Singer class 7 machine?

[hvl]

I asked a couple of questions last week and Bruce was kind enough to give me a nice, detailed and informative answers but I have a new question. I'm looking for a heavy stitcher for saddles and horse tack and have found a Singer class 7 machine in my area for sale. What do y'all think of them? I've heard good things about them but would like to hear your opinions. Thanks

[Art]

Hi Hvl,

It depends on the model, but if tight they are a very very very good Stitcher for heavy work, no reverse, but still one of the best threaded needle stitchers ever; I think the 7-33 was probably the best of them. The majority of them were used during WWII for tentwork, back when they used real canvas and a lot of it. I've seen them with one or two needles and with and without pullers. They are about the heaviest duty machine ever made and the ones with pullers were real brutes. The only drawback is they were flatbed only. While you are onto big machines, the 97-10 was a real good machine also, and it is a cylinder arm, not a flatbed.

Art

I asked a couple of questions last week and Bruce was kind enough to give me a nice, detailed and informative answers but I have a new question. I'm looking for a heavy stitcher for saddles and horse tack and have found a Singer class 7 machine in my area for sale. What do y'all think of them? I've heard good things about them but would like to hear your opinions. Thanks

[barra]

I concur with Art. The 7-33 is an awesome machine. We use them in the Military to stitch heavy webbing harnesses like Parachutes and pilot harnesses. They are affectionately called Thumpers and for good reason. They will thump their way thru just about anything you can fit under the foot. These things and cockroaches will be the only things to survive a nuclear holocaust. Having said all that, because it is a flat bed and has feed dogs, sewing shearling "may" be a bit tricky. Then again it may go next challenge please. If in good order and the price is right I'd snap it up.

Barra

http://www.industrialsewmachine.com/webdoc...ures/7class.htm

Edited September 19, 2008 by barra

[Art]

Most of the 7-33s came stock with these "Monster" balance wheels on them, so if the motors of the day couldn't do it, the operator has some real mechanical advantage and could help. Most of the ones I have seen were painted "Navy" gray, if you find a black one it may be older. Some like the 33 had alternating feet and some of the other models had the "vibrating" presser foot, the alternating is better. If you find a 97-10 it will have a "jump" foot like the 900-B and the No.9. I know the "stand" for the 97-10 weighed at least twice what the machine did, and it was surely no lightweight, just the motor assembly weighed more than a Juki 441 head. Good luck in your quest for Big Iron.

Art

[CowboyBob]

I'd like to add my $.02 ,the 7-33 is a good machine it like the 7-31 have a larger bobbin than the 7-34 or 7-9 which have the same size bobbin as adler 205& juki 441,we have found that the smaller bobbin gives more consistant thread tension in leather than the large bobbin does,if your sewing thinner materials or canvas & etc then the large bobbin would be better.We have modified the 7-31 & 33 in the past to sew 1" thick of nylon webbing,if you want to sew thick 1/2"-7/8"a 97-10 like Art mentioned is better than any 7class since the single foot it has is much narrower than the wide & clumbsy feet on a 7.

The problem know w/a 97 is getting parts & smaller needles if you want to use thinner thread than 346,since the needle is so long if you where to find any smaller needles they bend & break easy,so you can drop the needlebar down & use a shorter needle like the 794S & will limit your thickness to 1/2"

HTH,

Bob

[torrbuidhe]

I would like to get my hands on a 7 class or a 97-10, though I wouldn't have much justification for owning one

97s must be scarce, there's a list of production numbers of Singer industrial on the Needlebar site -

http://needlebar.org/main/industrial/index.html

There's also a size comparison of a 7-25 and a 45k on the same site -

http://www.needlebar.org/cm/displayimage.p...=243&pos=20

Would the Pearson 6 be comparable to these machines?

[Art]

The 6 and it's brethern (No.9 and Classic) are very good machines for harnesswork. I love my No.9 and we joke around here that it is my portable. They are needle feed jump foot machines and very simple. Depending on the machine, they will have a linear or rotary shuttle. Good simple machines. The Pearson is more available in the UK, Oz, and Canada, and quite pricey here (US), No.9s are more available here and you can buy the Classic new, none will come cheap. I had a 6/6 (Ferdco) but I didn't keep it.

Art

I would like to get my hands on a 7 class or a 97-10, though I wouldn't have much justification for owning one

97s must be scarce, there's a list of production numbers of Singer industrial on the Needlebar site -

http://needlebar.org/main/industrial/index.html

There's also a size comparison of a 7-25 and a 45k on the same site -

http://www.needlebar.org/cm/displayimage.p...=243&pos=20

Would the Pearson 6 be comparable to these machines?

[hvl]

Gee guys thanks for all the input!! I really appreciate am finding that I have a LOT to learn! We're going to look at the machine today (not sure what exact #7 it is) and I've taken notes of all your advice and will take them with me to compare. Thanks again. I'm so excited!

Joy

[simran]

This is an old thread but didn't think opening another was needed. I just picked up a 7-33 yesterday for not more than a song. The lady said it was her dad's and she would rather give it to someone that would use it rather than market it to the public. Anyway, I do a lot of flat leather and canvas work and would like to get into some harness repair in the future. With this old horse I think the future just showed itself

Oh, she also sold me a Smith eyelet & hook press on the original foot operated, cast iron stand in very nice condition; along with a little box of anvils for it. She spotted me drooling on that too and made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

This was all fun and exciting until I got home and had to face the management!!!!!!!

Anyone looking for a Landis K model stitcher near upper Wisconsin let me know. She's got one of them and a short arm Singer 29 patcher too.

sim

[Art]

Hi Sim,

Is that a 12 K?

Art

This is an old thread but didn't think opening another was needed. I just picked up a 7-33 yesterday for not more than a song. The lady said it was her dad's and she would rather give it to someone that would use it rather than market it to the public. Anyway, I do a lot of flat leather and canvas work and would like to get into some harness repair in the future. With this old horse I think the future just showed itself

Oh, she also sold me a Smith eyelet & hook press on the original foot operated, cast iron stand in very nice condition; along with a little box of anvils for it. She spotted me drooling on that too and made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

This was all fun and exciting until I got home and had to face the management!!!!!!!

Anyone looking for a Landis K model stitcher near upper Wisconsin let me know. She's got one of them and a short arm Singer 29 patcher too.

sim