How do you machine sew nylon webbing and D-rings?

Well, don't know if it will help or not, but I use a "jeans" needle, the regular foot which helps hold down the web, and tear-away stabilizer on the top and bottom. I also use a spare piece of web to test the above. You might try to adjust the tension a bit. I use button hole twist thread too. Good luck.

Liz

Use a good quality 100% polyester thread and a 14 or a jeans needle.

Make sure the tension is right. Webbing can require more tension than most fabrics and if it isn't right, you can get tangles and uneven stitches. In particular, the lower thread tension is important. I find I've got to get the bobbin tension quite high to work with these kinds of materials.

I don't know why you'd have a problem with the feet - those usually aren't a problem.

I usually use three overlying zigzag stitches as a kind of bar tack. I use a 1mm, 3mm and 5mm wide stitch. Stitch length is about 1mm for all three.

Two parallel lines of these stitches are all I ever need for any strength of webbing and widget I've ever sewn. No failures yet.

Mike

You might sew a box, or you might find that a couple of parallel bartacks across the webbing are easier - if you have a machine with zigzags.

For my machines, I find that either reducing the presser foot pressure (the big machine) or even sewing with the foot up (the little machine) is helpful. On the small Pfaff with the top feed foot I _must_ disconnect this. Feed is still pretty marginal, so it requires some hand assistance to feed it through, maybe even dropping the feed dogs (darning mode) altogether.

Once you've made one pass with a bar tack, then going back and forth is easy. The surface is smoothed out and the webbing is compressed by the first stitches.

As to the stitch formation then I find no trouble sewing nylon webbing with heavy polyester thread - it's all slippery. Sewing canvas webbing though, I need to increase the top tension.

I don't bother with changing needle - the needle I used to sew the bag (probably quite hefty Cordura) manages pretty well. A jeans needle is the right thing though.

sounds like the classic bird's nest scenario.... you don't say what kind of thread or needle you are using.

check my outdoor gear sewing tips page for comments.

I never use stabilizer; try tightenting your top tension and hand cranking if you don't have access to a heavy duty machine.

Penny Specialty Outdoors

sometimes if you do not get close to the d-ring , the d will turn around on its webbing.

penny s