The Upholstery Forum

The seller of the Pfaff I just bought offered up a binding attachment which I watched him use while demonstrating the machine for me. Not knowing a single thing about binders I figured I'd research some. He said that it binds 2" (tape/webbing/binding I can't remember?) and it appeared to work very well. To me it just looked like a thicker 2" roll of hockey tape without adhesive. Is 2" the most common size and should I purchase it? He said he had it custom made for the machine and cost him close to $600? Advice would be greatly appreciated from those of you who know.
Thanks so much

Also, I hope to do our boat canvas so will this be good for that?

With so many types of binders, its hard to say without seeing it. How much he wants for it and whether it has a swing arm may be the decision maker. The swimg arm will accept other sizes. 2" is big, even if its a double fold. I like a single fold 3/4 or 1" binder for bimini's and the like, sunbrella and recacril binding tape already has finished edges so only single fold is needed unless you are cutting your own binding. Now if it does happen to be a 2" double fold, i would find a place for it. Might not use it very often but valuable none the less and again, the swing arm is what i'd be most interested in. Good ones from Tennessee Attachments are expensive!

What would a binding attachment run pricewise? He wants $250 Canadian but when I look on JT's Fabrics in Barrie Ontario the most expensive binders they list is around $80 Canadian or so, and they have the swing arm you are referring to?? They do look a little different than the one he has but if they do the same job? Advice? And size would help too.

Personally I dont like binding attachments... Ive had to many issues using them to make it worth my time. I dont d a lot of canvas work so i get by just fine manually sewing binding. If you plan on doing it a lot it probably would be worth getting one.

$600 seems crazy to me and $250 is still to much in my opinion. You can buy binder attachments for $80. Thats Just my opinion though....

I have both types and the ones at JT's make for a nice edge guide and are great for straight runs and outside curves, but you will really struggle with inside curves. The type i reccommed is a right angle binder most likely the style he has. They are more versatile. There are cheaper options for the right angle style, I have both Tennessee Attachments binders and cheap ebay right angle binders and i will say the Tennessee is way better built and is going to last a couple lifetimes. I'd want $250 for it too. The ebay binder is clearly made from inferior materials and poorly assembled but with a little tweaking, it lays the binding down just as well as the expensive one and it was $40 without a swing arm. Ebay also has cheap swing arm attachments for about $20, they are not matched to the binder, so more tweaking is involved to get everything in the right position but not difficult. All of our binding attachments are 3/4in or 1in single fold. I personally prefer 1in on marine canvas work.

Hey Adam, would it be possible for you to send me a pic or two of what you have and use for binders? At your convenience of course. Maybe even have a look at the ones JT's Fabrics in Barrie offer and suggest what I should purchase? I do plan to do our boats canvas (34' Rinker cabin cruiser with lots of cloth) so I will put them to good use once my skills improve. Maybe help out a fellow boater or two with torn pieces?

All good advice above.

I have a box full of binders that I seldom use and one that I use frequently. I bind almost all of my stuff single-fold with either a 1" grosgrain or herringbone tape as described by milspec MIL-W-4088. Very occasionally I will make 2" bias tape and do a 1/2" double-fold binding, but it's a giant pain in the ass. I have smaller double-fold binders to go down to 1/4" bindings but that's even a gianter pain in the ass.

I use a 1" right-angle sigle-fold binder that does well on outside curves and OK on inside as long as the inside curve isn't real tight. I don't use a swing-away, preferring to mount the binder to a binding needle plate with a binding feed dog. It's not a real expensive one but it works well for me.

Thanks so much souperdoo. Nice looking machine, or what I can see of it. Mine looks like its old enough to vote compared to whatever that is?

@souperdoo beat me to it, here is some comparisons

Tennessee Attachments

Ebay bargain, these are the right angle binders

Straight binder like JT's.
I got away with using the straight one for several years but am happier overall with the right angle style. Swing arms are definitely not necessary but handy especially with vertical axis machines (top load bobbin). JT's swing attachments look similar enough to my straight one

I have never used one of the right angle ones. They look really well made. Ill have to try one of those out.