I Bought Another Singer....

[Wizcrafts]

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.

I used to do the same thing, way back when I started in the biz. My first industrial sewing machine was a Singer 96k40 (I think) straight stitch machine. When I learned its limitations I bought a 31 class spring foot machine. I found that all I had to do was shift the knee lever to hit the foot lifter tang in different positions and slightly adjust the motor position to account for the slight difference in height of the handwheel pulleys.

Not happy with that setup, I won a Pfaff 138 at an auction and made it fit on the same table, with a little tweaking. Going completely bonkers, I then acquired a Juki LU-563 and got it to fit the same table and knee lever. The table had a Singer 1/2 hp clutch motor. The oil drip pan was steel. I sure got a lot of use out of that one table! Four machine dropped in with very little tweaking.

[dikman]

I hadn't actually thought of it from that perspective, I was only going to do it temporarily just to run it. Hmmm. The only problem I have is that on that particular table I fitted a pulley reducer underneath so it's a bit of messing around changing things. I might have to modify the reducer adjustment to make it quicker to change over, I reckon that will work. It will also save space in not having to fit in another table. Plus that table's fitted with a servo.

Thanks for the idea guys.

[Sovran81]

IMO the ATF is a good choice for the clean up because it is high detergent and thin. It will get into the tight areas and break up any gunk and old grease while providing a lot more lubrication than fuel oil. After you get it all cleaned up, you can switch to a more suitable lube.

[dikman]

Yep, that's what I figured, Sovran, I find ATF is quite handy to keep around .

[dikman]

Ah, the joys of buying an old used machine.

I shifted it to my Singer 211's table.

First problem, no hinges so it listed badly to the rear! I swapped over the hinges - looks like I'll have to make another pair - and at least it then fitted properly. I had to fit a longer motor adjustment bolt to get enough adjustment to fit the belts.

Next problem, the knee lifter didn't do anything, the connecting rod on the machine was too short. Looking at the 211 I noticed that it had an "extension" piece fitted to the end of the lifting rod and it had a small roller wheel on the bottom to ride on the lifting plate. Rather than simply fitting a longer rod I decided to make a similar fitting, using a bearing salvaged from a hard disc drive as the roller. Works well.

Problem #3. Using the knee lifter I now had just over 3/8" clearance under the foot, but with the normal lifting lever I couldn't even get 1/4" of leather under it. I re-adjusted the presser foot, as it appeared to be out of adjustment relative to the vibrating foot, but that didn't help. I then noticed that the lifting lever had a lot of loose play in it so removed it . The lever had an awfully big hole compared to the pin that held it, so I guessed that it should have had a sleeve fitted around the pin. I made a suitable brass sleeve and now have over 1/4" clearance when the feet are lifted.

I then ran the machine, but without thread, and it ran fine. The stitch length adjuster also worked.

Next problem is the missing thread guides. The lower one will be easy to make, but the upper one is a problem (yes, I can get it overseas, and it's pretty cheap, but the shipping....). The problem is the same one I ran into with the Pfaff - the (metal) thread size, in this case, is US and I can't match it with anything I've got, including some of my US dies. I figure I'll find the closest fit to the thread on a piece of rod, drill the guide holes and then either use plumbing tape to pack out the threads or use Loctite.

I'm still not quite sure what I'm actually going to use this machine for .

[dikman]

The upper thread guide proved to be a simpler solution than I expected! Amongst the few bits that came with the machine were two short pieces of rod, one with a thread on the end (which fits the upper mount point) and the other has a hole in the end and a big blob of weld on it!! A closer look and it is (was?) the upper thread guide, which had snapped (!) at the lower guide hole and someone had attempted to arc weld it together. I ground off the weld and cleaned the metal, then silver soldered the two parts together. Drilled another thread hole, polished out the burrs and I now have an upper guide.

Yay!

Now to make a lower guide when it cools off, too hot outside for now.

[LumpenDoodle2]

You've put so much work into it, you'll definately find a use for it now.

[Constabulary]

Dikman - shipping for spare parts is not necessarily expensive. F.I small packages up to 500 Gramms can be shipped from Germany for approx $7 US worldwide. College Sewings cheapest rate is 8.50 GBP afaik

When I order spare parts from the UK or the US it is more expensive but I alway buy some extra screws, springs, needles, bobbins or what ever I think could be useful for one of my machines. You never know - it sucks when you loose a tiny screw while servicing a machine and have to order a 0.50 cent screw and pay $8 for shipping.

Thats what I have in my 111 type parts box - I may have mixed up some screws but I at least know that I have a replacement for most of the easy to loose screws. It´s also nice to have when you find a new (old) machine with missing small parts / screws or so.

[dikman]

Constabulary, do you have any company names for suitable suppliers in Germany, please? Most of my searching comes up with US/UK suppliers. So far I haven't needed to order parts for the Singers to get them going, but at some point I probably will.

Lumpendoodle, part of the enjoyment, for me, is getting these things going again, it's all good fun.

I've made the lower thread guide (I had a devil of a time getting the retaining screw loose!! Probably hadn't been touched for 40 years) so now I just need to thread it up and see what happens.

Yesterday I saw an ad for a Singer 188K for $50, advertised as a light industrial. Came with a nice old treadle table but had been motorized. I was very tempted, but 1) I've got nowhere to put it and 2) I have no need for a "light industrial" straight stitcher. Going to have to watch myself.......

Edited December 29, 2015 by dikman

[LumpenDoodle2]

These old machines can be a bit addictive.

Modern machines just don't have that look, sound, or feel about them.