Singer 31-15

[jojo]

Does anyone know anything about this machine? My local craigslist has one for $50 in decent shape. I can't really find any info when I search on it, except to find people who are selling it who claim that it does sew leather and canvas. But if you've ever looked at ebay, pretty much everybody makes that claim about every sewing machine, even though most of the time it's a flat-out lie.
It's pretty old, which makes me wonder: how was canvas sewn before the invention of the walking foot?

[baileyuph]

A lot of canvas was sewn on a 31-15.  That machine was used for years as the primary reupholstery machine.

Believe it or not, the Consew 15 is a knock - off.


Nothing wrong with a 31-15, just use it as designed to be used.  You do know it is a Singer?  Some prefer that brand over the imports that are knock -off of the machine.

So, it depends on what you want to do?  True for any machine!

More importantly, talk to an experienced machine repair guy, no problem in getting good parts, and it will take a very big needle.

I am just a dumb upholsterer, therefore;
Call Bob Kovar, I think you can find his phone # on the listings here or perhaps one of his customers, who are regulars, will give you his number (Mojo?).

[sofadoc]

I also find it humorous that EVERY ad for a sewing machine always says "It will sew through leather!!". As if that is the benchmark by which all machines are measured.

Well, my wife's little plastic piece o' crap home sewing machine will technically make a stitch through leather. Big deal!
I also hate the youtube videos, where they fold a piece of fabric 2-3 times, and sew a few rows of random stitches.
I wanna see them sew a corded/boxed cushion.

I had a competitor who retired several years ago. For over 30 years, she sewed on a 31-15.  She did really nice work, but she was incredibly slow. I'm not sure if the machine was a factor, or not.
As a kid in the family upholstery and mattress renovating business, I used to sit and sew 2 pieces of muslin together on a 31-15 all day long. I remember that it fed thin muslin quite nicely, but then, I wasn't exactly doing any precise work.  

[jojo]

Thanks DB; sounds like a good deal then, to have around for a backup machine (which I don't currently have).
Sofadoc, it cracks me up that they will try to sell a plastic machine by saying it's industrial strength, and putting a walking foot attachment on it that's made for home quilting. Let's see them try to get some 92 thread through those machines.

[gene]

Yes, every sewing machine for sale is in decent shape. Whether or not it will sew is a different question.  :D

When I was looking for a sewing machine a few years back, 99% of the folks selling the sewing machine had just gotten it from grandma, mom, a cousin, a dying friend, etc., etc., and they themselves had never sewn on it nor had they actually seen it being sewn. But, it's IN DECENT SHAPE!  ;D

Someone once told me that the sewing machine they were selling would sew through leather. I asked if it could sew through leather when the leather was still on the animal. I bet they are still wondering if I was serious in asking the question.  8)

gene

[sofadoc]

Here are a few interesting opinions about the 31-15:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=342986.0

Many novices have the misconception that just because you put a welt foot on it, it becomes a walking foot machine.

But a 31-15 in good running condition with a welt foot on it should make a nice backup machine.

[Darren Henry]

I've used a couple of 31-15's that belonged to friends over the years. They're good machines for their vintage. You wouldn't expect heated seats and power windows on a '52 Plymouth, but you'd know you were going to get to point "B". They're dependable and truly industrial machines even if they don't have all the jam and advancements of newer machines.

I've got a 31K19 with a rolling foot that I used to make shoes back in the day. I made some sword belts for my regiment on it once. Two ply of 8 oz leather was a bit much for her so I had to run the inner layer through my master's leather splitter down to about 6 oz. If memory serves me right she'd handle 8 layers of Sunbrella marine canvas and my 111W155 would go 12. It's been a few years since I did that experiment.

I did the V birth cushions from a 27 ft. sail boat in a light weight stripped cotton denim on her before I re-badged from shoemaker to upholsterer.  :'( I wish I had know about staples  :'( With no walking foot , keeping those stripes lined up was ---a challenge