The Waling Foot Long Arm Sewing Machine

Long arm sewing machines are different from the standard sewing machine in that they are created for the creation of heavy-material or mass-fabric products.  A standard household sewing machine has an average eleven-inch arm that provides enough clearance for the skirt of a dress or bulk of a shirt, but if anyone were to try putting together a boat sail with it, its light motor would become overworked and its needles broken before the job was done.  Long arm sewing machines have an average twenty-five inches of clearance due to its long arm. 

      Because it has accommodating space for the material of a thick sail or tent, its motor, needles and power of fabric feed need to be strengthened.  A walking foot long arm sewing machine has not only a long arm, but a walking foot that helps to feed the material to the needle from above while the bottom feed pushes it through from below.  The foot of the machine is the part that the fabric is placed beneath, where the needle drives through.  The foot keeps the fabric from folding and wrinkling, making sure the stitches go where they are supposed to and making a quality seam.  It is described as a walking foot because it goes up and down, pulling the sewn material through in a walking motion.

      An example of this item is the Techsew 180-2 cylinder long arm walking foot sewing machine.  It can handle heavy canvas, leather, and denim as well as vinyl.  Its arm reaches 27.25 inches, and boasts of being able to sew saddles, harnesses, bridles, luggage, and even sofas.  Accessories can be bought to enhance its performance for different projects, and its price is quoted at $2,395 U.S. dollars.

      Another brand of walking foot long arm sewing machines is Juki, and it provides a machine that offers heavy-duty strength and thirty inches of free space due to its long arm.  Features that it offers are comparable to the Techsew, yet they differ besides the amount of free space:  ten millimeter stitch length, the pressor foot that keeps the material down can be lifted to nearly an inch for easy placement of thick project fabric, and front end bobbin winder for easier operation.  And of course, an easy feed with walking foot.

      Consew offers a walking foot long arm sewing machine for $5,999 with a long list of assets.  It sews at 1500 stitches per minute and mentions a Compound Feed, which is a term that appears in conjunction with the reference to walking foot feed.  It is described as a heavy-duty sewing machine that has a safety clutch that protects the hooks from damage, and extra large bobbins and vertical axis hooks for heavy thread as well as longer use between bobbin changes. 

      With so many brands of walking foot long arm sewing machines, it would be simple to find the one that’s needed for any sail-making or upholstery business, pool-cover or semi truck tarp manufacturing venture.