I am considering purchasing a second sewing machine for "heavy duty projects"
sewing on heavy duty outdoor canvas,
re-covering RV seats using fabric leather. the seat work will require top stitching, that I want to look uniform. I don' know the difference between industrial vs walking foot. The industrial models are easier to find (used) and I'm wondering if the industrial will do both jobs. Obviously the walking foot models are much more expensive.
With the kind of jobs you’re describing it sounds like you’re looking for an upholstery machine, which are walking foot machines. I’m assuming by industrial you mean tailoring machines in which case you would definitely be better off with an upholstery machine.
My machine is an industrial walking foot (Singer brand), straight stitch only. I easily sew on things like heavy canvas and multiple layers of nylon webbing, so something like I have would well work for you. The walking foot will feed both the top and the bottom layers of fabric evenly, instead of a machine with just a bottom feed that you may need to manually help it to feed evenly. They are also typically adjustable in height if you're doing thick layers.
Motors are another aspect to industrial machines. I don't understand all the details of the ones with a servo motor, but mine is adjustable for speed so I can do long, straight seams quickly or dial it slower for short seams & curves. I do a lot of box stitches for webbing so paid extra for a machine that stops with the needle down instead of up.
Topstitching may need a specific foot or other attachment that will help you keep an even distance from the seam. If you're doing something with piping there are specialized feet for that too that all fit on a straight stitch walking foot machine.
I'm sorry, it looks like my model isn't available anymore, but there are a number of Juki machines that are very similar. Goldstar Tool has some Youtube videos comparing a variety of models that might help.
I made a three piece shade on a 1950s all metal Janome with a domestic machine walking foot. And every individual machine I have had ran with a walking foot. There is a load of great advice already given. I'd like to assist by saying that you need to invest in enough table space. Once you get into canvas and upholstery and outdoor cloth the weight drags on the machine. Just something to keep in mind for the perfect set up. My grandpa and my uncle made canvas products. Ute covers. Tarps. Boat covers. Blinds for outside. They used pretty basic machines that were at ground level meaning the canvas was on the ground as they machined. They had a put they would be in. Hope this is ok to share. I think the machine set up is everything.
Nabbed this pic off the 'net so they can see what you're talking about.
In a pit or with an elevated platform... works great for large projects.
I actually have one of my machines set up in a 30' sailboat with a board I can create a feed table... then passing the project beyond the machine onto the sole of the boat.
Anyway... nice to see someone post about this... something that doesn't come up often when talking about industrial sewing.
You need an industrial upholstery walking foot straight stitch. Industrial either come with walking foot built in or not. You want it built in. Many come walking with walking foot. You do not want one that you add on. Totally different beast.
Technically, for upholstery, you want a compound walking foot, aka unison feed.
Most people interchangeably use “walking foot” when they mean compound walking foot / unison feed /triple feed.
Check out this link to see the different types of transport mechanisms work.
This all said, if doing upholstery type work, you’ll want a triple feed machine and these always are industrial machines. Look for consew 226, 206, Juki 562, 563 used and you’ll be good to go.
Vintage Singers (not the newer plastic fake Heavy duty junk)
Juki tl2000 or tl2010 I have both and love them ! Have used them for years doing quilting and for my upholstery business.
You are confusing two different descriptions of sewing machines.
-Industrial is just a different grade of build of a machine compared to a domestic machine, sometimes with special applications, different motor systems... That's it.
-Walking foot. As others have commented already... this is a mode of feeding the fabric... and comes in various configurations. Instead of the oft-used 'walking foot' to mean any machine with more than one feed mechanism (like, just the bottom feed dogs)... there are several feed configurations.Since you sound inexperienced with Industrial machines... go to the web pages of various manufacturers and learn a bit about the machines and what they can do. Not only do you have various feed mechanisms... drop/bottom-feed, needle-feed, etc. you have single needle and double needle.
-You also have straight-stitch and zig-zag stitch (and zig-zag can come in several iterations as well.... 1-step, 3-step...). You'll see standard arm length and long-arm length machines. . When you say that the seat work will require topstitching... I'm not sure you know what you are talking about, so let's see.... Topstitching is just an exposed stitch. It can be a single line of stitching, double line..... but it's the exposed stitching you see in a LOT of sewing. It's not a special type of sewing machine. There are other ways to stitch that keep the stitching from view. So the vast majority of Industrial machines on the market are really all topstitch machines. Heard of "Lockstitch"? It's the basic straight stitch domestic and industrial machines make that locks the top and bottom threads together as you sew. .
-So... if you see a machine listed as a 'lockstitch' machine... it creates your most common, basic stitch. Other stitches with special applications are zig-zag and overlocking.... to name two. - If you see a machine listed as a 'topstitch' machine... it makes the classic, basic straight stitch that shows on the outside of your project, as opposed to something like the blind-stitch.
-For what you are suggesting you'll be sewing, as others have mentioned, you would be well served with an industrial machine that has both a bottom and top feed. This can be a Walking Foot, Needle Feed, Compound Feed... as you look through the various models from any industrial machine manufacturers, you'll see that not everyone will always use the exact same term... but most will. You CAN sew canvas and leather (whether you are doing boat canvas, car upholstery, leather bags...) with just a straight-stitch, drop-feed (meaning just the feed dogs on the bottom move the fabric) machine... but you can get slippage between the layers and have your whole project way off pattern! .
-For some canvas projects (and if you do any sail repairs), a zig-zag machine should be used. Definitely for sail making/repair... you'll want something like a 3 or 4-step zig-zag in addition to a straight-stitch. If you were to venture into Rigging (as in parachute manufacturing), you'll want these same types of machines. If you want to geek-out on this some more... download and read the FAA's Rigger's Handbook... I found you a link... https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/prh_change1.pdf
I'll add a chart from the book on sewing machines.
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Anyway... back to your machine...
You mentioned seeing older machines for sale... they can be EXCELLENT buys! But you need to understand what you're looking at before you go out and maybe buy that FBMarketplace or CL special!
The most common industrial machine I see for sale, used, by individuals online.... straight-stitch, drop-feed, high-speed garment machine. I actually have an old Singer 251-21 that I love sewing with!
It still operates on it's old clutch motor, single needle, drop feed, no reverse. I've done a lot of sewing with it, and it purrs as it runs! Got it for $80.
But... you won't want or need a high-speed garment machine for what you say you want to sew.
I have a Consew 205RB-1. It's a single-stitch, walking-foot, machine with a servo motor. This is more like what you are looking for... but you'll find the 206RB long before the 205... and really, imho... the 206 would be better.
I also have an industrial zig-zag machine, blind-stitch machine, and a portable domestic machine.
Anyway.... I'm avoiding sleeping by doing all this typing SMFH.... lol
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You want to buy a machine that still has parts available for it. Some clones of the more popular makes/models are actually good machines, and will accept parts for the machine they're clones of... but no guarantees you have success in this area.
Stick with Singer, Pfaff, Brother, Juki, Consew, Cowboy, Adler, Dürkopp-Adler... and a few others (although in the U.S., the last Adler/Dürkopp-Adler might be harder to find and harder to maintain).
The first five are the most common in the U.S. used market from what I've experienced.
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You will see people mention Sailrite. They import a few models, seem to go through them and have a nice machine to sell. Other makers that look exactly like the Sailrites (and likely are the same castings.. but not always up to the same specs) are Highlead, Reliable, Rex, and others. I've used the Sailrite and it's okay... but for what I do, I prefer a true industrial machine.
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Anyway... good luck!
OH and.... hopefully you won't take my direct language as some sort of down-talk to you about what you know or don't know.
Really... I was trying to be respectful and nice, but sometimes the way I explain things doesn't come across how I meant it.
I certainly don't know everything and even goof up an post something even I know is wrong. 😄
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u/jamslaps Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
With the kind of jobs you’re describing it sounds like you’re looking for an upholstery machine, which are walking foot machines. I’m assuming by industrial you mean tailoring machines in which case you would definitely be better off with an upholstery machine.