I Bought Another Singer....

[dikman]

I'll pick it up tomorrow, although I'm still not completely sure just what it is!

The seller couldn't quite make out the model number, as it's all pretty grotty, but it sort of looks like it says 111WSV77 - and if anyone can find out anything about this particular model I'll be very impressed! The closest I can find is a youtube reference to a 111WSV71 - but that one is a needle feed, whereas this one appears to be a compound feed. I spent lots of time searching the 'net for any reference to it, and had to get the seller to email me some photos of the foot assembly to confirm it had two feet, needle bar and feed dog (she had no idea what I was talking about).

The youtube video made reference to the SV as being "Special Variance", a special model made for the military and being made with extra heavy/hardened materials. If so, it sounds like a good buy for $150 .

It's been sitting for a couple of years, but she said that the motor works and the needle moves (always a good start) but it will probably need a good cleaning and lubing. The table appears to be a "home-made" job, all welded square tubing, so I'll have to take an angle grinder to cut the legs off to get it in my car. Hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like it might have a speed reducer fitted too (clutch motor). My wife asked if I really need it, I said in all honesty no, but at that price it's a bargain for a 111 series walking foot.

[LumpenDoodle2]

Of course you need it, it's your moral duty to save such a machine from the abuse of just lying there, unused and unloved.

Anyway, you can never have too many sewing machines, especially Singers. ;-)

[dikman]

I should have added these photos (all I've got for now).

[Constabulary]

Tell your wife that you never can have enough cast iron.

This must be a very very early compound feed Machine. The feed dog looks like one from a needle feed machine. Looking for ward to seeing some more pictures.

[dikman]

Yep, I figured it might be pretty old (doesn't even have reverse ). The fact that I can't find any info on it has me intrigued.

[dikman]

Got it home. As I thought, the table is a home-made job, made from 1" square tube, and the top is 1/2" particle board! She didn't really want the table left, so I figured the 1" tube is always useful and I'll junk the top. The motor is an ordinary, garden variety 1/4 HP thing, but the interesting bit was the clutch/pulley fitting (see last photo). Don't know what I can use it for, but it's different.....

To the machine itself. It actually looks to be in pretty good condition. There is surface rust around the needle bar/presser feet, but the insides and underneath are pretty rust-free - but barely a trace of oil anywhere!!!!! I'll have to strip the needle bar area to clean it up, but the rest looks like all it needs is a good oiling.

As you can see from the label, it's definitely part of the 111 class, the W indicates it's made at Bridgeport (confirmed, I reckon, by the Made in USA on top), The SV I mentioned in the first post, but the model no. 77 has me beat. I would welcome any help on this one. In the meantime, can any of you highly knowledgeable chaps relate the photos to any other 111 machines? At least then I'll know which manual to get for it. And it's definitely a compound feed.

The thread tensioner assembly needs a bit of work on it and it looks like something has broken off just above it and to the right - there is a stub of shaft/bolt just showing.

I'll keep my eyes open for a cheap machine just to get a suitable table to use, in the meantime I'll clean it up a bit and get some oil into it (poor thing must be dying for a lube job ). Even with having to junk the rest of it, I'm more than happy with the head unit for $150.

Edit: I did a bit more digging around and it looks very much like the 111W152, so I downloaded the manual. The stitch length is the same (5spi max.) and it even has the thread lubricating box that's shown in the manual. It's strange that there doesn't seem to be any info on the "SV" designation, other than that one youtube vid.

Edited December 20, 2015 by dikman

[Constabulary]

Though it looks a bit nasty I would have bought it too. The upper thread guide is broken off. 111w parts are no problem. New tension units cost about $15 on Ebay and thread guide maybe $5. The timing belt could be a bit dry so I´d probably replace it. I would also switch to a different needle plate and feed dog. My 111G156 was not much better when I have found it and it is working very very well now.

You could make a speed reducer from the old clutch system.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Constabulary

[dikman]

Good idea about the clutch system. I reckon if I weld the rear freewheeling pulley to the adjacent pulley stack then it should work as a speed reducer.

I spent a fair bit of time on it today and it's looking good. The first thing I did was lubricate everything that looked like it would move, using ATF. Before anyone jumps on me, I used that because I wanted something that would lubricate but was very thin in order to work its way into the bearing surfaces. Once it's "soaked" for a while I'll work some heavier oil into it. Basically, everything is working as it should, although the stitch length adjustment is very tight so I've been working extra lube into the mechanism. While the paint finish is chipped and worn that's to be expected, but most of the rust is fairly light surface stuff. The needle bar and presser feet cleaned up ok with steel wool, but the worst are the two plates next to the feed plate with some pitting on them (bit they're still usable).

Timing appears to be correct.

The thread tension assembly needed a bit of work. There was minimal rusting and it cleaned up well, but the thread takeup spring had been butchered by someone. I used a spare from a domestic machine that I'd pulled apart and it only needed tweaking slightly with a pair of pliers (it's surprising the similarity there is between some of the domestic and industrial parts in Singer machines). The tension release didn't work when the presser foot was lifted and at first I thought the operating rod was worn, but that didn't make any sense. Further investigation showed that the lever arm at the rear wasn't lifting enough to push on the rod. I couldn't see any obvious adjustment so a bit of judicious bending with a pair of pliers fixed that. I also had to bend the lever arm on the rear of the tension assembly plate - now it works. Now I just need to make a replacement thread guide and that's it until I can get a table for it.

[dikman]

I downloaded a parts list for a 152 and it certainly appears to match up. I also realised that the handwheel has been fitted back-to-front (!) and figured out how the adjustments for the stitch length adjuster work, so backed it off a fraction and now it's much easier to adjust. I've also realised that the base plate is the same size as the 211G that I have, so I should be able to swap this one onto the table and get it working.

[Constabulary]

I´m also a "Machine Switcher" I run a 111G156, a 307G2 and also a 34K in the same table. That saves a lot of space.