Inexpensive way to sew thick stuff

[SavingWithBabies]

Is the Elna 390-B similar in quality to the 62c? My wife is sewing some clothes for the kids and borrowing her mom's machine is a bit of a hassle. I see a 390-B on local Craigslist (also another really old Elna too).

[Sclass]

I am not familiar with the 390b. This might come from the point where they transitioned to plastic chassis. But I don’t know the specifics. Nor do I know much about the really old Supermatics. I own a Lotus and this SU 62c. Both are early 70s. Older Elnas were expensive machines so I think you’ll be getting a higher quality unit than say an old White, Sears or Singer. (However those will also be great for putting things together).

It’s best to go and try the machine and make absolutely sure it works. Bring fabric and thread so you can see how it stitches. Listen for knackered up innards. Old Elnas hum smoothly when working properly. If the machine works and it is under $100 you probably cannot do that bad by buying it. Let your wife try it. If she sews a lot she may be able to tell you if it is better than the one she borrows.

Make sure you’re getting a good price. I’d look around on eBay to see where the machines are trending. Some people on Craigslist want outlandish prices for vintage machines.

Old Supermatics have manual speed control. That is, they govern speed using a cone shaped rubber roller that sets a gear ratio mechanically. They wear and create a bumpy ride so to speak from flat spots on the rollers after storage. I expect vintage Elnas to run very quietly. Anything rubber on these old machines may have to be replaced. Make sure you can test the unit and it works to your wife’s satisfaction or you’ll never hear the end of it.

[Sclass]

I just got a chance to read about the Elna Carina. I suspect it is the same variant of machine as your 390b. Elna’s naming is crazy.

http://www.ashleyandthenoisemakers.com/ ... lex-review

First I was wrong about the plastic chassis. It appears to be metal. This looks a lot like my 62 inside. Just more complex. Nice machined metal parts and fewer injected molded plastic parts. Not that plastic parts are bad, it’s just that 1980s plastic can crumble apart leaving few options for replacement.

My theory is a lot of expensive things like my old Mercedes or these Elnas are just made better than their budget alternatives at the time...like a 1980s Yugo. The engineers had bigger budgets to work with. It’s not a rule because some smart ass marketers along the way decided marking up prices on cheap junk made it desirable. However in many cases things that originally cost more in the past are made with better guts.

So I’d say this is a nice machine. Additionally it doesn’t have a collector following. This is good if you want a workhorse for cheap. The air control looks interesting. Can’t tell if it’s a plus or minus. I’d go and try it out. Remember, a junk machine at Walmart is $50 and up. If the elna works you have a quality machine for about the same money.

I suspect my machines will outlive me and eventually go to Goodwill. My first machine was a 1942 Singer cast iron straight stitch donated to a church rummage sale undoubtedly owned by a dead person. It’s cool that these tools can live on and provide useful service to a new person.

[SavingWithBabies]

Thanks Sclass! It is surprisingly hard to find information like this sometimes. I really appreciate what to look for and will follow your advice. The 390b looks similar to the 62c but instead of "SU" it says "TSP". Do you know what those letters stand for? I should have linked it before -- it's here:

https://annarbor.craigslist.org/hsh/d/e ... 36850.html

I'm kind of excited by that table to be honest. My wife hasn't sewed before and was trying to sit on the floor and do it. I have only sewed a little bit but I know manual feed control is important and it looks like having the machine in the table like that would be a real boon for bigger things and make little things just a touch easier.

[jacob]

@SWB - On the floor?!? At least give her a table man. You can make your own raised table with a melamine board (home depot/menards/...) and a jig saw (or a big scroll saw). Just glue some blocks underneath it to make it level with the machine. It's nice for long/flat stuff but useless/cumbersome for round stuff (like sleeves) so you don't want a permanent installation. Also depends on whether your bobbin is a "toploader" or a "frontloader". Moreso than a raised table, I think it's useful to have space on the table behind and in front of the machine to keep fabric from bunching up or falling off => big table.

[Sclass]

https://annarbor.craigslist.org/hsh/d/e ... 36850.html

Buy this machine. It is a screaming deal and it is collectible. It’ll fetch 2x what they want on eBay.

Tsp is elna speak for special stitches. That’s the wheel on top. This is basically an SU 62c without removable cams. You only get the special decorative stitches on the selector wheel on top.

There are two things that break on this model. Cam gear and hook gear. Check them by doing a zig zag stitch - if the needle moves side to side it has a good cam gear. You can test without fabric. Open the little bobbin access door below the needle and see if the rotary hook rotates as the needle goes up and down. Then you know your hook gear is good.

The best test is with cloth and thread since missing teeth may still allow the motion yet make wonky stitches.

Wow...good thing it’s far away. I’d snatch it up.

[Sclass]

The table with the unit is nice. The box also converts to a sewing surface with the big slot in the side. Tavaro Elna is a munitions maker. The case is designed after an ammo box and can be integrated with the machine. Not to mention this unit is being sold with a table.

http://possumjimandelizabeth.com/xhtml/ ... na_su.html

[Sclass]

If the unit doesn’t pass the gear tests, you can offer less. Hook and cam gears go for $15-$20 ea on eBay. There are YouTube videos on swapping them. Sorry I steered you wrong on the original identification of the machine. Elna nomenclature makes absolutely no sense.

Yeah, I took a look at the listing again. The machine is barely used. A well used machine (like mine) will have scratches and chipped paint on the wheel and table. The tension knob gets worn by the thread. This unit has non of that. Wow.

Just checked eBay completed auctions. One just like it sold for $100 with no case and no pedal. Both of those parts go for $50 alone. Looks like you don’t have the collectors trolling your CL.

[SavingWithBabies]

@jacob I was going to say but wasn't sure how to word it that my wife is 1/2 Asian and likes to sit on the floor/carpet. We do have a big dining table she could use too. I think once she tries it on a table or a custom table like the one with that machine, it'll click. I've made a table similar to what you're suggesting for a photography dark room so I'll keep that as a backup idea if this one doesn't work out.

@Sclass Great! We have a big snow storm today but hopefully we can go check it out tomorrow. I'll check those things and bring some cloth and thread to test with. Thanks you.

[Sclass]

Btw, that is a beautiful Japanese knife you made a sheath for a couple of pages back. Ever use the Japanese water stones to sharpen them? Oh my god, talk about a zen moment.

No. I just use a carborundum stone from a restaurant supply. I think it came from China. Works well. Two grits. $3. The knife is scary sharp. I skin salmon and mackerel with it.

I’m too cheap to get one of those Japanese stones. I saw a demo at Hida Tool in Berkeley, CA of a Japanese plane. They honed the blade on one of those stones. I was in a state of shock seeing what kind of surface finish the plane made on the block of hardwood. The guy would stop periodically to polish the blade. Expensive tools. A little outside the Sclass budget.

https://www.hidatool.com

[SavingWithBabies]

@Sclass We picked it up! We didn't have much time to test it but we did a zig zag stitch on an old t-shirt and the machine sounded good. I was surprised to see the included table is from Elna too. After I noticed how well it fit, that made sense. The machine is actually a 72C -- I'm not sure where 390b came from. The gentleman we bought it from was quite nice and said it was his mother's machine. That case is amazing too. Nice little holder for the pedal and the cord built in (plus as you mentioned the ability to clip it onto the machine). It feels like a really nice solid piece of machinery. My wife is very happy. Thank you!

[Sclass]

Good stuff! That is a really nice machine. It was really well taken care of or not used much. You can tell by the condition of the paint on top of the arm, the wheel and no staining around the thread guides from miles of thread passing through. The 72c is a top drawer machine. It was sold concurrently with the SU 62c. Basically the same machine without the removable cams for fancy stitches. I never use the fancy stitches and just do straight and zig zag.

The free arm on these models is really useful for hemming pants and sleeves. It is also good for quickly darning socks or patching holes in jeans.

Good to hear it is functioning well. Read the manuals and keep it lubed at the red oiling holes with light machine oil and it’ll last longer than you’ll need it.

There is one selling on my Craigslist for $125 without the Elna table. One also sold on eBay recently without a box or foot control for $100 including shipping. These are collectible by a small number of crazies who know how good they are.

I don’t know if your machine came with the accessories but those also add resale value. Darning foot, satin foot, instruction manuals, darning plate and the plastic box that holds all this stuff that stows under the arm. These things often get separated by careless people who inherit the machine from Mom.

Now the fun part, using it. It’s really cool opening up the possibilities of altering second hand clothes, sewing outdoor gear, customizing your existing stuff and rescuing things from the trash. Good luck!

[Sclass]

72C that makes a lot of sense. Beautiful unit.

http://tightacres.blogspot.com/2015/12/ ... c-tsp.html

You can learn something about market efficiency while chasing this stuff down. Your Annapolis Craigslist is a pretty inefficient market place. Obviously no collectors gathering up the Elna Stars (this is the line of models). eBay is more efficient and the prices go way up because it is easier to match willing buyers with sellers.

Depending on the condition and accessories one of these units can sell for up to $250. You can see the completed auctions. Yet I also found one around Thanksgiving on Craigslist selling for $40...great conditon with all the goodies (box, control, feet) being sold by the proverbial son who just lost Mom. In my case a collector had just snatched it out from under me hours before. Maybe I’d have the chance to buy it back on eBay for $200.

I’m fascinated by markets. I got squeezed in a merger last year when I had to dump some thinly held shares in a German industrial manufacturer. Same concepts of inefficiency came into play as the volume dried up before my eyes. I’m getting OT but it is neat seeing the game between people being played out.

[Sclass]

SO showed up with these jeans. They are made for human giraffes - skinny waist, long legs. She needs four inches hacked off the legs. Apparently human giraffes are rare so she got these jeans nearly free on the clearance rack.

This is where the walking foot machine pays the bills.


By my count I'm sewing through nine layers of denim at this rib on the leg. It is three layers folded three times. Try that on a conventional machine. Walking foot eats it for lunch.



Plows right through without a skip.



Finished hem. Nice even stitching even through the bump.



Once again exchanging time for money. The thread is my $3 for 3000 yd Chinese Polyester "thread for jeans". Basically free. The hem time took about twenty minutes most of it was SO wondering if her ankles should show. New girl denim is very stretchy. Like elastic. I wonder if this stuff is finding its way into men's pants .

[Sclass]

Alright, I found this discarded backpack. It has wheels. But it is ripped on the bottom and things fall out of the pouches on the sides. No good. I'd like to use this. So I thought I'd patch it with leather scraps, but then I realized I wanted something tougher like plastic. I dug into my junk pile and got a clorox wipes bottle and started cutting it up.

The bag:


The damage:


The repair material:


Fabrication using pop rivets and cheap rivet kit from Harbor Freight:




Use washers to back up rivets:




The plates in place. Using rivets and sewing to secure them to the bag.

[SavingWithBabies]

Regarding the stretchy denim in men's pants, I bought some ~$12 Faded Glory jeans at Walmart after dropping a bunch of weight. They say they are 100% cotton but there is an interesting stretchiness to the material that is not at all like my other jeans. I'm fairly certain it's this listing:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Men-s-Straig ... s/51341646

Only pointing it out because there are some even cheaper jeans in that brand that I don't think had the stretchy feeling. I didn't expect much given the price but I was pleasantly surprised and went back to buy a couple more pairs. Now if the stretching in the pants you worked on was like leggings/jeggings, it wasn't quite that stretchy.

[Sclass]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Men-s-Straig ... s/51341646

This is exactly what I wear everyday. They’re actually pretty high quality for cheap jeans. I usually buy them on Rollback when they mark them down $0.50 When the knees wear out I make cutoffs - on the walking foot of course!

How’s the Elna TSP working out?

[SavingWithBabies]

Now I'm wondering if you posted that before and, without remembering why, I went and bought those same pants because I had the impression they were good!

The Elna TSP is working great. It hasn't gotten a lot of use yet. My wife has used it to fix the odd thing here and there. I need to redo my boat cushions so that'll probably happen at some point. I've never done piping before but it will be fun to experiment. I'll need to get both the foam and the cloth and haven't decided on those things yet but I do know I should probably try making some test cushions first to try to get the hang of it.

[Sclass]

Here is a motorcycle cover I made with a $5.00 tarp from Harbor Freight. I wanted to "hide" my motorcycle on the side of my house and we have a nazi HOA. So I thought I'd make a nice cover. Fitted to the bike. I also installed a little vent on top to get rid of condensation. The tarp isn't breathable like the good covers. Normal sewing machine used. Polyester thread for good sun resistance.

Enjoy.



Made the little holes with a soldering iron. It poked through like a hot knife and seared over the ragged edges of the holes.

[Sclass]

Okay I needed a camera case. And a strap. Lets start with the case. It's amazing how cheap a zipper case is now. On ebay you can get one for $7. But what fun is that. I have a big pile of leather and spools of upholstery thread. I have a wonderful leather sewing machine. I started looking at designs online and I liked the idea of rigid leather cases. I thought I could laminate some scrap couch leather with some milk carton cardboard and felt to make a stiff wall. Start with patterns.



Materials...,



scrap couch leather and leftovers from car seat recover. I haven't been able to put a dent in all the leather I got off the neighbor's sectional a couple of years back. I make all kinds of stuff out of this leather.



Start squaring up the corners on the scraps. Rotary cutter from rummage sale works great for this. Thanks dead grandma. Cutting mat has grids to set 90 deg angles.



Laminating. I wanted some wall stiffness. I notice a lot of handbags put cardboard or plastic in between leather layers.





Set up machine. This is complicated. Tensions, foot pressure, needle diameter and thread type need to be carefully selected for leather. Because of the extra friction on the needle and thread it is less forgiving than your average fabric. The needles actually look like suture needles because they cut a hole in the skin. Lots of test stitching on scraps to get the tension right.





After many false starts due to skipped stitches, tangles etc. I found that my pressure foot tension wasn't high enough. I forgot that I detension presser foot spring when I store my machine to save it. Forgot to tighten it. I had to do a lot of fiddling before I figured out why the machine wasn't sewing well.

This is what I ended up with. I put a snap in. I hope it doesn't break the lens door. I tried to pad it on the inside of the bag with a patch of leather. I'll have to be careful closing the thing.





Not sure what I'm going for here. I like reusing trash to make useful stuff. This ate up a couple of hours. I actually turned down some social activity to work on this which was kind of a bummer when I think about it. The dump in my town doesn't recycle milk cartons. They are very limited in what they consider recyclable. A cardboard milk carton ends up in the furnace. I go through one a week.

Oh well I have a lot of free time to think of ways to reuse this material. No new bag needed. Now I need to make a nice leather neck strap. I don't like the plasticky one currently on the camera.