[4arch]

This seems to be an affordable answer

This is one of the Sailrite clones. Similar (identical? or at least likely coming out of the same Chinese factory) clones are also sold under the brand names Reliable Barracuda, REX, NewTech, TuffSew, Yamata/Family Sew, and a few others. Many people have been happy with these machines, so long as you understand what the price premium of a Sailrite machine does and does not buy you.

 

[Skipper Jer]

This seems to be an affordable answer

Consew CP146RL Portable Walking Foot with Zig-Zag Stitch & Carrying Case.

The Consew CP146RL Portable Walking Foot is designed for hobbyists and businesses. The Consew CP146RL is now 2 inches longer than the old style CP146R. FREE SHIPPING TO THE CONTINENTAL USA Included; Carrying case, Instruction Manual, Screwdriver, Oiler, Commercial Thread Stand, Variable Foot...

sewing-industrial.ecwid.com

Yea, its one of those sailrite "clones". I have a LSZ-1. There are a few things I don't like, the zigzag width isn't wide enough and the throat width is too narrow. If I had to do it over again I would be looking a Juki or a Consew. I think for the same money as a sailrite you might be able to find a used Juki or a Consew. Check upholstery shops.

 

[cacrosdale]

The walking foot is there to make sure all the layers of fabric are moving through the machine at the same rate. Typically, the feed dogs, under the sewing foot, is what moves lightweight fabric through without an issue. With something that is multilayer the walking foot provides movement from the top as well and sandwiches it all together. You can use double-sided basting tape (or you could hand sew it with basting thread if you are a glutton for punishment) to temporarily "glue it together" and move it all through the machine at the same rate. Apart from that, you just need a machine with enough durability to go through multiple layers of heavy duty fabric (denim, canvas, etc.).

 

[4arch]

There are a few things I don't like, the zigzag width isn't wide enough and the throat width is too narrow. If I had to do it over again I would be looking a Juki or a Consew. I think for the same money as a sailrite you might be able to find a used Juki or a Consew. Check upholstery shops.

I agree on the throat width. I wish Sailrite would come out with a 9 inch throat version of the LSZ-1. Some of the clones are actually available at that throat width.

I looked at used and new Juki/Consew industrial sewing machines but didn't like the idea of having to set it up permanently in my basement. Also was finding straight stitch versions fairly easily at <$1000 but zigzag versions rarely come up used and are $$$$ whether used or new.

I'd trade up to a 9 inch throat Sailrite in a heartbeat though!

 

[deniseO30]

Kudos to Sailrite for creating such unwavering loyalty! Surely their sewing machines are retaged from a manufacturer like the one I shared, I wouldn't begin to think they own the rites to their own sewing machine and build it in their own Factory but I've been wrong about other things.

 

[marcjsmith]

The sail rite machine as we know it today started off as a Thompson mini walker. More or less. Sail rite assembled all their machine in Indiana by I think they still outsource the manufacture of the castings and such. Likely the bigger reason for the huge following is they continue to refine and improve the product And I think their refinements and improvements can be made to older machines

No doubt the current knockoffs are very rough around the edges. You have to ask yourself is the price tag delta is worth it....

 

[deniseO30]

This is kind of a hilarious discussion

sewing machines as knock-offs to Sailrite?
We don't need to be an analyst to know that marine canvas is not the only industry that uses heavy-duty sewing machines. So, just how does a sewing machine that's been used in, let's say the leather goods and upholstery business get tagged as a knock off to Sailrite?

 

[Siamese]

The Thompson lineage is reasonably correct. To say that the other small walking foot machines that look like the Sailrite are clones of the Sailrite isn't correct. More correct to say that they share a common ancestor.

There aren't a lot of difference between the Sailrite and the "clones". Sailrite has identified which parts tend to fail, and they spec those parts a little heavier. They all come from China.

All these machines are crude, including the Sailrite. Crude castings for the body, and for the internal parts. Parts that you'd expect to be machined and polished are left looking rough.

If you get a "clone" you're rolling the dice. Open the box, oil it, and it'll probably be fine, but if it's not, you'd better have an understanding of how to improve/fix it. You're on your own.

The Sailrite machines aren't a whole lot better than the others. They've made some of the parts more robust, and they have some reasonably thoughtful improvements like the stictch length control and their Monster Wheel, and most notably, their customer service is outstanding. If you have a machine that's not running right, you will get it resolved.

The Sailrite comes with a double pulley system to reduce the gearing between the motor and the balance wheel (ditto for the clones). One of the problems with the Sailrite (which may have been corrected...I don't know), is that when you get your Sailrite, the wheels in the double pulley arrangement are poorly aligned and benefit greatly from being shimmed and tweaked for to get the belts running true. Other than that, the Sailrites are typically ready to run straight out of the box.

If someone asks me which machine they should get, and they have no experience with sewing machines (using or fixing), my answer is going to be Sailrite every time. It's going to work, and if they can't complete their project, it's not the machine's fault.

If you know basic maintenance on sewing machines, and understand how they work, there's nothing wrong with a clone other than some of the parts have not been made more robust per Sailrite. But, you're probably not going to break them. If it runs right out of the box, great. Otherwise....

 

[PhilCarlson]

I'm no sewing expert but I've bought plenty of tools on the cheap that made the job more difficult and costly than it needed to be. I've learned the truth of "buy cheap, buy twice."

I have friend who went with Sailrite and did cushions and covers for their and my boats. The cost savings solidly justified the purchase. She's very happy with the machine, the tutorials, and customer support.

You can probably save a little (or a lot) on a different used machine, but will you spend extra time figuring out how to use and maintain it, searching for parts, or ultimately replacing it?

 

[marcjsmith]

@Siamese Early on, sailrite, at least according to their info, had some of their designs stolen while they were doing some of the casting work done overseas, and before they cold get a handle on it, the damage, so to speak was done...

here's a link to a thompson for sale. you can see where the Sailrite linage and appearance come from..

yeah I agree that calling a rex, consew, tuffsew or or one of the other machines a knockoff of the sailrite is like calling a chevy chevette a knockoff of a 7 series bmw. while both automobiles..., that about where the similarity ends.

the sail rite is a well tuned, refined and ready to go out of the box...

 

[4arch]

yeah I agree that calling a rex, consew, tuffsew or or one of the other machines a knockoff of the sailrite is like calling a chevy chevette a knockoff of a 7 series bmw. while both automobiles..., that about where the similarity ends.

I don't agree that this is an apt analogy. The Sailrite and the clones occupy the high and low end of the same class of sewing machine - portable consumer grade heavy duty. They have more similarities than differences and can neither be easily compared to other consumer machines which are more oriented toward clothing fabrication/quilting/embroidery nor to industrial machines. Many (most? all?) parts in clone machines are interchangeable with Sailrite parts and the clone machines can be fitted with most of Sailrite's enhancements and accessories.

If we have to go with a car analogy, a Sailrite is a Toyota 4Runner and a clone is a Jeep Liberty. The Chevette is the cheapest sewing machine at Walmart.

 

[Siamese]

Car analogy isn't going to work. These machines are almost identical inside. Same design. MUCH closer than similar models from different car manufacturers. They work the same, they adjust the same.

 

[Siamese]

Okay, here's a video I made of one of my sewing machines back in 2015. Someone on this site had the temerity to tell me that the old, all metal domestic machines were incapable of sewing Sunbrella, so I made this short video and posted it here.

The machine happens to be a Stitch Queen, although this exact Japanese machine left the factory with any of dozens of different brand names, all destined for the U.S. market. They're referred to as Singer 15 Clones, and they are VERY CLOSE to the Singer 15. I actually prefer the Japanese clones to the original, YMMV.

If you scan Craig's or Facebook marketplace and find a 15 Clone like this one, it's worth getting. Straight stitch only, but that's fine for canvas work. You can google Singer 15 Clone and learn more about getting one of these. Search online, and you'll find a free manual download for it. They're the easiest of the old machines to oil and maintain. If the motor fails, just put a new one on. Takes standard needles and bobbins. The large balance/hand wheel is a bonus, as it makes it to use. I have a couple of these from the 50's, and there's no reason why they won't be usable for another hundred years. Pay anywhere from free to $100.00. Free if you're lucky. $30.00 might be an average of what you should pay for one that's dirty and has been sitting around unused for a long time, or $75.00 to $100.00 for one that runs well and looks almost new.

 

[4arch]

Pay anywhere from free to $100.00. Free if you're lucky. $30.00 might be an average of what you should pay for one that's dirty and has been sitting around unused for a long time, or $75.00 to $100.00 for one that runs well and looks almost new.

Vintage sewing machines are another thing whose prices have gone absolutely bananas since the start of Covid, especially sought after models in good or better condition. Having kept my eye on the market, I feel like those prices might be a bit optimistic unless you're very patient.

 

[Siamese]

Vintage sewing machines are another thing whose prices have gone absolutely bananas since the start of Covid, especially sought after models in good or better condition. Having kept my eye on the market, I feel like those prices might be a bit optimistic unless you're very patient.

That's my local market. I'm in West Michigan. My grandson, located Kokomo, IN, buys more often than I do. There are certain machines that go for more, like the Singer Featherweight, Pfaff 130, Singer 301, but most of the machines out there are still pretty cheap. For a Singer 15 clone, I stand by the numbers I gave.

 

[Siamese]

Vintage sewing machines are another thing whose prices have gone absolutely bananas since the start of Covid, especially sought after models in good or better condition. Having kept my eye on the market, I feel like those prices might be a bit optimistic unless you're very patient.

What about that Singer ad I sent you. For sale in your area, in nearly new condition, for fifty bucks. Get it and start sewing.

 

[Siamese]

I thought you were Minneapolis area. Baltimore?

 

[Siamese]

From Facebook, Baltimore area, a Signature (Montgomery Wards) machine, straight stitch and zig zag. Will do Sunbrella just fine. Simple and easy to maintain. Get the price down a little...includes table?

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[mal5033]

We bought a sailrite machine over 15 years ago. We have paid for it 5 times just doing minor repairs for fellow yachtclubbers. We also made a main, jib and spinnaker for our previous boat. Well worth the investment in our opinion.

 

[Barquito]

I did my cushions with a cheap home machine. No problem with power. It did need a lot of fiddling to keep thread from getting tangled up, and such. When I do another big project, I will include a Sailrite in the budget (with the option of selling when I am done).