[Dbodily]

Dan can you help me out. I bought what was supposed to be a industrial machine on e-bay. With out going into the details I think I got took. However the machine arrived and I set it up. My concern is that the needles for the machine look a lot smaller than my friends Jukie's. The needle is labeled DBX1, it has the number 1738 on a line below that and then the next line down it has 16X231. The package also says Size 90/14. Can you decipher this code. I plan on sewing marine vinyl among other stuff. If this needle size makes sense to you is the needle big enough to do the job, and what size thread do you recommend? thanks in advance David Bodily

[lamx]

If your machine uses a DBx1/16x231 needle, it is most likely an industrial machine, because those are industrial needles. HOWEVER, just because a machine is an industrial machine does not mean it is capable of sewing leather or vinyl. Industrial machines are also used to make ladies' lingerie and silk parachutes and neither of those machines is capable of sewing upholstery fabrics. If you tell us the make and model of your machine, we can better tell you if you made the right choice.

90/14 refers to the size (diameter) of the needle. 90 is the European size and 14 is the U.S. size. A size 14 needle is an average size for sewing clothing weight fabrics, such as shirting. A size 18 is the smallest I use for upholstery and I use up to size 20 for the tougher stuff.

Ed

[DanTwoLakes]

90/14 refers to the diameter of the needle above the scarf as lamx said. The 90 means 90NM (which stands for "number metric"), and is .90mm. The 14 is just an American designation for the same diameter. An industrial machine to sew upholstery generally uses 135x17 (DPx17) needles, meaning 1.35 MM in diameter, which is significantly larger than the needles recommended for your machine. You do indeed have an industrial machine intended more for clothing and other lighter weight fabrics. Try to return the machine.

As far as thread goes, I like to use size 92 polyester thread for basic auto upholstery stitching and size 138 for top stitching. These are personal preferences, but I like polyester because it stands up to UV rays better than nylon.

[Dbodily]

Thanks to lamx and Dan for the prompt response As I said when I got the machine I figuared I got took and you guys confirmed it. When I was talking to this seller before I bought it I told him I wanted to sew auto and marine upholstery and he said no problem. Buy the way Dan he told me no dice on the return. Thanks again. David

[DanTwoLakes]

Go to the security and resolution center of E-Bay and explain the problem to them. You can file a dispute within 45 days of the sale if you used PayPal to buy the item and it was substantially different from what was described to you. This is called their buyer protection program. They will resolve the issue for you. CLICK HERE The seller can't mislead you like that. They will get the seller to let you return the item. Don't take no for an answer.