Anne Bonnys Locker

Out of interest, what size thread are you running in the 201?

The main benefit of a vibrating shuttle over a rotary or oscillating is that it is less prone to tangling when run in reverse. This of course makes it perfect for treadle applications. The Singer 15-1 was a round bobbin, long beak shuttle machine (as used later in the 17/18 series) and was released before the vibrating shuttle 27 and 28 series. The 27 is the full size machine and the 28 is the 3/4 size. The 127/128 are later versions which include auto tension release when the foot is lifted. Singer were great at producing obsolete machines. The Model 48 is a classic example as it was a version of the German high arm transverse shuttle machine developed many years after this style was waning in popularity and already obsolete by two decades.

Be wary of the bottom dollar Chinese shuttles. I pulled one out of a brand new machine today that was poorly finished and the spring was out of shape.

I would advise against buying a machine and modifying it as things can become expensive and complicated. Wait until you find the machine that is right for the job without attacking it with a gas axe . In the long run having parts 'off the shelf' will save you hassle.

There is a 299U251W but it is not anything that you will find remotely useful - unless you want to do buttonholes - but have a look at the link 299U251W

I actually have some domestic (15X1) needles in 21# and know of one manufacturer who lists them to 23#. There is only one domestic machine I would even attempt to run the 21# needles in with 30 ticket thread and that is a 1950's PFAFF 30. I cannot readily think of an application for the 23# but someone might enlighten me.

I am more a collector of old machines than a user so if money was no object then we start at Singer No1 and work upwards. If it sews then it is going to be in the collection.

WOW!! Looks like something that came out of a local engineering shop. Oddly my comprehensive needle book lists nothing above a 47K5 and no KSV models at all. There are no equivalent WSV models either so it might be a one-off that was never listed.

Hi Trox, I was lucky enough to have a play with a 42-5 recently (a pin was missing from the shuttle) and yes I know there are differences which is why I pointed out that it is possibly the machine Singer copied. The handwheel is certainly not a Singer but accessories like lube pots are not always original.

For 100euros this is a very good buy. My feeling is that it is whatever Singer copied to make the 42-5 unless it is a copy of the Singer 42-5.

We get regular inquiries from people with old black Singer machines - 15, 66, 99, 201 etc - usually because the guy who services them is putting up the price. If the machine sews and they regularly do a clean and oil then I tell them not to ever get it serviced . If it does have problems then I usually diagnose and fix over the phone. The value of the machine does not justify what some charge for "service".

Lovely machine!! Singer lost a lot of the production information so they only have the same data as on the website in terms of serial numbers.

Yes Mate you are crazy but give it a go. I love it when people do this sort of modification to machines. Bob, thanks for sharing that knowledge. Out here we mostly have mechanics who want to keep the workings of machines as a "black art". Spoke to a guy yesterday who was quoted $1200 to replace a needle bar in a 132k6!

Hi Sandy, Ask the seller for the serial number which is on the bed of the machine. I have a sneaking suspicion it is a 42 series.

Hey Steve, I've seen some of your wonders on the net and must say I drool over most of them. A local boot factory has a BUSM outsole stitcher sitting in their junk pile right now and I am trying to justify approaching them about it - I will certainly try for the Fortuna skiver - as I know I will probably never find a customer for it. Another wonder I saw in my travels was a Japanese built 30" cylinder bed machine loosely based on a Singer 7. So much heavy iron, so little space.

It is all quite simple. the 'k' in 45k stands for Kilbowie Scotland where singer made many machines. When it closed that factory down it simply bought the machines from subcontractors in Japan and used the letter 'B'. When Singer decided to abandon machines like the 132 and 45 the Japanese kept building them. Many of the old Singer models are now built in China and to a lesser extent Taiwan. At least one Indian company still builds 45k's and many build the 31, 103 and 132 amongst others. Singer themselves rebadge some of the Indian machines as Singer, Merritt (his middle name) or Regnis (SInger backwards).

The small Bradbury clone I sell requires major work to every single machine and it is as simple as they come. About one in three will not work out of the box and requires replacement parts or retiming. Easy for me but near impossible for the average user.

Yes it is worth the extra freight. Sending by sea is relatively inexpensive but the cost is paying the dock fees, customs agent eyc when it lands. I do not sell the sort of machine you want but you may have seen in a recent thread the work that goes into a bog standard walking foot machine for canvas. What is wrong with the 45K? If parts prices are a killer then email me.

That style of machine would be great for upholstery but nothing more. The dealer is your last and only point of call. I mostly set machines up for upholstery and canvas but I have a good idea of what the dealers on here go through to get a machine ready for you, the leather sewer. Today I put together an 0328 walking foot machine for a full test and run through to make sure it works properly. The holes in the motor linkage are not quite finished properly so I ran them through with a drill to be able to attach the linkage. One of the side cover screws on the head was not properly screwed in and on closer inspection a small guide plate inside was interfering with it so this needed to be filed out to fit. The supplied belt was just the right length for the 65mm pulley I was using so it was too short for the standard 100mm pulley. The knee bar setting bolts are too short so I replaced with a longer one. Machine head mounting rubbers need slight paring down to fit properly. The guts of the machine are quite well made and work beautifully but the attention to detail on the external bits are not great. Most machines out of China have some quirks and you need to deal with someone who will sort them out before you ever see the machine. Sewing leather is a very specialised field and not everyone can supply you with a suitable machine tailored to your needs and expectations.

Should also add that the thread take up lever of the 29 is adjustable and a longer stroke may help.

I have had this issue on some synthetics and have found that a different tip shape on the needle can help. Try the 29X4 leather point as it may help.

We ran TEX400 bonded through a 132k6 clone yesterday, or tried to, the machine hated it. Admittedly we didn't have a lot of time to play with the setup but my partner has 30 years of industrial sewing under her belt and has never seen a machine spit out a thread like that. Same weight of core spun and it ran like a dream.

Okay folks, edumacate me. It appears that around the world one of the favourite threads for machine sewing leather is bonded nylon but why? Yes, it has the advantage of being enormously strong but it does have a bunch of negatives: - Has all the tactile pleasure of wire rope. - So strong that it will rip through leather rather than break. - If pulled will cut into the surface of the leather. - Not great UV resistance. - Looks like synthetic. What is the opinion on something like core-spun poly cotton or high tenacity polyester?

I agree with Art. That is a lot of money to tie up in one machine and the more tech = the more problems. I am also concerned that this machine has to regularly go to the shop for servicing. Many machines get hammered for years on end with nothing but regular cleaning and oiling (every 8 hours of use is a rough guide) so it suggests to me that there is something inherently wrong that your mechanic is not sorting out for you here. A good mechanic should be able to tell you why the machine is playing up and how to cure the fault properly.

Are you making new or repairing? For repairing rugs I do not usually suggest a high dollar machine as the dust and crap out of a rug can be hard on the hook and shuttle mechanism in particular. Stick to something basic and inexpensive with easy to get (read chap) parts.