Juki DDL-8700 or DU-1181N users – a few questions

[Lester Moore]

Please see post number two

[Lester Moore]

After a year of using a Singer 4423 for everything from ultralight 10d silnylon to mid-weight backpacks (X-pac VX-21 and LS-07), I’m looking to upgrade for better performance, finer control and higher volume use.

After lots of research, and a Juki recommendation from a friend, the Juki DLL-8700 is on the top of my list as a simple, sturdy, quiet, versatile, easily maintained and reasonably priced “do it all” industrial strait stitch machine. But for backpacks only, the DU-1181N walking foot machine would be at the top of the list, although it would mean continuing to use my current home machine for light weight projects.

There have been some helpful BPL posts on these and similar machines over the years, but there are still a few questions for Juki 8700 and/or 1181 users:

• Would you agree that the 8700 seems like the better choice to completely replace my current home machine? And compared to other similar machines by other manufactures, the Juki 8700 is certainly a good and reasonable choice given its features and price?
• Has anyone had challenges with the 8700 for really light weight silnylon, even after changing plates, feet and multiple tension settings?
• How does the 8700 do with multiple layers of X-pac with foam and webbing – hopefully better than my home machine? In other words, would the 8700 pack sewing performance be noticeably inferior to the 1181?
• The 8700 appears to have multiple plates and foot dog options and a good range of tension and pressure adjustments for light fabrics. What has been your experience with its versatility for working well with a range of outdoor fabrics?
• Would you consider the 1181 inferior to a standard home machine for 10d silnylon and other UL outdoor fabrics?
• Would you say the 1181 is a special purpose tool for backpacks and 70d or heavier fabrics, requiring the use of a second, lighter machine for UL fabrics like 10d silnylon?

Here’s some background on my Singer 4423 home machine, if helpful. The 4423 has limited presser foot lift of only 9mm, which is barely enough for anything more than UL backpacks (shoulder straps). The speed control pedal always seems to leave the needle in the up position when the pedal is released. I’d like a pedal that allows precise and slow control of the needle speed and up-down position for sewing tight corners that require shifting the project after every stitch (like backpack shoulder strap ends). Even with a new needle, I usually need to hand crank through webbing, especially with multiple layers of X-pac sandwiched in. While not crucial, it would be helpful to have more room between the needle and the arm of the machine for maneuvering bulky projects around while sewing.

[Andrew Stevens]

I bought a Juki 2010q as my first good machine.  It’s not a walking foot but it works very well for everything that I make with packs.  The machine has a larger throat which makes working with packs a fair bit easier; I think the machine is designed for quilting,  I’ve been very happy with the machine.

[Brook / MtGL]

After many years of using 4423, and occasionally looking into the industrial machines, I began to realize that an industrial machine is really for mass production. As a DIYer I would be happy to stay with 4423. I think it even have some advantages over a just simple strait stitch industrial JUKI. But of course we have problems if dealing with medium-weight backpack. A strait stitch industrial machine may help in some senarios. But perhaps soon after you may think to have an industrial bar tracker. ;-) That’s then a lots of investment.

[Craig B]

Hey Lester.  I started with an old 1970’s Kenmore machine and did a few projects like a quilt and wind shirt. After a year or so, I borrowed a friends Juki DDL-555 (clones with the 8700;  the 555 is made in Japan, the 8700 is made in China) with a clutch motor and did a couple more projects, the biggest of which was a synthetic insulation jacket.  Finally I got a Juki DLN-5410 needle feed with a servo motor and computer.  While investigating the types of machines, I also considered a walking foot machine.  Ultimately I decided to go the needle feed route because it seemed like a walking foot machine would ONLY be good to sew heavy and thick stuff like packs but not delicate stuff like apparel.  The standard lock-stitch machines can still do packs reasonably well, but it’s a chore to handle foam in them. You have to really pay attention to how you feed a stack of material with foam and press it down as it goes under the presser foot.  I’ve broken several needles trying to get that right!  Have no fear about power with the lock-stitchers either; I’ve sewn through a 3/16″ stack of HDPE and it felt pretty easy.  Although I imagine the 1181 WOULD be noticeably better than the 8700 at packs.

I agree that the 8700 could completely replace your home machine, since that’s what I did.  I have not used my Kenmore since I got the Juki.  The one stitch I might miss is a zigzag for a stretchy seam, but I’ll just not design any of those into my projects now.  And the 8700 should do an OK job on packs of course, SO LONG AS YOU GET A SERVO MOTOR!  That’s very important.  The 555 I have has a clutch motor and it is extremely difficult to control.  With the servo motor, you can do a stitch at a time with a press of the pedal, and the needle stays down so you can lift the foot and arrange the fabric.  My 5410 also has one of the more advanced computers, but it’s unnecessary;  I’ve never used it through many projects.  The computer functions are really for repetitive production work.

Really light-weight slippery material will still be a challenge on the 8700, especially getting even feed on the two pieces of fabric.  That’s why I chose the needle feed; it helps in that regard a fair amount but it was not the magical solution I was imagining.  It still takes practice and skill to get it to make good seams in really light stuff even when set up properly.

Yes, I would say the 8700 is very versatile working in a range of outdoor fabrics.

I don’t know for sure, but my impression is that a home machine would be better than an 1181 for really light weight fabrics.  So yes, it seems like the 1181 is a special tool for backpacks, and not a do everything machine.

If you’ve never tried an industrial, they really are serious machine tools.  And good for decades.  Don’t be afraid to get a used one.  They are also very heavy, and not that easy to disassemble.  You will need at least two strong people to move one, preferably 3.  So basically you will probably want to get one locally.  I ended up paying about $300 to have a freight company ship my 5410 from back east out to California.  Good luck with the shopping!

Craig

 

[STEPHEN S]

I bought an older  DDL-5550 a few months back and converted it from clutch to servo. Its a pretty simple conversion, I spent about $100 on ebay for the servo motor and switched it out in an hour or so. I have only sewed two 1.1 silpoly tarps so far but it works great as long as you have the tension set right. Thats been a bit of a learning curve but its a very satisfying machine to use when you get it dialed.

[Lester Moore]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I’ll definitely keep an eye on Craigslist – a 8700 was on there a few days ago but it’s gone now. If I can find a good deal on any of these machines (8700, 5410, 1181, 1541) I’ll probably pull the trigger as they all fit a particular niche quite well.

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