Questions about Singer 153w102

[FredBeagle]

Yesterday I got a pretty good deal on a Singer 153w102 got the thing for 300 dollars..... But today I called Singer and they told me they no longer offer technical support for their older machines and that I was on my own. I was able to down load the manual for it but it's pretty foggy about how to run the thread around the tension disk down and around the thread controller.. I was hoping for a video showing this but not have been able to find anything.. But I'm looking for somebody that could recommend the biggest needles this thing takes..Again Singer was no help at all.. The manual only says that Simanco are the official singer needles.. everybody else are just wanna bes..

 

But also I was wondering when this beast was made? I know that it will sew canvas and probably some light leather projects which is fine.. I mostly make knife sheaths,some purses and gun holsters.. One thing I like and dislike about it is this thing takes off like a scalded ape! My aunt use to work for Lee Jeans and from the sound of it this is probably the machine she use to use,

[shoepatcher]

It is bottom and needle feed machine.  Not a walking foot.  #138 thread is about the heaviest it will use.  135 x 17 needle system  Size 24 about the heaviest it will handle.  They say #25 in the book but not easy to find and  a big needle for #138 thread.  You can get parts.  They are out there.  may be Consew or Juki parts.

[Wizcrafts]

Try this online manual for the Singer 153 series machines

Singer has been completely out of the industrial sewing machine business for a very long time.

Your machine originally used system 135x7 (1901) needles, but, with a little height adjustment of the needle bar, can use readily available system 135x17 round point (cloth and webbing) and 135x16 leather point needles, available everywhere industrial sewing machines are sold.

The machines uses the same G size bobbins as the Singer 111 series machines.

[Wizcrafts]

You can find the date of manufacture of various Singer sewing machines, based upon the prefix letters and serial number, on Ismacs.

[FredBeagle]

That's a big help I appreciate it. I see you got a ton of machines. We bought a cowboy outlaw but to be honest. I'm rather disappointed with it. It has sewed up a ton of knife sheaths. Purses, Mig plyer sheaths,Gun holsters. One minute it does good then the next you have the bobbin thread getting all wadded up. Sometimes it binds and yes we're going all the way back with it.. Don't think it was ready for primetime and I was told this by a certain salesman that I bought it from. He was right. We've had to replace the cable one time. We had to do a ton of work to that thing to keep it running. So that's why I got this machine. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. But I think she'll do all right.