Singer 31-20`

[Ken Nelson]

Can anyone give me the scoop on a Singer 31-20 sewing machine? They look really cool and I have a really mint one located. Thanks Ken

[Art]

Tailors machine, obviously great for fabric and also for decorating boot tops 69 thread about max 45 better. Call Steve at Leather Machine Co, get his recommendations and buy it.

Art

Can anyone give me the scoop on a Singer 31-20 sewing machine? They look really cool and I have a really mint one located. Thanks Ken

[CowboyBob]

Ken,

I's like to add to what Art said,they are also a great chap machine.

We stock alot of feet for them & have a teflon & a roller foot available for them along with all the parts in stock for it that you might need.

We have alot of people still using these 31's.

They are a good machine to have.

Bob

[Ken Nelson]

Ken,

I's like to add to what Art said,they are also a great chap machine.

We stock alot of feet for them & have a teflon & a roller foot available for them along with all the parts in stock for it that you might need.

We have alot of people still using these 31's.

They are a good machine to have.

Bob

Do you have roller feet for them and what is the cost. Needles, size and price. Thank you. Ken

[Art]

Ken,

Singer made a lot of 31 machines (in a few flavors) the fifteen probably the most prevalent, the twenty was an upgrade with the raised plate. These were built very well and are still around. If you buy any used machine, have a talk with Bob, he can tell you what accessories and parts are available for it. While not as good as a needle feed machine, with a Teflon foot or roller foot you can run respectable pressure and still have adequate feed. I wouldn't hesitate if the price is right.

Art

Do you have roller feet for them and what is the cost. Needles, size and price. Thank you. Ken

[bruce johnson]

I've got a 31-20 I picked up a couple years ago without a table. I never have set it up on one yet. I put it on the bench and handwheel it for little putzy repairs with thin thread. I have tried it with #92 thread and it hung up underneath a lot, so thread size is a consideration. I am going to get around to setting it up right when I run out of wallet interiors and have to start making my own.

[Cobra Steve]

HI Ken, like everyone says, it's a great machine. The one big difference is that the 31-20 has a big bobbin compared with the 31-15. It is not as big as today's big bobbin machines, but still, was the largest for it's time. Thanks, Steve

Edited May 4, 2010 by Cobra Steve

[Happy Hooligan]

so what would one of these machines go for? I have a lead on one, on a table and motor, but missing it's foot and seems a little dry. Not sure if it runs, but what's a good price on one?

[Art]

A couple of hundred tops. I see a lot of them for $100-125.

Art

so what would one of these machines go for? I have a lead on one, on a table and motor, but missing it's foot and seems a little dry. Not sure if it runs, but what's a good price on one?

[Happy Hooligan]

I just picked up a nice 31-20 with a table, motor, and a bunch of feet including a roller!

Pretty happy. I'm going to play with it today and get it all oiled up. Looks to have been taken very well cared of.

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

There were plenty of variations of these machines and a surprising number of parts are still made.

On the go for customers right now are a 31k47 walking foot and a 31k18 roller foot/roller feed. The 31k18 was widely used in the shoe industry.

[Heika]

Would $300.00 for one of these that is in good running condition, with table, light, foot peddle and roller foot, etc. be reasonable?

Thanks!

[Wizcrafts]

Would $300.00 for one of these that is in good running condition, with table, light, foot peddle and roller foot, etc. be reasonable?

Thanks!

Yes, assuming it does sew properly, without any binding or grinding. Try it before you buy it. These are very old machines. If they have extra needles, bobbin cases and thread, so much the better. However, this is going to be a very old machine, possibly with an equally old clutch motor. If the clutch grabs, or never fully releases, it will need to be rebuilt or replaced. That will reduce the value of the machine by about $100. Wink wink, nudge nudge, sai no more!

[Heika]

Yes, assuming it does sew properly, without any binding or grinding. Try it before you buy it. These are very old machines. If they have extra needles, bobbin cases and thread, so much the better. However, this is going to be a very old machine, possibly with an equally old clutch motor. If the clutch grabs, or never fully releases, it will need to be rebuilt or replaced. That will reduce the value of the machine by about $100. Wink wink, nudge nudge, sai no more!

LOL, thank you. A local company in town that repaired shoes recently retired after over a hundred years in business. This is one of the machines they used all the time. A sewing machine shop has it now, and the guy has already refitted it with new belts, etc. He offered to allow me to test it out as much as I want. Pretty sure that I could get that price to budge by some, but.... if it is worth it, it is worth it.

Thank you, I will test it well before I pull out the cash.

[bikermutt07]

I know this is an old old thread, but after reading it I have a few questions..

1. Can you rig up a servo motor to these old machines?

2. The 31-15 seems more available right now. Will it work fine for light leather work? Bags, wallets and such.

3. Do they have reverse?

Thanks.

[Art]

When originally produced, these machines were designed for tailors.  They are not a heavy duty, or even a medium duty leather machine.  They are primarily used today to decorate boot tops.  That means they sew a 3-4 oz and sometimes a little more veg tan to a 3-4 oz calf liner.  They sew 33 to 46 thread really well and occasionally 69.  They are the heavy duty version of the standard sewing machine.  This machine would work for bags and wallets given that you keep things on the light side.  There is no reverse, you just have to do it "old school".  These puppies can run the gamut from tight like new to having clearances you can measure by sound.  For close-in and delicate leatherwork, a roller foot is a plus.  The modern day equivalent would be something like the Juki 5550.

Art 

[Wizcrafts]

I use my 31-15 to sew wallet interiors and for all cloth projects (tailoring). I usually use a walking foot machine to sew the back to the interior. My machine can handle #69 bonded nylon, because I clearanced the shuttle driver and shuttle race to do so. Otherwise, it would not clear that size of thread without a slight but noticeable binding and click sound that messed with the stitch quality and dependability.

[bikermutt07]

3 hours ago, Art said:

When originally produced, these machines were designed for tailors.  They are not a heavy duty, or even a medium duty leather machine.  They are primarily used today to decorate boot tops.  That means they sew a 3-4 oz and sometimes a little more veg tan to a 3-4 oz calf liner.  They sew 33 to 46 thread really well and occasionally 69.  They are the heavy duty version of the standard sewing machine.  This machine would work for bags and wallets given that you keep things on the light side.  There is no reverse, you just have to do it "old school".  These puppies can run the gamut from tight like new to having clearances you can measure by sound.  For close-in and delicate leatherwork, a roller foot is a plus.  The modern day equivalent would be something like the Juki 5550.

Art 

 

2 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

I use my 31-15 to sew wallet interiors and for all cloth projects (tailoring). I usually use a walking foot machine to sew the back to the interior. My machine can handle #69 bonded nylon, because I clearanced the shuttle driver and shuttle race to do so. Otherwise, it would not clear that size of thread without a slight but noticeable binding and click sound that messed with the stitch quality and dependability.

Thanks guys. But what about adding a servo? Is it doable?

[Art]

Not a problem at all, get one from Bob (Toledo) or Gregg (Keystone). Go for more power and a reducer won't be necessary. Ask Bob or Gregg.

[Wizcrafts]

52 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

 

Thanks guys. But what about adding a servo? Is it doable?

I have a servo motor on my 31-15. It has a small 50mm pulley and a shorter than standard matching v-belt. If the clutch motor you now have has a pulley larger than 2 inches, you will definitely need a figure out the length of belt you will need if you swap it out for a servo motor with a 2" or smaller pulley. You should tell the dealer you are ordering the motor from the length of belt that is on the machine now, plus the diameter of the motor pulley. This will help him choose the most likely size for a new belt, which will likely be much shorter.

[bikermutt07]

Thanks a lot. I don't have a machine yet, but ran across this thread when reading another about the 31-20. 

I just realized that some of these old machines can work for light leather.

This gives me a much cheaper option on a first machine. Something for thinner stuff now and later a big machine for the thicker stuff.

Thanks again.

[Wizcrafts]

2 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

Thanks a lot. I don't have a machine yet, but ran across this thread when reading another about the 31-20. 

I just realized that some of these old machines can work for light leather.

This gives me a much cheaper option on a first machine. Something for thinner stuff now and later a big machine for the thicker stuff.

Thanks again.

Yes, as long as it is thin, soft temper leather, sewn with thin thread and no larger than a #18 leather point needle. If the top grain happens to have a grabby texture, you will need to change the presser foot to either a roller or Teflon foot.

[mikesc]

A lot of machines will sew chrome tan garment weight leather..with the caveat that they may allow the leather to slide around a bit, or occasionally give uneven stitch length because they are not needle feed or combination feed..
Goat is "grabbier" than lamb, buffalo is "grabbier" than cow or calf..you can also sew through a single layer of tissue paper placed on top of whatever you are sewing ( not the "kleenex" type, the packaging type) or lightweight tracing paper, ( helps to make the top leather surface less "grabby", because it is between it and the foot ) ..tracing paper ( the cheap kind from an office supply shop ) is easier to see through than tissue paper..and if you ever get the chance to pick up a cheap ( like garage sale ) Pfaff select domestic machine ( they have what Pfaff call IDT..which is a synchronised "pulling" top feed foot , behind the normal foot, gives you a top and bottom feed machine that will handle a couple of layers of 1 to 3 oz lambskin, or go over seams consisting of two pieces of 1 to 2 oz lambskin ) ..the same machines are found bearing the name of Gritzner..and also Pfaff sold domestic machines with this extra pulling foot as Pfaff "jeans" machines. they are however domestic electric sewing machines, with motors of only 1.0 to 1.5 amps, so don't expect too much of them if the leather is hard, they will not like even thin veg tan..

Yes they are not designed for leather, and sewing leather will wear them out faster, but, for a beginner, or in a pinch, and if you come across one cheap.

The other "plus" for a beginner working lightweight leather, is these electric domestic machines I mentioned above, won't take off like a bat out of hell clutch driven one, and you can get them for less than a servo, if you are just starting out and want something to make some money to put by to buy a real leather machine from one of the dealers on here.

Edited October 19, 2016 by mikesc

[bikermutt07]

Thanks for that. I would like to eventually get a cowboy 3200. But it's just not possible these days.

[MADMAX22]

Ive got a 31-15 and it will handle the thin stuff just fine.Ya see alot of them  doing nice detail work with alot of curves and what not are being used. I have gotta  get mine set up for sewing wallet liners (gotta get another servo motor). They are beefier then the regular domestics or should I say bigger with a little bigger parts. Not by much.

How much are you looking to spend? Deals pop up on CL from time to time you just gotta be patient and quick to respond.