Any Cobra 18 users??

[hillbilly tim]

Howdy all, I'm torn about my next purchase. I've had intentions of buying a Cobra class 4 soon, very soon. But as luck would have it my brain kicked into overtime and actually got to thinking and considering things. The sticking point is I don't do saddle work and never intend to. But for holsters, straps, belts, sheaths and bag goods i have been thinking a class 18 machine which is a flat bed may just be all I ever need. I really want to stay with the cobra series, and steve for that matter. I understand the class 18 will stitch nearly a half inch. So i'm not sure that another $1K for a extra 1/4 inch capability is really warranted.

If anyone has or had a cobra class 18 leather stitcher please educate me. Please!!!

Thanks
Bro Tim
The Pistol Packing Preacher

[Red Cent]

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=47466

[Massive]

There are  a few things to consider:

You have the right brand and people, they do good work.

You never want to buy the 1600 over because you didn't spend the extra 500 or 1000

A flat bed machine can sew certain aspect of holsters, but is not ideal for others.  Basically you may want clearance around the contact point when working stiff materials with lots of contour.  If there is a holster plate available that might get you somewhere, but it may also suck into your capacity, so in the end it might not work anyway, you could ask.

If you do want to resell later, most people buying flat bed machines don't absolutely need needle feeds, and once you drop down to walking foot, you are in competition with 300 dollar machines by the thousands.  So while buying this machine for the correct purpose with a business plan in a working shop might make sense.  Semi hobby guys need to look at the in and out of the purchase, and I don't personally think that one has much out.  If I needed a flatbed for a hobby, I would consider getting the cylinder just for the resale potential.  I owned a huge cylinder with a walking foot, and that didn't work out.  I sold it for what I paid for it, so it was free for the year I had it.  However, I spent a year fiddling with a machine when if I had gone for a cobra 4 I would have been making stuff.

7/16" is not enough if you use welts.  I don't think you will want to work where you have to jam stuff up under there.  You want ample room.

207 thread is more than enough strength, but aesthetics wise it isn't enough beef for all current trends.  On the other hand these saddle machines are not really the right thing for the lower thread end they suggest they will do, so if that was important you would need either a smaller machine, or more realistically, 2 machines.


I would buy the Cobra 3 over the 18.  I bought the 4 and all the stuff that comes with it because being international it was cheaper that way, to order only once.  That said.  The stuff that makes the difference in the upper packages doesn't work on my machine or I am not using it, or they forgot to send it.  That sounds a little tragic, but on the other hand, I haven't bothered to look into it too hard, because I am so happy with how the machine is working for me, just having plugged it in.  I am saying that I think you might do just fine with the base 4 if that is your price max.  For what you have in mind, you may well regret it if you don't go for the 4.  If all you want to do is holsters the 3 is probably OK.  Get into gunbelts with loops and a 4 makes far more sense.

[Cliff Fendley]

The Cobra 4 is nice for sewing bullet loops.

[hillbilly tim]

Massive, Cliff, thats what I was really looking for was the real life situations and opinions. I was really wanting a class 3 originally but really have been tossing around the understanding that a few hundred dollars would put me into a mid level 4. It just makes sense. And Cliff was right I really want to do western holsters and gun belts so the help on the bullets would help.

Thanks for indulging my speaking and thinking outloud,

Bro Tim
The Pistol Packing Preacher.

[Biscuit Joe]

I have a class 4, and I also have a class 17 which is like the class 18.
I use them both, but for different types of sewing. My class 17 would have a struggle sewing a welter holster. But if the welt is small enought it could do it. But it is way to light for a lot of the thicker leathers. I use it for the thinner leathers. Wallets, and small soft items.
On the other hand, the class 4 can do small items, but it is like driving a nail with a ten pound sledge hammer. Way overkill.
The machines have little in common other than they are sewing machines. They both have their own purpose.
I love them both, and they each do their respective jobs very well!