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Provided by @Constabulary and @qvt Large file 18 MB Manual Singer 132K6 Seiko SK-7 SK-8 SK-26.pdf Optimized to 400 dpi and text searchable 3 MB Manual Singer 132K6 Seiko SK-7 SK-8 SK-26 os.pdf Thanks Constabulary for forwarding the file to be uploaded here. Tom

hi everybody after reading allot of posts on here on the oldschool sewing machines i found myself wanting to upgrade to oldschool 😎. i have a upholstery shop in the automotive world. classic cars and bikes and boats and sometimes furniture. i started with a new bulletproof durkopp adler 267. never had issues with it at al thats why i bought it. but i want to expand my machine park with the classic sewing machine mostly for fun and the challange. would like to restore a few get to know them in and out so i can fix them and maintain them when needed. ashamed to say if something happens to the 267 i bring it to a sewingmachine mechanic i dont dare to touch it 😄 buying it new and costing 2 grand i always feel afraid to mess it up or something. so i bought these 4 singers i thought they where all 132k6,s but turns out 2 are k7,s my first question for the experts on here would be. the difference between the k6 and k7. as far as i have seen the k6 has the walking foot system on it. and the k7 only the bottom feed right ? the next question is can the walkingfoot system be put ok a k7 ? and are the metal bed and head bolted or welded together ? i have one k6 with a broken bed. would be nice if i could put a good one on it from a parts machine. the seller also had a 111w155. i should have bought it as wel same condition as these. but i was going for 2 machines and then came home with 4 already so i skipped it. but i might go back for it 😅 my plans are cleaning them up and see what i got for now. im in between houses and workshops at the moment so cant do much yet. but i would like to restore them to new condition and use them in my upholstery shop eventually. ill mis the reverse for sure. but i know they exist so hopefully i find one again. cause i seen one but was to stupid and didnt wanna pay up and now i have regrets 😂 thank you for adding me to the community. seen many great posts already and great people on here

I had a little time this morning and here's a post that apparently has a manual attached. https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/78444-download-singer-132k6-seiko-sk-8-manual/ Let us know how else we can help.

Greetings, I seem to be at a loss here. I've tried to search for information and fourms on the Singer 132 K6 but don't fully understand the program. Forgive me if this is the wrong approach and direct me to the propper area please. I am looking for parts/owners manual for my 132K6 and any conversations that have happened already. I have, in the past as a guest, read many useful fourms when I was getting to know my 31-20 but that was thru a google search. Now that I am a member I can't seem to navigate this system. Please advise, thank you. Tommy1wide2high

Google is still a good search to use. Use site: leatherworker.net 132k6 This restricts the search to leatherworker. Add whatever search parameters you want to the search string. Google has larger servers, faster and better indexed.

Here's a start. 373 posts that contain 132K6. You could rerun the search and add "manual". https://leatherworker.net/forum/search/?&q=132k6&search_and_or=or Welcome aboard!

@beefy i have 4 machines, but i'd love 3 more machines to add to my collection. A long arm flat bed for canvas, horse rugs etc., a post bed, and a 132k6, but I have no space left HS

hey guys and girls so today i had a little time. set up a table to work on the sewing machines. i dated them. and looked them all over and see whats what. the dates are june 21 1932 for the 132k7 may 6 1952 for the 132k7 november 20 1941 132k6 sadly the broken one februari 6 1941 132k6 one of the k6 had a broken bed. after looking it over it has a broken axle to so i think it fell. that one wil be a parts machine for the other 3 and already helped the other ones with parts. ive been cleaning the 3 metal plates under the feet and left and right from them. i had a lovely afternoon thinkering and cleaning and getting to know them a bit. scavaging parts and putting them on the other 3 so complete them. they are gonna need a full back to metal painjob. as the paint is mostly gone on the beds. but i was expecting that. so im thinking colorchange i have 3 good bobbin winders. one has a broken lever maybe it can be replaced wil see. came with a big bobbin winder but i dont think its from these machines. and 2 grease or wax pots that go on top. i geusse for greasing or waxing the tread before sewing. gonna be fun projects

I once owned a similar machine I stripped mine for parts back then after I found a 132K6 and I do not look back. I think they are not worth upgrading to 132K6 as parts are rare and expensive - IF the upgrade is technically possible at all. But maybe you have luck - dunu. a lot of parts (in general) can be found at College Sewing or Trojan Sewing in the UK or MARFAR in Australia.

The Singer 132k6, with the spring loaded follow foot, was actually designed for the buffing wheel industry. I think there was an attachment that secured the center of the wheel and moved it slowly in time with the action of the machine to sew through all of the layers of cloth in a circular spiral pattern. The capacity is 1/2 inch, or 12.5mm. The follow foot is only useful if it can grab a hold of the top surface, like it can in cloth items. I tried sewing slicked leather belts along the edges only to have the foot slide on the top and do nothing to help the feed. As a result, the stitch length varied and I ruined some things until I got wise and sold the machine. Assuming you can get one of them to work, it might be good for upholstery that is thicker than the Adler can handle, or requires a heavier weight thread. The 132 I had was able to handle up to #346 bonded nylon thread.

I just got a singer 132k6 what would be the heaviest tread and needle it can use i set it up wit a 750 w servo mottor since thw one ii had eather capasitor may be bad or the hile mottor its a bit confusing since the mottor is 120v the capacitor is 330v and the box where the on and capacitor and of on and off swich is is calling for 250v. (Transmiter mottor and swich+capacitor). The leather belts slips from time to time.

Given the machines that I have, what advantage, if any, would there be in buying a 132K6?

PRELUDE Most members of this forum know me as a frequent poster on the Leather Sewing Machines Forum on Leatherworker.net. Some may assume that I know more about specific machines than I actually do. However, in many cases, I have had or currently have plenty of hands on experience with a particular machine, or type of machine. As a result of my own experiences with various types of sewing machines I am often able to give advice or provide assistance to other members who ask for help with this or that machine, or want to know about its capabilities or limitations. I have owned or worked on industrial sewing machines ever since 1985. But, my hands on experience goes much further back than that. It all began when as a boy I hung out at my Father's tailor shop. I watched him sew clothes both by hand and with his Singer sewing machine. While I don't know for sure, I believe that he used either a Singer 31-15 or a Singer 96k40. I only remember that it had a clutch motor and looked much like the Singer 31-15 that is sitting in my leather shop. I never touched that machine until I was in my early teens. One day my Dad sat me down in front of the machine and explained what the floor pedal and knee lever did, as well as how to feather the clutch, control the material, hold back the starting threads and wind a bobbin. He also taught me how to not sew my fingers or thumbs! This was in the early 1960s and it was my first experience with any sewing machine. Of course, I had other plans and wanted no part of that occupation. I never sewed on that machine after about 1964. Fast forward 20 years to 1984 when I got into leathercrafting as a hobby. Like most newbies to the craft, I began by lacing and hand sewing my projects. It didn't take too long before that got old. The final straw was when I decided to construct a leather vest from a pattern pack I bought from a Tandy Leather store. I knew from the first attempt at penetrating the chrome tanned leather than I was going to need to do this on a machine. This was the moment when I began my unexpected adventure that became a quest, not for a mystical Ring, but for a sewing machine capable of sewing real leather. THE JOURNEY BEGINS I still remember asking the manager of the local Tandy Leather store for his recommendation for a sewing machine that could sew the vest I was making from Tandy's pattern pack and leather. His first thought was to try out a machine that another customer was willing to sell and would bring to the store. That machine was there the next day. It was a Singer 503A Slant O Matic Rocketeer which had a slant needle system. I brought in a small piece of the leather I bought for the vest and placed two edges together under the presser foot, lowered the foot, held back the threads and pushed slowly on the controller pedal. The needle came down at its designated forward slant angle, met the top grain of the leather and broke into zillions of pieces that Rocketeered into the store. I passed on that machine. YOU REALLY NEED AN INDUSTRIAL SEWING MACHINE Those were the Tandy manager's exact words after the disaster with the Rocketeer. I asked if he knew where I could find those. He had no idea, so I let my fingers do the walking in the phone book. Sure enough, there were industrial sewing machine dealers all over the place within my city limits. I picked the closest dealer and called them, asking if they had a machine that could sew leather vests. The owner assured me that he had exactly the machine I needed. I headed there as soon as I hung up the phone, bringing a wad of cash with me. And what did I find waiting for me when I got there? A Singer 96k40, mounted on a 20" x 48" wooded top, steel legged table, with a big clutch motor underneath. It looked like the sewing machine my Dad used in his tailor shop for many decades. I bought it for $300 cash, which included a few packs of #16 and #18 needles, spare bobbins, a couple cones of heavy cotton or polyester thread (button weight) and a small bottle of sewing machine oil. NOT EVERY INDUSTRIAL SEWING MACHINE IS A LEATHER SEWING MACHINE It didn't take very long for me to discover that as impressive as that old Singer black body machine was, it was not a leather sewing machine! It did okay when sewing two flat seams, but skipped stitches and broke needles when I tried to sew hand cut fringe onto the back, or pockets onto the front sides. The third layer was too much for the straight stitch, bottom feed machine, especially when it encountered a new layer on top. It tended to just come to a halt and sew into the same hole until I remembered to use the knee lever to raise the foot to get on top of the new layer. This was really just a tailoring machine. Disappointed, I called the dealer I bought the machine from and explained the problems I was having with the machine. He said: "then you need a walking foot machine." He told me to keep 96k40 and the table and for another $250, sold me what he called a walking foot machine head. It was a Singer 31k47 and it dropped right into the same cutout in the table. The motor needed to be readjusted to compensate for the higher balance wheel/pulley and the knee lever had to be moved to hit the lift rod on the bottom of the machine. This machine was not a walking foot foot in the true sense. It had a spring loaded follow foot that moved back with the top layer, which was transported by the bottom feed dogs, then lifted and sprang forward for the next stitch. It had an alternating inside foot, which, like the needle, remained in a static position and just moved up and down. It did however manage to climb over new layers and sew my leather vest! After finishing my leather vest I began experimenting with sewing belts and straps. I found that the spring loaded presser foot on the 31k47 tended to slip on the top of my carved and hand polished belts. The hard veg-tan leather didn't feed well on that machine and it didn't like any thread larger than about #69, although I did coax it into sewing with #138 thread. So, I made some inquiries at other industrial sewing machine dealerships and finally found one that clued me into the fact that what I needed was a triple feed walking foot machine. They had them and wanted anywhere from $1500 to $2500, depending on the age and brand. This was a problem for me at that time because I couldn't come up with that much money in one shot. Just when I thought I had reached a major roadblock, a friend told me about a friend of his who wanted to sell all his leather craft stuff, including a sewing machine. After meeting with that guy, I handed him $1000 in cash and went home with a ton of hardware, leather, patterns, kits and ... a Singer 111w155 triple (compound) feed walking foot machine! That machine paid for itself and all the hardware in two months. WHAT KIND OF SEWING MACHINE DO I NEED TO SEW HANDGUN HOLSTERS AND KNIFE SHEATHES? I think a lot of leathercrafters reach a point of development when they want to make holster and knife sheathes and need a sewing machine that is truly up to the task. I reached that point in 1988. I had tried to sew pancake holsters and three layer sheathes on my Singer 111w155 and found that it struggled to penetrate the hard leather. Further, it could not handle any thread thicker than #138 bonded nylon. I tried using a #25 needle and #347 thread and all it did was skip stitches, break thread and filigree the leather. And, it was all I could do to start it sewing at all into that hardened leather. So, back to the industrial sewing machine dealer! I HAVE JUST THE MACHINE FOR YOU TO SEW VERY HEAVY LEATHER... That's what he told me on the phone, sometime around 1987. When I arrived at the store I was taken to a back room and shown a monster machine made by Singer; a model 132k6. I was told this machine will sew anything you can fit under the foot with up to #346 thread. That foot, which lifted to 1/2 inch, was a spring loaded foot, just like my 31k47, with an alternating up/down inside foot and static position needle. I had my doubts, but parted with $1300, plus tax, and took the machine home in my 1976 Ford Country Squire station wagon. I didn't beat around the bush with the 132k6. I loaded the top and huge bobbin with #346 thread, verified that it had a #25 leather point needle installed, cranked down the foot pressure, tightened the top tension and began sewing into a mock-up holster with an 8 ounce side filler. The leather lifted with every other stitch until I cranked the pressure spring all the way down. I did get it to sew up to about 3/8 inch of veg-tan holsters and knife sheathes, but had to almost sew one stitch at a time with the handwheel. Like the smaller 31k47, the presser foot tended to slip on top and this resulted in varying stitch lengths. This was not what I had in mind for a real leather sewing machine. When I complained to the dealer he shrugged and said it was the strongest machine he had or knew about. He would not buy it back ;-( I limited my few holsters and sheathes to two layers and sewed them on the 132k6, biding my time. I did fine into a little over 1/4 inch of veg-tan with #346 thread. During that time frame I began buying old Singer sewing machines from that dealer and from individuals. I had post bed machines, long arm and very short arm cylinder arm walking foot machines, a 45k25, a pull down lever sole stitcher, a blind stitcher and a small table top serger (I did some garment work to make money). I acquired two skivers: a Fortuna for light leathers and a United Shoe Machinery Puma for veg-tan and shoe soles. AT LAST, A REAL HOLSTER SEWING MACHINE! It was 1988 when I finally found a sewing machine that could actually do serious sewing into thick stack of leather, with heavy thread, producing stitches that didn't vary every few inches. I stumbled upon it at a Tandy Leather distribution warehouse, which was behind a retail shop. After rounding up some hand tools and other supplies, I asked if I could see the warehouse. The manager and I were the only people there and he said "okay." He switched on the lights and let me into the warehouse. As I looked around in amazement at all the products and kits stacked everywhere, something very large and black caught my eye. Right in the middle of the huge warehouse was the biggest sewing machine I had ever seen, much less imagined. It stood almost as tall as my head! It was a Union Lockstitch Machine, made by Randall, in NY, NY. I jokingly asked what they used it for and he told me that they had a man who used to sew bags, horse tack and large kit parts on it, but he had retired. The machine hadn't been turned on in at least 5 years. Best of all, they planned to put an ad in all the newspapers in the area to try to sell it! So, we haggled... An hour later I had left a $100 deposit on the machine. The next day, after going to the bank, I went back, 60 miles away from home, and bought that Union Lockstitch for a total of $1500. The manager and one employee helped remove the head from the table and loaded the beast into the back of the Country Squire wagon (it had a 400 c.i. motor). All it came with, besides the head, motor and table, was the needle and awl that were installed, one bobbin that was in the shuttle, and one spool of white #346 bonded nylon thread. I spent another $2000 over the next year buying needles, awls, bobbins, accessory feet, throat plates, edge guides and replacement parts. Most importantly, I bought two threading rods. The owner of a harness shop was nice enough to run a copy of his own manual for his Union Lockstitch. Having that machine was like having the Stargate to me. It sewed holsters and sheathes up to 3/4 inch thick and above. I figured out how to trick the foot to lift higher and used it to sew a holsters up to 7/8 of an inch! This was around 1989 and was very unheard of at that time. I got some of the heaviest thread made and by changing to the largest needle and awl was able to sew holsters with #554 thread, or 6 and 7 cord Barbour's Irish linen thread, run through Sellari's liquid wax in the huge waxpot. AN END COMES Leather work was a good business for me until 1996. By that time things were changing. The house I had been renting, where I had about 13 industrial sewing machines setup in the basement, was sold to a new owner, who asked me to leave. Despite searching for a half year, I couldn't find any house that was comparable at anywhere near the price I had been paying. In all the years I was renting the house for tiny increases ever few years, rents had gone up in that city to almost triple what I was paying and could afford. I contacted a good friend in another city, 250 miles away and he found a house in his city for half what I had been paying. But it was a much smaller house and the basement tended to leak when it rained heavily. So, I sold all but two sewing machines. I only kept my Union Lockstitch and the first machine I bought, the Singer 96k40 (which now had dozens of feet, folders and accessories, including a roller foot conversion). I did keep all of my thread, hardware, tools, books, patterns, dyes, arbor press and cutting dies. When I made that big move I tried doing leather work in the new location, but didn't have much success. I had been developing skills using, building and troubleshooting computers and came to a decision to switch careers. By 1998 I was a computer troubleshooter and no longer did any leather work. In the year 2001, I sold my Union Lockstitch machine and all of the parts and cartons of thread that went with it (thousands of dollars value), for $5,000. A few years later I sold almost all of my leathercraft tools, patterns, dyes, cutting dies, hardware, books, the 96k40, press and anything else I had pertaining to that trade and life. I did keep a small set of special stamping tools, some setting tools, a few alphabets and a head knife. All these tools were inside a Graflex press camera carrying case. This Union Lockstitch is a REAL leather sewing machine! NEW BEGINNINGS (next entry to come soon) After doing computer work for a dozen years, in 2010 I came to the conclusion that my heyday as a computer builder and troubleshooter had reached a natural conclusion. It wasn't exactly an overnight event, but rather a slow decline in business. The final straw was when I was called into a computer store, with whom I had previously left my resume, for an interview for a computer technician. The owner took one look at my 62 year old face, looked down at his hands, then asked questions like: "How well do you get along with younger workers?" "Do you have any medical issues that would interfere with doing your job?" "Do you have to go to a clinic or hospital for regular treatments?" Not once did he ask about my abilities as a computer builder, troubleshooter, or network tech! Luckily for me I had a very good long time friend who owned a leather work store. I asked him if he could use me a day or two a week to help in the shop. He tossed me a few days here and there and eventually took me on as his right hand man. I did most of the sewing and repaired leather jackets, sewed patches onto vests, repaired purses, built holsters and replaced zippers. When I first went to work for him in 2010, he only had an Adler 30-70 motorized long arm, high lift patcher. But, he later acquired a Cobra Class 4. I was a natural on both machines. In 2009 I wanted to do some leather projects on my own, so I hunted on Craigslist and found a really nice Singer 29k172, long arm, big bobbin patcher, complete with a matching cast iron treadle base. I began taking in some repairs and custom builds at home, which paid for the machine in a few months. In the middle of 2010 I bought a used National 300N walking foot machine from an upholstery shop. Then I began taking rifle slings and guitar straps home from my friend's leather shop to sew on a piece meal basis. I sewed so many slings and straps that it paid for my National sewing machine in one month! One year later, in 2011, I traded a recently acquired (Craigslist again) Adler 204-374 flat bed machine for an old, barebones Union Lockstitch machine. It was on again! Stay tuned folks! There's more to come. More photos of sewing machines I have had or still own.

@Wizcrafts blogged about the 132k6 in his My history with leather sewing machines blog

I got my first ULS in 1986 or 87. I bought it off Tandy Leather. It was sitting in the middle of their parts warehouse, unused for years. There was nothing with it except the needle and awl in the head. No accessories or thread. Once I got a manual and learned how to thread it correctly, I used the large sizes of thread I already had from a Singer 132k6, which was my previous heavy duty machine. All my thread was bonded nylon. So, I used nylon thread in various sizes. I adjusted the pull up positioner, the looper, etc, until I got perfect stitches. I did this for most of the time I owned that machine. I tried running Barbour's Irish Linen thread, but it kept hanging in the barbed needle, or on the looper. I just couldn't figure out how to run linen thread through liquid wax without it sticking to the needle or looper. Arrg! So, I kept going back to bonded nylon. If I get another ULS, I will buy bonded polyester thread just to keep it happy! ;-)

Singer 132K6 Serial # EJ144233 Date of Manufacture 08-08-1953 The 132K6 is in good working condition, with Kick walking foot action, with large capacity bobbins, has a bit of paint missing through wear and tear, it’s over all condition mechanically is good. I was having tension problems, tried a eBay tensioner, but threw that in the bin and paid a bit extra and got one from Australian Sewing, no more tension problems. Can have any stitch length between 1 mm and 13 mm if needed, easy to adjust. The motor is good quiet 1480rpm with good clutch. The original table top was resealed not to long back and in solid condition. It also has an LED light over needle area to make sewing easy on old eyes. Asking $1800.00 or Best Offer. Contact me @ bert1951@gmail.com Also available, Rotary hook & Bobbin Case Complete, Original Singer, Used. Various sewing guides. Bobbins New and Used and magnetic thread lubricator and other bits and pieces. I also have thread available, and various Needles, if required.

I have a Singer 132K6 sewing machine that has been sitting around for many years not being used. I've been trying to decide if I should sell it, since it is just taking up space or if I should just hold onto it since it's a neat old machine. I was just wondering if anyone knows if they are worth anything or if there is any interest in one. It did sew nice when I did use it. I would appreciate if anyone had some more information about this machine. Thank you for your help!

I have a pdf of the original Seiko SK7-8-26 (Singer 132K6) operating manual with detail on how to adjust timing and others. Let me know if you need it

So, I have just picked up a singer 31k48 and I am desperately searching for information... Apparently the motor is cactus, so I am looking at the servo motors on eBay (also looking at a servo for a 132k6)... But the concept of making it a portable hand crank machine is somewhat appealing, is that as simple as a box/base for it to operate in and a handle on the wheel? I would love any information I can get my hands on, as well as any ideas on needles, sizes and where to get them, and any parts resources. So far I have found the parts manual, but that's it. Information on these machines seems to be very scarce! If anyone can recommend a mechanic who can work on these old machines anywhere near Adelaide, South Australia, I would be extremely appreciative! Thanks.

There was a discussions about a Singer 132k6 on our site a handful of years ago, which includes close up photos of the machine. They are humongous! I owned one for a couple of years in the mid-1980s. One of their intended uses was sewing buffing wheels and the dangling car wash cloths. Another was parachute harnesses. I think the head weighed about 150 pounds. The only reason I got rid of it was that the jump/kick foot occasionally slipped on slicked leather and the stitches varied in length. The only feed is on the bottom. The outside presser foot just follows along with the feed dog. I did make some pancake holsters with it. The stitch length on the 132k6 was up to 1/2 inch. The maximum thickness sewable is 1/2 inch of medium temper leather, or cloth, or webbing. It did fine with #346 thread and a #25 needle. Mine had a 1/2 horsepower clutch motor which I slowed with a 2 inch pulley that fed the larger pulley on the machine. It was a speed demon getting about 3 stitches per second, flat out! ;-)

Can you tell if this is a legendary 132K6 by looking at the photo? I am new to heavy duty sewing and seen this machine for sale but the vendor doesnt know what model it is...

Well, my 328 LR 140 as well as my LR 160 needles have different dimensions than your specs. The shank - where the needle is fitted into the needle bar - has a diameter of 2,5mm After 20mm the needle has a shoulder, coming to a thinner diameter of 1,6mm (160) and 1,4mm (140) at the shaft with the groove until it tapers off at the tip. The distance from the top of the needle to beginning of the eye is 51,6mm Overall length is very close to 59,8mm - here I didn´t really press down to hard on my analog vernier calipers - didn´t want to dull the tip of a brand new needle. I use the 328 needles on both my Adler 5-8 and Adler 4-4 and these 2 packs are the thinnest/smallest ones that I have - don´t use the 140s much though Maybe the other classifications on the packages will help you out further Greetings Hans Here are some other machines that use this needle : Singer 45K class, 132K6. Juki LG-158-1. Consew SK-6. Adler 104, 105, 205.

Greetings from Wicklow, Ireland. Would any one have a copy of the instructions for a Singer 132K6 please? I found a few links but none of them are working. Many thanks Dermot

Trying to figure oit what the difference between a 132k6 and k10 is. I found one indication a k10 may either be a true walking foot or at least something different that the spring jump foot on the k6. Anybody know? I'm tired of trying to find some thing besides the parts manual and to cross eyed to sort through parts to figure it out.

Hello everyone, I got an old Singer sewing machine 132K6 recently. It has not been used for over a decade at least and apparently full of dust and rust. I have cleaned, removed rust and lubricated moving parts. When I plugged in outlet, it works! But there are a couple of problems. The needle can not pick up bottom thread when sewing a fabric. The rotary hook’s timing is adjusted and can grab the bottom thread. However when I tried to sew fabric, the needle won’t pick up bottom thread. Please see the attached pictures. Another problem sometimes the upper thread was broken like it was cut by a knife. Need help Any help and advice are appreciated.