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Ktownbret

Best first sewing machine for a new rigger.

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My wife is taking a Rigging course this winter and we are looking for a good all around machine. She is already very good at sewing and we have several industrial machines designed for lighter fabrics. We need something to do the heavier work. We are looking at a used PAFF 138 that does straight, zigzag, and double stitch, or a new singer 20U that does straight and zigzag. Anybody out there have any thoughts or advice.

Thanx!!
www.okanaganskydive.com

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I have had the 20U. Good starter machine.
I have a Pfaff 138. Better starter machine. It doesn't have as wide a zigzag or as high a foot lift compared to the Singer, but does a more consistent stitch and you don't have to work so hard to keep the thread tension adjusted. Also look at the Bernina(Chandler) 217. It has stitch widths up to 12mm. And if you can find one with the cam drive attachment, you can do a 308 stitch as well.
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Pfaff 238 is the newer, relatively:), version of the 138.

If you get a 20u get an older blue or tan one. Some of the newer white ones made in china are okay and some are junk. Sold under a dozen different names including no name with a Chinese manual. Easier to pick an older one by color and be sure.

I did a lot of rigging on older viking and necchi home machines. One of the vikings still sews toggles better than my other commercial machines. If your poor or space limited these will let you learn some basics of sewing until you find what you want on a commercial table. I made a 2x3 table that went around the free arm to give a flat bed to work on. If you want to invest the money and have the space go for a commercial up front. I didn't have either 34 years ago.

Some zigzags do a better job of sewing a straight line. Some lock the needle bar in place when going straight. Other just hold in place with spring tension. These can be pushed out of line inadvertently. Can't remember which are which right now.

I've found both a bernina 217 and a pfaff 238 on craigs list. Search ebay using your zipcode and a range to find ones that are for local pick up only. Often you may be the only bidder if a seller isn't willing to ship.

Just saw where you are. Not likely to be many options there?:S

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

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I would recommend the sailrite ultra feed made by Tacsew. Built like a tank with an aggressive walking foot, zigzag, straight stich, heavy duty. Simple, easy to use, not alot of buttons. It is my favorite for riser and container work. Great price for a new machine. Most other walking foot machines with similar capabilities are much more expensive. This machine was designed for nautical applications (sails, upholstery, etc.) but works great with the work we do.

http://www.sailrite.com/Ultrafeed-Sewing-Machine#!Ultrafeed-Sewing-Machine
Onward and Upward!

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The portable Sailrite machines are powerful for their size and the LSZ-1 is a walking foot zigzag. Add the monster power wheel and it can do heavy work. They do have a good foot lift clearance. The only complaints I have heard are they have a shorter underarm distance needle to body and no leg lift of presser foot. They are small so can be carried aboard boats for sail repair.

For the price, I would go with the used Pfaff, Bernina or Singer, in that order. I was able to find one of each model listed for under $400. Just takes patience and watching Craigslist and newspaper ads to find them. They can be found in your neck of the woods. I got a Pfaff from up there and had it shipped down.
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The first machine I bought when I struck out on my own as a rigger was a Consew R2053. You wouldn't know the difference between it and the 20U, except it's a couple hundred bucks cheaper. the only thing annoying is that the pigtails swirl in the opposite direction of *every* other machine I've ever used. Nice little machine.

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monkycndo

I have had the 20U. Good starter machine.
I have a Pfaff 138. Better starter machine. It doesn't have as wide a zigzag or as high a foot lift compared to the Singer, but does a more consistent stitch and you don't have to work so hard to keep the thread tension adjusted. Also look at the Bernina(Chandler) 217. It has stitch widths up to 12mm. And if you can find one with the cam drive attachment, you can do a 308 stitch as well.



Which company's sewing machine do you prefer for domestic usage? I have decided to buy one but with so many options i am just confuse.
Spent a year deploying Mr. peekaru original in Suffolk, NY.

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For lighter work - a Singer 188K. It's the one "Rags" uses in his sewing demos at PIA. Straight stitch only w/reverse.
Smoothest fabric patching machine ever. Foot lifts high and even though it is probably the nicest patch and light work machine ever - it will still punch thru most anything.

If you want walking foot, zig zag, etc. then no.

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For a rock solid domestic machine, go oldschool metal machines. New plastic machines will break.

There are lots of old metal machines out there which can do the job. Names like Kenmore(a Sears brand), Reliable, New Home, Domestic, DressMaker, etc. Made of all metal internal parts. Often have decorative stitches built in. Only problem is parts might be hard to find. If cheap (less then $50) and in good shape, these are good entry level machines. Quite a few folks will tell you to go Singer with one particular family of models in mind. The Singer 401 or 500 are the same machine internally with a different housing and often referred to as the Slant-o-matic. I had a 500 and liked it, but decided I wanted a commercial machine. They have lots of internal decorative stitch cams, which include the 304 and 308 zigzag stitches. Parts are available and cheap. In my neck of the woods, they can be found frequently starting around $100. There are similar models like the 403/503 that don't have the internal cams, but rely on plastic cam wheels to do the zigzag stitches. Often the model number will include a letter like "A", "G" or "W", which just indicates where it was made.

If you can find a Pfaff 130, it is also a wonderful machine. Very smooth, lots of power. Straight and 304 zigzag. On average, harder to find and a bit pricier. If you have time to search, they can be found for a decent price. I found one for $30 at the flea market. But that doesn't happen often. The 130 is the baby brother of the commercial 138. If you can find one with the cam drive on the back, it will do a lot of the same decorative stitches as the Singers. But they are really hard to find and more expensive. But they do beautiful stitching. If you want a free arm machine, look for a Pfaff 332. On Pfaffs, make sure the main internal belt is in good condition. Replacement belts are expensive and can be difficult to find a perfect fit.

Also look into Viking/Husqvarna machines. On the pricey side, but robust machines. Available in free arm style as well. Make sure you give them a full test before buying. Some of the models used sealed components with a grease that would harden if not used on a regular basis. I bought one for super cheap, but could not test it. The grease is like concrete. It is a paper weight until I can find the time, if ever, to go though it to clean and relube it.



Good hunting.
50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

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