Do I Have A "complete" Busm / Pearson #6 - Or What?

[Constabulary]

I have to do some repairs on my and a friends army tent but these canvas monsters are heavy and I don´t want to rip apart my Singer 133K carry it downstairs reassemble everything just to find out that the machine can´t do the job. So in the recent days I was hunting for a proper "tent repair machine"...

I´m sure flat bed machines are better for the job but I stumbled over this one by accident and by the Lord I could not resist buying it and so picked it up today.

So from what I can tell it is a BUSM / Pearson #6 but (maybe) made in Germany or "relabeled" BUSM for a German distributor. I will do some research to find out more...

Anyway - here are some pictures for the cast iron lovers out there:

Edited April 3, 2015 by Constabulary

[Constabulary]

Due to the gray paint job (German field gray?) I would guess it has a military background but don´t know for sure. Maybe its just the standard paint for the German distributor.

Some pictures of the accessories that came with the machine.

Nice bunch of needles & presser feet and even some longer presser feet which not belong to this machine afaik - or do they?

Edited April 3, 2015 by Constabulary

[Constabulary]

got it - the long "presser feet" are needle guides

Edited April 3, 2015 by Constabulary

[amuckart]

looks complete, and with a good range of feet too, good score.

[Constabulary]

Hey amuckart - thanks for jumping in. Yes, I was amazed when I was unpacking everything. Yet I don´t know if I will keep the machine when I´m done with the repair. So in case of keeping it I will probably restore and give it a new paint job . You also have restored a BUSMC #6 right?

[amuckart]

Hey amuckart - thanks for jumping in. Yes, I was amazed when I was unpacking everything. Yet I don´t know if I will keep the machine when I´m done with the repair. So in case of keeping it I will probably restore and give it a new paint job . You also have restored a BUSMC #6 right?

Partly

I disassembled and reassembled it as a test, then dismantled it again and stripped the paint but never got to the point of reassembling it fully. A few years ago I came down with a chronic neurological condition that has taken most of the dexterity in my hands, along with my ability to move big lumps of cast iron about. After the machine had sat for too long I gritted my teeth and sold it. I regret that, of course, but at the time it seriously looked like I'd never be able to work on machines again.

What I will say is that for all that it's big and looks like it has lots of moving parts the HM6 is a fairly simple machine. Everything is on the outside, so it's quite easy to work out what does what. They were built to last, and built to adjust into wear at the high wear points, so they come apart and go back together again fairly easily. I'd rate a No.6 as easier than a Singer 45k25.

I had mine soda blasted to strip it and was planning have it powdercoated black. I did that with my 45k and I was very happy with the results. The thing I did wrong was to assume that the powdercoaters could mask it for me, but the machine is way too complex for that and they said they couldn't do it so would have to mask it myself and bring it back to them. If you're just going to re-paint with 2-pack spray paint or something masking is easy but masking for powdercoaters is hard. It took me so long to find the right silicone plugs for the screw holes etc. that the machine had started to pick up surface rust.

If I'd had the masking gear ready and had taken it straight from the soda blaster, masked it and given it to the powdercoater, it would have been fine.

If I were doing it again, I'd probably do the stand first, get that all ready, then strip the machine, repaint it, mount the main frame on the stand and reassemble it on there.

As far as I could see all the screws in it are BSW and you can still get Whitworth tap and die sets, so if you need to manufacture any replacements it's a lot easier than with the strange proprietary screws in Singer machines.

Another thing to mention explicitly is that you've got a complete bobbin winder there, including the top wax pot. Do not let that go! They are rare as hen's teeth and worth quite a lot.

I'm curious about the pedal on the left hand side of the stand. I would like to see photos of that when it's assembled to see what it does.

[Constabulary]

That makes me confident!

Now that you mention soda blasting - I have a Co. nearby that is doing dry ice blasting (no soda blasters in my era). Maybe thats an option. I´ll contact them next week.

I just figured the left pedal is a clutch pedal. The machine once was motor driven. I have almost assembled everything but I´m not sure if the clutch system is complete.

[gordond]

Cool machine!..nice set of feet as well ...and as Al ; said the winder is worth $$!!

I often end up [reluctantly] die grinding the bare castings - not surprising - the heavy coatings they used covered all the sins[ I'm referring to Japan finish here- though I have encountered factory filler- Singers/ Dania and others].

the point of doing it is that after putting so much time into a restoration- skimping on the basic work as we know is false economy.

HM6's are not too bad but always seem to have some rough parts and some pinholes in particular spots that WILL always stand out -and drive you nuts in not fixing it from the start..[pinholes hold oil which needs to be heated and bled out- heavy grade Singers seem to be quite bad with this - mainly the thick section castings which makes sense]

the last HM6 restored took almost as much time on the stand let alone the machine- reason was the state of the casting [shrunk back hollows , spue , uneven location in the casting box leaving steps in the cast- so on -so on]..I am redoing the livery and wasn't happy with it - not a big thing.

Edited April 5, 2015 by gordond

[Constabulary]

Hey Gordond - I already admired your machines. I stumbled over the pictures when I was googling for Pearson #6 pictures. Very nice machines - really really well done!!!! A Pearson w/o bobbin winder does not make much sense but seems most sell without it as it seems. I always loved these machine and never thought of finding one on this side of the pond. Seems I treated the easter bunny well last year.

Mine is missing the driving rod between the pedals and the short arm of the balance wheel on the stand. Were these rods made of wood or metal? Could you give me some measures like thickens, width, length and distance between the 2 holes...? That really would help me.

[gordond]

thanks!....Al was going to get a pick axe handle and cut it down for a drive rod [i'll probably do the same for a couple of machines that are missing them]...ie/. straight grain Hickory..pic in'c shows ~ 397mm centres..they are left hand thread bolts.. getting too late to start taking apart[everyone asleep] .but will take some measurements in the daytime

[gordond]

interesting array of parts there - a few changes to suit the motor [extended main shaft and pulley] plus mount adages on the stand.

there are few different things about this machine - stitch lever and associated cam.

[Constabulary]

Interestingly mine has no bolts, mine has brass studs and a washer on each side but maybe the studs are left threaded. So I´d guess mine had probably a metal rod. Some pictures:

Yes, mine was motor driven but seems a couple of parts are missing to get the clutch mechanism working. I will strip it down for treadle use. So I may have some parts I no longer need. I´m not a collector, I´m a user so maybe someone else can use the parts for restoring another machine.

I just noticed most parts are marked with 6HM so I would guess when the Pearson´s / BUSMC´s have the same numbers they will be interchangeable.

How is the stitch lever and cam looking on your machines.

There is not much documentation for these machines so maybe we can put together some detailed pictures for comparison.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Constabulary

[Constabulary]

I also noticed IVI markings - is it an abbreviation?

And what is this box for? I found no place where I could mount it. The stud fits in a hole on the arm but there are not threads of holes for screws. I thought it could be s spare parts box or so but Im not sure.

And some more pictures of the bobbin winder. The spindle for the thread roll is missing as it seems.

So this is how it look temporarily assembled - I have to buy some nuts + bolts

[gordond]

The box is a wax pot. ..should be bolt holes in the machine body....IVI is I think was a associated or subsidiary company- needles were labeled as IVI

I will take some more photos today and post later to clarify the differences.

Edited April 5, 2015 by gordond

[gordond]

Photo of stitch arm cam

via phone in the basement. .excuse the low quality awkward photos

[Constabulary]

I see - really different! Mine has the stitch length adjuster on that end. The scale shows a max. stitch length of 3 1/2 and the max. RPM of 420 rpm´s. Where do you adjust your stitch length? Seems you can´t do it on the cam, right? Can you post a picture of the backside of the machine w/o stand?

BTW - this morning I just found this website of the British United Shoe Machinery History group:

www.buhistory.org.uk/tag/machinery

And when you scroll down you´ll find a video of a CO. called IVI METALLICS - so I´d guess this the Company that produces metal parts for BUSMC and did the cast iron work too.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Constabulary

[gordond]

yes ..stitch length adjustment - missing /or different configuration indeed-- even the original Pearson had the dial on the front-- you have a radically different machine...guess it is set on the end of the stitch length arm from what I can see.

inc' older photos for better viewing [plus an IVI reference from a 1911 BUSM catalogue]

Edited April 6, 2015 by gordond

[Constabulary]

Thnaks for the pictures.

Okay - found the holes for the wax pot but why a 3rd wax pot on the backside? What is it for?

I wonder which machine is the later production - yours or mine? I have found a number on top of the head. Is this the serial number?

I also have found another USM / BUSMC 6 with stitch lenght aduster on the back. But this one is made for (or in) France.

This is also the "cheapest" BUSMC I have found

http://www.sieck.de/maschinen/neuzugaenge/details/5164/

[gordond]

Steve [singermania] might be able to answer that - he has some outstanding complete wax heating setups on some of his machines..he could answer any question on these.

With the population size here - HM6's are in the low numbers - so we rarely get to see anything remotely complete [or even a remnant of the brass wax gear] -

the rear pot is tubed through to a front wax apparatus - waxing the needle and thread [stephen in Canada-GreenMan leather has one] - found the photo of it

I have the following 4 x no6's : original Pearson : # 5041...BUSM HM6 : # 7006..#7114..#7536..

I think Les [in the UK] said that the numbers produced went up to 11480 or something like that

interesting has a G prefix [Germany I guess]

that's great finding the reference - makes sense now -the new "improved" model- hehe!- yep- gotta love that price!

Edited April 6, 2015 by gordond

[amuckart]

Thnaks for the pictures.

Okay - found the holes for the wax pot but why a 3rd wax pot on the backside? What is it for?

It's not a wax pot, it's a water reservoir for the hot waxing system. There was a pipe that went from it though a hole in the machine to the water bath on the front when they were fitted with the hot waxing apparatus.

[gordond]

Aah..water reservoir. ..that makes sense now- thanks Al

[Constabulary]

Thanks Al! The heating system is for sewing with pitched thread or for very sticky wax, right? So this is a part I don`t need.

[amuckart]

Constabulary, on 07 Apr 2015 - 5:06 PM, said:

Thanks Al! The heating system is for sewing with pitched thread or for very sticky wax, right? So this is a part I don`t need.

Yes. The heating system had a hot wax bath that sat under the shuttle race which the needle dipped into at the bottom of its stroke.

The hot wax was similar to shoemaker's pitch, but I don't know the exact details of it. Similar wax is still used in some needle & awl machines for sewing soles onto shoes.

[Constabulary]

IT´S ALIVE... HA HA HA HA.... ALLLLIIIIIIIIVE

The former owner cut metric threads into the shuttle tension spring an insert some odd screws. Bottom thread always hung up and broke because of the oversizes and odd shaped heads. I replaced them with some shop made screws with reduced head diameter and flattened heads. I cut deeper slits into the screws and polished the heads... shuttle is ready to go! Thank God for the Dremel tool.

I have to play with the tension + foot pressure a little bit but the 1st attempt was not too bad.

Seems I have a working BUSMC #6 now

Thanks a lot to Al Muckart & Gordond !!!

I´m sure I will have some more questions later

Edited April 8, 2015 by Constabulary

[Singermania]

HI, no its not the BUSMC machine, the Pearson was made in three countries, Britian, France and Germany. Yours is the Deutchland VSG manufacturer, you don't see many about, I also have one, only one in Australia.