Yep, I bought another one - 111W117

[suzelle]

2 minutes ago, suzelle said:

A friend of mine just offered me an oldie (full treadle base converted to electric motor) with I think a 39-15 head in it. So it is the bigger treadle base, he wants $50 for it and I'm tempted to get it. But wood table is in bad shape. He said he'd drop the price as he has been sitting on it a while and no space. Yikes! I would buy it just for the base, maybe. LOL. It's a sickness, saving the Singers. : )  Somebody has to do it.

I think I meant 31-15

[dikman]

At $50 that's a steal, and if he's prepared to drop it further.......I wouldn't hesitate for 1 second if someone offered me that!

[Constabulary]

On 22.2.2017 at 4:28 PM, Gregg From Keystone Sewing said:

111W116,W117.pdf

Singer Bridgeport Wheeler Wilson 111W Class.pdf

and here is mine - finally. Just have scanned it 

Singer 111w Class Machine Brochure.PDF

Edited March 5, 2017 by Constabulary

[dikman]

Excellent, Constabulary, I've added it to the growing list of documents that I have. The pictures explain a couple of things about mine, in particular that the thread tension parts are definitely non-standard. I also note that mine should have 1/2" clearance under the feet, so it would appear to have been re-adjusted 'cos it definitely hasn't got that much clearance.

 

[Constabulary]

You never know what Singer "tinkered" for their customers when they needed a machine for a special purpose. Industrial machines always have been "tuned" for some special purposes and you never know what the former owner or a dealer did with it. Thats just part of the "buying used machine game"

Edited March 6, 2017 by Constabulary

[dikman]

I doubt it is a Singer mod, it looks a little homemade (even though it's a pretty good job). It's just a really bizarre setup. Anyhow, my replacement tension assembly arrived today from Kunpeng. Very quick service and just bolts straight on.

[Yetibelle]

That Singer base is highly sought-after.  They clean up very nice and look great with the old machines. 

 

 

 

[dikman]

Nice! Mine has a single pedal but yep, I don't know where I can use it but I'll definitely clean it up and might even just put a nice table top on it. Whatever happens I'm not getting rid of it!!

[dikman]

It's cleaned up fairly well. The gray paint on the base is a fraction lighter in colour but close enough (it came from my modelling stuff - I used to make plastic kits) - and is an old Humbrol paint. My airbrush tip is just a little too fine for something this large but it was better than using a bigger spray gun. The metal plates around the needle area were rubbed down with fine wet and dry paper to remove most of the rust, then rubbed with steel wool and coated with a heavy wax. I figure the chances of getting replacement plates for this slightly weird beastie is probably nil and Buckley's so they'll have to do. Now all I need is the tension release slide mentioned in my other thread. Everything else appears to be in pretty good shape internally.

I'm toying with the idea of finding/making a suitable handwheel and fitting a handle to turn it into a handcrank machine. It also looks like it might handle #138 thread - maybe.

 

[dikman]

The previous owner had fitted a wooden handle to the handwheel (handle was too small and a very rough job of fitting it!). I made a bigger handle and used the vertical mill to get the handle to sit square to the wheel. This at least let me try running some thread through it. I had to drop the needle bar so that the hook could grab the bobbin thread but then worked fine and it ran some stitches in a piece of 5 oz. leather. It's going to need some adjusting though as it wasn't happy with a piece of 8 oz. (Using #69 thread and size 19 needle).

I'm now thinking that maybe I'll make a small box frame to fit the base (like the old domestic Singer's had). This will make it a "portable" machine, inasmuch as portable means it can be moved - it's still bloody heavy - but I have to get the thread release sorted, it's pretty hopeless without it!