Is anyone aware of a company that manufactures diy sail kits you sew up yourself, as does Sailrite, or are they the only game in town? Any comments about these firms, pos or negative?
Thanks
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They handle heavy cloth pretty nicely, but at a slower rate than an industrial machine.The Sailrite LSZ-1 is a nice machine that comes well equipped. I bought a "clone" made by Barracuda (found on amazon), but have spent a lot of time and money upgrading it to be as nice as a LSZ-1. It would have been cheaper to buy the Sailrite machine in the first place.
These are solid all metal machines with a walking foot and only two stitches, straight and zigzag. They handle heavy cloth pretty nicely, but at a slower rate than an industrial machine. The whole thing packs away nicely into a carrying case that would fit onboard.
I haven't made or modified sails, I've just done basic canvas work. This thread is interesting and opening up possibilities for me.
I'm pretty new to this stuff so maybe the terminology I'm using is wrong.It also tends to start shredding the thread if you try to go too fast through a lot of layers. I have found that oiling the thread helps with this. A #19 or 20 needle also is a must to avoid thread breakage in thick material.