what's a decent "crap" machine?

I would be looking at eBay listings for older, real Singers, especially the *metal*, gear driven, slant needle machines, such as the 401, 401a, or 500, 503 (rocketeer).. These are fairly bullet-proof, and should suit...

The 401a's are usually a bit easier/cheaper to find (versus the 500 or

503 "rocketeers".. One of these recently sold on eBay for $78.00 with complete attachments), but you should look for all of them, as you never know what machine will be a bargain.

The 301a will not really do what you need, as it is a straight stitch only machine (Singer did make a zigzag attachment, which can be usually hunted down, but it is a separate attachment)

These were expensive machines when new, make a fine stitch, and are still very usable.

hth, me

Kate Dicey wrote in news:44833d52$0$30341$ snipped-for-privacy@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net:

snipped-for-privacy@invalid.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

thank you! i will look for these. any possibility they might show up in antique stores yet? i could ask the local ones to keep an eye out for me. lee

Don't forget Craigslist, where you deal face to face after making electronic contact. They also have a "wanted" section.

Max

A Singer 66, 99, 192, 187, 201, 301, 400 series, or 500 series machine would be okay.

Then he needs a Sailrite or a treadle.

Add to that: Pfaff 75, Pfaff 77, Pfaff 120, Necchi BU, many older Kenmores, NewHome (Janome) XL-II, . I have all of them and paid between $20 and $100 (1 free) and they'll sew anything (cloth, not leather) you can put under the foot. JPBill

A Pfaff 260 or 360 would be just the ticket. Amazing machines.

Currently I'm making denim laundry bags and shop aprons on my XL-II and it walks right through multiple layers, crosses over seams, etc. with ease (no pun intended). I particularly like the bar-tack reinforcing I can make with it and the two-speed feature when I have to slow way down for tricky stuff.

Especially when I use machines close to their limits, I keep them very clean and well lubricated and change needles probably oftener than I have to and let the dogs pull the material through if it will, rather than coaxing it beyond its limits by tugging at the material, bending the needle, and tearing up the machine.

I wouldn't abuse any home machine with the really heavy tent-like stuff or try to use #69 thread for eg. as that would cause the problems you mentioned. I go over to the Consew industrial for that, where the walking foot and needle-feed are used to advantage. But that is out of the junk machine category.

JPBill

Flak jacket for the poopykid?

Mike

Black cast-iron Singer. Cheap and goes on forever.

Of course you don't have zig-zags, so you can't do bartacks, but do you really need that if you're sewing canvas?

One stitch forward, one stitch back.

Some of the cast-iron machines can't stitch in reverse -- the shuttle of a long-bobbin machine is blunt on one end, so running it backwards breaks the thread -- but you can move the canvas back and forth by hand.

Joy Beeson

On Sun, 4 Jun 2006 20:03:58 +0000 (UTC) in alt.sewing, enigma wrote,

That's *not* light mending.

How they do it in the Army:

David Harmon wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.west.earthlink.net:

that's why i said "he says...". he's been hand sewing parts of the cab roof, but i really think a machine is in order for the canopy over the troop benches. i don't suppose you know where i can find the pickaxe & shovel that fit on the tailgate of an M37? lee