Constabulary

@ Rocky I actually had this idea too but since I have a 45D I have not followed the idea. But it indeed is possible since the whole mechanism is quite flat and narrow. Most likely the engineers back then had this idea too. Very nice and versatile machine this old clunker is @Matt Not a big picture. ATM I have two options for bobbin winders, one is an automatic bobbin winder from an old shuttle machine I have to alter (I would prefer this but not sure if my idea is possible to implement) and the other is a most likely original A1 winder but without the table clamp. ATM I´m waiting for email responses. However would be nice if you could post some pictures of the winder you have.

That's a nice machine history - I really would like to see the machine.

Thanks a lot. I really like this one, hope I´ll find a bobbin winder solution soon. I already have something in mind.

Must be a huge production overrun out there - unbelievable price. Cheaper than just a set off feet. Thats sick! http://www.ebay.de/itm/282331918988

right, 331 have no scarf and are longer then Uwe´s (sewing) needle - so maybe it is for a bag closing machine (a guess)

arent these the System 331 needles for BUSMC#6 and the like - I have to measure... Not sure

Hey Gregg, yes, I always wondered what in particular this thing does. I understand that it keeps the oil "in motion" while sewing but I don´t understand WHY since the wick is laying flat in the oil bath anyway. Maybe I´m just not clever enough My simple mind thinks that the oil system would work w/o this vibrating spring thingy as well - or is it just a "marketing feature" - like "we have in vented this new and clever oil vibrating pump thingy"

My 212 even has wick tubes made of brass. I think the oil for the wick system comes from the larger screw (next to the plunger for the stitch length adjustment) in the hollow part in the flat bed but yet I haven`t really examined my 212 closely for that .

maybe a difference in foot lift or hook size? Isn´t there a list that explains the letters and numbers? I think on the old Seiko website they had an explanation...

I´m sure they are as good as any other walking foot cylinder arm machine of this class. However - test them before you buy them - if possible.

No cure - learn to live with it!

As Darren said - you never have too many machines. Buy it and consider it as investment and later on as part of your pension when you sell it - one day

I'm not sure what's considered self oiling. I'm like you though. If it's dripping all over my pants, I probably have too much oil on it anyway. Some Singer 211 have an oil bath in the hook saddle and an oil tank on top for wick oiling parts of the machine. I have a 212 with 2 hooks and it has the "self oiling hooks" too. I´ll pots some pictures in a minute. The wick oiling is an excellent oiling system for low speed sewing in my opinion. However - I have no oil in the hook saddles and oil tank I´, still manually oiling the machine. Stupid, huh? EDIT: I have a German Singer 211 brochure and it says that the G567 subclass has a self oiling hook - I guess the U567 is petty much the same machine but made in japan instead of made in Germany. Your even should have a large capacity hook.

I don´t think I have the parts you need but check with College Sewing in the UK - they have a lot of 211 and 111 parts. https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/store/240003-SLIDE-PLATE-RIGHT-INSIDE-111W https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/store/240004-SLIDE-PLATE-LEFT-OUTSIDE-111W Not all parts are shown in the parts section sometimes you have to search for the parts numbers Singer 111 and 211 have a lot of parts in common, like the feet and slide plates https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/singer-industrial-sewing-machine-spare-parts/

I have hard soldered some needle plates even with propan / butan. Some with broke or worn needle holes some with broken off bits. I would not worry too much. Yours has clean brake lines and I´m sure it can be done. If you want to use the machine think you do not have many option beside buying a new needle plate (or machine...?)

Jimi, thats why I asked for the parts number. I assumed the large bobbin gear box would probably fit. I once had the chance to try a 29K60 gear box (large bobbin) but it did not fit. Too bad. But I kowno there once was a large bobbin short arm patcher but that was one of the Jap "U" Singers afaik.

Regular 29K parts you can order online from College Sewing UK as well. They sell the same parts as Sew Europe. I was in touch with Sew Europe too but their prices back then (when I restored my 29K71) were higher then from College Sewing. Just wanted to have it mentioned.

I´d check with RIMGM.de or Sieck.de or wdn.de f.i. They may not have them online but maybe can order them. If not possible you can try to hard solder the plate (in worst case)

One more NTW = Nähmaschinenteilewerk (VEB NTW Dresden) A former GDR company (East Germany) which produced small sewing machine & parts. Co, still exist but is not making parts anymore. They are now specialized in hardening metal parts. Note their Company crest - its a sewing machine hook. www.haerterei-dresden.de

wow - copying a forum almost 1:1 and then linking it in the original forum is like a slap in the face. If you don´t have friends - now you even have fewer. Anyway - good luck!

Switch from Nylon to Polyester and maybe this will solve the issue. Belief it or not - I´m sometimes even using 16/4 cotton thread that is older than me - how do I know it is older - well, its dated 1968! I´m also using a lot of polyester thread from size 40 to 11/3 (metric). Also some Cotton / Poly from different mfg´s. I have polyester thread spools where even the plastic spool broke because of its age or is faded by sunlight BUT all the thread is absolutely perfect working - no matter if I run it in a Singer 111, Singer 29K, Singer 307 zigzag or 45K. It´s not because I´m a Cheap Charley (well, maybe a little bit) but this thread just works great and why throwing it away when its still working well? I do not use nylon thread at all (have some CONSO #69 prewound but I don´t think I ever used it) Odd Chinese nylon thread from an unknown manufacturer on which an importer puts his own label on may work for work a while but in the end you never know where this thread is coming (which manufacturer) from and if you get the same thread with your next order. Different manufacturer - same label - so how can you (as a consumer) know its always the same quality from the same manufacturer? Of course all sellers / importers claim their thread is top quality thread and they sell them for years and come from a known factory... bla bla bla. Really? Who in the nowadays world is still buying that? In the end the customer has to deal with this stuff. I don´t know many US Mfg´s brands but I have some COATS Koban (now named Dual Duty) thread and some from Polyester from Synthetic Thread Co. Inc. in PA that is working very well. But most of the other thread I´m using come from German manufacturers mainly Ackermann / Aman (SYTON / SERAFIL & SABA) or some Gruschwitz (GETAFIL) - I have zero issues with this even sometimes quite old thread! So I really think a lot depends on the manufacturer. Buy thread from known manufacturers (google it) and not thread with just a "sellers label" and I´m sure you will have a constant quality and less thread issues. And I really would try some quality Polyester thread from a well known manufacturer instead of nylon. Some pictures of my worse thread spools - all this thread is working perfect and all come from known manufacturers.

Very true Bob, but its always the very low price that is tempting and its hard to resist!

Thats globalization - hard to stop it. I really raised my eyebrow when I have seen the price and even incl. shipping. Maybe a production overrun that is flooding the market for a while - who knows. There is a lot of dirt cheap stuff coming from china. Not only sewing machine parts. We all know that and we still keep buying things from Asia, clothing, shoes - all kind of junk. Check your $100 Nike sneakers I´m sure they come from China. Guess where the $600 Apple Smartphones and the like comes from. You name it - and none of the end customers really knows the production conditions. A higher price does not necessarily mean the conditions are better - it just means often enough someone else is making the profit.

The tip of the bell crank lever has approx a 5mm diameter when new. Maybe the newer 29K´s are still in use and pop up later on the market - who knows. Meanwhile my 29K71 produces approx 4.8 - 4.9 mm long stitches - can´t be much better. I figured when I put the stich lenght adjuster too deep (when the gib touches the foot) the stitches become slightly shorter again. So the longest stitch really is when the adjuster is just below the 5 mark on the BCL and have set it to the highest foot lift. That maybe be different on other machines - patchers sometimes can be tricky.

gears are definitely worn off . Yeah - patchers can be a money pit - I invested more money in restoring mine than in any other machine I have! But on the long view its good to have one of the later 29K models since parts are most likely available for ever due to the Chinese clones.