Constabulary

I´d assume that your stitch length adjuster is gummed up with old oil and grease. Another member recently had a similar issue with a Singer 111 which has the same regulator, so check this thread, maybe it will help you. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=58390&p=375555 I hope this helps. BTW - Have you pushed the left or the right plunger? The left one is for the stitch regulator and the right one of the safety clutch.

When the machine has a thread in the upper shaft where the hand wheel is it should be possible. And I´m sure it will have one. Normally there is a screw which is meant for fixing or adjusting the position of the hand wheel on the upper shaft. When you are buying a servo motor with NPS most of the time there are 2 adapters for the synchronizer with different threading or separate screws for attaching the adapter to the shaft are included. But it can happen that the thread will not fit for your machine (as on my Singer 111G156) and then you have to make your own adapter (as I did). I just cut off the threaded part, drilled a hole in the adapter and put a screw in that fits. I figured that the NPS on my Servo does not work when I have installed a speed reducer but without the speed reducer the NPS works! Just a hint for the case you want to install a speed reducer as well. I took my NPS synchronizer off as I`m sewing slow and can watch the needle where it stops so I don´t need the NPS. I have ordered my two servos motors from College Sewing in the UK Hope this helps

Yes, my 29K73 is a nice to have machine. I get about 4.5mm stitches out of it so it is worth to keep it. I only use it fore repairs in tight spaces or inside bags and so forth. I just use it once or twice a month. I just have repaired a 1943 dated .30M1 Carbine pouch for a friend thasts what it is really good for! I´m curious how long the stitches of th 30-1 will be. Since the bell cranks looks quite nice it could be the full 5 SPI if I have luck. We will see...

My fault - I have have a 29K71 and not 29K73

Before you invest a lot of money you should know that when your machine is making very small stitches like 3mm or so It could become an expensive repair as a lot of parts will be worn out!!! I bought my 29K71 for 40€ but had to invest about 150€ -180€ but the parts where all available as it is one of the latest models Singer made. You have one oft he oldest models so most likely it could be a problem to find the parts. You can get a lot of 29K parts form College Sewing in the UK but I don´t know if they will fit for your 29K3. You can find the small rollers at College Sewing but I don´t know if they will fit for your machine - measure yours and ask them. If the needle is too far on the left the only thing you can do is to loosen the 4 screws that hold the bottom and the top housing together and TRY to move the top housing a little bit to the right and then fasten the screws again. If there is play around the shuttle either the gear box housing is worn off or rust has eaten the material (you never know as it is a very old machine and you said it was rusted) or the the shuttle is worn (is it a new or used one?) or you have to replace the small spring that holds the shuttle in place as the small spring is pushing the shuttle against the housing. A few pictures could help...

Sounds like a pretty much worn machine! Anyway... First of all you should download a parts list for your machine so you hopefully can identify the spare parts you need. It´s always good when you have the spare parts number when you are hunting for parts. You can find it here: http://www.hendersonsewing.com/manual.asp?page=63 Look for the 29K1 - this will cover your model as well.

Don´t say that - I`m a bit "Singer crazy"! The big advantage of the 29k73 is that it is shorter and not as heavy as the 30-1 so I think I will keep my 29K73 - hopefully! Furthermore the spare parts situation is much much better for the 29K73. For example - the only needle bar I have found for the 30-1 costs 320€ (not $) and the needle bar for my 29K73 was just about 30€ and that is just one example. Hell - I could buy TEN Singer needle bars or just one Adler needle bar for about the same money! BTW - I think I will check if the needle bars are interchangeable... just as the shuttle hook and presser foot are. Adler spare parts are extremely expensive in Germany. They are probably original Adler parts (but who knows) but I can spend my money just once and I try to get the most out of it so I think I will keep my Singer but we will see...

This is for sure factory made. Other models also have a long arm version, this is noting unusual.

That makes sense!

You´ll get it from Spain? How much will the shipping be? Wouldn´t it be cheaper to buy one from a country that is closer to Norway?

Just looked at it a bit closer and as far as I can tell it shows not much wear.

Was a busy sewing machine weekend - I`m finally done with my 133K3 setup. Got the Jack servo motor last weeks and puzzled everything together now. I will add smaller 40mm pulleys to my motors but its working well already. The 133K goes through 12mm stiff webbing but it needs some speed but it works! The 2 machines under the table can be switched with the 2 mounted machines. But I have to make a small frame for the 29K73 so I can use the same wing screws to mount it on the table.

Even though it is a not much known brand but 400€ sounds like a fair price for a walking foot cylinder machine. We have an other member from Oslo, Norway. I´d contact him, maybe he knows some other sources for sewing machines. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showuser=10237

The tension assembly should be the same that Pfaff uses on most of their industrial machines. This one will work: www.ebay.com/itm/290790180777

This is a Pfaff 28 it more or less is an updated version of the Singer 17 and it uses a very tiny bobbin and the same hook as the Singer 17. it is a drop feed machine - no walking foot. You can adjust the stitch length with a lever underneath the top arm. I once had one of these when I was on the hunt for a cylinder machine. Most Pfaff 28 are setup for just a size 18 (as mine was). But there are subclasses which are for thicker meddles. It is a nice machine but not meant for heavy work and the tiny bobbins is not really an advantage. I have an English manual for the machine. I will attach it so you can check the details and subclasses. Pfaff 28 Manual - English.pdf

I also never heard of them but it is a clone of the Pfaff 335 and was originally set up as a binding machine as it still has the attachments as it seems.

And once again I have learned something! I think I never have seen a 29 w/o the K and subclass on this side of the pond. Thanks for the update Wiz

Some progress... I decided to paint it Olive Drab (a whole different thing but I like it), I have blued the gear box with Gun Blue and I have highlighted the lettering with white paint. I ran out of OD paint so the head will be painted and assembled in the days to come... As you can see - no rust on the head parts and yet I have only used paint thinner to clean them. I hope it will make some nice stitches. I was not able to test it as it was covered and gummed up with pink hippie paint. So it´s a bit of a gamble this time.

Another member is in the same situation - check his thread: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=58911 I think $800 is WAY too much for this machine as it could be older than 100 years if it is a 29K1. Due to the ornamentation I would say it is from the early 1900 - 1930´s but thats just a guess. Check what subclass the machine has. If you have the serial number you can also check how old this Singer is. Restoration of a patcher sewing machine is not very difficult. I´m just in process of restoring my 2nd patcher machine but it is an Adler 30-1. My 1st one was a Singer 29K73. It´s about the same machine as yours but much younger and technically a bit more ahead.

Sorry - I meant 6 SPI or less (not more). With other words 4mm or longer stitches! If the stitches are shorter than 4mm when adjusted to the max. stitch length I would not buy it!

But the Singer 17/18 have extremely small bobbins and I´m not sure if they can handle anything larger that 138 thread. I think a roller foot machine with post bed or cylinder is a good choice for these tiny shoes. Get in touch with Toledo Sewing Machines if you want a Cowboy machine. They also have used machines and maybe the used ones will meet your requirements and they often can save you some $$$. Toledo Sewing has banner on top of this page. I like the shoes with fur very much - really cool shoes!!!

This seems to be one of the earlier types w/o quick release for the hand wheel for winding bobbins w/o sewing and w/o the large hand wheel retaining screw. I´d check what subclass it is. If it is a K1 it could be older than a century. From what I see it seems to have a flat "blade" spring on the back side and not the small helical spring in the head so this narrows it a bit. As far as I remember the helical spring started with the 29K51 so everything with a lower subclass has a blade spring on the back - I hope that I'm right with that but thats what I have observed but I´m not 100% certain. The overall condition looks not too bad. But I´d be careful with machines that have worn off the paint in the gearbox era and with machines with worn off decals.. That shows that they have seen a lot of use and so the stitch length could be much shorter. But as it is in Australia the decals may wear off faster because of the climatic conditions. But I don´t know if this is the case. Old machines often do not have the full 5SPI stitch length so when the machine is producing 6SPI it is okay but If it is more (like 7 or 8 when adjusted to 5 SPI) I would not buy it as the parts are worn and finding parts for the older 29K could be an issue. But on the other hand you have Singermania and Darren Brosowski in country so maybe they have parts if necessary. I know the sewing machine prices are high in Down Under but I would only buy it if it makes 6 SPI or more. I´s try to beat down the price - maybe 450 - 500 AUD IF it has a good stitch length.

@ Billibob Well - no! Making new decals and finding a buyer who appreciates these details will not be easy I think. I already have a 29K71 and I have no space for a 2nd patcher so it has to go when I´m done. It will look different but not pink again

I found this "Pink Beauty" at a shoe shop. They once used it as shop window decoration but the new owner had no use for it. I could not refuse to buy it as it cost me just 26€ (after some negotiation). I was not sure if would be worth the pain to restore it but at least spare parts would bring more than what I have paid. It came with a nice shuttle and 5 small bobbins. Sunny afternoon today and I took the chance to wash down the pink hippie paint from the head and it worked great! It took me just 45 minutes to remove it. And what have I found on the backside? A decal that reads KRIEGSAUFMACHUNG and below that the French translation. Kriegsaufmachung means something like "Wartime Design". Holly cow - this thing must have been made between 1939 and 1945. I assume after 1940 as the decal had a French translation on it. I never have seen this before. Unfortunately I has not able to safe the decal. The machine turned out quite nice - not much rust or sticky oil on the parts just the gear box cover has some surface rust. I hope this thing will sew when I´m done. Some pictures

Bobbin winder is sold. I unfortunately cannot remove the listing for it.