Chinese Vs Sailrite walking foot sewing machines

[GoneDiving]

I'm starting to consider options for sewing soft furnishings for a trawler (no steady sail). Ideally I would like to buy a used Sailrite but they are unicorns in Australia. A new one is A$2500 delivered. Intended use is a full vessel refit of lounge toppers, curtains, custom mattress covers and exterior shade fabrics. Plus the 50 other jobs I find when I have a machine sitting there ready to go. I have zero experience sewing.

Option 1: Buy a new Sailrite and sell it once the main refit is finished. Resale is unlikely to happen as there will always be new work to do, so I'm down $2500 but have a very good machine.

Option 2: wait for a used machine to appear. Hopefully this century.

Option 3: Chineseium unit for $700 delivered. Zero resale value so just keep it. Tolerate any quality issues.

Has anyone used a AliExpress special? Is quality so-so or complete garbage?

Is a walking foot model a need to have or a nice to have? The thickest materials will be the couch toppers and shade sails.

Is there anything/other models that I have missed?

Thanks

 

[SoWhat]

Walking foot mandatory if you are sewing sunbrella.
I have a chinese clone. It gets the job done but machine quality is poor. Setting thread tension correctly is difficult. I did buy the monster wheel from Sailrite and I would recommend it.
I would buy another clone if this one ever stops working.
Any walking foot machine would work. You might find a sewing machine shop that sells used ones.

 

[jgwinks]

I have the Rex zig zag walking foot machine. Same basic machine as the Sailrite LSZ1. Bought about 5 years ago for $350 on Amazon and added the Monster Wheel from Sailrite. That's highly recommended, it doubles the power and cuts the speed in half. Without it the machine goes too fast for good control. The Sailrite model has several beefed up parts in the mechanism, those parts are known to break in the other brands. I replaced two parts in mine, the beefed up ones from Sailrite are drop in replacements. I could replace all of those parts with the beefed up Sailrite ones and still be money ahead. The other advantage of the Sailrite is it comes properly set up and tuned from the factory, the others not so much. I had to tweak mine a little to get it sew Sunbrella correctly. These old style all mechanical machines need to be kept in tune, the heavier sewing you do the quicker they go out. Sailrite has published all their tuning and maintenance videos on Youtube, you will need them no matter what make you buy. I know people with the deluxe Sailrite models who had to make adjustments relatively soon after purchase. I had a straight stitch Sailrite LS1 20-25 years ago, I don't think it was any better than the Rex but some of their upgrades like the Monster Wheel have come in since then. I'm happy with the Rex and saved at least $1000 buying it instead of another Sailrite. There are several other makes using the same design, Barracuda looks like one of the better ones. Sailrite calls all the other makes "knockoffs", but actually they are knockoffs too, the original was the Thompson back in the 1960's. That one's no longer made but if you find a used one they're pretty good, a freind got one in an estate sale and likes it a lot.

 

[Bustlebomb]

We also have a Rex but not the zig zag model. It seems to work fine. Probably not as nice as the Sailrite but it is substantially less expensive and gets the job done. We bought it on eBay (I believe) several years ago but only finally broke it out during the pandemic down time.

While a Sailrite is a nice machine, it’s $1,000 here (even more where you are) and the Rex was 1/3 that price.

Based on this thread, looks like a Monster Wheel is in our future.

YMMV but we’re happy.

 

[GoneDiving]

Thanks all.

Do I need zigzag?

No repairwork nor sails. Only cushions, shades etc

 

[Bacchus]

Most basic canvas & cushion, curtain work only requires straight stitch IMO.
No first hand info on knock offs but like my Sailrite straight stitch. Monster wheel a real plus.
I have done some curtain work on an old Singer w/o walking foot but if Sunbrella or comparable heavy or large pieces walking foot is a real plus or even necessity.

 

[Comodave]

I have a Sailrite 111. It does only straight stitch and I think it is discontinued now. It has been great. I have done canvas work on 4 complete boats now as well as a lot of miscellaneous sewing. I have never readjusted it since it came from Sailrite. I have it setup for Tenara thread and plan to never readjust it because it works so well now. A walking foot is a must IMO.

 

[SoWhat]

Thanks all.
Do I need zigzag?
No repairwork nor sails. Only cushions, shades etc

I have never used zigzag and don't intend to. I don't have sails and I fold over material that needs serging. I use a hot knife on synthetic material.

 

[koliver]

we use a "relaiable". Chinese? Don't know, don't care. "Industrial" is why we bought it, not cheap at $1500 used. So far, no complaints. It has done sail covers for my son's 32' sailboat, tonneau cover for a neighbour's 20' speedboat, various small repairs, a full cover for the outdoor kitchen on our RV lot in California, and this winter, new Bimini, side cloths, dinghy cover on Retreat. More to come.
No ZigZag, though that lack doesn't seem to matter.
When done with it, I expect to get close to purchase price for it, as it has so uch left to give.

 

[GoneDiving]

It has done sail covers for my son's 32' sailboat, tonneau cover for a neighbour's 20' speedboat, various small repairs, a full cover for the outdoor kitchen on our RV lot in California, and this winter, new Bimini, side cloths, dinghy cover on Retreat. More to come.

Thanks. I can certainly see a million jobs popping up once the machine is sitting there and I've got some competence.