Maybe the optimal compromise, a vintage industrial, they are still around and often only needs a good cleaning and oiling to run again. I know model 15 can stand up to all kinds of abuse, but it's made for sewing clothes and curtains, everything for the home. You have to be a bit nice to it ;)

You're right, I should have had the word "domestic" in there. I wouldn't have a lot of trouble with someone using an appropriate vintage industrial for a cottage business. In fact, they're some of the best machines to use - well built, parts are often plentiful and they're usually well worn in and inexpensive as a result.

That said, it seems like industrials open up another can of worms. There's a conception that they all do the same work and they don't. They aren't all for leather, heavy work, etc. An industrial's job is to do one thing well and fast. The 31-15 I have for instance is not particularly suitable for leather. It's a tailor machine. It's meant for general tailor work - fast. Which vintage industrial is good for leather? Depends on the leather and the job. There are as many vintage industrials as domestics, I bet.

Recently, I bought a Singer 16-43 from a book rebindery. They had it set up to sew on leather bound books. I want it for sewing on canvas. I have a Singer 15-75 with a souped up motor on it that might do the job but the industrial has a much more powerful motor. The walking foot is made for moving fabric evenly and it should sew through a few more layers. I could put a walking foot attachment on the Singer 15 but after looking at and using the 16 you would think those little domestic walking feet are a toy. If I were just putting two pieces of canvas together my little Singer 15 would sew just fine even with a toy walking foot. The stitches aren't very long though. When you sew on canvas or leather the material is actually STRONGER when it is sewn with bigger stitches. With canvas it is flat felled for strength. Then when it is time to hem, the 16-43 will go through like nothing hit it. When you hem canvas you are still sort of ok on a folded edge (it will sew it) but when you get into corners or multiple seams you really NEED the heavier machine. My industrial machine's pressure foot is made to lift higher for thicker material. The Singer 16 has a bigger needle hole. It will take a bigger needle and thicker thread. With my little Singer 15 the needle plate hole is small in comparison. The needle going through the hole with thick thread causes the thick thread to shred if it rubs against the small needle plate. The needle is more likely to strike the needle hole with a larger needle and thread. If the needle strikes the plate it will make burrs on the plate and cause thread to shred and all kinds of weirdness can happen. I also once had a real nice Pfaff industrial. I used it to sew on canvas. It was no more meant for sewing on canvas or heavy materials than my little Singer 15. I ruined a few needle plates with it... I replaced it with a Singer 111 - an old industrial machine from the 40s. When we moved I sold all the industrials and closed up my tent shop. I did regret selling the Singer 111. I also now have a 241-13 which is an industrial machine. It is made for draperies or something sewn at high speed. As far as it goes I like the little Singer 15 better for that but I love the industrial table. I think the industrial machines can spoil you for the home domestic machines. Some times I'll be using a machine and thinking I can't believe how slow this machine goes. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to educate yourself if you plan to do a lot of production sewing or a lot of sewing on heavy goods. You may find that your domestic sewing machine will do fine if it has a fast enough motor or you may find that the industrial machine of some sort is what you need. In a factory or business setting an industrial machine is set up to do one task. No settings are changed from one minute to the next. My 241 drives me crazy because the stitch length is so hard to adjust - it was set up to do small stitches very fast. I would imagine it would do some pretty nice free motion work very quickly. Cost wise the industrial machines were fairly inexpensive but unless you know what you are doing working on one it might be a good idea to find one in working order and then learn all you can at point of sale. Some things are not intuitive.

If you think that vintage sewing machines are getting scarce and more expensive, just wait. Patternreview.com has just featured an advertisement for a DVD on antique and vintage sewing machines. Called "Still Stitching", the film makers seem to have covered the NE part of the US, so if you're lusting after a particular machine, better get it now. The advertisement says they covered from 1870 to 1970.

too cool. I just "commented" there

Steve, I read the "stories" and your comments. I hope they do a followup film and cover others who collect and maintain sewing machines. Perhaps they will do followups if they get enough interest and comments from other parts of the country. I ordered the DVD they were advertising. I want to watch it from the TV, not hunched over a computer screen.

I just joined QB today, and have not figured out how to search for anything. I thought I understood from Google that QB had a downloadable stitch wheel for a Pfaff 262. This is my first search, sorry to be a pain.

Another good resource is Victorian Sweatshop

hi everyone...ive got this modern brand sewing machine. Ive searched enough to think its a Japanese badged model. could someone help me figure out what model it's cloned after and what kind of users manual[ATTACH=CONFIG]552211[/ATTACH] to look for. I tend to be OCD about this and really need the manual.lol

Yes, it's a Japanese machine though it is not really a clone. You don't really need a manual to operate it. The little knob next to the lever is for your stitch length, the lever is for reverse. The knob on the bed in front of the pillar is to raise or lower the feed dogs.

Cari