clone of it.
It's not too fast so it does not take too much time to get used it.
Its single stitch ain't that bad and you can mimic the bartack.
It will go through thicker stuff and it loves type E (69).
Next would be a double needle and then when you get your Master ticket a harness machine (7-33).
I have a 20U and do everything with it but harnesses, of course. With patient you can bind tape too, a bit of a PITA but it's doable.
I bartack lines of all types with it: from thin Vectran to 900 LB Dacron and the quality is really good sometimes better then some real bartack I'v seen.
Again it's not as easy to do as with a true bartack machine but doable.
One day I'll buy a double and a 7-33...
If I were in you that's what I would get a 20U.
Send me a PM so I can give you a link.
Memento Audere Semper
903
903
FrogNog 1
After I have my talkie I'll add back summaries of anything I don't see on here.
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FrogNog 1
I was originally recommended a Singer 20U as my first machine by someone knowledgeable. (He sews canopies every once in awhile and brought airlocks to ram-airs, or something crazy like that. )
When I called around to see who had one for sale, I got a sales guy who knew a little about clients who used machines for various skydiving rigging tasks, and he seemed to think the 20U didn't have anything going for it - its only recommendation being that it could do zig-zag and straight, but the zig-zag ability would make it a lighter-duty machine than a comparable straight-stitch-only and of course he didn't know anywhere zig-zag was used other than bartacks - and he didn't know bartacks were used other than canopy creation or repair, where he figured the 20U's modest speed would be a grave hindrance.
Hearing one of y'all say you actually use a Singer 20U and do a lot of stuff on it has reinforced my faith in the original recommendation. (Which, based on the person who gave it to me, I feel sort of ashamed I questioned. But a second rigger's opinion isn't a bad thing.)
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Pull.
When I called around to see who had one for sale, I got a sales guy who knew a little about clients who used machines for various skydiving rigging tasks, and he seemed to think the 20U didn't have anything going for it - its only recommendation being that it could do zig-zag and straight, but the zig-zag ability would make it a lighter-duty machine than a comparable straight-stitch-only and of course he didn't know anywhere zig-zag was used other than bartacks - and he didn't know bartacks were used other than canopy creation or repair, where he figured the 20U's modest speed would be a grave hindrance.
Hearing one of y'all say you actually use a Singer 20U and do a lot of stuff on it has reinforced my faith in the original recommendation. (Which, based on the person who gave it to me, I feel sort of ashamed I questioned. But a second rigger's opinion isn't a bad thing.)
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riggerrob 558
Sounds like your local salesman was worse than clueless!
I have sewn many miles on Singer 20U machines.Every loft should have one, if only for canopy repairs.
Their only limitation is difficulty penetrating multiple layers of thick container materials.
I have sewn many miles on Singer 20U machines.Every loft should have one, if only for canopy repairs.
Their only limitation is difficulty penetrating multiple layers of thick container materials.
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Possible, but not worth the headache.
Double-needle machines are so fussy to adjust that you are better off adjusting it once and leaving it.
Buy a second machine for all you single-needle sewing.
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