dikman

I'm always learning something new. What Uwe said makes sense, considering that Singer back then was a world-wide conglomerate. It probably made perfect sense to ship parts every which way just to make up machines. The fact that there were different metal threads used by different countries on their nuts and bolts could make such machines "interesting"! I noticed that motor too. My 51W59 came with an original Singer motor, which is big but doesn't appear to be as large as this one! Teched, any chance you could post a couple of photos of the motor?

Power hacksaw blades make pretty good knives (just don't overheat them if shaping with a grinder).

Ok, referring to your first picture - the adjuster lever (9612) is already resting on part 9626 at the bottom of its travel. No plate holding it back. the screw (64) isn't an adjuster, it secures the adjuster lever to part 9606. by carefully grinding the front plate (9626) at the bottom, I managed to lower the adjuster lever just enough to give me 6 spi. Part #9633 is an eccentric that fits on the main shaft, and is held on by two screws at the back. Its position affects the spi. By loosening the screws and shifting it around I can change the spi, but I can't get any better than 6spi. I'm still trying to figure out how moving the lever changes the spi .

Makes sense about the short stitches, being originally a binder. I've already removed the binder parts and replaced the feet and needle plate/feed dog to make it a "conventional" stitcher. It works well, except for the stitch length. I'm about to go out, armed with your first photo, and start poking around in the innards!

Teched, it's extremely difficult to date W series machines (made at Bridgeport, USA) because there doesn't appear to be any surviving records for them. If you can download a manual, and it has a print date, then that's probably about the best you can do. Just enjoy it, knowing that you have a lovely old Singer.

Thanks Constabulary, that could be quite a help as I can't see inside to get a clear picture of what's connected to where. Mine already has full travel on the adjuster (9610). I see there is an adjustment screw, #64, that might have something to do with it (if I'm lucky), but first I have to figure out exactly how it changes the stitch length. A photo -

My 335 is one of the older type models, and technical information on them is rather scarce (other than what's been made available here). The meagre info I have says it can do 5 1/2 spi, but mine won't do less than 8 spi. Anyone know if there's an internal adjustment where I can get it to 5 or so?

I knew this machine worked, although I hadn't actually run any thread through it. All I did was set it up with a servo/speed reducer and made sure it could punch holes in leather (I've been too busy building and fitting out a shed for my machines, plus set it up for reloading ammo). Anyhow, I have a couple of belts to make, so figured I'd better get the machines working. I loaded up the 211 with thread, picked up the bobbin thread, ran 1 stitch and the thread broke!! After a bit of messing around it looked like the hook was catching strands in the thread. So, I reset the needle bar height, but it still broke (it appeared to be breaking somewhere under the needle plate). The hook felt like it had a burr on it, so I smoothed it out with a diamond file. Still broke. I reset the timing and shifted the hook a bit closer to the needle. It seemed to stop catching the strands, but still broke. Closer inspection showed that the thread was being picked up and feeding around the bobbin case ok, but then I thought that the needle was piercing the thread as it went down (as some of you probably know, it's a bit hard to actually see exactly what's happening due to having to have some of the bits and pieces in place). The check spring was working ok, but then I thought it looked like the threads were twisting under the needle plate, but couldn't be sure. I'd been working through the manual, checking and adjusting anything that looked like it might have helped. After a few hours, I was stumped. Eventually, I found the problem, but before I tell I'm curious whether anyone here can guess what it was. I also threaded up my Pfaff 335, but that wouldn't pick up the bobbin thread! That required pulling quite a bit of stuff off the end to see just what the hook was doing. The adjustments didn't look too bad, but unless the thread had no tension at all it wouldn't grab it, so I reset the needle bar and shifted the hook a bit closer to the needle. That did it, and it now works fine. In fact, I reckon it sews better than the Singer, it just feels real nice to use (I think I'm going to like this machine, it was a bargain for what it cost me). All in all, an interesting, if somewhat frustrating, day.

My 211G166 doesn't have an auto-oiler. Also, on the 211 the handwheel is cast to include a bushing that fits inside the head and around the shaft, it's not just a matter of fitting a different pulley. You can machine a replacement, of course, but there's a bit more work involved. One thing I soon realised is that, as in most things, there isn't one machine that will do it all (unfortunately). The machines you're talking about will probably do most of what you want, and do it well, but sooner or later you'll probably run up against the limitations of a flat bed machine. Also, be warned that, in some strange way, industrial sewing machines, and the collecting thereof, can become a bit of an addiction!!! Having said that, from everything I've read the Juki sounds like a nice machine.

Mmm, I can only speak about my servo(s), but there is a setting for the max speed, and this determines the sensitivity at low speed. If I want very slow speed control then I need to set the max speed lower than it's capable of. Conversely, if I set it to its max speed then the slow speed control is touchier. Like everything in life, it seems, there are always tradeoffs. No big deal for me as I'm looking for slow speed control. Which machine do you want to put the servo on?

It will still run up to speed quickly, the reducer will have minimal effect on that, what it will do is limit the maximum speed depending on the pulley ratios. You don't necessarily need both, it all depends what you're trying to achieve. Those who are trying to get really slow speeds generally aren't worried at losing their high speed so it's not an issue. If you still need fairly high speed then it's going to be a balancing act, juggling servo speed settings and pulley sizes. I've also replaced the handwheel pulley on a couple of my machines with larger pulleys. This is another way of adjusting speed and ratios without fitting a reducer. For example, my Pfaff has a servo, fitted with a 1 3/4" pulley and the handwheel has been replaced with an 8" pulley. This gives very slow control but it is a little notchy (glad you mentioned that, TT, I thought it was just my motor) so I'm going to experiment with a larger pulley on the motor and adjust the servo settings to see what difference it makes. The relatively low cost of servos these days has been a boon to us newbies as it makes it so much easier to control what are often high speed machines, without having to try and master a clutch motor (I still remember the "excitement" the first time I put my foot on the pedal of my first industrial Singer - scared the daylights out of me!!!). In fact, I've just ordered my third servo, for this particular machine.

No doubt about it, Uwe, you have a knack for lateral thinking. That machine is just too clean, by the way, please get some oil on it!

I just had a closer look at your table, and that leg arrangement is decidedly unstable for the machine! Like the man said, fitting the feet to a large board would definitely help.

Yep, I have two W machines, and while you can often find manuals for them there's no information available about their history.

Others have made smaller tables for their cylinder arm machines, but none quite as small as yours! As you found, stability is the biggest problem, due to the weight of the machine so high up. You may need to try and widen the feet to make it safer. Keep at it, I'm sure you'll get there. Certainly looks nice and compact!

1) None really (unless you want maximum speed, of course). It will give you better slow speed control. 2) None really. A speed reducer with a servo will give increased torque at slower speeds.This type of setup can give very slow "walking" speeds. 3) Not sure what you mean. When you take your foot off the pedal the motor stops. 4) If you have an auto oiling system, the chances are very high that it won't work too well at constant slow speeds. It has been suggested that in such a case it's a good idea to regularly wind a bobbin at normal speed, to circulate some oil.

Uwe, what's this Kiwi that we export and can't get here? (Kiwi, btw, is a slang term for a new Zealander).

I doubt if they will drop by much. As long as old Singer's are considered desirable (and people believe they are better quality than newer machines) then they'll hold their price. Plus the relative scarcity of these machines here in Oz doesn't help.

Everey time I read something like this I kick myself! When I bought my Singer 211G166 and Pfaff 335 recently the chap also had a 132K6 for $800. I wanted compound feed, and the other two were cheaper so I didn't pay any attention to the 132. It was only after it was sold that I realised what a bargain it was .

Thanks christen, but I already have that one. Searching the Smithsonian for my model drew a blank. I've compared part numbers, and there are some differences between the two models, so how Singer could say they're the same is another mystery. The 153 (the slightly heavier duty one) has split bushings on the feed drive rock shaft, which the 152 doesn't appear to have. Mine has one piece bushings, same part number, so is different again. All the part numbers of the 152/153 start with 2. Most of mine appear to do the same, although the part numbers don't always line up with the two parts lists. The hook, on the other hand, has "serial no. 108007 and 108008 stamped on the parts!!! (Simanco parts). The needle plate, presser foot and vibrating foot all have different part numbers to the two lists, but a search show that they're still available. I'll just have to keep searching to find out what needle size they're matched to. I don't mind a bit of a puzzle, but it's always nice when you know there's a solution. In this case I'll have to accept that what I know now is probably all I'll ever know about this machine, and have to assume that it's basically a 111W153.

I've been fiddling with this, on and off, trying to get the feet adjusted properly. Based on the recent discussion about SV models in Constabulary's thread, I decided to assume it is a 111W152 and adjust it accordingly. I found that the needle bar was set too low and the gap between the presser foot shaft and the vibrating foot shaft was way too narrow. With that adjusted I set the feet so that it worked on 1/4" leather - the presser lifts well clear and the vibrating foot just clears the material when returning. The instructions are actually a little vague in this area and just say that both feet should lift enough to clear the work. This gave me a lift of 3/8", using the lift lever, and 1/2" using the knee lift. By re-adjusting the feet I can actually get 1/2" of leather under the feet and feeding, but I think that may be a bit much when under power. The manual states that the 152 and 153 are identical except that the 153 will handle heavier material! So how can they be identical? It means I'm not sure which model I have. I've downloaded a parts list for both models and it looks like I'll have to compare parts and see if there is any difference. It took me quite a while to work out the relationship between the two feet and what happens when you adjust things.......not as simple as it looks.

Thanks glenn. I was rather hoping that Constabulary's new-found paperwork might shed some light on it, but that now sounds extremely unlikely. In my case the 111W152 appears to be the same, but in reading the manual I've realised it could be a 152, 153 or 154! I now have to try and set the foot adjustments according to the manual and try and work out the max lift, which may give me an indication just which model it is. All of which raises the question - without an instruction manual, how could anyone ever adjust them???

You think you've got problems, try finding them (tnuts in particular) in Australia!

Thanks guys, it all helps. Special Version makes more sense than the other descriptors I've seen. I agree about the "hardened parts" bit. Initially it sounded good, but the fact that there appears to have been quite a lot of different model SV's made, across the various classes, would tend to rule that out I think. (18 different models in the 111W class alone is quite a lot!). As for mine, I haven't yet found any difference to the 111W152. What I also find interesting is that none of the usual listings for Singer machines make any reference to SV models. Just what was "special" about them will likely remain a mystery, I guess. (Adds to the Singer mystique ).