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Originally Posted by NickfromWI
I have had it for about a week now and am quite pleased. I can sew regular home thread on it, or heavy v-92 or v-138 if I'd like. One slight prob is I can't find anywhere in Los Angeles that sells that heavy stuff and now might have to place ANOTHER order to buy some.  |
First check upholstery shops, they are likely to have something that heavy. However If you've got to order, I think Astrup has two distribution centers in California.
The next trick is deciding what kind of v-92 or v-138 thread to use! Selecting the best thread for the job is nearly as complicated as picking out the sewing machine. Nylon really makes for bombproof seams since it is much more elastic than polyester, but it doesn't survive so well in the sun. I personally like Tenara thread. It is a Gore product that is specifically designed to survive outside. It doesn't deteriorate in the elements the way nylon and polyester do, but it is like 10 times as expensive.
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Originally Posted by NickfromWI
The one problem I have noticed is that if I sew many layers of fabric together, the layers shift. I'll get to the end of the seam and have a 1" overlap. Maybe I have to start pinning the layers together?
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That is a bit of a "feature" of the drop feed machine, and also a bit of operator input.
I worked in a production sewing shop for many years, and the only thing we ever used pins for was to hold the loose end of a webbing roll.
If you have days to pin and unpin things, then that is certainly one route to go, but the easier way is to add timing marks along long runs (these are small slits or Vs cut into the material) then as you are sewing along, you can see which layers have managed to sneak ahead of the others, then by applying a bit of extra tension (lightly hold back the top or bottom layer with your hand) to those layers, you can make everything match up by the time you get to the end.
good luck with the new machine
-jason