Ken Nelson Report post Posted February 21, 2012 I am looking for the capabilities of a Mitsubishi DY 253 sewing machine. Does anyone have experience with them? Thank you. Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregg From Keystone Sewing Report post Posted February 21, 2012 I am looking for the capabilities of a Mitsubishi DY 253 sewing machine. Does anyone have experience with them? Thank you. Ken I call this a tweener; It's too light to be heavy, and too heavy to be light! Heavier capcity than a standard canvas upholstery machine, but not has heavy as other machines suited for truck tarps, and other stuff I can't think of right now. Comparable in capcity, if you will, to the Singer 132K, more or less. A little general here, but hope this helps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anne Bonnys Locker Report post Posted February 23, 2012 Please correct me if I am wrong - I am sure that someone here may know more and I really want to know the history of these machines. The 132k series was built by Singer at Kilbowie (hence the "k") until the late 50's or early 60's. When they closed the factory the production was farmed out to Mitsubishi or Seiko and were the 132B series. At some stage somebody finally decided to build the thing properly and along came the 132B2B which was a proper walking foot with reverse. My suspicion is that the Japanese initiated the design mods. When Singer decided that they no longer wanted to have anything to do with this series the Japanese bought the rights to produce the machine thus giving us the DY-253 and the SK6. The Chinese needed a heavy-ish machine so they copied the machine that the Japanese build and these are any that have 253 in the part number. The 254 is the long bed and there are other variations. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Nelson Report post Posted February 23, 2012 Please correct me if I am wrong - I am sure that someone here may know more and I really want to know the history of these machines. The 132k series was built by Singer at Kilbowie (hence the "k") until the late 50's or early 60's. When they closed the factory the production was farmed out to Mitsubishi or Seiko and were the 132B series. At some stage somebody finally decided to build the thing properly and along came the 132B2B which was a proper walking foot with reverse. My suspicion is that the Japanese initiated the design mods. When Singer decided that they no longer wanted to have anything to do with this series the Japanese bought the rights to produce the machine thus giving us the DY-253 and the SK6. The Chinese needed a heavy-ish machine so they copied the machine that the Japanese build and these are any that have 253 in the part number. The 254 is the long bed and there are other variations. So, how thick of leather will this machine effectively sew and is it a reliable machine. Thank you. Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted February 23, 2012 So, how thick of leather will this machine effectively sew and is it a reliable machine. Thank you. Ken I had a Singer 132k6 for a short time, in the late 1980s. I appeared to be the end all machine when I bought it. It was not. The feed system was a large feed dog set, a fixed position needle and inside foot and a spring loaded moving outer foot. I found the spring foot unreliable for sewing slick leather (waxed, polished, glossy), as the spring foot would give up too soon and snap forward before the leather had moved all the way back (as per the feed dogs). The stitch length varied from very short to very long. Aside from the feed issues, the maximum thickness it could sew was 1/2 inch. It was able to use #346 thread, going through a #26 needle. The maximum stitch length was 1/2 inch. In my opinion, a Singer 132k6 is best suited to sewing buffing wheels, car wash drying cloths, sails, tarps, parachutes, webbing straps and tow ropes, and items of this nature. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anne Bonnys Locker Report post Posted February 23, 2012 The 132k6 is the ideal horse rug machine. The DY-253 is a true driven walking foot, not a snap foot, and is a much better machine but not something I would recommend for a leatherworker. I had a Singer 132k6 for a short time, in the late 1980s. I appeared to be the end all machine when I bought it. It was not. The feed system was a large feed dog set, a fixed position needle and inside foot and a spring loaded moving outer foot. I found the spring foot unreliable for sewing slick leather (waxed, polished, glossy), as the spring foot would give up too soon and snap forward before the leather had moved all the way back (as per the feed dogs). The stitch length varied from very short to very long. Aside from the feed issues, the maximum thickness it could sew was 1/2 inch. It was able to use #346 thread, going through a #26 needle. The maximum stitch length was 1/2 inch. In my opinion, a Singer 132k6 is best suited to sewing buffing wheels, car wash drying cloths, sails, tarps, parachutes, webbing straps and tow ropes, and items of this nature. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gregg From Keystone Sewing Report post Posted February 23, 2012 Mitsubishi DY-253 it's own animal, but is very comparable to the Singer 132K series, in terms of what it does and what it is used for. The "Singer" 132B non reverse machine is a part for part copy of the Singer model. Now, this Singer model IS and only WAS made by Seiko Sewing Machine Company, LTD., Japan (same people who make the watches). I can elaborate on this, but really don't want to online. This machine is still available new today from Seiko, and they never stopped making it. You can see attached the "Singer" 132B parts book that uses, you may guess, Seiko part numbers that are all avaible today genuine and some generic that we can obtain, no problem that will work on the both the Singer 132K and Singer 132B, and the Seiko SK- series machines. Singer 132B Series Parts (note Seiko part numbers) Seiko SK Series Brochure Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anne Bonnys Locker Report post Posted February 27, 2012 Thanks Gregg, That has filled in some of my knowledge on these machines. I have seen a 132B2B some time back which I would swear had reverse and was a true walking foot but I may have been hallucinating :brainbleach: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor Report post Posted February 27, 2012 Hi all I owened both the singer 132K6 and the DY253. The Mitsi had reverse the singer didnt. they have inter-changebale parts and fit in the same bench and sew about the same with the spring "walking foot". OK if you want to sew not too thick a material but no good on heavy stuff. my pick is the 411 clone (Artisan or Cowboy etc) marvelous... Trevor "Way down under" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
