My Scout Group has a Singer 29k

[Guest Fin]

Hi there,

Just wondering if there is anyone on this forum that lives in or near Aberdeen, Scotland?

My Scout Group has a Singer 29k that we would like to put to some use but need someone knowledgeable to tell us how to set it up etc.

If we can't get the machine up and running we'll be getting rid of it :-(

 

If there's positive response, I'll reply with my email address.

 

Ta,

 

Fin

 

 

Edited July 18, 2018 by Northmount
Fixed title (was MR)

[Matt S]

Hi Fin,

I'm about 500 miles south of you so can't pop over im afraid. However perhaps I can offer some remote assistance?

The 29k is, as you may be aware, a patcher machine intended for sewing patches (repair or decorative) onto items made of cloth or leather. What would you be intending to use it for?

29Ks aren't terribly complicated machines. Is there something particularly wrong with yours or is it general help you're after?

Singer 29Ks are quite desirable so depending on it's condition you may find that selling it could bring your scout group some useful money.

Matt

[Constabulary]

What subclass is your 29K? There were several - like 29K3, 29K4, 29K33, 29K56, 29K60, 29k71 and so forth. Check the oval brass tag. When you have the subclass I´m sure someone can provide a manual.

Or post some pictures of your machine.

[Guest Fin]

Hi both, thanks for your responses.

You've asked the question I was dreading given the name of this forum - intended use?  It would be for repairing our canvas tents. Wouldn't need anything decorative, as long as we can sew canvas patches or new cords onto the existing canvas. 

It's a 29k15.  I've looked at various videos on how to thread and they all seem to give different methods and I've no idea what the purpose of a bobbin is?

Also I need to know is what size/type of thread and needle we should use?

As for selling - similar models are regularly on ebay and gumtree and never purchased - there's one for £50 currently that's getting no interest - and this is the quandary I'm left with: if we can't use or sell it (and we don't have the space to keep it) then....

 

 

Ta,

Fin

[chrisash]

Some 29k have a £450 asking price in the UK in working order

[Matt S]

6 hours ago, Guest Fin said:

You've asked the question I was dreading given the name of this forum - intended use?  It would be for repairing our canvas tents. Wouldn't need anything decorative, as long as we can sew canvas patches or new cords onto the existing canvas. 

It's a 29k15.  I've looked at various videos on how to thread and they all seem to give different methods and I've no idea what the purpose of a bobbin is?

Also I need to know is what size/type of thread and needle we should use?

As for selling - similar models are regularly on ebay and gumtree and never purchased - there's one for £50 currently that's getting no interest - and this is the quandary I'm left with: if we can't use or sell it (and we don't have the space to keep it) then....

That's cool, patcher machines like the 29k have a universal feed, which means you can make the stitches go whichever direction you like. This is ideal for something bulky like a canvas tent -- you just stick the bit that needs sewing under the foot. Let's say it's a square patch. You sew down one edge, turn the foot at the corner, repeat for the other three sides and overlap the start by a few stitches. Job jobbed, without the trouble of having to turn a big lump of canvas round four times and fit it through he machine.

You need class 29x3 needles for cloth. You can get them from eBay or a more specialist webshop. Largest thread you can probably use is TKT40 (what the Americans would call V69). Nylon is the most common and pretty cheap -- you can get it on eBay, Amazon, specialist webshops or your local sewing shop will probably have it. I pay £3.50 for 500m. Polyester is about double the price of nylon but is far more UV stable, which may be important if you're using your tents a lot. For TKT40 you'll need size NM110 needles. They cost about £1 each and come in packs of 5. You'll also need a threading wire (£2) and some bobbins.

I can't find a link to a manual for your exact machine but here is one for a different subclass. http://www.bootmaker.com/29-4.pdf It's pretty much the same and will give you the general idea.

Here is a GIF that shows the basic principle how a lock-stitch machine like yours works and why bobbins are needed:

The green circle is the bobbin. Sewing machines can't pass the needle thread all the way through the material like sewing by hand. Lock-stitch machines instead pull a loop of needle thread around the bobbin and pull it taught.

Have you thought about contacting sewing machine repair places near you Fin? They may be happy to help a scout group, or even make you an offer for your machine.

[Guest Fin]

Thanks Matt S, that's been a great help!  Will get a hold of the needles and thread soon - presumably the TKT40 comes in both nylon and polyester?  What would you recommend using for the wax pot at the top of the machine (if anything)?

Thanks for the link to the manual - the bobbin GIF wouldn't load up however.

If memory serves me right, I think I need something to attach the treadle to the machine - do I need something exclusive to this machine or is there a generic version?

 

Regards,

 

 

Fin

[jimi]

Hi Fin. I suppose you are talking about the round leather belt?? It measures approx 165cm long and 6mm diameter and is held together with the staple you see in the picture. They are about 3.50 on ebay i think?. The other picture shows the thread path on top if you were wondering and the small red arrow in the picture is pointing to the tip of the wire (the one for threading). If you can do something similar with an old piece of wire you could save yourself a couple of quid. if you could upload a picture Fin that would be helpful incase something is missing??

[Guest Fin]

Thanks for everyone's help. Whilst looking into getting the various items that I needed, I've managed to find someone local who will recondition the machine and get the correct bits and bobbins for me!  Will hopefully be up and running in a month!

Ta,

 

Fin