Davidmadd

OK Jimi, will do......

Many thanks Jimi From the video it looks as if your machine is virtually identical to my own. Especially as you also have the two arms moving in opposite directions on the left front of the machine. My query really is is my machine moving those two arms at the correct time?, in relation to the needle descent. I would have thought that they needed to be at their maximum separation just as the needle penetrates the material thus assuring that there is no slack thread around the needle as it goes through the fabric. Also the cam lift, when should that occur. Your own machine obviously sews just as it should. I am looking at ways to slow your video clip down but I am not particularly good with video editing etc. On my machine the two arms are at max separation when the needle is virtually at its highest point. The cam lifts the foot whilst the needle is fully penetrated and the feed dogs are underneath the level of the needle plate and then again as the needle exits the material. This may well be correct and there may be no way of adjusting when these two actions happen. I must admit that I have now changed the thread from a linen thread to bonded nylon and it has been sewing quite successfully without the thread interfering with the needle as it penetrates causing uneven stitches. Many thanks for your response to my query. I intend to get a video clip of the machine working but this may take me a little while as I have never uploaded a video before so I may need a little practise!!! Best Regards David

Thanks to Constabularly for his note, I'm pretty confident that I have the needle to hook timing OK, as that can only be done by altering needle bar height, but its possibly the timing of the movement of the two arms that act as the "check spring". Also the cam that lifts the presser foot?- What is the purpose?, and when should it occur?? I must say I havent dismantled the internals of this machine, and purposely am trying to avoid that. I did strip down a Singer 132K6 into its component parts, have cleaned everything and found nothing to prevent it working again, accept that its still in hundreds of pieces and has been for several years. I hope it will go back together but my memory of which order is now a bit hazy....... I will try to get a video together of the action and post it shortly.. Regards David

Hi All - Back in June 2017 I posted a series of photos and asked for help in getting my Singer 45K68 up and running. It started quite a debate as this particular machine from 1912 does not have a lower thread tension disc set on the left front and the upper one is in fact a solid pulley. The information gained from Jimi, Constabulary and others showed me that the original "Sole Stitcher" had been converted with later parts to a more conventional cylinder arm machine. With the new knowledge I set to to get the machine working properly. I noticed that the needle was hitting the edge of the hole in the needle plate and being deflected and rubbing on the face of the hook. I thought that the needle arm may be bent so rotated it through 180 degrees and it was then way further out in the other direction so I made a new needle bar and drilled it for the needle centrally. This certainly helped but I then needed to increase the shims behind the lower casing, the bit that holds the hook in and is held in with the two sprung fingers. I then got it all aligned properly so the gap between needle and hook was correct without the needle hitting anything and it would now sew, or at least go through the motions but it did not create consistent stitches. I played around with the tension and in the end added a couple of spare tension arrangements to a temporary fitting on top of the machine. So I now had needle correct and tension acceptable but still irregular stitches. I noticed that on the head end of the top shaft there is a cam and that lifts the presser foot momentarily, but there seems no logic in the time when it lifts the foot?? It does not marry up with when the feed dogs are trying to move anything or just after the leather has been moved forward. I also noticed that the stitching problem occurs because there appears to be too much loose thread in the vicinity of the needle as it punctures the leather and sometimes this loose thread gets caught up with the needle. Its as if there should be a tension check spring to keep that thread tight at the right moment. Now there is a mechanism inside the head that moves the two levers through which the thread passes on the left from face and one of those levers goes through the motion that a check spring or take up lever would make, but not at the correct time. It certainly does lift up a quantity of thread but the max lift occurs whilst the needle has just started its descent and by the time the needle goes through the leather there is too much loose thread. It would seem that I have a timing issue here with the cam that lifts the presser foot and the check spring arm slightly out of sync with the the main shaft rotating the hook???? Anyone any ideas as to what the correct timing might be, where that timing might be adjusted and any timing marks to look out for???? I have searched the internet but there seems little info on these big old machines. Once again any help and advice to solve this issue will be greatly appreciated.......

Hi - can anyone advise re:- Stiffening leather. I have acquired a fair bit of good quality upholstery leather. I would like to make a couple of bags/messenger bag but feel that the leather is too floppy and flexible. Does anyone know if its possible to apply a liquid product to stiffen the leather and make it suitable??? Alternatively could anyone advise of a UK supplier of a stiffening product that could be glued to the leather??Many thanks David; Plymouth; UK

Just out of interest I've just posted a reply to someone who has just set up a speed reducer. In case you cant find that reply I mentioned that due to my complete lack of sewing skills I wanted a really slow and easily controlled machine and have used a 250W DC motor. It needs a 24V DC power supply and a 24V DC Motor speed controller. A potentiometer then easily controls the speed from 0 to max revs. I found a spring loaded arm potentiometer and connected a presser foot lift pedal to it. It works great on my 31K15 and 31K47 but my 111W154 needed a larger sewing machine handwheel and pulley for best result. I can now do single stitches, start, stop or put my foot down and get a decent speed when needed. The motor, power supply, controller and foot pedal are far less bulky and industrial looking than the standard clutch motor and this has worked for me. I have now acquired larger slightly equipment and will soon by driving my 132K6 and 45K by DC power. Hope this helps, Regards David - Plymouth, UK

I also went down the route of setting up a reducer gear for my Singers, but although better, still did not give me that ultimate slow control that my lack of skill demanded. I have spent quite some time experimenting with alternative drive systems and have settled on using DC Motors. These need a DC power supply and of course a controller. But these items are readily available on eBay and not too expensive. I currently use a 250W motor from an electric bike or scooter to drive my 31k15, 31k47 and even my 111w154. I found I needed to increase the size of the Sewing machine pulley on the 111W154 for best results using this motor but it really does give superb slow speed control. I increased the size of the "handwheel" as well as I now do really tricky bits by just turning it by hand!! The only difficulty I found was getting hold of a foot pedal with a potentiometer inside. I have overcome it by using what was a presser foot lift pedal and connecting that to a potentiometer arm. I have recently found a plunge potentiometer which should allow an even easier set up for a pedal. I wanted a lot of pedal travel as it gives great slow speed control but when needed, you can rev up to a decent speed. I've now got some slightly bigger motors as I intend to use a similar set up on my 132K6 and 45K machines.

Many thanks Wiz - Its the second time I have seen the term used. On this occasion there was a picture posted on eBay and it certainly looked different. There is a large slot in the base casting behind the presser bar and there doesn't appear to be any tension mechanism. The needle used looks huge. Obviously built for a special purpose which is what got me wondering just what it was for, and now, thanks to you, I do know. Many thanks Reagards David

Hi - recently browsed e-Bay as is usual and I saw an industrial Singer 31 advertised as a "Turfing" Machine. Can anyone tell me what is meant by this term???

Hi All I have a Singer 51W54 that appears to be in fine fettle. It is a wheel post feed machine. It stitches just fine, but only if you use the lighter threads. I've been experimenting with thicker threads as I want the threads to form part of the decoration on one or two bags I'm planning in canvas and leather. Now the bobbin mechanism, bobbin size etc appears to be identical to my 111w154 and that machine copes very well with the thicker Bonded Nylon threads, this thread is marked M20. However when I try to use this same thread as the upper or lower thread on the 51W54 it just will not accept it. When I go back to the finer threads the stitches form just perfectly. I have read on this forum previously that this is the case with this machine but I just dont understand why. As I said, it seems to use the same bobbin mechanism as the 111W154 which does sew with the larger threads. Would that perhaps indicate that its the needle side of the equation which is not coping? Any thoughts please. David

H Chayse - Your experience with the 111 is similar to my own here in the UK except that I bought mine on eBay and had it pallet shipped to my home address, always a risky move as you cannot check them out before hand. I bid on a job lot of 3 machines from someone who had no idea what they were or what condition they were in. I was lucky as they were well strapped to a pallet and they arrived without mishap. The machines were a 111W154 and a 111G155, along with a Singer 31. All machines have been tested and all are working although I have a small issue with the 111G155 inasmuch that the needle arm seems to be moving outwards a small amount and the feed dog is just getting snagged by the needle hole and worn away so I must investigate that issue. I have been using the 154 and it sews just fine. I also have trouble controlling the speed of the clutch motor and have fitted a speed reducer, which has made things much more manageable. I use the same table (and motor and speed reducer) for all my machines and am about to fit that table with a DC Motor and Controller that I have been building and have "trialled" on a 45K. It worked just fine and I'm sure it will be even better with the smaller machines I use on the other table. So I will eventually end up with two tables, the first will be for my 111s, 31s and a couple of domestics for which I have made an insert that converts the cut out to the required shapes, and another table for the 45K and 132k6, these of course being a lot bigger and hence for the 132, a bigger cut out. To save footprint I have cut the tables down somewhat and if the need arises, I will fit the tables with a hinged or removable (or both) extension pieces. By then I will hopefully have a few designs and will start to actually make something, hopefully in a combination of heavy canvas and leather. Regards David

Wow Jimi, an absolute wealth of information on the 45K68!! I bought mine a few months ago on eBay as I saw it as the missing link in my collection of Singers. I didn't particularly seek out a Sole Stitcher, it was just that it was it was the only one/cheapest one around for quite some time. I studied the photos intently and got the seller to send me additional ones as I wanted something for general use rather that for Sole Stitching so was delighted to see that the presser foot and feed dog appeared to be "normal" I particulary wanted the cylinder arm as I felt that my 31k6 could no doubt handle my flat bed needs. In fact I'm looking at the upper primary tension device on the K6 as a good additional tensioning device for the 45k68. I have contacted College Sewing to see if they have a pair of large tension discs that I can either utilise or fit as an additional unit. You are right about there being no felt in the wheel tensioner. I contacted British Felt to see if they could supply some industrial quality firm felt and they sent me ready cut discs but I have yet to fit them. It is interesting to see and recognise other machines as they are bought and sold and more likely improved upon. Are you the owner of the 45 with the scoredSinger?? Once again many thanks for the info and the displayed Parts List. That must have taken some time to organise and it is greatly appreciated. I will gradually enlarge the picture of the flat presser bar spring until it is the same length as I can determine from actual machine. It should then give me a good shape to copy for my missing one. I have checked the part number on the presser foot and it is stamped 91751. At the same time as mine was listed I was watching a 132K6, but the version with no feed dogs so it was a freehand machine. There was lots missing so I let it pass but not before contacting the seller as in some photos the Bobbin and bobbin holder were displayed and in some they were not. I asked if they were included and was told No they are not. I suggested he makes that clear in the listing or removed the photo showing them, as I would have been extremely disappointed to find these quite rare and expensive parts missing. Best Regards David

I was in the same position and no matter how hard I tried I could not get a consistent slow speed! I tried to improve matters by removing the soft, grabby cork clutch lining and fitting a harder lining material. This did improve matters but still not perfect. I did make up a speed reducer, a large driven pulley wheel affixed to and driving a small driver to the sewing machine. This was much better but still not perfect. I have been playing on and off for some time with developing a system which uses a DC Treadmill motor to drive the machine. This uses an electronic control PC board to allow the speed to be controlled via a potentiometer. Low speed, high torque. The problem was getting a potentiometer in a foot pedal configuration and I ended up making one using plastic gear wheels and corresponding rack. I've just got this working this week and am now able to start off at zero revs, built up to whatever speed I want or hold at a very slow speed. The one problem I have is that there is a certain amount of overun when coming down the speed range but a hand on the balance wheel is proving effective at controlling that over run. However I am trialling it on a Singer 45K which has a large balance wheel so builds up a large amount of inertia so when I trial it on a smaller machine I don't expect to get such a problem with over run. For belts I use polyurethane round belt. You buy this by the yard, or metre, and cut it to length and join the ends together with heat. I know how frustrating it is to not have a belt that fits at a critical time so always keep a spare metre or two in a drawer for such events!

Hi to all responders re my 45K68. Jimi asked for more photos re the Needle plate and feed dog so here they are. It appears that my machine has been converted from a dedicated Sole stitcher to a more general purpose machine utilising larger feed dogs and needle plate and whatever goes on underneath them. It is fitted with a V Washer type solid tension device which relies on friction from its side felt discs to create tension but I'm not sure how effective that will be with modern threads. There doesn't appear to be any feature for slackening off the tension when the presser bar is lifted. As RockieAussie suggested the easiest way ahead may be to retro fit a typical thread tensioning device from another machine. This machine was originally fitted into a treadle and I did acquire the treadle flywheel and axle but thats all, no treadle table. I will probably use it as a lamp stand base or some such device, it is large and heavy!! I have been given a Parts List for this machine, thanks to members here and am delighted with the response from this enquiry, thank you all very much. I am much more knowledgeable about this machine than I was a few days ago, what a result!!!

Thanks for all the input from everybody! Jimi, I have spotted that one listed on eBay, it has been there on and off for some time. I did contact the seller asking for some dimensions but got no response. I will take some photos tomorrow of the needle plate and feed dog. Somewhat different from the ones you posted. So my machine relies on the thread wrapping around the tension wheel a couple of times (like a windlass) and therefore there is no release of tension on the upper thread when removing material? I did get that by wrapping it around twice but the bonded nylon thread, being a bit slippy, just pulled around the wheel and still didn't create tension. I think if I seriously want to use it and to make it versatile, I might change the v wheel for two discs. Will send photos soon. Many thanks David

Hi Jimi Thank you very much for your response re my 45K68. You are spot on I'm sure. The stitching that I did could only be achieved by tensioning the thread via the reel on the sprung hub as per picture. I noted that the presser bar flat spring was missing and I sent in a previous post to ask for help identifying what it did and, if possible, for any critical dimensions. I didn't get any responses to that one! I do have a Singer 29K4 and this one also has the presser bar flat spring missing. I have bought a length of suitable ground flat bar and will make new springs but may well decide to send it away for tempering once I have shaped them! I see also your comment about a bar which, on lifting the presser bar lever, would separate the tension discs. Now on my machine there are no tension discs. What looks like a pair of tension discs are actually one solid pulley wheel and the thread wont go down in between them. This was puzzling me as there is an adjusting screw and a tension spring, but I cant understand what it is supposed to do. If I tighten the spring the thread just skids over the surface of the pulley groove and it therefore doesn't provide any tensioning. If there were two tension discs I can understand how the missing bar would work. The answer may well be for me to obtain some of the larger tensioning discs and substitute them for the pulley wheel. I will then try and craft the missing pointed bar! I attach a few more photos. In one of them you will note the gas pipe connection for heating the thread when it was wax coated to make waterproof seams (I think that is what it was for!) I checked the Serial number and this machine was made in 1912! As its been around for so long I'm not surprised that it may have one or two modifications from new. I think the presser foot fitted is possible a bit more versatile than the original. I have set the stitch length to max but it only seems to be about 1/4" long which seems on the small side to me. It will go a lot smaller. Maybe having the presser bar flat spring missing, there is insufficient pressure on the material to move it the full movement of the feed dog. This is the latest of my collection of industrial Singers and probably the last one I will acquire as I'm running out of room. I have a 111W154; a 111G155; two 132k6 although one is totally stripped down and awaits re-assembly. I have a 29K4 in a similar condition. I have two 31K15; one 31K47. A post feed 51W54. Then I have three 201Ks and another 12 or so domestic machines. I spend so much time working on these that I get little time to actually sew anything but have been playing with some leather with a view to making something useful, but I must perfect my sewing skills first. That was the reason for spending some time in developing the DC Motor drive. It will allow me to get a really slow stitch speed. I'm designing tables such that I can swap machines around all driven by the DC motor. I think the 111W154 or the 111G155 are probably the best machines. The 31K47 is also very useful. I have fitted a wheel feed to one of the 31K15s for tight corners and the other one is standard!! Once again many thanks for your very helpful response. Best Regards

Hi everyone. I recently obtained a Singer 45K68 and have just got to the point of trying it out but I am seeking advice on a couple of things. The first is how to thread it to create top stitch tension. I'll hopefully post a photo or two but in essence this machine does not have the lower tension arrangement. I don't mean its missing, it just seems to never had one fitted in the first place. I have got it to stitch but only by tightening the thread spool down on its sprung hubs but am sure this cannot be the proper means of tensioning it. The second point:- Should the presser foot lifting lever have the the acute bend in it. It doesn't look as its been bent accidentally. I've included a picture of the drive motor. I have spent quite some time trying to develop a means of utilising an old DC Treadmill Motor to drive this and other machines. I'm just about there with it and can start the machine from nil revs to very slow in a controlled manner, bringing it up to speed and slowly back again to suit the stitching being carried out. I've made a rudimentary foot pedal with quite a bit of travel and adjusted the control box so that the max speed is far less than is possible but is fast enough for me. This then gives me the full pedal range to get for o revs to to my chosen max. Just an aside:- I thought it sounded quite a bit noisier than the clutch motors I have been practising with, that is until I removed my hearing aids (I'm of a certain age!) It seems my bionic ears were picking up on the frequency of the motor, having brushes I was getting every crackle and buzz amplified in each ear. It was an easy fix, I just removed them and got the normal hum of a DC motor

As I mentioned in my request for info. regarding some flat springs for a 45K and a 29k, I have just acquired a Singer 45K68, along with it was the flywheel, or inertia wheel, of its original treadle base. Now all the photos here and elsewhere show that these flywheels have a relatively short central shaft, but not my one. The shaft is 28 inches long and the wheel is 17inches diameter, and it is heavy! Now its most unlikely that I will need this flywheel, so if anybody is interested in it then please contact me. It would be horrendously expensive to ship to the USA no doubt but there maybe somebody here in the UK searching for just this item!!!

Hi - I'm very much a new member from Plymouth, UK. I have a number of Singer Industrial machines and I'm slowly working my way through them, initially to get them working correctly, and then to tidy their appearance etc. I have just acquired a Singer 45K68 which is a cylinder arm machine fitted with what looks to be a standard straight stitch foot and feed dog. It seems to be fitted for a flat spring that goes along the back of the machine but I'm not sure what it actually does. It would appear to give pressure to the presser foot but it seems to be under pressure without this spring fitted! Similarly the flat spring is missing from my Singer 29K4 so I have purchased a piece of flat ground high carbon steel in its untreated state, and was planning to make the spring from this. Now its actually large enough to make both the springs for the 45K and the 29K but ideally I would need a pattern to enable an accurate reproduction to be made. As I suspect that the 45K68 has been modified since it was manufactured in 1912 it would be useful if I could converse with somebody who might be able to advise me what the modifications were etc so here is a plea to any 45K knowledgeable owners for an intro to enable me see exactly what I have purchased. My understanding is that it was owned for many years by a leatherworker who made saddles amongst other things here in the UK. A pattern for the 29K would also be most welcome, or a sketch with critical dimensions! Many thanks in advance for anyone who reads and responds... Davidmadd