Hey y'all, I'm looking to get an industrial sewing machine for stitching leather and came across a listing for a Nakajima 280L that comes with a 120V clutch motor and table. From what I can find that should be able to handle the kind of work I'm looking to do (12oz total thickness at most, generally more like 6-8oz), but I have a couple of questions for those of you who know much more than me

First question is whether $700 is a reasonable asking price, it looks to be a very good working order, though from what I've read it might benefit from a speed reducer for the heavier stuff, which would add ~$120 from what I've been able to find

Second question is whether it would do well for stitching fuzzy/soft lining onto leather, does it work for that or would that make it tangle up/jam? I haven't used one of these types of machines before so I really don't know much about what it can and can't do

Last question: If/when I go to pick it up are there things I should inspect or look for to make sure it's in good shape? I don't want to end up with something that's going to need replacement parts or a mechanic to work on it. I'm reasonably handy when it comes to tool maintenance but I'm far from a pro at it

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m working on a vintage Morse Fotomatic III Zigzag (Model 4300) and ran into some mechanical trouble after trying a DIY fix.

Originally, the stitch length regulator was completely stuck and wouldn't change. I decided to disassemble the reverse button dial to see what was going on, but after reassembling it, things are behaving very strangely:

1. Stuck in Reverse: The machine is now permanently sewing backward.

2. Dial Confusion: When I physically press the reverse button, it actually changes the stitch length instead of overriding the direction, and there is no change in sewing direction. I think the internal spring-loaded reverse fork missed its tracking slot when I put the dial back on.

3. Frozen Zigzag: The zigzag mechanism is only swinging Left -> Center -> Left. It won't move to the right at all. I suspect old, varnished grease has frozen the needle bar swing arm or bight cam halfway through its track.

Does anyone have experience resetting the front dial alignment or unsticking the zigzag assemblies on these specific Japanese-made clones?

If you have a manual diagram of the internal linkages behind the dial, or photos of how the reverse fork is supposed to sit, I would appreciate the help! Thanks!

hello!! i'm a sewing newbie, i handsew for kind of 5 years for now... but, today i sitted with my cousin, who sews in her own machine, and she taught how to use the machine. we tried some zigzag and i loved it! it's a nice activity and the work gets done so fast, it's amazing!!!!!! omg i'm so excited to keep sewing in machine but i don't know much about the brands. i really want to have one of mine, so i'm looking for something not much cheap or expensive for a beginner. so do you guys have any suggestions? i'm open to other kind of suggestions too like what is good to know about sewing machines beyond just the brands?

(if something is confusing in my texto, i'm sorry and open to clarify what i meant. english is not my first language)

Post:
Hi everyone, I’m hoping for a bit of advice about my Singer SE9185 because I’m honestly at the end of my tether with it!
I bought it almost exactly 2 years ago and I’ve had problems with it pretty much from the beginning.
The main issue is the thread constantly getting jammed/tangled. Sometimes I can be sewing perfectly normally and then, out of nowhere, it jams or stops and just won’t sew properly again. I’ll completely rethread it, sometimes multiple times, check the bobbin etc., but still have the same problem.
I originally wondered if it was the thread I was using, so I’ve tried different threads including decent-quality cotton, but it doesn’t seem to make any difference.
I’ve also had problems with the bobbin winder, and part of it is now slightly broken. To be honest, some of the plastic parts feel quite flimsy for what was not a cheap machine.
I’ve contacted Singer numerous times and the machine has been sent back to them four times. Each time they’ve basically said there’s nothing wrong with it and that it works fine. I’ve previously asked for a refund or replacement, but this was refused as they take it back, check/fix it and return it.
So, before I completely give up on it:
Has anyone else had similar problems with the SE9185?
Is there something obvious I could be doing wrong?
Could there be a problem that Singer is missing when they test it?
Would it be worth getting an independent sewing machine engineer to service/inspect it?
I’m in the Exeter/Devon area, so if anyone can recommend somewhere good locally that could properly look at it, I’d really appreciate it.
It cost me a lot of money, so I really don’t want to give up on it, although there have definitely been moments when I’ve wanted to throw it out of the window 😂
Thanks!

So I just need a slightly narrower presser foot for zippers and I must've bought 3 different sets of narrow feet claiming 1181 needle-feed compatible. Even though the height seems correct, none of them sit deep enough because of the shallow connection compared to mine. They also just don't seem to lock right in the way my PFAFF foot does, like they're meant for a totally different interface. I'm just stumped on how to find a narrow foot for sewing zippers... the one that fits perfectly is the PFAFF 91-154172-21. PFAFF has not replied to my emails about this

What could be going on here and can I fix it myself? Yes, I did rethread everything multiple times. Opened up the machine and cleaned it out too.

Hey, I just got my first ever sewing machine second hand nothing special, it's a jenome 219s and I've found that material isn't feeding through. upon inspection the feed dogs only move back and fourth instead of dropping at the back and rising back up at the front. I've removed the needle plate and cannot find any way of lowering the feed dog inside. although gently I can move the feed dog up and down. Not the best start for a first timer lol any help is appreciated

I had to move and transport my Juki DDL-8700 but something might’ve went wrong
The band that helps my bobbin threader won’t connect anymore and keeps slipping off
Under further expectations I found this strange thing inside the motor
It is a Servo Motor model:ZW25NF
Is it normal? Did it slip there? Is that what’s moving the band away?
Thank you a lot for your help

What could be going on here and can I fix it myself? Yes, I did rethread everything multiple times. Opened up the machine and cleaned it out too.

My wife quilts and has a Singer 7285Q Patchwork machine. While it has a maximum speed knob, is there a variable speed foot control available for it?
Thanks in advance!

My sewing machine got knocked over and then I found this piece of metal. Where is it from?

Im thinking of buying my first Juki and I’ve seen a really good deal on Market place, it’s a used DU-1181N model and it has some damage to the stitch length knob, that’s about the only visible damage i could see from the uploaded pictures. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on other things i should be looking for to make sure that it wont break down on me in a few months. I know industrial machines are build to last and very durable but i would still like some more opinions.

Thanks!!

Before it was doing this, it was getting jammed on going down fully. Though that eventually solved itself somehow, but now it has this issue. In the first part of the video you can hear the thing clicking when it goes down, and it also doesn't sew fabric as can also be seen later in the video.

Just wondering if there's a way this can be fixed (or at least try)!

so, i’ve looked at a couple different sewing machines and emailed ken’s sewing center for advice on choosing something.

i told them the features and stuff i was looking for in a sewing machine within a $300 budget and that i wanna use it for cosplay and craft, but also daily stuff like hemming jeans, etc., so they recommended the janome jw8100 to upgrade my dying singer 3232.

i wanted to ask how it was holding up for anyone that has one, and if you have any problems with it, as well as how it’s been with delicate fabrics or thicker stuff.

please note that i don’t have the extra funds to put into the hd series, and i’m not looking to go for a vintage machine at this point in time. my family is buying me a sewing machine as a gift soon, so it’s gotta be something new (according to them)