Sewing Your Own Gear

[Newton22]

As mentioned before, you don't need anything fancy to get started. Get some materials, and start sewing. Needle choice is important too. I found this out recently after breaking a couple while trying to sew through multiple light layers. Also taking your time and making a well thought and drawn out idea is helpful too. There is nothing worse than removing all the stitching you just laid cause you forgot some webbing loop. Good luck!

 

[7mmremmag]

You use a 185k? That's the exact machine that I use!!

Yes, it is a good machine. To be honest though, I end up using my 4411 way more. It will handle quite a bit and is faster, easier to run, etc.

 

[WoodBow]

As mentioned before, you don't need anything fancy to get started. Get some materials, and start sewing. Needle choice is important too. I found this out recently after breaking a couple while trying to sew through multiple light layers. Also taking your time and making a well thought and drawn out idea is helpful too. There is nothing worse than removing all the stitching you just laid cause you forgot some webbing loop. Good luck!

No need to rip it all. I frequently forget a tab loop or decide to add something later. I just seam rip that 1" section, or whatever is required, and then sew back over it with some overlap.

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[Flydaho]

Newton22 is right, it's very important to match the needle size and point type to the fabric you are sewing. Then you also have to match the thread to the needle eye and the fabric. When sewing backpacks with my Elna (home machine but fairly stout) I use a Schmetz #18 or sometimes a #16 needle and Gutermann Tera 40 thread.

For silpoly and silnylon tents I use a Schmetz Universal 90/14 needle and Gutermann Mara 70 thread.

BoTheHunter, I suggest spending an hour or so looking up articles on needle and thread selection. It will make a difference in the quality of your product and the ease of sewing. There are many resources our there on DIY camping gear.

Good luck with the projects!

 

[BoTheHunter]

Yes, it is a good machine. To be honest though, I end up using my 4411 way more. It will handle quite a bit and is faster, easier to run, etc.

Is the 4411 the newer machine? How do you like it? How many layers of different materials can you sew through?

 

[BoTheHunter]

As mentioned before, you don't need anything fancy to get started. Get some materials, and start sewing. Needle choice is important too. I found this out recently after breaking a couple while trying to sew through multiple light layers. Also taking your time and making a well thought and drawn out idea is helpful too. There is nothing worse than removing all the stitching you just laid cause you forgot some webbing loop. Good luck!

If you use a heavy duty denim needle, can you sew everything with that?

 

[BoTheHunter]

Newton22 is right, it's very important to match the needle size and point type to the fabric you are sewing. Then you also have to match the thread to the needle eye and the fabric. When sewing backpacks with my Elna (home machine but fairly stout) I use a Schmetz #18 or sometimes a #16 needle and Gutermann Tera 40 thread.

For silpoly and silnylon tents I use a Schmetz Universal 90/14 needle and Gutermann Mara 70 thread.

BoTheHunter, I suggest spending an hour or so looking up articles on needle and thread selection. It will make a difference in the quality of your product and the ease of sewing. There are many resources our there on DIY camping gear.

Good luck with the projects!

Thank You! I'll check it out.

 

[Flydaho]

In response to your question on Jeans needles:

"These needles have a thick, strong shaft and a very sharp point. They are used for stitching denim, canvas, duck and other heavy, tightly woven fabrics. They are also ideal for stitching through multiple fabric layers without breaking."

I use a Jeans needle when sewing 500D cordura since it is a woven fabric and you end up with a minimum of 2 layers, and sometimes up to 4 or greater, at the seams.

You COULD sew through anything (and by anything I'm guessing you mean any type of fabric such as Cordura, XPac, silnylon), but it wouldn't always be the correct choice. Needles are pretty darn cheap, and wawak.com has plenty of Schmetz needles to choose from. It's worth it to buy the right tool for the job.

Also learn to recognize when a needle has reached the end of it's life, this will save you some heartache.

 

[BoTheHunter]

In response to your question on Jeans needles:

"These needles have a thick, strong shaft and a very sharp point. They are used for stitching denim, canvas, duck and other heavy, tightly woven fabrics. They are also ideal for stitching through multiple fabric layers without breaking."

I use a Jeans needle when sewing 500D cordura since it is a woven fabric and you end up with a minimum of 2 layers, and sometimes up to 4 or greater, at the seams.

You COULD sew through anything (and by anything I'm guessing you mean any type of fabric such as Cordura, XPac, silnylon), but it wouldn't always be the correct choice. Needles are pretty darn cheap, and wawak.com has plenty of Schmetz needles to choose from. It's worth it to buy the right tool for the job.

Also learn to recognize when a needle has reached the end of it's life, this will save you some heartache.

Ok, my machines hardly ever work. I tried sewing tonight and I actually got out a stitch. But, on my 185k the motor doesn't even have enough power to start stitching by itself I have to start the handwheel, and the upper tension has two visible discs on the outside of the machine and sometimes they hold their tension and other times they are very loose and they just dangle. Also, sometimes I'll be seeing and it just stops and when I start to turn the handwheel I find that's locked up the thread gets hung on something underneath. I'm thinking about buying a new singer 4411 off of amazon and treat it very good.

 

[rclouse79]

I just pulled my mother in law’s old singer 603 sewing machine off of the shelf in the garage. The thing feels like a tank, I hope it works. I am planning a couple small trekking pole tarp shelters and have dreams of making my own tipi this summer.

 

[BoTheHunter]

I just pulled my mother in law’s old singer 603 sewing machine off of the shelf in the garage. The thing feels like a tank, I hope it works. I am planning a couple small trekking pole tarp shelters and have dreams of making my own tipi this summer.

Cool, keep us updated when you start. You should try making a diy paratarp.

 

[rclouse79]

I need to improve my sewing skills before I place an order from ripstop by the roll, but this old tarp provided some cheap practice and was fun. I glued two patches on each side panel and will sew some pullouts on in a couple days. Should be an improvement for bear season.

 

[WoodBow]

I need to improve my sewing skills before I place an order from ripstop by the roll, but this old tarp provided some cheap practice and was fun. I glued two patches on each side panel and will sew some pullouts on in a couple days. Should be an improvement for bear season.

Looks good from hear man. Good work. No need for pricey fabric from rsbtr. Ive put shelters, big and small, through the ringer that were made out of 2nds ripstop nylon off ebay. I will admit i was super nervous when me and 2 other guys were dependant on a tipi i made on a high country hunt when the wind was screaming. I just knew it would fail and we would be miserable or hike out for hours in the dark. But it held up just fine and i shot a 170" buck 2 days later.

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[rclouse79]

Rsbtr had some discounted stuff that seemed pretty cheap. I think I could buy enough material for a megatarp pattern for under $60. One thing I am nervous about the tipi is sewing in the reinforced cone at the top. What did you use for that?

 

[WoodBow]

Rsbtr had some discounted stuff that seemed pretty cheap. I think I could buy enough material for a megatarp pattern for under $60. One thing I am nervous about the tipi is sewing in the reinforced cone at the top. What did you use for that?

2 layers of 500d cordura. Draw a circle. Mark a 90 degree angle coming from center of circle. Fold that portion in on itself so that those lines are touching and sew it. That will make a cone with a 45 degree slope, which is the slope i design my tipis with.

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[7mmremmag]

Is the 4411 the newer machine? How do you like it? How many layers of different materials can you sew through?

Yes it is, I really like it for ripstop and normal duty sewing. I have used it for 2 layers of seatbelt webbing and the old machine does handle it a little better but it wasn't terrible.

 

[BoTheHunter]

Yes it is, I really like it for ripstop and normal duty sewing. I have used it for 2 layers of seatbelt webbing and the old machine does handle it a little better but it wasn't terrible.

I just picked up the Singer Heavy Duty 44s, which is the same thing as the 4411. HAve you sewn cordura? What have you made with it?

 

[7mmremmag]

Stupid amounts of ripstop bags, Cordura duffels, one of my hunting saddles. Also done a bunch of x pac through it.

 

[BoTheHunter]

Stupid amounts of ripstop bags, Cordura duffels, one of my hunting saddles. Also done a bunch of x pac through it.

By ripstop bags do you mean like the kifaru pullouts?

 

[tsm213]

I got tired you junk mitts for ?100 so I made these. Used an old oilskin jacket and some leather. Made a fleece and shearling liner.
The machine has no issues with the leather.


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