Date:	Mon, 19 Feb 1996 19:48:43 -1000
From:	gerfen@hsc.usc.edu (Gary W. Gerfen)
Message-Id: <4gbnk1$iji@usc.edu>
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Subject: Commercial sewing machines

I want to start educating myself about commercial sewing machines.  I visited
the downtown garment district in L.A. last week and found several outlets for
used commercial machines.  The first thing I realized is that these things are
night and day different from the typical home machine.  Cast steel housings,
huge belt drive motors, 2000 - 2500 stitch per minute speed, even an oil sump
under the machine with a built-in oil pump distribution system!  These things
are made to last forever!!  The down-side seems to be the price ($800 - $3,500),
limited function (one machine for straight and zig-zag stitching, another for
3-step zig-zag) and often built for working much heavier materials (BIG needles,
BIG pressure feet and/or walking feet.  Admittedly I had a very limited view of
what was available and that's why I'm here now.

I'd like to know if any of you that use commercial machines for kitemaking would
be willing to share your insights and opinions of machines like Pfaff, Juki,
Consew, Singer, Brother, Toyota, and probably many others that I have never
heard of.

What can you recommend for typical kite sewing (ripstop to seat belt webbing)
based on your experience (specific model numbers would be useful here).  What
have you found to be the most useful features on your machine, or ones that you
wish it had?  Are there any brands that combine straight, zig-zag and 3-step
zig-zag in one machine.  What would you consider a good price for your machine
(or what did you actually pay for it, if a recent purchase).  Is the high speed
of commercial machines a help or a hindrancefor the type of kites you make?  I
plan to make everything from delta stunters to Rev type quads to speedfoils and
Sputniks.  

I realize this may not be a topic of general interest, so if you've got an
in-depth reply, just email me.

Thanks,

Gary 

gerfen@hsc.usc.edu



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Date:	Tue, 20 Feb 1996 15:33:28 -1000
From:	mark@murder.compulink.co.uk (Mark de Roussier)
Message-Id: <4gdtc3$hcu@zinc.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: damage
Subject: Re: Commercial sewing machines

gerfen@hsc.usc.edu (Gary W. Gerfen) wrote:

>I want to start educating myself about commercial sewing machines.  
[stuff deleted... ]
>
>I realize this may not be a topic of general interest, so if you've got an
>in-depth reply, just email me.
>

Nah, post it, you've got an audience of at least two !:). But you
could also post this in rec.crafts.textiles.sewing and see what pops
up. I recall something Chris Matheson said on this topic - if you're
getting a Far Eastern machine, get one thats actually been *made* in
Japan, rather than a Korean made one. I don't recall the precise
details of the background to this advice, but it went along the lines
of 'they work better' !:).

>Thanks,
>
>Gary 
>
>gerfen@hsc.usc.edu
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Final thoughts, as breath is taken,
                Fall to rhythm, and the
                Edge of pure obsession,
                Resting in the wind blown cradle,
                Nothing moves, the world is still...



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