5 things to look for when buying an industrial leather sewing machine 

After 17 years of sewing and several machines, I now know what I wish I did 17 years ago. I sew leather, clear vinyl, cotton and nylon web strap, 30oz canvas, ballistic nylon, ect. My favorite machines now are consew 206 rb5 w/v69-v92-v138 thread straight stitch+high lift foot+large bobbin. Consew 227r w/v92-v138 thread straight stitch+high lift foot+cylinderarm. Sailrite lsz-1 w/v69-v92 thread straight and zigzag stitch. Juki lzh-1290 w/v92-v138 thread straight and 10mm wide zigzag+big bobbin. Cowboy 3200 w/v346 thread straight stitch+high lift foot. One other thing I learned, consew's and juki's hold their value, so resale hasn't been a problem. A Speed reducer and a servo motor was the other thing that I had to wrap my mind around. It's the only way to tame a speedy and touchy clutch motor machine. Lastly, find a well established mobile mechanic that has a good reputation with Taylor's, seamstresses, dry cleaners and sweatshops near you, and treat him good.

Parker, this video is gold. Thanks so much for the 5 practical points for evaluation and for letting us learn from your experiences. God bless!!

Parker you are my go to guy for 75% of my leather tips HONESTLY. Thank you so much for the tutelage.

Just discovered your channel and this has been a monumental piece of information for me. I’m looking at several machines online and really had no experience with buying an industrial machine at all. You just saved me a lot of time and money. Thanks for the video, my friend!

You are without any doubt the most enthusiastic leathercraftsman I know! Your videos are awesome!

Thank you so much I have the same Juki machine.I have been looking for a speed reducer for well over two years This is awesome I will order one right away.Again thank you

I've been doing upholstery work for 37 years - residential furniture, automobile seats, boats, commercial healthcare seating, etc. I started doing leathercraft 4 years ago. One thing you DID NOT cover, which is as important as the thread size, is the size and type of NEEDLES you use for your various sewing projects. Round point needles are used for vinyl and cloth materials and can be used for lighter weight leather. But chisel point needles are better for leather because they cut an opening the way a stitching chisel and a hammer does. But they aren't recommended for vinyl and cloth. The needle also MUST be big enough so that whatever size thread you use feeds easily through the eye of the needle you use.

Another great review! It's so thoughtful for people to share - - it helps the ones that haven't been there yet avoid costly mistakes. Many thanks!!!

What you told in this video, was exactly what I would like to know!!! I am just curious about sewing with no hesitation to spend money on quality!!! Thanks so lot for your humble opinion and your beautiful and generously knowledge!!! Stay safe and happily alive sir!.🍀💚👌👍👏😇

Excellent video, right to the point. good humor. appreciated. I grew up with sewing machine. Clearly Know what he is talking about. Learn a lot, not everyday someone gives you advice. thank you

Great stuff! Learned a bunch more about sewing machines for leather work! Your videos are great, I really your style in making them.

Man, this tip with the speed reducer was awesome. I got an old industrial machine from my grandma which is running uncontrollably fast. I have no idea how she could sew on that thing. So now i am going to give that a try. Thanks man. Loving your content, by the way.

Thanks for being SO GENEROUS in helping others!! G 👍🏼

This was wonderful and exactly what I needed to know! THANK YOU.

Thank you for sharing. I am glad I am still doing my research before I purchase my industrial machine.. A week ago. I purchased a Brother Luminaire Xp2 Embroidery & Sewing Machine.

you are a nice guy bro. thanks for the video. useful and honest. good content. i have a juki lu1509nh flatbed and i am as happy as it gets!

Thank you very much for this video. You answered questions that have hurt me for more than six months :)

Thank you so much for the video... May God bless you and your family more 🙏🙏🙏

Thanks from Coalville, Ut. I had a leather and nylon company 25 years ago. Had to give up the leather and nylon because I was a general contractor and couldn't do both. I am through with construction and am starting the leather and a wood business making small cabinets again. I bought and still have a Consew 206RB from Ferdco with a speed reducer and it was reworked so it will use up to and including 207 thread. Sometimes I wished the speed reducer was slower. Good video and a lot of information.

Thank you so much, I'm starting a leather business myself and That was my problem . I didn't know what to buy I appreciate your info. may God bless you and those you love

THANK YOU, the first video that tells me what I need to know. Great Job!!!

Your information is so important. I can see your that you have great talent and experience . .Good luck and thank you.

glad to find this channel. Compliments to being straight to the point, not repeating yourself, not saying what you're going to say before you say it (youtube plague). I am now searching for the correct machines, thank you for posting this vid and good job on the a/v.

Brilliant video Parker. Thanks for sharing

thanks for your info, it was good i passed on this information to somebody that needed it. loved your music at the end also gl to you :)

Great machine You did get yourself a great deal FYI i got into sewing as a hobby around 10 years ago and there were basically. No videos on walking foot sewing machines so its nice to see channels and guys like you supplying all the information i lucked out that my machine has served me well Although I’m always on the lookout. For other deals that may be slightly nicer to have my main projects are usually boat interiors / cushions and Vintage Sportscars upholstery i would like to expand into leather eventually probably knife sheaths and maybe belts

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm researching the type of machine I want/need and this video was helpful. 👍🍻

Thanks for all the help wish I saw this video earlier it help me in deciding to get my consew206rb I change the pulleys and it was nice to work with.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful video. I can sense your experience. Blessings and please share some more.

A great summary of how to select a leather machine. Thanks.

Thanks, I'm picking one up next week.

This is amazingly helpful, thanks so much!

Thanks getting ready to buy soon you helped immensely

Thank you for the advice. I am looking for a leather sewing machine and will keep your advice in mind as I shop.

Ty for all the info. I'm a novice and I truly appreciate any advice.

Another informative video! I sew leather bags for my employer all day on cylinder arm and post bed machines, and it can be pretty tiring. I definitely prefer a flatbed when a cylinder or post isn't absolutely necessary! Thanks for sharing the great info!

I would add that point #2 is the most important and hardest to obtain. Sewing canvas with many layers and thick window material you just can't do it without. Most on the market aren't able to do six layers of material or more as well as the window materials. Good video. Take care. Doug

Could you make a video with your TOP 5 "would totally buy" sewing machines?

I have a consew206rb5 that is a compound feed. It is walking foot and needle feed. I got it with a servo motor which can be dialed down to pretty slow speed. It's was 1400 new. I sew up to 10 oz leather with it and it works great. It would sew heavier leather if I wanted. It's a great machine.

I use a Sailrite Fabricator for my leather flatbed machine. It's got a 6 pole servo motor, very powerful, and speed dials way down. I do both leatherwork and upholstery. It's an incredible machine. Best of all I think I paid 1300 brand new for it with everything included.

Agree with everything you said - especially the slow speeds! I have a Juki DNU 1541 which is a compound needle feed machine like your 1508. I have a servo fitted so I can take the speed right down. I make leather bags but use more chrome tan than veg tan leathers (though I do make veg tan stuff). There are odd occasions when I would like a cylinder head - top stitching awkward areas - but not enough to justify having a cylinder head...I can usually bully the leather to get the flatbed to work...though can be hard on the hands! A lot of places will let you try the machine out at the premises so worth taking typical projects along to try. Edit - my machine is also fitted with an auto needle down - which I love!

Really good/helpful video. Good energy and helpful confidence builder. I've only been sewing for a few years , I've had about 9-wrong sewing machines. Way to much wasted money, wife was about to throw me out if I said I need another machine. Walking foot? I didn't know I need one. I kept wondering why my heavy vinyl projects keep slipping while sewing. Now I have two walking foot machines, one straight stitch and one 1/2" double needle. Anyway, really like your insight and lessons learned sharing...

Excellent. Thanks for the video.

Awesome advise on that speed reducer! I was so confused by my old singer that runs so fast

Learned a ton from this video! Thank you very much! ❤

Thank you for the video! Very helpful!!

Excellent information. Thanks much.

Excellent presentation!! thank you for sharing your knowledge!!!

Great video, thanks for sharing!

Thank you so much for this video. 🙏🏾

Great info for a beginner. Thanks.

Wow! My man very good description. I knew all these points with only 3 weeks of research and tons of hours. You did it in 13:28. I just picked up a 1541s with servo mode also used for an awesome price. I tested out thread of 277 today at a industrial sewing machine store in my city and wanted to test it out with the tech there. He advised against that size thread with that machine but i insisted because I have seen other off brand juki style bodies in 1541 that condoned using the 277 thread. I didn't find out about the speed reducer till today and while sewing heavy leather with the tech testing out the 277 it did sew it. It had some adjusting to do but I like to understand my equipment to the maximum to get the maximum out of it. Bottom line is he said I would get more torque and slower speeds which would be able to handle to 277 thread if you know your machine and limits of skill. Bottom line I'm very happy I got the 1541s and will def get a speed reducer. Great video my man and keep up the good content. Thanks

been thinking about getting one for my shop. This is super handy!

I made the same mistakes like you too. Bought an juki ddl 227 used for tailoring. Now, I have a consew 206rb-5. I won't make that mistake again! Btw, loved the ending!

So helpful this video, thank you Parker!

Subscribed! Good information! Thanks!

Great information, thanks!

THIS VIDEO MAKE ME BECOME A BIG FAN OF JUKI , THE DNU1541S IS THE SAME, FOR HALF THE PRICE, STITCHS LEATHER LIKE BUTTER!

Fantastic video. You answered many of the questions I had. Best of luck! BTW I have two S & W shields in 9 mm. Love them!

I’m a fifty-some year old mother of a teenage Scout who loves leatherworking and I’m a Parker fan! 😃

GREAT VIDEO !

Great points! Thanks!

This guy is spot on with his advise...except he said his is a "walking foot" machine which is different than the machine you have there, yours is a triple feed...."Lower, Upper, and Needle" all feed the materials through. triple feed is much better than a walking foot only machine in my opinion. The early Consew 206RB up to the recent 206RB-5 are triple feed machines the older ones were made by Seiko in Japan and are a bit better built than the most recent 206RB-5 models, but the recent models have the ability to adjust the "forward reverse stitch length" much more easily than the early machines. If your doing leather and the reverse stitches need to exactly follow the holes in forward and reverse then the later machine might be a good choice. Another thing is that you need to learn how to at least check the alignments of these machines and there are two really great videos on RU-vid going over everything and it will work on all the Consew 206 models with some different locations of adjustments. You can also use the videos to look over most similar designs like the Juke's adjustments. Don't assume that if it's new it's got to be adjusted correctly, my Consew 206RB sewed "just fine" and so many of the adjustments were totally out of wack, once everything was adjustend correctly it sewed way way better but who would know unless you had two next to each other. My opinion is the triple feed Juke he has is a step above the Consew 206RB-5 but the Consew is much cheaper and will sew most anything the Juke will. Kind of like saying a Chevy vs. Acura sure both will get you there. This is just my opinion and worth what you paid for it.

That walking foot is critical. I’m ruining leather without one and using scraps to protect the product. SLOOOOOOW.

Thanks for a great informational video. I sew handbags out of Cork Fabric. And I have been looking at the Juki 2010Q but I am not 100% sure. I also am interested in the Cowboy machines. IDK. Confusing. But this is very helpful.

Great video Stock & Barrel Co, thanks for share with us your experience . I have one question, where did you buy your speed reducer, what is the difference beetween ? Thanks again. Adriano

Thanks so much for the info. Im looking into a new hobby. And this is it. So i want to know everything. Going to tandy leather to get more info ob my new craft.

Cylinder arm if I'm not mistaken. Geat videos, not very many people want to help others like you're doing. Cheers!

Great advice thanks!

Thanks for great info I looking for this MV but I couldnt. I wll rewatch this MV i will consider your advise 🤗

Well done! Thx, helpful.

Cool, thanks for the video..

Great Vid!

I just bought a singer 111w155 walking foot machine. I’m excited to start learning how to sew leather.

Oh man! I wish I had watched this a month ago before buying my sew machine..., I love it anyway but it doesn't "walk" lol, so I have to help pulling the leather with my left hand

Sailrite Fabricator is my choice.

Good video. Thanks.

Thanks for your information, that I need it Greeting from leather artisan in Indonesia

I just got a Juki 1541 and I love it

Great info...

Thanks a bunch.

Greetings from Sandy; KSL.com awesome classifieds for the 801 area thanks for the vids.. I love what you do...

Can you make a video explaining thread sizing? Different brand of thread seem to have different ways of measuring their thread size and it’s so confusing!

Just what i need! thanks!

That’s great info. Thank you...just one question... what kind of thread (brand) do you recommend to sew leather? That works on this machine.

great info thanks

Thanks, great!!!!!

EPIC! THANX FROM IDAHO!

Thank you 👍🏽

thank you so much!!! you just saved me 1,000,000.00 dollars.

Thank you

I just subscribed. Thank you!

Great Video.

Again nice info bro

Thanks Bro!!!

A request, for whenever you have time.... I noticed at 6:47, you showed your cowboy 341 machine. I'm curious to see specifically what this machine might do that a flatbed cannot. As I recall, you got rid of the 3200 but later bought a 341. WHen you have time, can you do a review of the 341? Thanks for your videos.....

I really appreciate your input. I can see you are happy with this machine for leather. Do you know how well this machine will handle very thick heavy fabrics and sequin fabrics? I need a machine for costuming and cosplay.

Thank you so much for your video!!! Wow! I am just getting into hat making. Any recommendations on a beginner machine for sewing leather sweatbands into felt hats? I'm a bit overwhelmed

Excellent video. Answered several of my questions. Good to know you still use the Cowboy as I've been leaning in that direction. How does the cowboy fare with smaller needles and smaller thread sizes or is it only useful for heavy stuff. All the videos I've found seem to be people using large harpoons with small poly rope to demonstrate the cb3200, Impressive for demonstrations but less informative than I'd like. I made the mistake of going to a needle supplier website based on the needle system listed on the Hitex cb3200 website and now my head hurts front needle size charts. But i also now know that people use plasma metal deposition to coat needles. Horay for science.

Awesome vid. Is it possible to find a cylinder arm machine with a flatbed attachment to get the benefit of flatbeds without needing to buy 2 machines?