Stepping back and restarting conservative - Singer 15-91

[Vinito]

I got a little bug for leather lately and picked up a shoe patcher kind of by accident. That got me thinking along the lines of sewing machines and researching.

From what I've read, for basic straight stitching of lighter to medium stuff in general, there are a few vintage domestic machines out there in pretty high regard. I figured maybe rather than blow the savings on a heavy leather machine, I might do well to cut my teeth on something which can sew somewhat heavier things reliably and still be able to do light things well too. I know I can use something like that often enough to warrant the much lower cost. And if the future throws enough heavy jobs in front of me enough to warrant a need or even a want, then I can start to look at a heavy compound feed of some kind. For the low volume I will do as a newby anyway, I can hand stitch heavy stuff, the learning of which is probably not a bad thing in the first place.

Do this sound logical or just stingy? (keep in mind, I'm really green to working with leather to begin with)

Picked up this beauty today, for $50. Singer 15-91. It appears to work like a champ and runs as smooth as... a sewing machine! (I figure that saying must have been coined before the 1970's when sewing machine design and build quality started to drop dramatically )

The investment didn't hurt at all, and even if I drop this hobby like a rock, the mechanical beauty of these things is worth keeping around just for the art (IMO). Wonderful piece of machinery. I'm a machinist, so this stuff is just awesome to me. Anyways... yep that's a single layer of 8-oz veg tan. Struggles too much going through 2 layers, but even one layer I'm impressed. The stitch itself in one layer is very nice. That'll do... for now.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Vinito

[Wizcrafts]

I used to run a 15-91, before getting industrial machines. I found it was limited to 8 ounces, total, with no bigger than #69 bonded thread. The feed is bottom only. The pressure needed to hold down hard leather tends to drag the stitch length down. A Teflon foot helps it feed sticky materials.

A word of warning. You will burn out the pod motor trying to sew above 1/8 inch of leather. A working or rebuilt replacement motor will cost over $100 on eBay. Keep a fire extinguisher close.

[mikesc]

They are nice little machines..I have the twin of yours, same end plate I think.. ( but mine is pure treadle, no motor, never had one  ) ..But..more than two pieces of 3 oz leather ( chrome tan ) and it won't like it..More than two pieces of 2 oz veg tan, it wont like it either..That is when sewn as two thicknesses..( one on top of the other ) ..3 thicknesses of either and it will be very unhappy.and the leather will not be moving smoothly through, dropped / missed stitches, and layers out of alignment.But..I'm keeping mine..just because ..

I don't use it for leather..But just because it is a pleasure to sew textiles with..as long as they are not too thick..

Edited September 2, 2019 by mikesc

[Vinito]

haha. Yeah I wanted to test this thing out thus the patch, but I sure don't intend to make a habit of maxing out the power of this thing. Anything short of a motor rewind, I am pretty used to doing for a living, so even if I did mess it up I might be able to rebuild it with bionic parts. I'd rather it just keep working though.

But thanks for the warning. My intentions are to only put stuff together that is mostly well within the medium range of its capacity. Like I said, if I start to need something more powerful, I'll look into that then.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Vinito

[Matt S]

20 hours ago, Vinito said:

From what I've read, for basic straight stitching of lighter to medium stuff in general, there are a few vintage domestic machines out there in pretty high regard. I figured maybe rather than blow the savings on a heavy leather machine, I might do well to cut my teeth on something which can sew somewhat heavier things reliably and still be able to do light things well too. I know I can use something like that often enough to warrant the much lower cost. And if the future throws enough heavy jobs in front of me enough to warrant a need or even a want, then I can start to look at a heavy compound feed of some kind. For the low volume I will do as a newby anyway, I can hand stitch heavy stuff, the learning of which is probably not a bad thing in the first place.

Do this sound logical or just stingy? (keep in mind, I'm really green to working with leather to begin with)

Picked up this beauty today, for $50. Singer 15-91. It appears to work like a champ and runs as smooth as... a sewing machine! 

The investment didn't hurt at all, and even if I drop this hobby like a rock, the mechanical beauty of these things is worth keeping around just for the art (IMO). Wonderful piece of machinery. I'm a machinist, so this stuff is just awesome to me. Anyways... yep that's a single layer of 8-oz veg tan. Struggles too much going through 2 layers, but even one layer I'm impressed. The stitch itself in one layer is very nice. That'll do... for now.

For fabrics and textiles yes the old domestics are pretty good, especially if speed isn't very important. Proper, "real" casting, machining and fitting. I've got one myself, it comes in handy for certain things and doesn't take up much room on the shelf. $50 is a great buy and what you'll learn is certainly worth the price of admission, IMHO. However leather is a very different animal (pun intended) than fabric. The motor is but one limiting factor when you try to use a domestic machine on leather, and you'll come up against a hard stop before long. Think along the lines of someone saying "why buy a lathe, you can just lay a pillar drill on its side!" From first evidence they look like they do the same thing but there are fundamental and massive differences in construction that massively affect their capabilities and how long they'll last when pressed into a role for which they are unsuited.

Quote

before the 1970's when sewing machine design and build quality started to drop dramatically )

Domestic machines maybe, but there's plenty of good quality modern industrials still being produced to this day. I like vintage machines (I run a 100-year-old heavy harness stitcher, amongst others) but modern machines are frankly better in every regard except for one -- aesthetics. Look inside an Adler, Pfaff, Seiko or Juki from any time period and it'll impress you.

Being a machinist you may be interested to know that Johansson made the first set of gauge blocks using his wife's sewing machine, modified for lapping. 

Oh and here's an excellent film from the Singer factory in Kilbowie, Scotland in 1934 that I bet would interest you. Not an injection-moulded part in sight! 

 

[mikesc]

Matt ..As I don't allow youtube when I'm on here..I see nothing on that lnk to youtube..

Is that the one from here

https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1592

If so, I don''t think they allow it on youtube..( it is still in copyright ) If it isn't that one ..the NLS one in that link is well worth watching, I posted it a few days ago..again ( jimi's turn next ) ..sand and plaster casting I think there..Must watch it again, to be sure..to be sure..

A lot of "background" information in the NLS link..

Edited September 3, 2019 by mikesc

[Matt S]

Yes Mike it's the same video.

[Sheilajeanne]

Did they cast those machines using the lost wax method?

[mikesc]

I'd need to watch it again ( to be sure what the method was ) I've always paid more attention to the application of the paint and the gold leaf the previous times I've seen it.Lost wax would work, but you get through a huge amount of wax when doing that kind of volume, not like when producing lost wax molds for sculpture or jewellery.

Edited September 3, 2019 by mikesc

[Matt S]

32 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Did they cast those machines using the lost wax method?

Wooden patterns, I think.