Singer 211 (G156) Question

[Kwild]

Hello everyone,

I'm newly signed up here, but have been admiring the work many of you produce for some time. I've been searching for a while for an affordable workhorse of a machine, and finally found an old Singer 211 G156 close to me that is in excellent working order (and was within my budget.)

The previous owner of this machine removed the knee-lift lever arm from the back of the machine, and subsequently lost it and all of it's hardware. All of the screws are still available for this part, but unfortunately the arm (Singer Part # 508274 Knee Lifter Lifting Lever) and bracket that screws to it (Singer Part # 508270 Tension Release Actuating Spring) are not.

I've ordered the small bits for it from a local industrial supplier, and I'm hoping that someone here who has this, or a similar machine would be kind enough to give me measurements of these parts so that I could fabricate them. They're relatively simple bits stamped and drilled from flat steel plate. These parts are interchangeable between several of the 211 sub-models such as the G155, G156, G255, G256,

This is a picture I pulled from the internet of the back of a machine just like mine. The long pivoting lever across the back is what I'm hoping to find, or get the dimensions of. The small bracket attached to it at the central pivot screw is hard to see in the photo, but is the other part I'm looking for. If you click in the image, it will pop up full size.

Thanks for any assistance or insight you're able to provide!

Kris

Edited December 7, 2015 by Kwild

[Constabulary]

I´m not 100% certain but maybe the lifting arm for the Consew´s may work. They at least work on the Singer 111 - not sure which I have ordered but I would guess that both would work.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONSEW-227-CYL-W-F-FOOT-LIFT-LIFTING-LEVER-13056A-/120926496799?hash=item1c27c7e81f:g:UF0AAOSwDNdV4LB4

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONSEW-206RB-KNEE-LIFTER-LIFTING-LEVER-/290723356033?hash=item43b0765d81:m:mldhAL6SVn-OpwftFqtQ6uA

[Kwild]

Thanks for the link to those options. They look similar, but there are definitely some subtle differences. I'd hate to order one just to find out it didn't work. Maybe some more homework into the exchangeability of this part with other manufacturers in in order.

Kris

[Wizcrafts]

I would contact some industrial sewing machine dealers and see if any of them have that model as a parts machine. I've done that in the past. Bob Kovar, owner of Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines, has tons of old Singer sewing machines in the back of his warehouse. Gregg from Keystone Sewing has been in business since the Ark landed on dry ground. Raphael Sewing has been in business in Quebec for decades and is known here as Techsew. Nick-O-Sew has lots of parts too and I suspect that Cobra Steve has accumulated a bunch too.

[Kwild]

Great tip. I hadn't considered that repair shops might keep a boneyard of donor machines around for parts. I'll seek some of my more local ones first.

Kris

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

These lifting lever arms on the 211s really are not a copy of anything else are really are proprietary to the 211 series. Singer 111W had many copies of Japanese that would swap out in some cases, but not this here.

Best best, like said, is to find the same parts from an old 211, but this means robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak. Keep in mind, not all lifting levers are the same from 211 to 211 subclass, so be careful there, too.

[Kwild]

Will do. Thanks. I'll update if I actually manage to track one down.

Kris

[Darren Brosowski]

To confuse things the 211G is different to most of the rest of the 211 class and has a striking resemblance to the PFAFF version

Most dealers have some sort of "boneyard" as we know it is the only way to have that one part that turns a doorstop into a sewing machine.

Some of the newer people in the business don't and I will not criticize them for it. Holding old machines is space, time and money so if it is not a focus of your business then there is no point.

[silverbullet]

I think if you have some mechanical ability it wouldn't take much to make a bar that will work for you. A couple of bends and holes a spring or two. If you were close to me I know I could make you one.

[Kwild]

Thanks to the generous assistance of another member here, I've fabricated the missing parts and have a fully functional lifting and tension release mechanism. Thanks for the suggestions and support.

Kris