What Kind Of A Singer 31- Is This?

[Rolling Stone]

I've been away from the forum for a while. I just acquired this machine and can't find out much about it on my own. The serial # is AB088496. (mfg year 1926). If there was ever a model plate it has disappeared. Someone has lettered with a paint pen Model 31-. I have exhausted my detective skills looking at all the sites I know of for a manual. I have found many 31's but none with the needle feed. This seems to be a good tight machine with a new (servo?) motor. It is on a good bench with spool holders and thread guides. It also has what appears to be a complete bobbin winder and bracket. There is a spring thing-a- ma-jig attached to the presser foot that I can't identify. Can any of you possibly help me find out more about this machine? I will surely appreciate it. Many thanks in advance.

[Wizcrafts]

Spring return walking foot model. Maybe an early 31-20. I had a later model with that type of feed. It was very unreliable on slick belts and no good with thick thread. The stitch length varied depending on the grip the foot had on the top grain. When the feed dog drops below the surface the foot springs forward for the next stitch. It sometimes pushes the material forward with it.

But, if the price is nice.....

[Rolling Stone]

Thanks Wiz. The price was a trade on a Uberti "Colt clone" Storekeepers model.

I got a reply from TalkToUs@singerco.com a little while ago.

Our records show that serial #AB088496 belongs to Singer Model 99 (not a 31).

manufactured on April 10, 1928 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. (not 1926 as the web site shows).

OK, the model 99 and 99k look a lot like my machine but they also have feed dogs through the plate and don't appear to be needle fed. (3rd vertical shaft in the head).My presser foot is in two pieces. The needle goes through a hole in the right hand side. This part has serrations on the bottom. When the needle and presser foot half move the material, presser foot on the left rises to allow feeding. When the feed stops the left side goes down, holding the material and all is repeated. There are no feed dogs through the plate. The spring dooey doesn't appear to do anything except be attached to the screw holding the left part of the p. foot to it's shaft. I'm thinking it must be some kind of guide?

Still looking for an example like this.

[machinehead]

Your machine is either a 78-1 or an 78-3. Not a 31 class machine at all.

[tnawrot2]

Could that spring thing attached to the foot be a thread cutter, you would pull the thread up through the spring and a blade would cut the thread and hold it tight.

[Rolling Stone]

B I N G O

I think we have two winners. After looking for and downloading the manual for 78-1 through 3, I find the machines to be exactly like mine.

Upon closer examination of the spring dooey, I find it probably is a thread cutter. I thought the tapered piece was a ramp of some sort but upon closer examination it is a blade kind of like an exacto knife blade. Looks like a smart design to hold the thread after cutting.

Thanks guys, I am in your debt.

Rolling Stone

[gottaknow]

The spring gizmo is a cutter indeed and we still use that style in the factory, usually on chainstitch and coverstitch machines. Most of our lockstitch machines have underbed thread trimmers. From a production standpoint, those cutters are efficient if sharp. Still faster than reaching back with snips. Kind of a neat find on that old Singer.

Regards, Eric

[Trox]

Thats the first time I have seen those thread cutters, very interesting, what about a sharper close up pic.

Thanks

Tor

[Rolling Stone]

http://www.cutexsewi...D-CUTTER/Detail

seems like the easiest way pass on the information.

Edited April 27, 2013 by Rolling Stone

[Trox]

http://www.cutexsewi...D-CUTTER/Detail

seems like the easiest way pass on the information.

Thank you, a bit small but I got the picture. I try to say I understand how it works now.

Thanks again

Tor