211W155 Is this part supposed to move

[TomWisc]

I am having problems with my Singer 211W155. I got the machine a few months ago and am just now getting around to trying it out. When I first got the machine I manually operated it for several stitches sewing a couple pieces of leather together and it worked fine. Now that I have it mounted on a table with servo motor I am having trouble with the upper thread wrapping around the bobbin case.  I am still operating the machine manually and no luck. I have adjusted the tension, changed the needle, rethread several times. Although I haven't adjusted the timing, it appears to be good.

Then I noticed the bobbin case moves about freely. I tried to upload a video but had no luck so I uploaded several pictures showing different positions of the bobbin case that I moved around by hand. 

So my question is, is the bobbin case supposed to move around freely or if not, how do I secure it in place and exactly where is it supposed to be located?

Thanks in advance for all your help. 

[koreric75]

35 minutes ago, TomWisc said:

I am having problems with my Singer 211W155. I got the machine a few months ago and am just now getting around to trying it out. When I first got the machine I manually operated it for several stitches sewing a couple pieces of leather together and it worked fine. Now that I have it mounted on a table with servo motor I am having trouble with the upper thread wrapping around the bobbin case.  I am still operating the machine manually and no luck. I have adjusted the tension, changed the needle, rethread several times. Although I haven't adjusted the timing, it appears to be good.

Then I noticed the bobbin case moves about freely. I tried to upload a video but had no luck so I uploaded several pictures showing different positions of the bobbin case that I moved around by hand. 

So my question is, is the bobbin case supposed to move around freely or if not, how do I secure it in place and exactly where is it supposed to be located?

Thanks in advance for all your help. 

I think that tab fits in a pocket underneath the foot plate, that is how it is on my adler.

[Uwe]

This video shows how that tab fits into the cutout under the throat plate and how things are supposed to move as you sew:

 

[Wizcrafts]

If you have the needle plate and countersunk head screws, install it, catching the tab on the bobbin case inside the gap in the throat plate. If you don't have that plate, do not operate the machine under power until you buy a needle plate and the two mounting screws!

[TomWisc]

OMG! It works! I am new to sewing machines. I adjusted the bobbin case to fit in the groove on the throat plate and it works great!  I just tested on a few pieces of leather and she just hums! I have a servo motor and the prior owner installed a large pulley on the sewing machine so I can run very slow which is what I wanted. 

Aside from leather work, I have to repair an old boat cover and this is going to work great for that. 

Thanks for all your help!

[Wizcrafts]

3 hours ago, TomWisc said:

OMG! It works! I am new to sewing machines. I adjusted the bobbin case to fit in the groove on the throat plate and it works great!  I just tested on a few pieces of leather and she just hums! I have a servo motor and the prior owner installed a large pulley on the sewing machine so I can run very slow which is what I wanted. 

Aside from leather work, I have to repair an old boat cover and this is going to work great for that. 

Thanks for all your help!

You're welcome Tom!

I just bought a Singer 211G156, which is similar to yours but has reverse. Mine has a clutch motor which works like a charm. Its first job was sewing a flag patch onto a biker's padded denim riding vest.  The next job is sewing a new 4 x 7 foot white heavy canvas face onto a customer's pup tent to replace the torn original.

One suggestion I have for you is to buy different needles for canvas/cloth/webbing and leather. Leather sewing is best done with either a chisel/slicing point or a tri/diamond point needle while the rest is best done with round point (cloth) needles. Leather point needles tend to damage the fibers in cloth and vinyl materials. The needle "systems" are 135x16 for leather and 135x17 for cloth and vinyl. Sail cloth and Sunbrella should be sewn with round point needles.

Suggestion 2: Buy bonded polyester thread for outdoor projects that will be exposed to UV, water and rough elements. Nylon thread will be damaged by the sun's rays and temperature swings. It will become brittle and break much sooner than polyester thread.

I just got some 1 pound spools of bonded polyester thread from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines for use on canvas and leather jobs meant for outdoor use. This will especially include any motorcycle seat replacements.

[TomWisc]

Thanks for the suggestions Wiz!  I do have the 135x17 needles and bonded polyester thread. I have a friend who makes boat covers and he guided me in the right direction. There is also a local business in Janesville WI,  Industrial Sewing Systems, that had the polyester thread and needles. 

I recently bought a used 11 year old  pontoon boat that has the original cover.  All the stitching is coming apart around the edges and on the zipper.  My first project is to repair this cover with the hopes it will last until I can get a new cover. Without a large work table I will be doing this in my driveway with the hopes I don't sew myself inside the cover! Pretty clumsy to work with all that material but I think if I take it slow I can do it.

Since I don't have reverse on this machine I am not sure how difficult back stitching will be just because of the volume of material I will have to turn around. Just wondering if there is any other way to lock the stitch without trying to do a back stitch?

[Northmount]

21 minutes ago, TomWisc said:

Just wondering if there is any other way to lock the stitch without trying to do a back stitch?

Leave the beginning and tail threads long, then finish off manually, good old needle and thread method! 

Tom

[TomWisc]

Thanks Tom!

Sometimes the obvious solution just escapes me!

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, TomWisc said:

Since I don't have reverse on this machine I am not sure how difficult back stitching will be just because of the volume of material I will have to turn around. Just wondering if there is any other way to lock the stitch without trying to do a back stitch?

There is another way I use to lock in the stitches when I can't sew over or do Poor Man's Reverse. Sew two or three stitches, raise the needle after the thread goes around the hook on the take-up cycle, lift the feet and pull the work back two/three stitches distance, then drop the feet and sew through those stitches again. You can even go back and forth over one stitch a couple times using this technique, but I recommend at least two stitches.

Use the same technique at the end of the stitch line. Raise, pull back a few, then sew over to the end.

 

[TomWisc]

Thanks Wiz! That sounds like a good idea especially with the bulky material I will be working on.

[ASAuLTCases]

it fits in a slot in the footplate and stops going round, unless the hook is to low or the plate is bent upwards, i have just got a 211g166 a few weeks ago and hade to set it up,  download a few manuals because some explain bits better and even mention things others don't, i think the best was for the model you have, but make sure you read and understand what it says because it will save a lot of time and confusion especialy if bits are missing and set up wrong believe me,