George, sewing ratchet strap with Singer 4423

Recently you wondered if one of those cheapie Singer Ebay Heavy Duty sewing machines could sew a ratchet strap. The answer is yes but of course a true Industrial machine would be better. Below are the pictures. I am using T70 (#69) bonded nylon thread. The thickness of the two straps is 1/4" which is the maximum the foot on the machine will lift. My heavy duty needles haven't arrived yet so I used a regular needle but it didn't present a challenge to the machine (heavy leather might be a different story). The stitch length is set to 4, which is the max, but the stitches are still pretty close together. I'm sure an industrial machine would allow a greater range as long stitches are desirable for some leather an upholstery work. Also the thread holder post on the Singer works with regular consumer thread spools, not large industrial types so I had to improvise.
<img src = https://s19.postimg.org/p3m7mr4c3/strap1.jpg>
<img src = https://s19.postimg.org/jbm3fluib/strap2.jpg>
<img src = https://s19.postimg.org/gisvvku5v/strap3.jpg>
<img src = https://s19.postimg.org/xklpxo90z/strap4.jpg>
 
And how strong do you feel this repair job will be.
Surely no where near original strength.

You would have been MUCH better off cutting the short piece off the hook and sewing the hook on the end of your longer cut piece.
I am all for saving some money but you guys go over board sometimes.
 
I am pretty sure that when my wife repairs a strap, and she does it much like this only a longer splice, the repair is every bit as strong as the original strap.
 
I understand the need to patch a strap used around the farm,and I have a good idea what the fine would be if the DOT caught you on the road.
 
Lazy WP we will have to agree to disagree then.

Look at a strap.
It is never sewed in a straight line pull.
It is always lapped over and sewed.
This allows the sewed part to only see half of the weight.

Picture the physics behind a snatch block and you may understand better.
 
I would agree with the post from John in La about the strength as it would have been better to cut the hook out and resewed it to the longer piece.
I have had a tarp place resew 4 inch straps for me by cutting the hook off and putting back on the long end. They would also put a tag on it for the certification of strength. I have done that many times with them over the last 10 years.
On the farm it will be fine just using it on the road is where the problem might come in. Ad if you use that to pull out a stuck item and the sewing does not hold one terrible recoil from that.
 
Some things are not meant to be repaired.

If that were my strap I would throw it away.

I wouldn't use it to hold anything knowing if I did that.

It's only as strong as that thread you used to sew it together.

Someone else may not know that it's been repaired and use it for something and get killed or seriously injured.

Throw that thing in the burning barrel and buy a new one.
 
Andy,
So far my 10 inch metal banding is strong enough to stop the tractor, spin both rear tires.

I only plan to use my 50 ft strap to pull honeysuckle out of a hill side where a tractor can't go. No way would I try to sew anything that secures a load on trailer.

I have an old singer and I tried to see of I could get a needle to go through my straps turning machine by hand. Straps were too tough, pulley on machine slipped.

Thanks for your post. Where did you get T70 thread? I'll also try getting a bigger needle for machine and see if I couldn't modify old singer somehow.
 
This lap joint is only as strong as the couple hundred threads (what kind did you use, by the way?) that it was sewn with, not the several thousand fibers in the original strap.

Yes, the ends are sewn where there is a hook, but the end is folded over. The strain is only half on that joint, over the lap you created.

Proceed very cautiously !
 
I have had NEW straps from factory sewed just like his picture shows he has done. So if there would be a problem with that how does the factory that does it and the store that sells it get by with that?
 
Hey George,

I got the thread from Ebay from a seller called threaddirect. Good stuff.

I think I was misunderstood - not trying to show how to repair a ratchet strap, but rather how the sewing machine can stitch through 1/4" of nylon strap. I'm experimental like you and like to try things just because. Anyway I use the particular staps shown for general non-critical uses, I would never use nylon straps to tie down my tractor on the trailer, I use 3/8" chain with a binder on all four corners. It will be interesting to test my sewn strap and see how it holds up.
Ebay T70 thread
 
Thanks for the eBay link to thread. Some day I'll get a strong enough machine to push needle through my used straps which I never plan to use to secure a load.

I have about 8 new two ratchet straps in barn that I haven't used yet. They were on sale and too good deal to pass up.
 
Andy,
What number needle did you use? I went to Wal mart. The biggest needle I could find was a 100/16. To experiment with I bought the biggest thread they sold too. Be a good test to see if my machine can get needle and thread through my tough straps without breaking something.
geo
 
The needle I used is a Singer 90/14 2020. The heavy duty needle that's on order is a 110/18 2020. My sewing machine manual lists a style 2032 for leather, vinyl, and upholstery with the note that it leaves a smaller hole than the standard large needle.
 
Andy, thanks. I went to Wal Mart and bought 100/16 needle and upholstery thread. My old singer 237 can easily handle the cheapie H F tow strap, which is about half the thickness of the two DOT approved straps I screwed together. Machine can't push needle through the toughest straps. George
a247921.jpg
 
I think you have to convince that aunt of yours to keep the industrial sewing machine in the family!

Heavy-duty sewing is fascinating. Check out the backhoe seat my neighbor made for me. He's a professional upholsterer. I have to learn how to do stuff like that. I also need to ask him sometime what kind of machines he is using in his shop.

<img src = http://s19.postimg.org/3q58f0zhv/backhoeseat.jpg>
 

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