Singer 78-3 What Do You Know?

[catskin]

I am posting this because I tried search with several different wordings and found nothing about this machine. If it on here I could not find it.

Bought a singer 78-3 today at an auction. Took me all of 5 minutes to get it sewing and it never missed a stitch. I just turned it by hand since the motor on it was just a tiny little household type motor. I intend to fix that soon.

Now what I would like some help with is what is the right needle for it? Where might I get a bobbin winder and at what cost. Does anyone else use one of these? It seems to go through 6 plies of deer skin (about 1/4 inch ) easily and with needle feed seems to be suited to leather sewing.

[Constabulary]

I´m pretty sure it uses the same bobbin winder like the most of the industrial type sewing machines.

Like this one: www.ebay.com/itm/321197399457

Needle system is 16x100

Here is a direct link to the manual (it will download immediately) from the Singer website. It will answer most of your questions I think.

parts.singerco.com/IPinstManuals/78-1_2_3.pdf

Edited May 11, 2014 by Constabulary

[CowboyBob]

Yes,a standard bobbin winder will work.We always use the 135x16 needles in these as the 16x99 &100 aren't made anymore.

[catskin]

Thanks for your replies and links.

Hi Bob, My 4500 is doing fine.

I was wondering if it would make sense to move the needle bar up and use needles that I have for my 29 K 51, If I read the box right they are a 135 needle. Also what would you consider the max. as far as thread and needle size to use in this machine? Are other feet available such as double toe or blanket ( with teeth on the bottom )

Am I right that these machines have a huge advantage over the 31-15 being they have the needle feed? I helped my neighbor get a 31-15 running, it sews fine on cloth but has trouble feeding even 2 ply of deer skin where this one seems to feed 6 ply without a problem.

I would be very happy to hear from all who have or have used one of these machines, what you have done.

[catskin]

Can someone please tell me what changes need to be made to make the 135X16 needles work. I have lots of needles that it says on the box that they are 135 but they are longer from the eye to the point so when I set the needle bar up so the hook comes into the scarf just above the eye the point hits the bobbin case. They are genuine Singer needles for my 29K51 patcher. Are there 135 needles that are shorter from eye to point?

[Wizcrafts]

Adjust the position of your needle bar to place the hook inside the scarf area, above the eye of the needle.

[catskin]

Thanks Wiz.

I did that and that is when the needle hits the bobbin case. Or maybe I should say the bobbin case hits the needle and wants to break it pushing it forward. In order for the needle to not hit the bobbin holder the hook comes at or below the eye. As Bob said they use a 135X16 needle in these machines so I am wondering how they make them work. Or does the 29k51 not use a 135 needle? The box they came in says 135.

[Wizcrafts]

The hook point must intersect the scarf area above the eye of the needle on the upstroke, after about 1/8" of lift. If you can't lower or raise the needle bar to meet the hook, try re-timing the hook. This calls for loosening the screw/bolt/clamp that secures the hook to the shaft that drives it.

Using the hand wheel, lower the needle to BDC, then raise it about 1/8 inch and stop. If the point of the hook is rotationally before the needle, advance it. If it has passed the needle, retard it. If your needle is still too high or low, adjust the needle bar to place the hook above the eye on the upstroke.

If you have trouble balancing these two items, the hook point may be damaged. Replace the entire unit. Dinking around with old worn out parts is a losing proposition more often than not.

There were a couple of system 135 designations. The more common one is 135x16 and 135x17, which is the standard walking foot machine needle. There is/used to be a 135x7, which is not the same needle.

Singer no longer makes patcher needles. Patch owners now have to use system 135x16. The difference is that these needles have a cut-out scarf and the old 29x4 are straight all the way down the shaft.

[catskin]

I think I got it fixed. Yesterday I was playing with it with the needle that came with it and it was sewing, while I was doing that I cleaned out a bit of dust and lint. Today without making any adjustments I put in a patcher needle and it does not hit anything and sews. I am thinking that there must have been some lint and or dirt stuck in some place that was hitting the needle and pushing it and I got it out without seeing where it had been.

[Nmcdorman]

I have a 78-3 Singer than I’d like to sell (it was a distant relatives). How could I find what they are worth and what avenue would be best to sell it? (Craigslist, eBay, etc?) I just wasn’t sure the best route for selling a sewing machine like this 

[CowboyBob]

Sight unseen is hard to price,condition of the table ,if the machine sews or not,so with that in mind from $150.00 - $450.00,try FB marketplace or Craiglist.

[leecopp]

On 5/3/2020 at 9:41 PM, Nmcdorman said:

I have a 78-3 Singer than I’d like to sell (it was a distant relatives). How could I find what they are worth and what avenue would be best to sell it? (Craigslist, eBay, etc?) I just wasn’t sure the best route for selling a sewing machine like this 

Fwiw, these machines are not very common .. consider it to be the industrial version of the Davis Vertical Feed machines. Great for binding and other multi later construction. Plus side is they can be adjusted to use common needles (135-16 or 135-17), uses same bobbin as singer 31-15 and uses domestic class 15 bobbins. Replacement presser feet are difficult to find as are other parts.  Fun / capable machine for hobbyist.  It cannot do lightweight garment work. Value is entirely buyer/market driven.

Some more information on my  web page https://sites.google.com/site/oldironmachines/home/singer-78-1   78-3 is supposed to be rated for heavier work than the 78-1, but a couple tries at comparing part numbers (of course the lists were in different formats) were inconclusive.  Happy Day

Lee

[cdthayer]

On 5/3/2020 at 8:41 PM, Nmcdorman said:

I have a 78-3 Singer .....the best route for selling a sewing machine like this 

Try to get into contact with someone in the Quilting Community (as in, "quilting ladies").  The Singer 78-3 makes an excellent machine for "stitch in the ditch" quilting fabric and batting sandwiches together (Tex30 thread) without ending up with puckers.

CD in Oklahoma

 

[MrHydez]

I hope someone sees this and has an answer. 
 

I just got a 78-3 and unfortunately upon loading it into the car… the sewing machine fell. The balance wheel shattered. Yes, I almost cried. 
 

anyway, I’m having a hard time trying to find a replacement that will work. An oem part would be amazing but will take anything that’ll work at this point. Thanks!

[Constabulary]

@MrHydez  If the shaft diameter on your machine is 1/2" then a Singer 111 hand wheel probably could fit. Maybe you need some spacers to align it with the motor pulley (maybe not).

https://www.bmfwholesale.com/product/hand-wheel-singer-number-240545/

[MrHydez]

On 4/9/2024 at 6:31 AM, Constabulary said:

@MrHydez  If the shaft diameter on your machine is 1/2" then a Singer 111 hand wheel probably could fit. Maybe you need some spacers to align it with the motor pulley (maybe not).

https://www.bmfwholesale.com/product/hand-wheel-singer-number-240545/

Thank you!

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.

 

would you happen to know what type of servo motor I could use on the singer 78-3? Would most work for it?

 

Sorry,  l’m very new to sewing machines. I could talk about lasers and computers all day long but sewing machines will take a bit of time for me to learn.