Singer 132K6

[china]

Hi all,

Just a question to satisfy my curiosity, I very seldom here anything mentioned on this forum from the American users concerning the Singer 132k6, are they not popular , considered too old, hard to get ?

Here in Australia they seem to be legendary, those who have them do not want to part with them. Many motor trimmers still use them on a daily basis, so what are your thoughts.

[barra]

I'd marry mine if it was legal.

Barra

[CowboyBob]

Years ago we used to extend the arms & make them 20" long,we would sell them for tarps & auto upholstery,but nowadays everyone thinks they need reverse(because their neighbor told them to make sure it has it)

I have a real nice one here they are real good for nylon webbing too.

I'd be real happy to find it a good home.

Bob

[Art]

Hi Barra,

You need to move to San Francisco, or maybe West Virginia.

Art

I'd marry mine if it was legal.

Barra

[TrustCommunicationConsent]

Years ago we used to extend the arms & make them 20" long,we would sell them for tarps & auto upholstery,but nowadays everyone thinks they need reverse(because their neighbor told them to make sure it has it)

I have a real nice one here they are real good for nylon webbing too.

I'd be real happy to find it a good home.

Bob

How thick can the sew? I do not care about reverse as i can barly sew forward. Is it a walking foot machine?

[china]

Yes the 132k6 is a walking foot machine, the thickest I have sewn on is about 9mm/3/8", I am told it will handle 5/8" easily although I have not tried anything that thick. They used to sew masonite door tims for cars with them. I also have a 45k cylinder bed I have sewn 1/2 with no effort on that machine, the 45k is not a walking foot.

[Wizcrafts]

Yes the 132k6 is a walking foot machine, the thickest I have sewn on is about 9mm/3/8", I am told it will handle 5/8" easily although I have not tried anything that thick. They used to sew masonite door tims for cars with them. I also have a 45k cylinder bed I have sewn 1/2 with no effort on that machine, the 45k is not a walking foot.

I had a 132k6 for a while and it was not a true walking foot machine at all. It had a spring loaded outer pressor foot that followed the material as the feed dog pulled it backward, then lifted at the end of the stitch and snapped forward (violently). The needle was vertical motion only, as was the inner pressor foot (not compound feed). All of the actual feeding was done by the bottom feed dogs. I found that the top foot slipped all over the surface of polished leather belts and straps, causing the stitch length to vary all over the place. It was good at sewing webbing and rough top grain leather and latigo, up to 1/2 inch. The teeth are fairly high and did leave deep marks in the backside of smooth pasted leather straps.

Finally, I was able to sew with #346 thread, but it was not a pretty stitch and the knots were all over the place.

Just my experience. Your mileage may vary.

[barra]

sewmun, on 29 April 2010 - 12:00 PM, said:

Years ago we used to extend the arms & make them 20" long,we would sell them for tarps & auto upholstery,but nowadays everyone thinks they need reverse(because their neighbor told them to make sure it has it)

I have a real nice one here they are real good for nylon webbing too.

I'd be real happy to find it a good home.

Bob

The 132K6 has for many years been the go to machine for canvas work in Aus and has been used in the saddlery trade for horse rugs/blankets. Reverse is not essential as with most tarp/canvas work you stitch around the item, starting and finishing in the same place. Running over the original stitches for an inch or so locks off the stiches like reversing. If you do need reverse on the ol gal, pull a bit of top thread thru, lift the foot and pull the work back for that inch or so and come forward again. The modern variants do have reverse.

Barra

[cgleather]

My 132k6 was my first machine and I still have it. I sew Chaps, canvas and do bullet loops on my belts with it. It sews great and you can't beat the amount of thread you can wind on a bobbin that size. I used to sew holsters on it as well but that was pushing it. I upgraded to a Landis #1 for the holsters and now I use a Landis #3 for the heavy work. I wouldn't trade my 132k6 for any new machine built today.

[Cowboy316]

ok gang ive just bought a K6 and have now idea what im doing i was told a size 200 needles so i bought one from tandy to try but still getting my butt kicked i can get the tension right and it sew great for 6 stitches then starts missing

any ideas on needles and thread and possible an owner manual ive been lookin online or a month

any help would be greatful

thanks

Cowboy316

Edited September 22, 2011 by Cowboy316

[CowboyBob]

Wow!That sure looks like one we stretched years ago.My cousin is a machinist & we would strip all the parts out just take the shafts & bars to him,no needle plate & he was so good that when we put the needle bar in & went to line up the hole in the needle plate they hardly ever needed to be adjusted.He also put some allen screws on leftside for adjustment & made the casting a tight fit around the heavy walled tubing that we used to extend the arm.

So, what size thread are you using?That will determine your needle size.

On this machine you need to wrap the thread around the second tension(lower one) 1&1/2x

We have a manual,needles & most other parts too.

Bob

Just for the heck of it could you tilt the machine back & take a pic of the bottom side & post it?

Thanks,

Bob

Edited September 22, 2011 by sewmun