Darren Brosowski

More parts on the way soon!

Hi Steve, Next project is a steel plate flat be rather than the wobbly MDF thing on offer now.

Great Post. This is basic engineering and the other problem is that hardened screws are usually going to break sooner as they are less ductile. Harder is not always better.

The equivalent from a Chinese PFAFF 335 clone should fit but because of the cost of holding such a low volume spare it will still cost a fair bit. Buy the original and just get the machine going as it is costing you money while you sit there worrying about a few dollars cost.

Sorry Ron, I forgot that you mentioned previously that you have the Taiwanese machine. Maybe I have just had bad luck but every Chinese patcher I have been asked to look at is full of metal shavings and does not work properly. As sewing machines they make great door stops.

Just pointing out the high class of instructions that come with an almost identical machine. The GA5 manual provides a laugh every line and section 5. Wear noodles is what it says for inserting the needle.

I have never put the 29 and 30 side by side but from other experience I suspect that Adler bought production licenses from Singer for various machines and then developed their own versions.

I think I have several Mundloss machines but they are a unique design domestic. That one looks like a straight out 29k.

The GA5 manual is useless apart from being a great stress reliever when everything seems to be going wrong. Wear Noodles = insert needle. Obvious really

The Seiko machines are probably better quality than the Singer machines! Even better news is that every wear part is still in production so this machine can be kept running for at least 100 years. The secret to looking after machines is to keep them clean and well oiled. Check the linkages for wear and tighten them up as required. Bonded nylon will wear through the upper thread path so use a more sympathetic thread such as bonded polyester or high tenacity polyester (Serafil).

Typical Singer, looks like a 17 class machine. Why build one machine when you can build two (or more) that do the same job>

As the others said. Not sure that it is 100 years old though. The 16U188 is a later version of the machine and many parts are out there. This machine is not really much good for anything more than upholstery work

DO NOT BUY A CHINESE PATCHER - EVER They are rubbish and do not work without some serious modification. The Taiwanese machines are much better but work on the basis of try before you buy and then argue for a discount on the floor model you just used. Sorry Ronnie, Bob and Steve.

Odd needles are the bane of every dealers existence. Bob is probably lucky enough to have samples of these old needles stashed away while the rest of us are left scratching our heads.

Would have guessed that it is more for millinery - hat making - with the roller foot.

I dislike trying to fix badly mauled machines in front of a customer as I often need to use a length of pipe, pipe wrenches or a number one knockometer to free parts up. Freight companies a terrible so I always pack a machine as if it was going around the world rather than 500km away and if possible I deliver it myself.

I have original manuals for a lot of machines but the 45k has eluded me. There is a modernised version on the net somewhere. You could always use the Chinese GA5 manual. 5. Wear noodles

With an open frame shuttle I tend to have less problem balancing tensions with the same size threads but in Australia the general rule amongst saddlers is to run one size smaller on the bottom. Theories on sewing vary from country to country and person to person. My personal opinion is that you are going to run into lots of wear problems using bonded nylon rather than High Tenacity Polyester but what would I know when I have to repair the damage to machines every day.

I was lucky enough to spend three days with Steve - Singermania - last week and I am still drooling over his machines. It was a business trip as I import 441's and other heavy machines from China but I wanted to spend more time playing with his 100yo machines than I did with the new ones. 16 Pearson No6's in one place is something most will never see.

Working on this with a friend who has a cylindrical grinder. We may be able to manufacture one to fit from a 29k bobbin but they are going to cost about $US100 each so I am not sure if it is worth the effort.

LOL Wiz, Australia is a "metric" country but belts are still sold in inch designations. The main difference seems to be that the standard sewing machine belt is an "M" classification which is what the Chinese also use

Anything less than an open frame shuttle can only handle #138 tops. #207 on the top side is ok with a 25 or 26 needle but you are pushing it.

A good friend of mine gave me this link as part of a thread on Wittenberg built domestic machines. It appears that the German factory may have been responsible for the 15-88 and possibly the 201 domestic machines. http://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/wittenberge/

I have used some of their decals but not the 29k one yet. There is an art to applying them and if you get it right they are brilliant. They will always look different to the original as the Singer top coat is no longer available and I would suggest medium gloss for industrials and high gloss for domestics.

Generally I like to keep as close to original unless most of the decals are gone. Don't forget that it was not unusual for machines to be fully refurbished during their lives and be repainted and have new decals applied so it is not always possible to know what is "original"