Thread: sewing machine recommendation?

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Hi.

Totally shocked on the quote to recover the seats of my Vega : $1K.

What is the feasibility of buying a machine to do it myself?

Everythings possible! I'm gonna try my hand at it (maybe this winter) and re-do my seats.

Basically, I'm going to remove the current seat covering and use it as a pattern. I'll need to choose a cloth obviiously and practice.. practice.. practice..

Save your pennies and buy a machine made for the job! And they aren't cheap!!! I picked up a very old unit (all metal) with the foot controls and some attachments to do designs and I thought i was lucky to get it for just under 500! A local upholsterer says he'll buy it for what I paid when I'm done with it.

Like painting my car, I bought a book, joined a forum and listened to the pros.. there are always tips and tricks to pick-up and after a while, when you see other rides you can tell how a certain part of the job was done and it gives you more ideas etc. etc. etc...

I won't be doing counted stich work for awhile 8-).. but I'll work hard to make it pleasing and it'll look great to me!

I bought one for $400 from a guy who had picked it up new at a CA Goodguys show where Ron "The Stitcher" Magnus was pimping machines for the vendor. He talked to Ron, who told him, "It's all the machine you'll ever need" so he bought the machine, motor and table with foot speed, knee presser foot control. It's a Yamata FY5318 which is a clone of a JUKI 201. The problem is that it stitches waaaaaay too fast - I've been told that it's a drapery machine as opposed to an upholstery macine which creeps. I'm going to be looking at either rigging an intermediate jackshaft to cut the speed down to about 25%, or investing in a new variable speed motor for it. If I were doing it again I would shop for an old JUKI, which is what many (if not most) of the shops use, and they are serviced by your local industrial sewing machine company. I think you need to shop upholstery shops for competitive pricing before you jump into learning the business. Just my $0.02.

No need to junk it cause It's too fast

( ever think you'd make that complaint on this site? )

I assume it's 115V? Look on eBay for an inverter, or variable frequency motor driver ( VFD ). Be sure to get one with directions. You'll. Be able to completely control speed. If the machine is computer controlled, you'll have to run separate power for it

Did not say anything about "junking" it, just that I need to slow it down. However, the major industrial sewing machine company in KC wants nothing to do with Yamata machines. They won't even talk about servicing them. A word to the wise, talk to your local upholstery shops, ask them who services their machines, and then contact them and see what machines they service. You'll be money ahead to buy a quality machine.

Sorry, didn't mean to use a derogatory term.

A VFD will probably be cheaper than a variable speed motor, although if you could fond a DISCO drive, you'll have your speed control without electronics. The DISCO drive is a variable speed mechanical transmission. You'd probably need to do machine work to put it together, so my honest expectation is that the VFD is the cheapest and easiest route.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

Sorry, didn't mean to use a derogatory term.

A VFD will probably be cheaper than a variable speed motor, although if you could fond a DISCO drive, you'll have your speed control without electronics. The DISCO drive is a variable speed mechanical transmission. You'd probably need to do machine work to put it together, so my honest expectation is that the VFD is the cheapest and easiest route.

I'll take a look and see what I can find. Thanks for the ideas.

What about a juki HZL 400?

Juki HZL F400 Exceed Series Computer Quilting Sewing Machine with wide Table | eBay

Would a reostat(sp) work to slow it down. I have used one to vary soldering iron temps for stained glass.

Originally Posted by rspears

I bought one for $400 from a guy who had picked it up new at a CA Goodguys show where Ron "The Stitcher" Magnus was pimping machines for the vendor. He talked to Ron, who told him, "It's all the machine you'll ever need" so he bought the machine, motor and table with foot speed, knee presser foot control. It's a Yamata FY5318 which is a clone of a JUKI 201. The problem is that it stitches waaaaaay too fast - I've been told that it's a drapery machine as opposed to an upholstery macine which creeps. I'm going to be looking at either rigging an intermediate jackshaft to cut the speed down to about 25%, or investing in a new variable speed motor for it. If I were doing it again I would shop for an old JUKI, which is what many (if not most) of the shops use, and they are serviced by your local industrial sewing machine company. I think you need to shop upholstery shops for competitive pricing before you jump into learning the business. Just my $0.02.

I bought a used Consew production machine last winter. It was really fast but the treddle speed control is mechnical and I changed the linkage by adding a bell crank that allow me to increase the travel of the linkage and make it less sensitive and slower. It made a big difference.

John

Rheostat : No!
An induction motor is designed to function st a specific voltage and frequency.

A VFD varies a motor speed by reducing frequency while changing voltage to maintain the motors engineered current requirements.

A rheostat reduces applied voltage, which is fine for a resistive load such as a soldering iron, but an inductive load such as a motor, will be destroyed by low voltage unless the frequency is modified in kind. The inverse is also true. Modifing frequency without changing voltage is certain death for an A/C motor.

DC motors, entirely different critter. A rheostat works fine, but is inefficient.

I pulled the trigger on a Singer 401A industrial heavy duty, all steel gears, professionally refurbished.

Now to order the material.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

I pulled the trigger on a Singer 401A industrial heavy duty, all steel gears, professionally refurbished. Now to order the material.

A suggestion? Grab a stack of jeans that need patching and practice, practice, practice on the heavy denim fabrics. When you can tuck & roll the knees of your Levi's you're probably ready to risk that upholstery material.

Good idea. It's been a while since I ran a sewing machine..

Which reminds me, I'll need thread too!

Dantwolakes is a professional upholsterer and is on several fourms, has written lots of info. google then search his posts on various sites. Used commercial machine prices vary, I have done some seat covers using household machines, you just can"t do everything with one. some colleges tech programs have upholstery classes.