31K47 odd optional extra?

[Longspee]

Hello, this is my first post here and thought that it might be an interesting question for a more in depth answer, having found literally nothing online.

I've spent quite a long time getting this working and it really does perform well and is very quiet indeed, I don't think it's done much work judging by the bed condition.

My machine came with a 1/4 piping foot, so I presume it was set up for quite heavy work, so my question is having looked at quite a few pictures of the 31K47 I see they come with a Bell crank driving arm 19358, where mine has a much longer crank part no SK26160, this I think will lift the outer foot higher in operation?, was it an option? I couldn't find the part number listed anywhere.

I would like to try the smaller bell crank, but have not had much luck finding one yet.

Cheers,

Sean.

[Longspee]

Ok, here's an update on my search, searching the internet I find the 31KSV16 has this taller crank fitted as standard. Now I know nothing of the differences between the 47 and the 16, but they look very similar so I'm confused and was hoping to find this crank fitted to a much larger machine, but it would appear not.

So the question is what does the 16 do differently that it needs a larger throw

 

[CowboyBob]

3 hours ago, Longspee said:

Ok, here's an update on my search, searching the internet I find the 31KSV16 has this taller crank fitted as standard. Now I know nothing of the differences between the 47 and the 16, but they look very similar so I'm confused and was hoping to find this crank fitted to a much larger machine, but it would appear not.

So the question is what does the 16 do differently that it needs a larger throw

 

The longer throw like your is better,you get more lift on the feet as they walk to clear thicker foam or to climb over a higher seam.

[Tastech]

I have never seen a 31K47 however the walking foot is an attachment to the 31K basic body  There are a few variations of the 31K main body .I have a 31K20 and 2  31K48's . The 31K20 is just a run of the mill dog feed straight stitcher . The 31K20 is a roller foot with a roller feed . Looking at the photos of your walking foot mechanism it looks familiar to me . I am pretty sure the walking foot mechanism is the same as the singer 132K6 . Its a beast of a machine that can sew some hardcore materials . As with a lot of singer industrial 's the parts are interchangeable with other models or in other words they share common parts . Find a manual to a 132K6 and compare the part numbers to your machine and see what they have in common . The 31K47 is was not a common machine but the 132K6 was and there are still plenty around . Spare New spare parts might be a problem  so are second hand parts from a dead machine , The K6 was built so tough they just dont die . I have waited 10 years to source a part so be patient .

 I agree with Cowboy bob . A high step is not a bad thing . 

If its working then just leave it . It wont be the first machine or last machine you own . But will be a niche machine as what it was intended to be 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Tastech
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[CowboyBob]

The 31-19 had the shorter arm,yrs ago we used to rebuild these & sell them for auto upholstery machines & after we sold all the machines we could find here,we found a place in the UK that had them & they sent the 31K47 & they worked alot better with the higher walk.

Edited September 15, 2023 by CowboyBob

[Longspee]

Thanks for the replies guys and you have confirmed my thoughts on the higher material capacity. The machine does work very well indeed, so I think i'll keep as is.

Still nice to see how it performs if I do manage to find a smaller crank.

I just did a search on the 31K19 and found a guy in Oz who has both the 31KSV16 and the 31K19 on youtube

[Longspee]

Couple of pic's of the machine, I geared the drive as I'm far from the pro that was using the machine before me.