Which sewing machine is best for bag making? My beloved Bernina 930 recently suffered an electronic fault so it was finally time for me to buy a new machine. We put this question to our mailing list and received a tonne of valuable feedback. I’ve compiled it all into one post that I hope will provide lots of information if you’re looking for a new bag making machine. This post covers:
Link to Bage Machinery
This is a difficult bracket to cover as it includes a vast expanse of machines. You can buy a domestic machine for £100 or you can buy a “domestic” machine for £9,000. There’s a huge variety in what they can do too. Some are great for embroidery, quilting, a variety of stitches, etc. Most domestic sewing machines include a variety of stitch types, including ones for stretch stitches and so on. If you’re only using your machine for bag making, is it worth paying for a good domestic machine that has lots of extra stitches and features you’ll never use?
Generally vintage sewing machines are more affordable. For example, a Singer 201 can be found for as little as £20 and they’re usually easy to find on Ebay or Facebook Marketplace. Only the good ones survive for decades so if the sewing machine is still around now, it’s a good indication that it’s a great machine and a real workhorse. Most vintage machines have no computer so there’s less to go wrong and many of them are straight stitch only. Because most vintage machines are made of metal, they’re generally heavier which is good for bag making because it helps the machine stay in place and not wobble around while you’re sewing tough projects. These machines are a great place to start if you’re new to bag making and don’t want to invest too much at the outset. However, they do lack the little modern extras such as a needle threader or bright LED lights.
They only do one thing. They sew straight. You don’t have any other stitches so there’s less to go wrong. They generally don’t have computers, or at least they have less electronics than a standard domestic machine. The one thing they do, they do very well. A lot of people comment that their bobbin stitching is just as neat as the topstitching. If you’re only sewing straight lines, these machines are brilliant. We’ll discuss them in greater detail later.
Fantastic for bag making. Industrial machines can sew through almost anything. However, they don’t just sit on your worktop. They come built into their own table, so if you’re limited on space, this may not be the option for you. These machines are fantastic for heavy materials but if you like to chop and change between thick and thin materials, you’ll need to get good at changing the tensions. This is generally more in depth than changing the tension on a domestic machine.
For example, when Adam sews leather on his Sailrite Fabricator and I then want to sew cotton, I have to change the two top tension knobs and also change the tension on the bobbin casing. I also need to change the needle and thread. I rarely get it right first time so each time I do this I need to spend some time testing the tension before actually sewing my project. Ideally, you’d have an industrial machine for sewing vinyl and leather and then a domestic machine for your cotton linings. That way everything is ready to go. But this would require more space and more investment so it’s definitely not a solution for everyone. You can of course get other types of industrial machine such as column stitchers, but the ones we’re referring to are straight stitch machines such as the Sailrite Fabricator. With these machines, you usually have to assemble and service them yourself. Industrial machines usually feature a compound walking foot which works differently to a standard walking foot and is very effective at sewing thick and difficult materials. In my opinion, the compound walking foot is what really sets these machines apart from the straight stitch machines.
Are you just making bags? Are you also sewing garments, doing embroidery, and other projects? If you’re just making bags, a straight stitch machine seems to be the most recommended by our mailing list. But this is not going to work if you want to do garment sewing and for example need to sew stretch fabrics.
If you already have a domestic machine that you use for your garment sewing and other projects, and all you want is a bag making sewing machine. Definitely consider getting a straight stitch or industrial sewing machine. These will take your bag making to the next level and make it easier and more enjoyable.
If you love using cotton, waxed canvas, cork for your bag making, a straight stitch machine will work great for you. But if you want to use lots of vinyl and leather, an industrial machine is probably more suited to your needs. Also bear in mind that straight stitch and industrial sewing machines are generally no more expensive than a good domestic machine.
Do you have space for an industrial machine? They don’t sit on a worktop, but instead come built into their own table so bear this in mind before committing to an industrial sewing machine.
Some domestic sewing machines are very expensive. If you want a domestic machine that’s brilliant at everything including bag making, you could be looking at spending a lot more than if you buy a straight stitch or industrial machine. Many of the domestic machines that were recommended to us for bag making cost £7,000-9,000. That’s about 7 or 9 times more than most industrial sewing machines. If you’re not using it for anything except bag making, it doesn’t make sense to spend the extra on a machine with all those features you don’t need.
You can spend a lot of money on features that look and sound great, but are you going to use them? If not, you can end up investing a lot more money than necessary. Decide what features you can’t live without and go from there. Test out various machines before you buy one, and be sure to shop around for a good price, but also for fantastic customer service. Find out what happens if there’s a problem with your machine. Can you take it back to the local shop for repair or are you required to ship it to the manufacturer? How long do repairs take? The answers to these questions may well impact where you decide to buy your machine from.
Industrial sewing machines recommended by our mailing list
The prices for these machines vary significantly depending on your location. For example, the Janome HD9 is much more expensive in the USA than it is in the UK and the Juki TL when it was previously available in the UK was far more expensive here than it was in the USA. So it’s worth checking various machines in your country to see what’s more affordable. From what I can tell, these straight stitch machines are all pretty similar. There are small differences between them, such as bobbin size, stitch speed, presser foot height, but overall they are broadly similar.
The Brother PQSL was my first choice as this was a great price in the USA and was recommended to me by some amazing bag makers, so I knew it must be good. However, this machine is not currently available in the UK. In fact, only one of the machines on the list is currently available to buy in the UK right now, so that’s the machine I eventually settled on, the Janome HD9. It could be that the Juki or other machines will become available here again in the future but right now I couldn’t find a supplier that had one in stock or was planning to restock.
When you’re buying a new machine. Try to haggle! It’s not something we feel comfortable doing, but I found there was room to negotiate the price with most of the suppliers. I eventually bought the Janome HD9 as this was the only straight stitch machine I could find here in the UK. This was originally out of my budget but with some negotiating the supplier agreed to give it to me at a discount. I simply approached them as a normal customer, so I wouldn’t get any special treatment. So give it a go. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, so why not give it a try.
After purchasing my machine, I requested a special discount for our followers. If you’re looking to buy a Janome HD9 in the UK, you can contact Jalpa at Tysew. Mention Country Cow Designs and she’ll arrange for a 10% discount off the retail price. We hope it will prove useful to some of you. We’re not affiliated with them and don’t get commission, we just wanted a good discount for our customers who don’t feel comfortable haggling. My machine below is pictured with the extension table which is available to purchase separately from the machine.
So far I love this machine. Once I’ve made a few more bags on this machine I’ll write a blog post specifically for the Janome HD9 and let you know my top pros and cons.
PP woven bag making machine production include : PP Flat Wire Extrusion Machine, Circular Loom Machine, Film Extrusion Lamination machine, PP woven fabric printing machine, PP Woven Bag cutting sewing machine and auxiliary equipment air compressor, water chiller, water cooling tower etc.
PS: According to customer requirements can be arbitrary matching machine can be made at lower cost.
We supply one-stop service and turn key project, from whole line design, workshop layout , steel structure workshop design, guiding installation and training workers.
PP Woven Bag Production Process
PP Woven Bag Production Line Include1. PP Flat Wire Extrusion Machine
2. Circular Loom Machine
3. Film Lamination machine
4.PP Woven Bag Roll to Roll Printing Machine
5.PP Woven Bag Cutting and Sewing Machine
How do we do technical support?
Haosen is Committed to do excellent technical support!
1. We supplies comprehensive product manuals that include all the information required :
1) Machine assembling
2) Power Connection
Are you interested in learning more about polypropylene bag making machine? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
3) Main Operate
4) Troubleshoot
5) Circuit Diagram
6) Spare Parts List
The manuals are available in conventional print form as well as digital format.
2. Factory-based training or customer’s site training can be organized, giving your opertors about safe operation, maintenance, changeover procedures etc.
3.On line guiding can be organized at any time if there is any trouble during the using.
Common FAQ Questions
1. Do you supply only PP woven valve cement bag making machine or whole production line?
We can supply only PP woven valve cement bag making machine,also whole line together.
2. For the whole production line, do you supply turn key service?
Yes , we supply turn-key service ,include proposal design , production cost analysis,workshop layout and supply, site training etc.
3. Usually how long time for site training ?
30-90 days depending on how many set machine .
4. Do you think what is the key for a successful project?
It is not small money for the investment. Firstly , quality and durable machine is important. Secondly, you must have good technician. Good technician lower the waste, save production cost.
5.After your engineer go back to China, we can not operate the machine smoothly, how do you help ?
We will dispatch engineer to go there again to help running and stay longer time until your person can operate well.
6. Have you ever done turn-key project for the whole line of PP woven Valve cement bag?
Yes, we have.
7. How many person you will dispatch for the site training?
If only PP woven valve bag machine, 1-2 person is OK; if whole line from PP flat wire extrusion , circular loom , lamination machine, printing machine and valve bag making machine, we will dispatch an engineer team , 6-7 engineer to go .
8. All the machinery are made in your own factory ?
No, some machine is made from our partner factory .
9. How about the quality of PP woven block bottom valve bag making machine ?
Most parts adopts world famous brand product, like Japan Panasonic, Japan Omron,Germany BST,Germany Sick etc.
10. How about your company credit?
Our company started from , we are AAA grade credit company!
Honest and Credit is the first for us, and help each customer to reach success is our duty.
Why choose us?
●17 years focus on pouch making machine !Our experience is your advantage!The Machine Working Video
For more information, please visit plastic carry bag manufacturing machine.