Trying to bring old iron back to life

[iron1951]

Back in 2015 I joined this great group because I wanted to sew boat seats and I had bought a Consew 226 and knew nothing about it. I got some great help through the members and my machine is up and running well. My wife loves to use it too. Since then I have gotten the sewing machine bug.

My latest purchases (4) are 108W20, 21W30, 51W44 and 51W55. These are all rough machines. The 108W20 was semi-seized. So I searched the web and ran across Constabulary’s post on the 108W20. What a beautiful restore. Loved his motto ~ Keep "OLD CAST IRON" alive - it´s worth it ~. And since my avatar is iron1951 (iron was my nick name from high school) I feel it is my duty to restore.

I am going to need some help. I could use some links to good quality adjusters’ manuals. And my big problem right now is appropriate needles. I broke the one in 108W20. Have no spares. I am not sure if the needle in the machine was the correct one. After I adjusted the hook, on the first rotation the needle broke. It bottomed out as if too long.

[Bert51]

I just looked up the needle for the 108W20 on http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/model-list/classes-100-199.html

It gives the needle as being 135x1

Bert.

Edited September 22, 2019 by Bert51

[Constabulary]

It´s really worth it to keep old machines (not only sewing machines) alive or bringing them back to life - very rewarding! I´m not necessarily a green guy but I´m convinced that we have way to much junk products in our world today and we by far do not enough recycling so its a tiny bit of environmental protection too because things we restore  don´t have to be produced new (under unknown circumstances) and shipped over the ocean just for using them for a short period of time. A lot of things are already there - just brush them up and use them again!

I can send  you an instruction manual for the 108w20 when you send me your email address by PN.

It would also be nice to see what you are doing on your machines so if you have the time please open some restoration threads for your machines

[iron1951]

Bert51, thanks for the link to ismacs.net. What a comprehensive data base.

Does anyone know if there is a cross-over data base for sewing machine needles? Where would be a good source for purchasing needles? I would really like to know more about sewing needles.

[iron1951]

I think I got the hang of needles now. Needle size depends on thread diameter. For example for a 69 thread I would use a 16/100 or 18/110. Its the class-variety that would mess me up. For my machines I am going to need 135x17, 135x1 and a 128x3. The https://ismacs.net/needle_and_shank/needle-cross-reference-chart-round-shank.html helped me pick out manufacturer's numbers. Not all manufacturers carry all classes. I was guessing one size fits all, like the domestic machines. Wrong. So I am on my way to purchase the correct needle for each machine.

[mikesc]

Very useful page that, I had not seen it before, downloaded and pinned to my browser, ( and yet I have ismacs.net already pinned there for years now ) thank you for the link to it iron1951 :)

[Bert51]

Here is a listing for all 135 needles.

Bert.

[mikesc]

Thank you Bert :)

[iron1951]

Thanks Bert.

[Bert51]

Here is another I posted some time back, that I found useful.

Bert.

Industial Needle Companrisiion.pdf

[iron1951]

Thanks again. That is great information. Is all this information, both posts, from one book?

Edited September 25, 2019 by iron1951
clarification

[mikesc]

Thanks again Bert, I missed that one 1st time around. :)

[Bert51]

No iron 1951, two different sources.

I have the book that I took the first 3 pages from and I borrowed the last page from a ebay seller, who sadly was to busy to copy his book for me.

I thought I would post the last page again in case it was missed the first time, handy page.

Bert.