Stelmackr, Great advice, thank you! That is exactly what I tell people when I teach! I'm not a teacher by profession, but there are those friends and relatives who always ask me to show them how to do something. Got to apply that advice to myself!

Free! Well you have to put a little bit of $ into that one then! The shape of the reverse lever is is different, looks like a silver button. Do you push it in to go reverse, or does it move up and down in a slot? I've seen those in pictures of machines and wondered about how they work.

Kewl! Does that machine sew in reverse? I like that fold down you added! Push that metal on the treadle!!!! Whoo hoo!

Dikman, Thank you! Yes, when you posted your finds, I was salivating over my own potential find. Then when the price dropped to less than what we usually spend for a dinner for two, well out came my wallet! Yes, I think we should be scared of these beautiful old Singers, lest we end up piling them one on top of the other. Who can sew like that anyhow? I do enjoy reading about what you find though, so keep it up!! LOL.

Mr. Thayer, Thanks for the information and education on the vertical vs. horizontal. Two languages for sure! Wow, just wow! - about your table with all that fold up business. That thing is like a pop up trailer, lol. I love it. Yes, I too ran out of space for my lovely (mostly Singer) antique machines. Sold most of them a couple years ago. However, as long as I can resurrect them from what would be an almost certain death, and make somebody else love them and use them again, that is a reason to bring another home! They just can't all live here. : ) Thus the reason for wanting this old treadle table. Again, thank you for all your help! You are a very valuable member here.

Mr. Thayer, Thanks so much for your help and your assurance that I did this right so far! Also, I'm glad it is pretty much the same as the 31-15 except for the way the bobbin sits, vertical vs. horizontal? No wonder I thought the machine was a 31-15 when I saw it! I'm really glad to hear that the 31-15 will fit into the opening, yay! That's a nice setup you have the with the Industrial sewing table! I love that table you have and the way it folds down on left. I think that table is pretty rare the way it does that. I had opportunity to buy one like once that and didn't! I think I will do that same thing with my table and create my own hinge for it, but I'm thinking I want my table to be only as wide as it's iron base, so my fold down might be more exaggerated. The positioning finger I found already, even before I bought the machine. Now if I can remember where it goes or how it goes! I know I messed with that part quite a bit when I fixed the 31-15 I had. It had other problems, needed quite a few parts, and I remember all the bobbin case parts going together like a puzzle. I had to keep some of the older parts as they fit better than the replacement parts did. By the way, I purchased a part from you years ago for a beautiful Singer Lotus machine, it was the rod that you attached the foot to. I think I had a side mount and needed a back mount, found it on your website. Do you still deal in sewing machine parts? Picture of the cute motor below! I think it is only 1/5 Horsepower, runs on 110. I'm used to really racey motors, so this is nice for a change.

A friend of mine who is also one of my Customers has a junk store. Originally he had a price tag of several hundered dollars on the machine. He knows I love the old Singers and calls me every time he sees one. He called me about this one last summer, I always tell him "don't buy that" because I know he's trying to find something that I would like and I got enough machines and got rid of enough machines already. LOL.... I din't find this out until later, but one of his Customers traded him for one of his tee shirts that I screenprint for him with his shop logo on it. When he told me he traded a tee shirt for it, I didn't feel so bad that he got it. He told me to come down and see what it was, so I did. Told him I don't want that machine, but I like it! Then months go by and I stuck to my guns, I didn't buy it. A couple weeks ago, I am in his shop and see he's dropped the price from several hundred to $59.95, or some silly price. So, I remove all the glasses and junk sitting all over the machine's table and pull it out of the corner and start putting it all together and making some adjustments. the belt was off, the needle was out, the bobbin case was out, and I find out what's missing and what's there. Then I turn the handwheel a couple times until I'm comfortable plugging it in. The cute old motor runs! But she needs some work around the bobbin area. I decide it's definately worth the $59.95 but still don't really want it yet. I tell him what it needs to run, probably just one part, a bobbin case position bracket. Then I put the machine back in it's corner and leave. Then I get a text message from him telling me I can buy the machine for $30.00! So yesterday I went back in, gave him the $30.00 plus tax and now I own a machine! Initially, I thought the machine was a 31-15, but turns out it is a 96-10. I really only bought it for it's base, but I do love the old Singers and like to see them run. I may need some help with this one though, have never owned a 96-10, never really wanted one. I've always wanted an Industrial treadle base though and figure some day I will come across the right handwheel and treadle wheel to add to it. I'd keep the cute motor though, I love that too! I'm hoping the bobbin case position bracket is all this beauty needs to run right again. I do intend to make her look pretty again. If she does a good job sewing lightweight leather, well she can stay! I'm really more in the market for another Pfaff 138-6. The one I bought last Spring and fixed up has been sold. I just needed the space and the money at the time.Thank you all for helping me on that one! It sure did run nice when it left here! New Owner was New at sewing and he was pretty tickled to get such a great machine. He's stayed in touch too, asking questions as he learns about the machine. Nice guy! I didn't know how much I was going to miss that machine until now! But I'm really glad it went to a good place where it is being used daily. So.... back to the 96-10...Anybody know if a 31-15 or a 31-20 will fit into the opening on this one? I wasn't sure if the bed size of this 96-10 is the same size as the 31-15. Got any ideas what I can to to beautify this old girl? She is crusty and dusty!

Hey, you got a 31-20 there, so it will all be worth it, right? Yeah, the iron base is for a home/domestic machine, but I really like the way they have created the "drop down" on the left side of the table. That was a huge space saver! The commercial tables can take up a great deal of space!

Madmax, Yes, I saw the Singer 153w103 too! Drooled over that one as I love Singers. Yeah, the fact that it does not have a reverse is something you want to think of before buying. I know there are ways around that, but certainly a good price would make that an easier decision!

Stelmackr, Thanks so much! I really appreciate the information. I have no clue yet what I am doing with leather, but I really want to make some chaps or chinks for my Grand-daughter who seems to be very talented working with horses. She's only 11 and I've invested in her riding lessons, but now after a few years of that, she'll need some proper gear if she continues. It's all so expensive, so I was hoping my (close to free) nubuck leather might be a good material to use for the chaps. A friend of mine said she really thought I should go for a heavier leather for the chaps and use my nubuck for purses and wallets, which I do want to make. I'm also interested in making shoes. I will have to get some of the waterproofing products that you suggest to try out. Again, not sure if the Nubuck will be the right choice for chaps, what do you think? Maybe just use it for fringe or pockets or details on the chaps? Thanks ahead for any help or suggestions. I've got a great machine, plenty of v92 polyester thread, and a great workroom. Mainly what I've been doing with the commercial sewing machine the past couple years is finishing my commercial printed banners. I usually print them on my wide format printer (HP Latex) and they can be huge... like 25 feet long, over the street banners. It's kind of boring work sewing long banners, lol. But hey, it pays the bills! So, I'm really looking forward to getting into working with leather!

Hi, I know it's been a few months, but this machine (maybe same seller? Maybe not?) is for sale again, Craigslist Seattle. Nakajima 321-L cylinder arm sewing machine - $1250 (Port Townsend) https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bfs/6017179557.html I was curious about how it would sew without walking foot and found this youtube video - might answer some questions for a few folks about the machine. Even though it is not a walking foot, I think I could find it pretty useful myself, but not ready to buy anything yet. If I was though, I think I'd want to pay a bit less for it. Maybe $700? Seller has it at $1,250.00, but I know the Nakajima machines are very highly regarded. Some day I am hoping to get a cylinder arm machine. almost forgot.. thank you all for your information on these machines, you are all so knowledgeable and this is all helpful as I am taking my time, but I am on the hunt for a machine with cylinder arm! At this point it is a want, not a need.

Very Nice! Any nubuck in the mix?

Nice hats! Thank you for sharing.

Hi Everyone! Last month I went shopping with a friend, she took me to MacPherson Leather on 12th Ave. S., Seattle. This was my first visit to that store since buying a good machine that will sew leather. She's been making leather purses and that is the type of work I've been wanting to do as well. I picked up a small piece of cow hide from the scrap bin, I just couldn't spend much that day. I think my bill totaled under $15.00. She had an arm-load of leather in various colors, and spent a couple hundred dollars. I knew my day would come when I could buy some more leather myself to get started making some larger items, like bags and purses. The following week, I found someone offering a bunch of "Nubuck" leather for $25.00...She told me there was probably about 70 square feet there, and the stuff had been stored since the 70's or 80's, owned by a good friend of hers who had recently passed. She told me she made leather pants. I had no clue what nubuck leather was, but looked up the description and figured there was probably enough there to do something with it and seller told me it didn't have any disgusting odors, or problems. So, I met up with her and bought it! After coming home with it and doing some rough measurements and examining what was there, it looks like there is probably about 140 square feet of leather, I'm not sure what the weight of it is, and don't know yet what I can possibly make with it, but I'm thinking it might make some comfortable slippers, and possibly some nice bags and things. I'm so excited! There is a little musty odor, but I think that just airing it out will help a lot. I will post some pics of what I found. There seems to be a nice assortment of colors and such. I may need your help identifying just what I really have here and what I can do with it. Just wanted to share my find. Thanks for listening!

Looks like you got some beautiful stuff there! Nice range in colors. Although I don't know much about leather (Yet) I want to learn!

clintooo, I have that same machine. Mine was listed at $400, but I think I offered and paid $450 just to get person who was selling it to hold it for me til I got there. Mine was not in running condition when I bought it, but it looked almost new. Turns out, there was a manufacturing defect that needed to be fixed, so that was the reason it never really got used. After fixing that defect and then having a Pro tune it up, it's been a machine I have had in daily use for about 3-4 years now. I love it! It can sew through just about anything!

Hey, you did a great job! Keep posting, it's interesting to see the steps!

I think I meant 31-15

A friend of mine just offered me an oldie (full treadle base converted to electric motor) with I think a 39-15 head in it. So it is the bigger treadle base, he wants $50 for it and I'm tempted to get it. But wood table is in bad shape. He said he'd drop the price as he has been sitting on it a while and no space. Yikes! I would buy it just for the base, maybe. LOL. It's a sickness, saving the Singers. : ) Somebody has to do it.

Love it! Looks like lots of work, but I can visualize it all fixed up. Great base! The foot pedal is charming.

I love the old Singers, no matter how rusty. You should stay busy fixing that one up and it will be fun!

Uwe's a smart one! I have thought of this often (how to put wheels) on my commercial sewing tables. All (3) of my big embroidery machines have nice wheels on them, so easy to clean around them or move them. I have to come up with a solution for my commercial sewing machine tables though, so thank you Uwe!

Sounds like some great old fashioned customer service. That's refreshing. Congrats!

Butch, Well these ALL look lovely to me! Very nice work, and thank you for sharing!