Editing Choosing a sewing machine

Sewing machines are major contraptions Rube Goldberg would have been proud to make one. Before we look at machines, we need to look at the stitch that they make. Basic Stitches The first stitch is called a “chain stitch”. In this stitch, the needle is pushed through the fabric and a loop is captured; the needle rises and goes on to make the next stitch. On the next stitch, the needle passes though the loop of the first stitch, which is released and the loop of the second stitch is captured and the process is repeated.. There is no bobbin or shuttle required, however it’s possible to pull a row of stitches apart by merely pulling on the end thread. A variation of this uses a second thread wrapped around the first thread on the bottom side. It improves the reliability of the stitch somewhat, but the problem still occurs. The second stitch is called a “lock stitch”. In this stitch, the needle is pushed through the fabric, this time the loop is captured by a rotating hook. The hook wraps the loop over a bobbin; at a critical point the bobbin case is ‘upset’ allowing the loop to pass under the bobbin; essentially the bobbin is passed through the loop. In the meantime, the needle recedes and an arm at the top of the machine pulls the thread taut, forming a stitch in the fabric. This type stitch will not easily come undone, but requires that the bobbin be small enough to pass through the loop. Moving Fabirc Most commercial machines only use one of three methods of moving fabric. The first method has a claw on the base of the machine below the fabric. It slides the fabric underneath the foot, into the path of the needle. This is the basic method used by home machines. The second method, called a needle feed, has the same mechanism as first, but also has the needle moving forward and down into the fabric. The needle then moves back with the claw, pulling the fabric more reliably. The stitch is formed and the needle recedes. The third method incorporates a ‘walking foot/ or /alternating presser’. The foor is made in separate sections. One section moves forward with the needle, while one section keeps the fabric clamped down. The needle works the same as it did with a needle feed, but when it gets near the rear of its stroke, the second section lifts and moves forward in a walking motion. Machines to look at A typical home sewing machine isn’t strong enough to sew through multiple layers of upolstry fabric and foam. Although the simpler old machines have cast iron heads, they are only slightly better than the newer multiple stitch plastic and stamped sheet metal versions. Generally speaking, the more high-tech they are; the wimpier they are. Additionally, they use a 1/10th horsepower (or smaller) motor, whereas a commercial machine will have a half-horsepower or more. In the late 1930’s Singer introduced their 111W & 112W series of machines, which have become the defacto standard for sewing machines. The have been copied by several other manufacturers. Some of the copies not only look like the Singers, but you can interchange parts! In the 1970’s Singer introduce their 211W & 212W series of machines and production of the 111W & 112W ceased. The 112/212 differ from the 111/211 machines in that they are double needle machines; they’re used to produce parallel rows of stitching, like on the outside leg seam of blue jeans. You might see numbers like 212W139, 212W140 or 212U141. The 139 has a walking foot; the 140 is the base needle feed and the 141 will do back-stitching (you cannot turn the hand-wheel backwards to back stitch, it just jams the machine up). The letter in the number system tells where the machine was made, W is usually Tennessee (Singers home), U is USA, G is German, etc. Other companies use other numbering systems so watch out. Singer is not the only manufacturer of good quality commercial sewing machines, in fact some of the clones are better than the original. Some of the other companies to consider are Bernina, Brother, Consew, Juki, and Pfaff. A brand new Juki DDL-8700 complete sells for about $3500, a used rebuilt machine from a reputable company like ‘Miami Industrial Sewing Machines’ sells for about $700, plain used (un-rebuilt) show up on ebay for half that. Singer 111’s go for $200 to $1500 depending upon the phase of the moon. Which ever route you go, make sure you get the table and motor too. A word of caution Commercial sewing machines are fast and powerful; they can sew through a half inch of leather or your thumb with equal facility. [[Category:Interior]] Dan 2Lakes is a drunk

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