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📹 Don’t Ruin Your Leather Projects — Use These Sewing Needles
When it comes to sewing leather, choosing the right needle is one of the keys to a successful, professional-looking project. In this …
📹 SAILRITE VS CHEAP Sewing Machine (Full Comparison)
Finally an opportunity arose to compare the Sailrite Ultrafeed with my cheaper, but apparently very similar Reliable Barracuda.
Another very informative article. Can you guys get 135×16/17 22-24 lr needles? Does anybody even make them? The 21 tri point I bought from you guys works pretty well with 138, but the 135×16 19 lr of course can’t handle 138. I want that pattern, but with thicker thread. Should I just use perpendicular 22 needles. Do they make 24 P needles? My machine is supposed to be able to go up to 277 although I haven’t tried it yet.
A factor that I wish more people were taking into account is “this company charges more money for their product because they are employing people to assemble and maintain their machines, and provide customer support in the country where their customer base is, and are paying those people in a higher value currency.” That is important.
For those who can’t afford a new Sailrite machine,can I suggest looking for older used semi-industrial machines? Some of these date back to the 1950s and 60s and are superbly engineered. One piece of advice I would like to add is don’t use cheap needles. Dropped stitches and broken threads are often caused by needle deflection due to using a low-quality needle. Good quality needles are made from high grade steel which is stiffer stronger, stronger and holds a sharper point for longer.The difference between cheap and quality is like night and day. Groz-Beckert are generally considered to be the gold standard but I’ve also had very good results with Organ. Also make sure you’re using the right size of needle for your thread. For V92 you want a 120/19 needle. V69 use either a 100/16 or 110/18. Hope this helps.
I have the Reliable Barracuda and it gets the job done but is admittedly crude compared to a German Adler walking foot I used to have. I wish I hadn’t sold that machine! I’ve never had a chance to use the Sailrite LSZ but I’d buy that if money was no object, based on what people say about it. In April ’23 the Sailrite machine is twice the cost of the Barracuda in Canadian dollars (almost $1800!) and I still can’t justify that, which is why I bought the Barracuda in the first place. I’m grateful that Sailrite’s parts, manual and articles apply to the Barracuda (so far), as there really is nothing from Reliable. I’ve upgraded the flywheel and stitch length control with Sailrite’s parts, lengthened the wire to the foot control (necessary!), altered the hinge location on Reliable’s box (that wouldn’t take the machine as supplied), filed the needle plate openings to allow me to use Sailrite’s leather feed dog and generally tinkered until I’m reasonably happy with it. I’d have to say that this is not a machine for those not willing to tinker. Sailrite is still my go-to place for supplies and materials, even if they don’t want to help with my machine…
The numbers on the tension control is just a label. You could make your own numbered label to cover up the default + – label. Or if you only need a few tension settings, just add your own hand drawn tick marks to the edge of the knob to highlight where you need to turn the knob to set a given tension amount. If you need more than 2 or 3 ticks, you could also use different colors to set them apart. Usually one mark on the machine itself is added as well to give a visual reference point to where the ticks on the knob should align with the body of the machine. We use this same tick mark technique all the time at work to readjust the voltage levels on variable bench power supplies between a few common levels we need. Instead of making slow adjustments qhile perusal the voltage meter change, we just turn the knob to exactly where it needs to go based on a tick mark, then verify or fine-tune the output with the meter as needed.
Nice article. I would have to say that I own a sailrite. I was brand new to sewing when I purchased it. sailrite’s machine has been flawless, their customer service in my opinion is amazing. They practically taught me how to sew. Hahaha I have called many times asking questions and they have been amazing. In fact, i reached out to them about sewing 90 degree corners and they literally told me to give them a couple days and they would post a article on how to do what i was asking. They are awesome.
Great article. I bought the Rex 607z and put a “genuine ” sail right wheel on it . Similar experience, worked great for my sailright stack pack project, but started skipping stitches. After months of being too frustrated to look at it anymore I sat down, watched some articles, and when I was just about ready to start adjusting things when I I realized I had a burr on my hook, probably crashed it into the needle. Cleaned up the burr, installed a new needle, and I’m back in business! Again, thanks for the info. Sewing machines can make you want to pull your hair out!🥂
Thanks for this review. I have the Sailrite machine. I had problems sewing using the lifetime uv thread. It’s a plastic type of thread with a coating that kinda gums up the needle over time..AND..the thread tends to kink if you let it just come off the top of the thread spool..so I made a spool bracket that allows the tread to come off laterally and that seems to keep the kinking from occurring and thus making the sewing better when using the lifetime uv thread. AND a final thought on price….professional canvas makers charge SO much money that the price of the machine is inconsequential (my opinion)
Great article… I had a Reliable Barracuda…and never seemed to be able to keep it fixed each time I used it. Maybe it was that driver. i eventually decided that it was better to just pay the pros, and got rid of the machine. It took up a lot of space. But our Reliable did serve us well for years. Great fair unbiased review… thanks for doing it..I always kind of wondered!
Good information, I had done the same research and had made a deal to buy a machine from China until I got the bid for shipping to the states . $200 for the machine and $200 in shipping, wait an unknown time and have an orphan machine. As I get older my time becomes more valuable so rather than fiddling with that mess I purchased a used Sailrite.
I have owned a Sailrite ultrafeed for over 20 years now. Have sewn hundreds of projects including a total boat cover out of sunbrella for our C&C 37. It has sewn rachet straps gallore as well as bimini’s you name it. The first project (The boat cover) saved me the entire cost of the machine plus all the accessories I bought with it. Don’t regret my purchase one bit.
I bought a Barracuda earlier this year. One think to note, the warranty on the Sailrite I believe is 2 years, the Barracuda is a 3 year warranty. I replaced my needle plate on my Barracuda with Sailrite’s needle plate which as you mentioned is graduated…a nice upgrade. Sailrite will sell their plastic flywheel or their chrome plated wheel, but they won’t sell the bushing to convert the wheel to their posipin system where you can release the drive for the rest of the machine for bobbin winding. They told me this was a proprietary part. Great article and very fair comparison, thank you for posting.
Thanks, great review. I just ordered the Reliable machine, but would definitely get the sailrite if I had a tad more cash right now and if I didn’t enjoy tinkering. I have contacted their customer service twice, once asking a question on the website, and just now regarding my order, and both times I got a fast reply, so they may have improved that aspect of their business.
I totally enjoyed your comparison. I’ve owned and used the Sailrite Ultrafeed going on for 10 years. Of course, they’re close to twice the price now. Sailrite articles are mind-blowingly useful, their employees unlike the owners are quite helpful. At one time they encouraged customers to send in photos of projects they made using their Ultrafeed machine. So I submitted a Sioux, Native American Tipi I had designed and made for my grandchildren. They were obviously interested and asked for a copy of my CAD pattern file, which I freely sent. However, their interest totally evaporated when they found out I hadn’t made it using their canvas. When they refused to help you with your Barracuda I wasn’t the least bit surprised. Frankly, I own a couple Chinese-made sewing machines, one in particular looks like it was made by a drunk blacksmith, yet it sews as well as my Sailrite and it only set me back $150. As Paul Liuzzo commented, “a Ferrari and a Ford will both get you where you are going.”
Thank you for the great article!! Very informative, I recently purchased the barracuda with the Cuda case, the machine itself seems solid, but agree with what you have said, some parts are of a rough finish, I will be purchasing the Cuda crank as I think it will be helpful, the carry case itself is beautiful, but the opening in it is a little too small for the machine & when you try to flip the machine up to change a bobbin it catches & has chipped the coated on the Carey case . So I have taken the hinges off & just lift the machine up from one end to change a bobbin, it’s much easier for me . I hope it it doesn’t let me down, it is cheaper then the sailrite, but still a little pricey when purchased new from Reliable .
Great article, thanks. We’re quickly breaking or needing so much fabric work on our boat it is almost ridiculous. We just tore our spinnaker, the stack pack needs modifications, as does the cockpit tent, and you always get more line bags. It’s impossible to pay someone else for it all, so a sewing machine, even a higher priced Sailrite, weight pays for itself.
I have the same issue you had. My machine a sewline (clone) is pinned front and back and impossible to pull apart without drilling while assembled. I have used 5 rolls of upholstery thread while it sewed and now it’s just worn out. I am going to drop another 400$ in this before I have a machine that may work. 900$ vs 1250$ isn’t that much more for a superior piece of junk. I am grateful to sailrite they sell parts. I’m going to try to drill this apart replace what I need. After these couple of projects I’m going to rehab a mid century singer that will work until I pass on. Thanks for the article, very informative.
I am fairly certain there are many of us that almost bought the Barracuda (and some that did) but deducted that the parts were inferior and it wasn’t worth the $300 of grief. I was looking for years and years and figured that the cost difference was maybe up to $400 more (close to what you suggest) …but being a newbie and looking at the Chinese made reviews, they were all around 1-2 on a scale of 5 being the highest, which is ALWAYS a red flag. I sort of wish your article was around when I bought my blue machine. It could have been the needed nudge to go Sailrite right away instead of wasting so many, many hours on-line trying to figure the same thing out. LOL maybe not however because I was too head strong to figure out your conclusion on my own. At least know I have that peace inside …I know that I did the right thing. This is the best article or article on this topic of “buy the Sailrite or the knock-off” … it is a very hard decision and impossible to determine without an apples to apples vid. Kudos for your objectiveness and achieved goal to avoid tainting the subject matter.
What a great comparison… This is the exact information I needed. I hate to say, that I immediately began looking for the mythic unicorn that is the 60.00 machine. Couldn’t find in on Alibaba, so i went back to your article and rewatched the section where you showed the screen shot from the Alibaba page and then I saw it. The page you were looking at did indeed show the similar machine, but the 60.00 offering was not for the machine, it was for a wooden base and cover/carrying case only. Sad discovery, but honestly, the rest of the article put things in such good perspective for me, it was well worth that minor “damnit” moment lol. Cheers, and keep up the good work!
Good article Jamie. A bit arcane – but hey! I love tools and nerd stuff. I watched every second. So those really big zigzag stitches on sails:Are they not made on Sailrite machines? (You mentioned at one point you were going to sew the largest zigzag on the Sailrite.) A sewing machine was on my list of ‘tools to get someday’ for years. I finally got a Janome off Amazon. It took me almost a year to figure out that it wasn’t my inexperience, the machine was out of whack. When I called Janome they said “We don’t sell on Amazon” and refused to honor their lifetime warranty (the fake “Janome” is still on Amazon now labeled as “Brand: Janome”. (Take “Brand:” as a warning.) Really annoying. What I learned from the sewing machine repairer is that when they jam they can skip a cog knocking the sequence of sewing-steps, ‘timing’, out of whack. So even if you replaced the part that wasn’t doing its job, somewhere deeper inside a cog has probably skipped and that’s what needs adjusting. I think if what happened to you happened to me, I’d just find a good sewing machine repairer and pay the $100-$200. A Sailrite machine is on my list as soon as I have a good excuse to buy it. I have the $1500 version on my sailboat outfitting list. They seem easy to contact – I met some of the people seen on their YouTube articles. I assume great customer service. It is a premium price, but I see a sewing machine not as an end, but as a means towards a more important end. (No one buys an old British sports car as basic reliable transportation to work.
I have a clone of the Sailrite LSZ1 which is a Mercury 530. I paid about $160 for it about 20 years ago. I was making adjustments to it the other day and my timing also went out. I was getting frustrated because i could not get the hook spacing right. Fortunately I saw a Sailrite article showing how to adjust it (my machine had the grub screws that allowed adjusting). I agree they seem to need constant adjustment. My Mercury 530 has some junk grub screws on it. Simetimes it is hard to find an allen wrench that fits correctly. Probably the best thing would be to try to find higher quality grub screws and replace these cheap chinese screws. I used my Walking Foot to make new sunbrella covers for all the cushions on my J30 sailboat and to do sail repair also. I added a ring of 1/2″ thick steel that I made in my metal fabrication shop to my existing flywheel that gave it significantly more weight. I also had an adapter ring that fit over the existing flywheel and increased the diameter, which increased the gear ratio quite a bit.
Great article! Thanks so much. I have tip. My machine is a Rex. New it was so tight and clunky we called it T-Rex. After a few years of that nonsense and using proper sewing machine oil, I decided to try oiling with Marvel Mystery Oil. After running threadless a few minutes, the racket stopped. It has run quiet and smooth ever since. I use that stuff in my vehicle, too, 1 liter of Mystery with 4 Liters of Synthetic, and my Kia Rondo runs quieter and smoother and burns a little less fuel in summer but significantly less in our Canadian winters. For sewing machines, I got the idea from some sewing forum where a woman said she oiled her ancient Singer with it and thay she “could blow on it and it runs.” It’s not quite that good on the Rex but a total improvement from regular oil.
Sailrite has been around since 1969. The Chinese “copied” it. Sailrite’s support is FANTASTIC! I mean you establish a relationship with the people there. Long time family business. There is so much more to a Sailrite machine – the internal components are heavy duty. I have had mine for over 15 years now. I have NEVER had any issues and I have really pushed the machine. I did have to adjust the shuttle driver once after I really pushed it and must have rotated from rough handling. It was easily fixed. I just upgraded my LS (straight stitch only) with the worker B motor. and btw, you should put the hand crank handle that comes with monster wheel on the sailrite (like the old “necker knobs” on steering wheels)
I bought a Morse machine (essentially the same) about 12 years ago for $350. I have had some problems, and one part of the internal mechanism broke. I was able to buy the replacement part from SailRite. I also had to add the monster wheel separately. There are some timing issues, but I am able to sew things. I have made 2 sails, repaired 2 other sails, and made several canvas projects. Everything appears to be compatible with the SailRite machine, but, as you mentioned, SailRite will not talk with you about a machine without their brand.
Welcome to the USA, Most of the machines on your LIST, are ACTUALLY made by the SAME company . I have a REX, and I can truly say, That I have not had even a hint of problems sewing leather, and denim. The price was. $700 LESS than the sailrite. They might order a special model, but they as I understand it, make some additional tweeks, Makes the machine run better, but also elevates the price substantially. Best of luck to you 👍
They’re the same machine, but Sailright does include a few better parts such as the linkage for the needle bar. All mechanical sewing machines require tuning—why do you think Sailright includes detailed articles about setting up and timing their machines? Buy a cheap one and replace a few inexpensive parts if necessary. I did that and saved $800 over the sailright
SEWLINE 146-7 We have a 35 footer sailboat in PANAMA. the SEWLINE has done 2 cock pit covers (12’x13′ truck tarp stuff) plus 1 sail cover plus plus sunbrella dodge..leather interior on a ’69 XKE..tonnue cover and more…has not broke yet. Is it perfect, NO …cost new now some $500 with zig zag. Just under 50 lbs so lots of plain rides…see if we leave it in humid Panama it will rust so back to dry/hot Phoenix. I am sure both are great machines.
Hi, thanks for the comparison. I’ve just bought a Barracuda (used). The person I bought it from was using the incorrect needles so thought it was not working for their needs. It works fine. I do agree on the ‘clunky’ ness aspect, though I’ve never sewn with a sailrite though I can hear the difference in your article. I did notice however, that you rotated the flywheel backwards when finishing the seam demonstration. This is a sure way to mess up the timing. You should never do this (just saying), rule one of sewing with any machine. I’m going to be sewing mostly sunbrella or heavier upholstery type fabrics and not sails like you very talented boat owners. I will replace the top on our fishing boat and I may bite the bullet and buy a sailrite someday. They do have a big presence on the web, and their products ship amazingly fast. I do envy you, being in the US. I had to pay duty and shipping on my orders, just over the border to Canada. Thanks again, you were very informative. You have a very pretty boat!
$60 was for WOODEN BOX only (!) – this is why you need to read Chinese auctions with all details – they try to deceive buyers. I stopped your article and on the Alibaba description is wooden box for the machine (not the machine(!) – this is only pictures of the box with some example 😉 machine). Also: worth to note: Barracuda needs stronger motor because of it’s bad quality – so more power neededed to operate machine. Stronger motor is not ‘pros’, because it’s power is not used for sewing but rather lost on different frictions due to low quality.
Nice article, I bought the Sailrite, I bought it to make my own sailcovers, upholstry, and a bunch of other stuff. I had enough learning curve in basic sewing, having to mess with the machine would have increased the BS factor to a point that it wouldn’t be worth it. And Sailrite has information on making the “forward/reverse” lever not spring loaded. Thanks for the information.
My tension cover for the knob fell off a couple years ago, dont need it. Just count half turns while adjusting for new project/ fabric/tensions and make a note so you can return to where you were. I usually sew 500D Cordura and Ottertext, when I switch to lets say a HyperD 300, I know from a note how much to dial the tensiob knob and the presser foot to get me close. Then just dial it back the other way when you switch back to the 500D. The presser foot is even easier. 5/8″ exposed on top for 500D, backed all the way out, then one or two turns back in for the lighter HyperD. I dont even look at the cheat sheet anymore, just keep track of last fabric you sewed.
OMG – JUST FOUND YOUR article – I have been bloody struggling with the Barracuda (UNRELIABLE) for years and even broke the shaft on it. I did some how manage to make a bimini and dodger and redid most of my lounge and seats with p-leather BUT it was a MASSIVE struggle from the get go. I could not get it to stitch and it continually gathered from the hook over and over again. I bought it from a queensland supplier who used to sell Sailrite but the stopped and sold this heap of junk and now they don’t sell it either. I wish I was told or discovered what you found out as I am no in the process to try and finish off my projects and either get the Barra going properly or just junk it and buy something else. Thanks so much for the article. Cheers Tim
I attempted to purchase a wheelbarrow from China for a wonderful price. A couple of weeks later some cheep socks arrive from China worth $5 at most. The package was sent so receipt could be proved. A few weeks later when wheel barrow had not arrived I complained. The seller attempted to use the proof of receipt of socks as proof I received wheelbarrow. The details of sock shipping showed item was under one pound in weight. I presume if you order $60 machine you’re gonna get socks.
You mentioned having been happy with the barracuda prior to the breaking of the driver. If the driver hadn’t done that, or if you had been able to send it in for a warranty repair, would that change your preference, or is the sailrite still that much smoother with the stitching? I’m grudgingly leaning toward the sailrite but had really wanted to make the barracuda be my choice, out of principle for what the standard pricing should or should not be, for us cruisers to get our hands on good machines.
Not sure about sewing machines, but my friend bought two chinese made 5hp outboards from aliexpress(I think). Before he ran them, I took one, disassembled it, cleaned it up(deburring, cyl hone, valve lap. smoothed the gears, Carb etc) Put it back together and gave it back. He mounted them both on his 16ft boat and ran them equally. with the same oil and gas. the one straight out of the box lasted 4 years of above average use, the one I cleaned is still running strong. In my opinion much of the chinese stuff has the potential to be reasonable. but assembly and attention to detail of the products is grossly lacking. And yes the Metallurgy and composite quality is also lacking. It was very easy to file the piston rings and bearing races. Most of the plastic was not glass fiber(or ever fiber) reinforced. I think if you took apart the Barracuda, cleaned the parts (maybe put some graphite or molybdenum disulfide on the moving parts it would run a lot smoother. Not sure about the motors but they both should pull about the same amount of amps, therefore the power output should be about the same.
Hi there, on Jupiter! Thanks for this great review. I searched and searched, and never found any 60$ Sailrite’s sister. I think it’s the price of the box actually, wether it’s a wooden or plastic one. The cheapest machine I found was around 190$, plus 50$ for the big wheel, wich makes 240$, and…250$ for the shipping!! So we’re on an average price of 550$. The good point is the long arm machine (9″) isn’t much more expensive, just about 50 or 60$ extra; but the shipping cost jumps from 95$ for the 7″arm to… 250$ for the 9″arm machine. I encountered other brands than the ones you cited, but overall the price is always 550$ or so: half a sailrite. It’s been a week since I begun searching for an affordable machine, and I still don’t know!!! Not sure I’ll have the skills to make it whit a cheap machine if it comes to jam. Some advise you to oil your machine before the first use, some appear to be luckier than others. Heaven knows! 550$ is still an amount!
I think it was a good decision to get the cases for both machines. Interesting, Consew is an expensive industrial machine. At least they were. I am wondering if someone is using the name. Good article, because lots of people also must be asking can I get a walking foot machine that can do big zigzag stiches for less money than the Sailrite. Sailrithe is a good company, as you know since you have been a customer of their fabrics for a long time. I started with their sail kits. $995 is a lot of money to spend on a sewing machine. Then again avoiding problems, especially when you are traveling is priceless. I remember the original Sailright machine was available with a hand crank.
Thanks for the insight. I only watched your article up to the point where you called the drive pin a clutch system. If you really wanted to make an accurate comparison you should have said the pin makes it a direct drive, the sailrite doesn’t have a clutch. The other machine has a clutch which will slip when you’re sewing multiple layers of canvas or thick leathers no matter how much you tighten the clutch knob. And, when your loading a bobbin on the cheaper machine, you can loosen the clutch enough so the needle doesn’t travel.
I gave up a monstrous Singer Industrial Straight Stich machine for a space-saving Dual Stitch Barracuda. I would have preferred a Sailrite but was trying to save a few bucks. Sailrite replaces cheap cast parts with machined parts. Lemme Shplain. The cheap Rolex watches you can buy on the street are made from parts produced in the same Chinese factory as are in$50K watches. After QC, the AAA+ movements go to Switzerland. (less than 1%) The rest are graded accordingly and end up in watches down the sliding scale. Sailrite, I have no doubt, gets the best machines off the line.
Great article. Good to see you CAN get a sail capable machine really cheap if your prepared to fiddle with it. I might go the $60 but would probably buy 2 or 3 (spares) if it wasn’t for the weight consideration on a sailboat. Your right with the motor sizes. Watts = Amps * Volts So, if the engine rating is given in Watts your comparing apple for apple regardless of Voltage because Watts are simply a product of Amps and Volts. Double the Volts and you half the amps. So, the Cheaper machine has a much more powerful motor and that is normally a plus. The Sailrite being a physically larger motor may mean its been built more robust and that can ultimately be a reliability plus, but in the short term, the cheaper machine wins in that department. However, it looks like the Cheaper machine was given the more powerful motor to get around the stiffness and binding issues you showed, means it WILL wear out faster. My Mother is a (seamstress/tailor/mad keen dressmaker) so I have had to repair / replace odd bits and pieces in the past. She has both heavy duty machines and hi-tech embroidery machines (Singer, Phaff, Bernina etc) The Singer is this old heavy solid as a rock machine that has a 2.5hp motor. It would be ideal for sail making, but its way to heavy to have on a boat. it requires 2 people to move it and its setup on a really large cast iron frame, designed to be bolted to the floor.
As an American jewelry designer who has had my work copied by Chinese companies, mass produced, and undersold, I could never consider buying what is obviously a copycat. It just is not fair that one company invests the time and money to develop a great product and another company undersells them with a copycat. I have a sailrite and love it
I bought the blue, zig zag Sail Rite a few years ago. The forward reverse lever you pointed out was an Upgrade they offered which I purchased. You can set the lenghts of both your forward and reverse stitches with it by using the locking adjustments. I also bought the Servo Motor upgrade – I like it Very Much, I can control the speed of the machine perfectly which is great as I am brand new to sewing. I’m waiting to see if you mention the internal differences that the Sail Rite site points out in their articles.
I have both the same machines, the barracuda sits in the corner and hasn’t been used (since I got the sailrite) as every time I used it it needed adjusting. I have had the sailrite for two years and not one problem. I since got the worker B upgrade, it is absolutely the most powerful sewing machine I have ever used. lots of reviews on YouTube. the folks that use high end machines even like the new power option!!!!
Double the voltage.. same current… doubles the wattage. —– No doubt Sailrite makes very fine products. They are quite expensive, though. But, even if you don’t buy their sewing machines, I’ve found them to be very helpful. I had a problem with the alignment of the belt on the cuda crank. Customer service was a lot of mails and phone calls, but not much help, from Reliable.
Enjoyed the article. I bought a Strongaem for AUD$1000. Sailrite was twice that. Have become quite the sewing machine mechanic since then retuning the machine. Agree with all your points and whilst it would have been nice to start with a Sailrite, it was a big step not knowing if i could master sewing and enjoy it (can do both now). Having trained myself and tamed the machine not much incentive to make a bigger investment. The Strongarm pays for itself on a regular basis and not sure if i would use a very expensive machine with a long arm, bobbins that never run out etc.
You could of drilled and tapped a hole in the driver and install your own set screw. If the original driver was not worn or damaged something else was out of adjustment. Those machines are very similar to my consew cp146rl. They probably all come from the same factory in Asia. Tuffsew and Thompson all have identical machines as well.
Reminds me of buying larger tools from Harbor Freight. All the basics are there but the cheap price is because nobody at the factory set them up. You have to spend some time setting them up yourself before they’re usable. Same for cheap guitars. Looks like the “Reliable” needs someone to tune them a bit more before they ship them out. Looks like they’re both copies of the “Kenmore 158.220 Model 22”
Sailrite bought the rights from another manufacturer and refined it, with those changes now in their production version. The manufacturer of all the other renamed brands use the old castings/parts with the inherent problems. Sailrite receives every machine from the factory and checks it for operation and fine tunes it if necessary. The other machines are assembled, various names applied, boxed, and shipped. The old saying of it runs like a sewing machine applies to the Sailrite. The generic machine not sew much, pun intended. I have full size machines for what I do. If I needed a portable, I would go with the Sailrite. There is nothing more frustrating than being in a time crunch and the machine goes wonky and you spend more time fixing than sewing. I am a firm believer in buy once, cry once. Adding the cost of the cheap machine on top of the quality replacement machine makes those second set of tears that much bigger.
Great article I watched it twice. I want to buy a super cheapo and then replace the driver part in that you recommended. The price on Alibaba seems to be $250 now? Do you happen to know of a place to find it for Less? I tried some other brand names. But it’s a rabbit hole lots of these machines at prices are all over the place. I’d love to find one for $60 I might be on the fence at 250. I live in Florida I’m not sure if that affects the prices that the internet sends me.
Spring loaded return from reverse is a feature the pros use for efficiency. Maybe that’s a feature that should not have been added to a portable machine, given so many home project people, while wisely using a SailRite for its affordability, don’t do enough projects to become proficient enough to gain the dexterity that makes the “quick return from reverse” a value. Ending a stitch line at high throttle, one hits reverse, lets go, does a few more stitches and the end lock stitches are done so very fast. I have watched experts in boat upholstery using various machines, though never a SailRite. The experts are impressively proficient.
I was thinking on buying the Sailrite ultrafeed LS, when I first started sewing bags, but I couldnt afford it, so I bought a clone machine one called the sewstrong 607, for $359.99 at the time, the L is for long, my machine has a 9″ work bed compared to the Sailrite, barracuda and the Rex607 that only have a 7″ bed, those 2 extra inches come in handy, I had mine for over 6 years now, and its been a work horse, I make backpacks and outdoor gear so I needed a strong machine, I did do a couple of modification to it, I put on the SailRite power plus balance wheel, and stitch length adjuster, best mods I did to it. I do have a article of me sewing with it. Just keep your machine well oiled and adjusted right and clean up any rough spots and burrs and it will give you years of service.
Hi, thanks for a pretty fair comparison of the two makes. I have been eyeing up the 9″ Chinese version and reckon I can tweak it to suit my portable sewing needs. One thing you didn’t mention is that these machines need regular and generous oiling and after the work you put the Reliable through it would be a bit dry, clanky and stiff. I am betting the skipped stitches are down to the thread choice – it makes a huge difference on these machines. Sailrite has an advisory on skipped stitches for certain threads. Overall a good article, looking forward to more 👍
As in the old adage, you get what you pay for. When I have the confidence in my skills to repair and keep equipment running I have purchased cheaper equipment, but over the last 55 years I have come to regret it because my time is worth something and constantly repairing an item because the parts wear out faster or the quality is just not there adds up to regret for not spending the upfront money on a quality item. As far as Paul Liuzzo’s comment about comparing Ferrari to Ford, I think that is an unfair comparison. A Ferrari is NOT made for durability. A better comparison would be a Ford and a baseline Kia and a Lexus. The durability and precision made parts ensure longevity that the cheap parts just cannot provide. You get what you pay for and now I wait a little longer on a purchase till I have the money and make the (what I believe is) the better choice. Thanks for the article. Excellent presentation and good logical assessments.
Thanks for the article, very informative. I believe you machine has in fact has a method for disconnecting the drive for winding bobbins. The knurled knob on the flywheel is I believe the same as Singer machines – Turn the knob counter clockwise and it will unlock the flywheel from the main shaft. If you remove or loosen the small screw in that knob you will be able to see how it works.
Electrical power is called watts. This is volts times the amps. So two amps at 120 volts is 240 watts. One amp at 240 volts is 240 watts. Same amount of electrical energy. In the USA 120 volts is the common outlet power. Most other places it is 240 volts. The new Sailrites come with a more powerful motor.
The Sailrite steel Monster Wheel is definitely better than the grey Chinese wheel for only a few dollars more. If you want to utilize the posi pin in a Chinese machine, you just need to drill the correct size hole in the correct position on the clutch. This will allow for a direct clutch connection instead of just friction. However, a friction connection may be better for a Chinese machine with weaker internal metal components.
Thanks for this article! It was immediately obvious that “everybody” is selling the same machine, and finally I found someone who discusses this fact! Yes, I’ll probably get the Sailrite. Ironically, Sailrite is probably making less profit from these machines than the “cheap” ones. If someone buys the machine for $60, puts a sticker on it and sells it on for $600? Compare that to Sailrite, who is essentially re-manufacturing every unit.
I doubt the $60 dollar model exists, I ordered a part for my miller welder from a online site, long story short I got a cheap pendant in a pink box….LOL, I did get my money back from Visa but Chinese scam scam scam. But I enjoyed your review!!! Exactly the same with Chinese metal lathes, not as good as a 50 year old German lathe but with some modifications they will produce a good end result.
A very good review and comparison. 👍. I have no idea what the comments about bias are about. I’ve got the Chinese Rex RX-607Z. AUD300 used in Australia. A new Sailrite would have been ~AUD2000 delivered to Australia. Sailrite is definitely a better machine with better support but mine works and does everything I need (a 9″ arm would be nice though). I’d say it’s the 80/20 rule at work: 80% of the features for 20% of the price. Works for me but might be different for someone that does need the extra features, reliability or support.
My new Sailrite LSZ is on its way. I tried other “heavy duty” machines and it was horrible. My time and the materials are not worth wasting on an inferior machine. I want my projects to be perfect, not just passable!. My sails and canvas have to be reliable under stress, so The cost of the machine is high, but it will do the job reliably for many years.
I bought a Singer 2Ku33 in 2016 because Sailrite was not available where I live. It works well, no skipped stitches but noisy. It cost about USD700 at the time. I have sewn through 16 layers of upholstery fabric without any issue. The only problem was that the presser feet rubbed against each other. I was afraid to sew fast because it might generate heat or damage the presser feet….not sure how to adjust it but I might grind/sand it down if it becomes unbearable.
The sailrite machine is now out of range for a lot of people. In Canada the price is made worse by the exchange. Sewing machines made in the 60″s, 70″s and 80’s were made in Japan with quality parts and no plastic gears. Since sewing has gotten out of style and everyone throws everything out, sewing machines are plentiful on craigslist, kijiji and estate sales. I picked my freshly tuned machines for $40.00 and have had them for years. If you are in a smaller boat, think twice before putting one on your boat, lots of people have them and never use them. Also they require regular cleaning and lubrication, even if you do not use them. If you do not take care of them, they will rust like everything else. For people that want a 12 volt unit, most machines can be converted for very few dollars.
I have a couple actual ‘Industrial’ machines, they are literally bomb proof and can be fully serviced. The problem is, they are very big and sit on standard machine tilt tables with the motor mounted underneath. I bought them used, but even then they are still expensive. I was lucky to get the Cadillac of straight stitch machines for $300, the Consew RB-1, but these machine were over $2000 when new (in today’s dollars) when they were made in Japan by Seiko. The new Chinese manufactured units are still over $1000 but not as good, and good condition used Seiko units still sell for $1000. Don’t get me started on what you would pay for even a used long arm zig-zag machine…. and none of these are ideal boat onboard use because they are huge and heavy. Take all of this into account, plus Sailrite’s great article library and customer service, the Sailrite LZ-1 is a great value hands down. If you are serious about sewing and want a good machine that will last a lifetime don’t hesitate to buy the Sailrite.
The Barracuda is nothing more than a Sailrite clone, it’s a clone of the original Sailrite. Sailrite moved their manufacturer and removed the ability of the manufacturer to sell copies of the Sailrite. The Sailrite does have a lot of upgrades internally that you can’t see. I have had a Sailrite since about 2007 and wouldn’t trade it for anything. I just put the Worker B motor on it and I am blown away by the slow speed control. The Barracuda is just a cheap machine and may serve you for years, but, the Sailrite has been changed over the years for a reason.
Great article! I bought one from Dongguan from Alibaba and the machine never worked. I got it totally misaligned with broken parts. Simply Dongguan Myekoo do not have quality control… Please DO NOT BUY from Alibaba especially from this supplier. Just for fun I did my best to black list them for Nordics, no body from Sweden, Danmark and Norway gonna be tricked. Refund?… right Chinese tricks, I got just small amount back. Well they propose to send me a new one, only if I pay 200usd more for shiping. Never accept that for sure the 2nd might have the same quality. Soo I end up buying spare part from Sailrite and now the machine is working.
The clutch of the white machine is probably the knurled knob in the middle. I have a heavy duty machine (like 40 years old) made and used for camping-tent repairs and a modern normal duty one, they both have a similar clutch construction. That pin looks like a very cheap solution. The white one makes a better overall impression on me. Less polished but the parts seem to be just a bit thicker/more heavy. My heavy duty one has a huge motor compared to yours (1600W !!!) My modern Singer only 105W. But that mechanisme of the blue one seems to have better tolerances in the mechanisme. Is 10 mils = 10 mm = 1 cm ? Or do you use the imperial mils ? (1 mil is 0.0254 mm) As an EE I can tell you power is the same. Power = Volt x current, the advantage of a higher voltage is that you need less current. Less current is more easy on switches and wires. Lower voltage is more easy when it comes to isolation. but in the end it is the power that does the job. 🙂 Sewing with a machine is a mans job 🙂Most important is the power of the engine, a sturdy mechanism and heavy flywheel. My modern normal Singer sewing machine costed 300 Euro (= around 300 dollar) It has no problems with sails but leather is to much. A real industrial one is very expensive. So, I now go to my sail-boat (if finnished I am going to live on it, a 11 meter steel ketch from 1956)
I just got a Tuffsew, and have the feeling it’s like your ‘Reliable’. I also went through a big sewing machine learning curve with my company years back when we had bag closers for production work. One thing, if the machine was bought with the idea of using it a lot, I’d definitely go with the Sailrite. As mine will be used once a year for a few hours, I’m hoping the cheap machine will be up to the task. If not, I’ll ether put on my apron and tear it apart, or if feeling lazy, take it back to the sewing expert whom I bought it from and he’ll fix it… hopefully for less than the difference between the two machines.
Oh the joys of Chinese power ratings, I never trust them. The only way to know how much wattage the motor draws is to put an ammeter in the electrical line feeding the machine. I have a small outboard for my dingy. It is a Parsum with a big 3.5 number on the cover, it is copy of a Yamaha 2hp two stroke. Not only is it not 3.5hp it is not even as strong as a real Yamaha 2hp. Some one else commented about getting an older standard sewing machine. Great idea if you can find one. My sister had three older machines that were serviced annually by a local tech in the US. He told her if she ever wanted to sell them, call him first.
Good article, did you go through each machine and lubricate them at all points? I wonder if that would make a big difference? I tend to polish rough machines to make them smooth as I do on Gun triggers … I would go with the $60 machine, polish and lubricate it upon receiving it and a cabinet is easily made. I like how you sourced the sailright parts into the reliable unit, Good thinking.!! Have to say the first time I heard a sailright run?? I thought you paid how much for that machine? sounds like it is falling apart. I totally agree on a Broken in second hand machine.
You show the differences well in the two machines, pointing out you get what you pay for. Better quality, better service, more access to support and service. None of which are free and honestly – the most costly part of any product. As a sailor – you get to choose where you make sacrifices and what the price point of that is. A sewing machine is not as crucial as a rudder bearing or mast truck but it is one of your tools….The very nature of a sailboat and that you have a sewing machine aboard tells the necessity of the tool quality. I appreciated seeing the article becuase I always wondered what the differences were and if my additional expense was just service, you showed that the machines are in fact much different. Really well done and good explanations.
I bought a cheap Alibaba machine. Pretty happy with it. Burnt the engine, though, but a new engine was cheap and easy to change. It works fine now, does it’s job, I like it and use it some. Mine cost $199 with some extras,if I remember it right. With shipping and taxes it ended up at approx. 350$ when it arrived here in Sweden. A Sailrite, which I believe is a superior machine, would cost about 1800$ incl shipping and taxes. I don’t think the Sailrite is 1450$ better. Of course it’s the shipping cost that’s really high from the US. Besides, customs and our 25% sales tax adds almost a Chinese machine just in taxes and fees. I think Sailrite are doing the right thing developing the machine and correcting weak spots. I believe they have turned this cheap (cheap quality that is) machine and improved it to become a really good sturdy machine. If they had had an EU retailer I probably would have gone for a Sailrite. Thanks for a great and informative article!
They may be “primitive” machines, but the point is that they are HEAVY DUTY machines, which means all their parts are also extra beefy. They are not your typical house hold machine for making clothes, curtains and other house hold things. These machines can put up with the abuse of sewing sails, heavy upholstery and such. You cant do that with delicate finicky machines. Sailrite costs more because even though they’re beefy, the parts are more refined, smoother and will probably last longer than the Barracuda or other such machines. As you found out, the Barracuda’s timing screwed up and you don’t know what caused it. Their own replacement part didn’t even fix the problem, but the Sailrite part did. So what does that tell you? That’s why Sailrite commands the bigger bucks, they have a better machine. Now, if they made their stitch length selector like the Barracuda’s (Old Singers) and had numbers on the tension knob, they would be even better. But Sailrite costs more because their parts are milled better. Don’t forget to oil your machines. It’s important.
I have a Juki ddl500 it’s an old one,, but it works ok,, however it dose stitch 5,400 stitches a minuet!,, that’s like zip! and you have stitched a foot of materiel,, or your finger’s!,, the difference between a 240 volt motor and a 110 volt motor is this,, the 110 volt motor will pull twice as many watt’s as the 240 volt motor will to give you the same power output!,, so a 110 volt motor will use twice the wattage,, as for thread,, only use a “”bonded nylon”” if what your making has to withstand UV sun light and is out in all weather’s!,, never use cotton to mend a sail,, only bonded nylon can do that job,, and make sure you use the right size needle for your thread ie,, 100/18 or 100/20 “”leather needles””,, but the bigger the needle the more the sowing machine will grunt pushing it through!,, and if stitching in new plastic windows,, lubricate the needle or it can melt holes through the plastic,, so go slowly to keep the heat down, remember,, speed is not important,, but accuracy is!
To run a 220 motor you need a dedicated circuit. 220 is a three wire circuit. This is the type of circuit for your dryer, your range most commonly. The 110 is regular single wire house current. A standard plug in. I’m speaking of AC electricity in the US. I know other countries are different. I have no knowledge of their systems.
Being in middle of the ocean teaches one how to think creatively and solve problems on the fly. Your vid was interesting, I appreciate honest reviews and am looking for an affordable walking-foot machine. It was pretty short-sighted of Sailrite to refuse any advice, as I’m guessing you might’ve purchased one in the future.
What a great article after using an antique Singer commercial machine for years I bought a used Chinese what is called powerpro Plus which was the Clone to the sale right like you looked at and it’s a zigzag but it has a 9 inch gate is compared to the 7-in I have been using it for a number of projects a full enclosure Bimini Dodger enclosure and has been a great machine I did add the monster wheel but I bought it as a Chinese knockoff off eBay so got to say I didn’t make a wooden case for it because the plastic case it came in was kind of chintzy but for the money I love it
Very Nice and honest article!!! I don’t owe any of these two machines. What I have is a used JUKI LZ-271 machine, and that machine have never given me any problem, works very smoothly, and it is able to do those 8 layers without doing what this gentleman has to do with the flywheel as he calls it. The Juki is a more expensive machine- 1400.00 USD used- but it is a gem, and it came with table, thread stand, foot control, knee lifter, and a 110v servo motor that is very quiet. True, when I want to do Zig-zag, I have to change the needle plate, but my buddy can do embroidery with it, something I can’t!!!!! But again, a very educative article with clear explanation from this gentleman.
Ok, for everyone who owns these machines, let’s see what we are really looking at here. First off these are NOT industrial machines. These are basically a heavy duty sewing machine of a domestic home use sewing machine. Sailrite advertises these machines as Heavy Duty whereas the other manufacture’s advertises these as industrial in which these are not. You have to oil these machines every two hours of constant use. The motor has a cool down period of 20 minutes per hour of use, depending on the work load. The cool down period is anytime the machine is not running in a one hour period. Most projects will not violate the cool down period, but beware of it. If you’re sewing a lot, feel the motor, if it’s hot to the touch then let it cool. Hot is also if you can smell the motor. These are only 1/6 hp motors, or .9 to a 1 amp motors using 110 volts and most yacht repair projects will demand 100% of the motor’s rating. The new “worker B” motor Sailrite is putting out is still only 1/4 hp subject to the same cool down limitations. An industrial sewing machine for comparison uses a 1 hp motor and has a self oiling system. Can run continuously for 8 hours. These are the Juki RB 206, Singer 211, Sailrite’s Fabricator and alike sewing machines. Again these machines were designed to be used for use on a yacht, nothing more, sewing seat cushions to patching sail cloth and everything else in-between.
Interesting article Jamie. I have a Sailrite zig zag machine and have done so much work on mine on the boat but I have not tackled my trampoline as yet which is in serious need of some attention. I have needed to buy some spares as the smaller needles can bend and touch the internals causing burrs and you tear the thread. Bought the replacements and we are back up and running again. As far as machines go yes I think they are a bit pricey and I would love a Juki machine but most industrial machines only cater for one stitch pattern which makes the sailrite work on a boat.