Darren Brosowski

Keep it well oiled and rub an oily rag over bright metal surfaces and all will be good

Bob Kovar at Toledo sells a basic kit of Singer taps. Dies are also commercially available

Buy a Singer 66 oscillating shuttle domestic machine. Pull it apart and learn to put it back together and time it. By doing this you will learn the basics of timing and not be afraid to pull machines apart as you find that parts usually only go in one way. Yes, a few photographs help. This is how I taught myself basic mechanics and now I do it for a living. If you get to the point where you can completely strip and rebuild a 31 class roller foot/roller fed machine and it works with no parts left over then you probably know more than the local guy who only services domestic machines

I think that Ronnie at Techsew has something for you; http://shop.raphaelsewing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_46&products_id=427

I stock the full range of 441 accessories in my Goulburn store. Call me on 0415 353 748 or email at darren@ablesewing.com.au Some of the range is listed on ebay but I can do better prices direct; http://stores.ebay.com.au/Able-Sewing/GA441-Parts-/_i.html?_fsub=6840659015&_sid=47422815&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

The domestic hand crank is not going to turn the machine over due to the gearing. I have mucked around with some belt driven devices of my own design but the clamp on knob is the simplest.

Price reflects cost and dealing with the Indian supplier has been problematic. I was involved in bringing this shipment in as I brought in a 45k25 and some other goodies with it so I know the exact numbers. Cyndy also tests every one and rejects them if they are not quite right so there is a percentage of wastage built into the price. Most US sellers of the Chinese cranks buy them from an importer but we buy everything in ourselves. Quality wise they are many times better than the Chinese version.

No, you need to move the whole shuttle assembly away from the needle. Depending on how it was done you may also need to move the drive gear.

There is a much better quality domestic hand crank available. The handle is timber, the arm is shaped and they do not rattle! They are supplied by a good friend of mine but the downside is that postage is expensive from Australia to the USA. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Indian-Hand-Crank-and-Balance-Wheel-set-/221641774790?pt=AU_Sewing&hash=item339ae116c6

I have a 45k set up like that CD

Fairly early version. These are Seiko built machines and they are essentially the 153W that Seiko built for Singer. If you look at the parts list you will find that they are pretty much all Singer part numbers.

I use electrolysis all of the time as it is the cheapest and least labor intensive method to clean parts and even loosen rusted in screws.

I wear my noodles as a merkin, very comforting.

Easiest thing to do is drill and tap the outer rim of the balance wheel (hand wheel) and put a knob on it.

A customer had a similar problem with his Seiko that has much the same shuttle setup and it keeps doing it. On inspection it was obvious that the bobbin case has been replaced with a Chinese version and the tolerances are just not right so it keeps pulling a thread between the shuttle body and the bobbin case. A complete new Hirose assembly should fix the problem. In your case it could be that a piece of thread is stuck between the shuttle body and case so you may have to take off the retaining ring to pull it apart. Warning - the screws are tiny so do it in a place where they cannot roll into a crack on the floor if you drop one!

Translated Chinese instruction manuals come in a variety of qualities - bad, very bad and f#$*&ing hilarious. The best (or worst) I have seen so far is the one for the GA5 and it provides hours of entertainment for the whole family. Some examples; 3.2 The machine's surface line and bottom line of the L-line or D-line is not imposed. 3.3 Will head the board installed in the station when the head with the four screws and the nose nut, will head the fixed board in Taiwan. My personal all time favorite; 5 Wear Noodles. Customers wonder why I do not give them the original instructions

I like to set the foot pedal up at a bit steeper angle than that so it is more like the accelerator pedal in the car. The angle seems more natural for your ankle and allows better control. Unfortunately it looks like you would need to mount the cross member on top of the members on the side which would further shorten the pitman rod.

Glad to hear that! I always answer cautiously when someone wants to try something unusual and I am not sure if anyone has actually tried it. I might set up my Puritan with a servo.

You would need a fully programmable motor but I am not sure that the starting Torque would be high enough.

I have a range of new parts to keep the old Singer 45k's up and running. Parts are sourced from Japan, India and China. Some are off the shelf, some modified from parts off other machines and some created in my own workshop. http://stores. ebay.com.au/ablesewing/Singer-45K-/_i.html?_fsub=4575201015

These are pretty basic but they do the job. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Clamp-on-Fabric-Guide-to-Suit-Singer-29k-ABLE290-ADLER30-etc-/221657043168?ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT I have a range of other 29k parts listed on evilbay.

Is that $450 for parts or all up?

To my surprise there are a number of new parts that fit the 45k. I have modified the shuttle race off another machine and it is perfect. There is also a commercially available shuttle race ring that fits. Both are now listed on ebay along with needle plate screws, needle clamps, roller feet, NOS feed dogs and shuttles. By the end of January needle plates will be added to the range. I can also get a rather ugly looking foot but have nothing except the sample yet.

The TE5 is a Singer 17 class machine. Seiko built them for Singer then when Singer folded they just changed the badges. Primarily they were used for shoe uppers and there is also a left hand version, the TF AKA Singer 18. So yes they sew leather but only 3-4mm with light thread. #69 is preferred but they can handle #138.