Not all home sewing machine retailers have industrial sewing machines for sale. If you are comparing and trying to determine which of the two will meet your needs the best some research is required. For the average seamstress, a home sewing machine will be adequate for all sewing tasks. The home sewing machine is great for dress or children’s clothes but when one starts sewing crafts that require heavier materials or cushions or slipcovers for the home, the home machine may become your worst nightmare.
The home machine uses a bottom feed dog and when sewing many layers together and attempting to keep them all in place it becomes very difficult to use. The feed dogs pull the fabric through and past the needle with little jagged teeth. It becomes a tug of war between you and the machine to sew all those layers together.
An industrial machine is all metal and usually a bit heavy and awkward to move around. It fits into its own table with the motor mounted underneath. The table provides a good flat area to rest your project on. The home machine was designed to be portable and easier to lift.
To keep layers from shifting the industrial sewing machine has a walking foot which walks one foot at a time on top of the fabric so there is constant, equal pressure on the all layers of fabric. The needle doesn’t go straight up and down; instead it makes a circular motion and moves with the fabric as it rises and falls.
Because of the size of the motor the industrial sewing machine can handle heavy fabrics much easier. These machines come with a knee lever that will raise and lower the feet and keep your hands free to guide and manipulate the fabric. Unless you buy an industrial machine that will do zigzag most of these machines only do straight stitch.
If you are considering upgrading, talk to someone you know who has an industrial machine or an upholsterer and ask to try their machine out to see if you really need one. You can watch for industrial sewing machines for sale in newspapers when they are sold at auctions for instance. If a company is going out of business and selling their inventory that is a great time to invest in one. These machines last for years and years so a few scratches or wear marks are normal, it is what is inside that counts.