Sewing Machine for Rug Repairs

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crinster

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Hi

Wondering whether there are any horse rug repairers that can answer my question. Basically what sewing machine is the best for fixing horse rugs? I have been using an old singer machine which is great for doing patches, but it really struggles with getting through the binding and re attaching tail flaps is just a step too far!! I am now looking at getting an industrial machine to do this on. I was going to get a straight stitch one but wanted to see what others used. Thanks
 
durkopp, seiko, juki

walking foot/ needle/ compound feed.

You may find a zig zag comes in handy for certain jobs.

Also industrial does not equal heavy duty. Anything with a long or extra long arm is inherently heavy duty. Others may vary. If you have a budget or further specifics I can give more exact info/ opinions.
 
I have an industrial sewing machine. I used to use a household one but they're no good really and it wrecks them. Industrial ones make repair work so quick and a breeze to do. Not sure what make mine is, can't remember, but it sews leather and canvas so it's a pretty heavy duty one.
 
Hi thanks for replies, was looking at a straight stitch one, have read walking foot is good, but more money than I want to spend, looking to spend upto £150. I have been offered a Wemsew zigzag machine. Would this be any good? also looked at brother straight stitch one. thanks
 
|A zig zag almost has a needle feed because of how the needle moves to make the stitch (logical!). A walking foot ensures that two layers move forward together (ever sewn two things the same length together and one ends up with an excess.... avoids this). A needle feed the needle jumps forward and pulls the material towards it, a compound feed does a combo of both.

All of these are designed to cope with multiple layers of stuff that might not want to stay together in a well behaved manner (waterproofed rugs per ex.)

The model of a machine dictates what it's capable of. For example my factory might make silk negligees. I still use industrial machine, but I wouldn't expect them to be much good with a rug. Yes most industrials will have a better go at anything than a domestic. This is due to the strength and specificity of the cams: an industrial machine does one thing, really well, for 10 hours a day 365. A domestic (which really is a work of art for it's complexity) does 30 things, occasionally.

Also to consider: a none heavy duty machine may have issues with the weight of thread (eg waxed or thick) that you wish to use. Some machine DO NOT like waxed thread. Some have even preferences about which twist they like! Waxed thread can make a mess of the hook on a lighter weight machine.

The parts for industrial machines are very expensive. Particularly the hooks. You need to learn how to set the timing, because if it's knocked off you can ruin the hook (£££) if you try to sew through it. plus if the timings off your stitching is about as sturdy as a chocolate teapot.

Wimsew make singer repros generally. =lots of available parts.

If you can go to a local library and get all the upholstery books you can find out these often have quite useful instructions on set up etc of industrial machines.

Notes:
Change the pulley size on the belt/ motor if even the slowest speed is too quick.
Set the bench so that you sew standing (better for back and rug handling)
Make sure you don't buy a machine that needs a compressed air supply for the foot (unlikely at this pricepoint but pita if you don't have one)

Hope this is of some help. The model number will be on a plate on the machine, type it into google and see what the spec of the machine originally was.

I do like a nice sewing machine!
 
Ive got two 27" long arm industrials..they are the big boys ..but i also have a standard walking foot industrial machine and thats more than adequate. The modern domestics all feel a bit flimsy for repairs to rugs..the long arms make the job easier but you can manage with a normal industrial.
 
I've got 8 :)
Best for punching through just about anything is my ancient Singer 45k treadle. Needles are 3mm thick, I make everything that's heavy duty on that including cable parachutes. It weighs 250lbs and I used to carry it around on to yards to repair rugs on it 25 years ago, it's still as good now as it was then.
My main machine which will also do rugs to certain thickness (12mm) is a Yamata walking foot industrial, Chinese copy of a Brother and a tenth of the price. I built it as it came in kit form, cost me £274 and has earnt me thousands, 0-2,500 stitches in under a second, oil sump and 1/3rd horse power motor.
What is your budget?
I may be able to find you something, I gave a Singer 31k industrial away a while ago, if I'd known you were after one you could have had that!
Lastly as others have said, learn to maintain it yourself, or it costs loads of money to get it serviced and repaired and they are a doddle to do
 
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cremedemonthe said:
I've got 8 :)
Best for punching through just about anything is my ancient Singer 45k treadle. Needles are 3mm thick, I make everything that's heavy duty on that including cable parachutes. It weighs 250lbs and I used to carry it around on to yards to repair rugs on it 25 years ago, it's still as good now as it was then.
My main machine which will also do rugs to certain thickness (12mm) is a Yamata walking foot industrial, Chinese copy of a Brother and a tenth of the price. I built it as it came in kit form, cost me £274 and has earnt me thousands, 0-2,500 stitches in under a second, oil sump and 1/3rd horse power motor.
What is your budget?
I may be able to find you something, I gave a Singer 31k industrial away a while ago, if I'd known you were after one you could have had that!
Lastly as others have said, learn to maintain it yourself, or it costs loads of money to get it serviced and repaired and they are a doddle to do
Click to expand...

Those old singers are work horses...ive still got a free arm 133 (might have model number wrong)we converted to a flat bed.My flat bed finally died last year when a huge piece of metal flew past my ear!
I agree they need maintaining..oil oil oil!
I borrowed a highlead long arm..nothing but trouble and then invested in a seiko...love it to bits. Sewing machines are a pain if you dont know what you are buying..im so glad i got a loan of the highlead..i was about to buy a new one and it would have been a very bad move.
 
luckyoldme said:
Those old singers are work horses...ive still got a free arm 133 (might have model number wrong)we converted to a flat bed.My flat bed finally died last year when a huge piece of metal flew past my ear!
I agree they need maintaining..oil oil oil!
I borrowed a highlead long arm..nothing but trouble and then invested in a seiko...love it to bits. Sewing machines are a pain if you dont know what you are buying..im so glad i got a loan of the highlead..i was about to buy a new one and it would have been a very bad move.
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Yes lots of oil!
I was using a machine once when it snagged on a thick fold of material, the needle snapped and embedded itself in to my cheek just below my eye.Since then I wear safety glasses when doing any heavy work, if the needle had been an inch higher it would have penetrated my eyeball, so if any of you do heavy work, make sure you wear eye protection as I am proof needles can snap!
 
cremedemonthe said:
I've got 8 :)
Best for punching through just about anything is my ancient Singer 45k treadle. Needles are 3mm thick, I make everything that's heavy duty on that including cable parachutes. It weighs 250lbs and I used to carry it around on to yards to repair rugs on it 25 years ago, it's still as good now as it was then.
My main machine which will also do rugs to certain thickness (12mm) is a Yamata walking foot industrial, Chinese copy of a Brother and a tenth of the price. I built it as it came in kit form, cost me £274 and has earnt me thousands, 0-2,500 stitches in under a second, oil sump and 1/3rd horse power motor.
What is your budget?
I may be able to find you something, I gave a Singer 31k industrial away a while ago, if I'd known you were after one you could have had that!
Lastly as others have said, learn to maintain it yourself, or it costs loads of money to get it serviced and repaired and they are a doddle to do
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm looking at spending £150 ish, as don't want to spend a fortune and then find no one wants their rugs repaired and I don't end up using it!

Thanks Bakewell for your reply, sounds like a walking foot would be best in the long term. I've been using my old singer from the 70's to fix rugs for the past year or so, it does a pretty good job, just the thicker stuff it's not keen on, only cost me £30 and earnt me that back!! is Ebay the best place to look for machines? I am based in Gloucestershire, thanks
 
crinster said:
Yeah I'm looking at spending £150 ish, as don't want to spend a fortune and then find no one wants their rugs repaired and I don't end up using it!

Thanks Bakewell for your reply, sounds like a walking foot would be best in the long term. I've been using my old singer from the 70's to fix rugs for the past year or so, it does a pretty good job, just the thicker stuff it's not keen on, only cost me £30 and earnt me that back!! is Ebay the best place to look for machines? I am based in Gloucestershire, thanks
Click to expand...

Ebay may have something, if you intend to repair rugs for others MAKE sure they are washed properly before you repair them,firstly from the health point, rugs carry diseases which you can be affected by, Leptospirosis (Weil's Disease) being one, carried by rats and their urine. You could also transfer diseasefrom your machine on to the next infection free rug to then infect the customer's horse.
Secondly, unless the rug is washed thoroughly there will still be grit, mud, sand, hair etc in the rug (be especially careful when cutting binding or surcingles off as there will be dirt underneath them) . The grit,dirt, sand etc will get in to your machine, particularly in the bobbin mechanism and it acts as a grinding paste, prematurely wearing your machine out.
I'll have a scout round for a suitable machine for you and get back to you
 
Thanks, that gives me a good idea what to look for. Collection is no problem, as OH has a van with free fuel ;) I will bear in mind about the diseases on the rugs! Sounds like it's definitely worth investing in the walking foot
 
THIS is the same as mine,IF I had room I'd buy this in an instance well worth every penny will never let you down
costs nothing to run (electricity) as it's leather belt driven, you simply make your own belts
I've seen others like this for £800 recently

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-S...Collect_SewingMachines_RL&hash=item58b77919f3

Good luck with your search

PS this one isn't walking foot but copes very well
 
I use a big old fashioned treadle singer that used to belong in a shoe making factory! Its huge and weighs a ton but it was free and in semi working order when I was given it and since being repaired it has never let me down. Fabulous for rugs and making bridle bits!
 
kez81 said:
I use a big old fashioned treadle singer that used to belong in a shoe making factory! Its huge and weighs a ton but it was free and in semi working order when I was given it and since being repaired it has never let me down. Fabulous for rugs and making bridle bits!
Click to expand...

Singer 7 series ? Beasts!

OP: You can overcome a lot of problems with creative clamping with bulldog clips or the clamps market stalls use. This is a faff if you don't have the arm clearance. There's also a thought of "let the machine do the work/ take the material" ie it will make a better job than you of determining the feed rate. However if you're feeding a bit too much for it's tastes of have an upcoming hill and no walking foot you might need to take control.
There's also teflon feet but less likely to be helpful here.

If you can find someone's gran that did piece work at home she can show you more about setting the timing etc on a machine than anyone!
IF you take the head off to transport put the bottom of it on a soft towel and tie the arm up to something.
If the machine has been in a cold place for an extended period (unlikely in this weather but say you keep it in a garage in winter) the oil/ grease will benefit from warming up. Many "seized" but not rusty machines have this problem.


Some other things:
http://www.sew-europe.co.uk/
These guys are so helpful and knowledgeable. Also if you're not sure if a machine will cope with the work you can ask which needles are available and it can give some guidance. Others may be cheaper, but these guys will answer questions patiently!

http://www.weaverleather.com/Supply.aspx
This is the best way to pour away all your money. Everything that's ever been on a horse! Postage cheap and fast. Catalog a thing of wonder.

Best of luck, they are awesome noisy things.
 
cremedemonthe said:
Ebay may have something, if you intend to repair rugs for others MAKE sure they are washed properly before you repair them,firstly from the health point, rugs carry diseases which you can be affected by, Leptospirosis (Weil's Disease) being one, carried by rats and their urine. You could also transfer diseasefrom your machine on to the next infection free rug to then infect the customer's horse.
Click to expand...

This is so disgustingly true. Ringworm is such a pain for this. I wipe mine with virkon or trigene and sew through a jcloth of the same. However prevention better than cure.
 
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