Choosing a new Sewing Machine

[slowhike]

I've searched and read quite a bit here and on Backpacking Light about choosing a sewing machine, mostly older threads.

The Kenmore I've used for 10 years or so has some tensioning issues (or something) that has made it unusable without repair.

A seamstress friend and I tried all we knew to do with no luck, so this morning I took it to a local sewing machine shop.
He said something is defiantly wrong, but he would have to take it apart to see what.
That would cost $149 plus any parts needed.
I don't think this machine cost much more than $100, so I'm not doing that.

So, in my reading from others that MYOG, one machine that came up was one of the Singer Heavy Duty machines.
Here's one I'm looking at.
https://www.amazon.com/SINGER-Heavy-...55&sr=8-1&th=1

Would appreciate any feedback.

Also, one of the GYOG people said it would be good to have a walking foot.
As I read about that, it looks to be for heavy duty sewing. With lightweight weight gear, about the heaviest sewing I Imagin me sewing is webbing to a roiled hem or two layers of webbing.
Am I missing something?

Thanks.

[TominMN]

I'm sure that machine would be up to anything you want to do and a whole lot you never will do!

I've always looked for used stuff. I really only care that a machine does straight stitching and zig-zag. The latter is nice for mending, re-enforcing, and button holes. Nice, but not a deal breaker for me if the machine is in good shape and cheap! Reverse is nice to lock the stitching but that can be done by turning the work around. I think a lot of the older machines are as "heavy duty" as the newer ones carrying that description.

You can get a variety of presser feet for most machines.

Most of the newer stuff has a plastic shell. It probably doesn't matter a whole lot.

My sewing needs are simple (outdoor gear mostly) and I don't sew all that often so I don't need a lot of bells and whistles.

[nanok]

as it happens, i bought some years ago the "poor brother" of this one, the 4411, as my first sewing machine. it is good in my (inexperienced) opinion, and seemed to be quite determined (going through multiple layers of climbing rated tubular webbing without breaking a sweat, when making treestraps, is nice). but i cannot say if it is anything special really, or how it compares to cheaper models. i liked it, i particularly appreciated that it is square and grey (yeah, this must be the most useful review in the history of the internet)

that said, i have a slightly unpleasant (maybe rethorical) question: did the old one, that needs repair, do everything you required of it, before it started having problems, or was it lacking in some areas? this is important i think in finding a replacement, but aside from that, here comes the unpleasant part: if it can be fixed, it should be fixed. for me, the initial purchase price doesn't matter, sometimes paying to prolongue the life of a good tool is worth it (but i realize maybe that's just me), to give an extreme example: if someone gave me, for a dolar, an old school sewing machine, say one of those "proper" ones, with the inertial motor under the table, and it needed achievable repair, i would do it if the repair cost 2 dolars, or 20, or maybe even 200, i would evaluate the price against what the thing is worth to me, not against what i paid for it, or what a new sewing machine costs. That aside, of course, if you just want to "move on" (it is like that sometimes, new tools/toys can help with the enthusiasm and whatnot), please consider finding a way to give it new life (perhaps somebody on the forum, or in your area, will be willing to fix it themselves, or as spare parts or such)

as to features and such for outdoor gear, i'd just quickly add: from what i've seen so far, i wouldn't pay for most extra features. reverse is really nice though and makes a lot of things easier, but bells and whistles, meh. i'd rather invest in accessories which really make sense for this kind of work: among others, hemming feet (for hammocks and tarps and other "long projects", it changes everything), a nice big cutting board and a good roller cutter, stuff like that which makes work much easier and less frustrating, i think is worth investing in early (but perhaps you have most of those things anyway, given you've been at it for a while)

[TominMN]

I'll echo the above re repairs or re-use. The worth going forward is what's important. I was recently given a machine that needs work and parts. The investment was well worth it.

[slowhike]

I thank you for the responses.
I've pretty much decided to move forward to one of the Singer Machines. From reviews I've gathered that they are somewhat better made and made so that they are fairly easy for the user to get to all the internal areas that need to be oiled.
So hopefully, more trouble free.

As for the old machine, my seamstress friend, who so kindly gave me the Kenmore in years past, is going to see if she can get it going and resell it perhaps.

[Cruiser51]

I also have the 4411 (part of the same HD series) and it has done pretty much everything I have asked of it. Having said that, prior to buying it I watched quite a few videos of use and even a tear down of the machine .... was impressed enough to buy it.

My take away was that most of the non electronics machines are actually pretty simple to tear down and diagnose broken/loose parts. I like the machine you picked (obviously I have had good luck with that series) but have you looked for tear down and repair videos for your current machine ... if parts are available, it may be something to consider. You literally have nothing to lose by trying.


Brian

[slugbait]

Um...I have 8 (no,9) sewing machines. The newest is 30 years old and the oldest over 100. Newer machines (from the 1960's onward) began to have more and more plastic parts-not just the shell but inner parts and even gears. They can be repaired most of the time (which cannot be said for the new ones). The last machine I bought (a Singer Professional-same as a 201) had a stuck hand wheel which no amount of oiling the whole machine would make it turn. Finally Husband and I accessed the area under the needle and discovered a couple of tiny bits of thread under the bobbin case.Two tiny 1/8" pieces were enough to freeze up the machine. It's now a joy to sew on. In my opinion a 10 year old machine might not be worth fixing as something else is likely to go wrong soon.

[slowhike]

I picked up the only Heavy Duty model they had at a local Walmart, the Singer Heavy Duty 44S.
https://www.singer.com/Heavy-Duty-44S-Sewing-Machine

Looking back and forth at descriptions of both on the Singer site, the only differences I see are a few more stich applications on the 4452 and it comes with a walking foot.
I'm not sure if a walking foot can be used on the 44S or if it's important.
I just saw that a couple people mentioned in other discussions.

If it's something that will help with very thin layers, I could return the 44S and find higher model.

[TominMN]

Here's one possible source:

https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/si...20Feet&index=1

No idea what you paid or what came with it but Amazon offers the 4452 with a bunch of accessories.

[slowhike]

Here's one possible source:

https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/si...20Feet&index=1

No idea what you paid or what came with it but Amazon offers the 4452 with a bunch of accessories.

Thank you.
I paid $200 for the 44S

Trying to decide if I want to keep it or return it and go with a different model.