Sewing machines anyone?

[great white]

That's the kind of feedback I want. I don't want/need to start with something borderline undersized even if it's a good machine.

Thanks

Keep in mind if you want to work heavy materials, the retail machines are not what you want. They may be all metal and put modern plastic machines to shame, but they're still retail models.

If you want to work heavy canvas, upholstery weight leather and similar materials, you need something more on the commercial scale.

Retail machines (even the old all steel ones) were primarily designed to make and repair clothing. One of the big tells if it's commercial grade or retail is the motor is often integrated into retail machines and the presser foot usually doesn't lift very high. Somewhere in the 5/16 to 1/2" range means retail machine. They have a low lift because they are only designed for light materials, not heavy stuff. Most retail vintage machines top out at a couple layers of denim. They will do more, but you're pushing them outside of their operations range and the results can often be less than optimal.

Retail is also pretty limited in needle size choice. That's important if you want to do things like leather where you want larger thread and longer stitch lengths.

You can't always go by presser clearance though. My 331K105 is 100% commercial grade, yet only has a low lift presser. There's lots of "commercial" machines out there that are tailoring machines.

You have to remember that commercial machines are usually designed and made to a specific purpose. Even if something is commercial, it may be designed to sew light materials at a very high stitch rate, yet it's still a commercial machine. These machines are designed to sew very fast, so some sweat shop worker can pump out 5000 pairs of underwear in a day. Yet they're nearly useless for things like garment leather.

As if that weren't enough, sewing machine manufacturers will often "customize" models to requests from purchasers (if they're buying enough to fill a factory) so that the old machine you're looking at might indeed be a commercial grade leather capable machine, but have an attachment or change that makes it unsuitable for what you want to do.

You need to decide what you want to sew, then go out and match the machine to the task. If buying used, be prepared to wait for the right one to show up and it will probably take a good long time...

 

[wachuko]

I want to make that!!!!

 

[great white]

I want to make that!!!!

Google it. There's all kinds of things made out of old sewing machines. Cars, bikes, boats, tractors, etc....neat, but all a waste IMHO. Taking something useful and making it into "wall art" has never made sense to me.....

 

[wachuko]

Google it. There's all kinds of things made out of old sewing machines. Cars, bikes, boats, tractors, etc....neat, but all a waste IMHO. Taking something useful and making it into "wall art" has never made sense to me.....

I am not taking my working Singer (just like the one they used) to build something like that.... I agree... But I have come across unrepairable ones that I just leave them where I see them... One of those would be perfect for this project...

 

[Hawkeye]

I saw a treadle sewing machine in one of the Restore outlets in our valley today. It was in a beautifully carved cabinet and had no make or model anywhere on it. I checked online and it would appear that it's a Melber, made by Wertheim in Australia. I couldn't find any pictures that matched what I saw, and I didn't think to take any pictures. It had a very thin leather belt running up from the treadle mechanism and a very rudimentary thread tension system on top of the arm. No way I have room for it in my house, so I'll let it pass.

 

[great white]

I saw a treadle sewing machine in one of the Restore outlets in our valley today. It was in a beautifully carved cabinet and had no make or model anywhere on it. I checked online and it would appear that it's a Melber, made by Wertheim in Australia. I couldn't find any pictures that matched what I saw, and I didn't think to take any pictures. It had a very thin leather belt running up from the treadle mechanism and a very rudimentary thread tension system on top of the arm. No way I have room for it in my house, so I'll let it pass.

You’re probably better off passing on an “odd ball” machine.

Rare/uncommon machines are hard to find parts and pieces for. It can even be hard to find things like bobbins or shuttles. Gawd help you if you need something like a gear or cam.

That is, unless you’re just looking for a conversation piece. In which case, the one you describe sounds very interesting.

 

[great white]

Picked up another vintage sewing machine. This one is a little Singer 99K:



Walking through a local thrift store, 29 bucks. Can’t go much wrong for that.

Serial number dates it as 1957.

The 99 is about a 3/4 size 66. Nice for quick little tailoring jobs. The smaller size was meant to make it more “portable” than its contemporaries. Anyone used to modern machines will probably think it weighs 500 lbs though. Not a lick of plastic on this baby! Even the thread tensioning dial is stamped and painted metal. Well, I guess the motor is plastic with its bakelite body…..

Its mostly complete. It needs a sliding throat plate and a bobbin, but nothing more.

Cast iron body, all metal gears. Smaller throat size than I’m used to, but still capable of some seriously tough work.

Its got the usual neck pin cushion rash. Ugly, but of no real consequence. The electrical is a mess, as it usually is on old machines. Twisted together in places, electrical tape, wear spots on the insulation, way too thin wire gauge and the coupe de gras: the wobbly, poorly installed universal plug end.

The wiring did hold up long enough for me to chance running it a bit. Smooth and quiet. Forward and reverse. No bobbin, so no idea if it stitches properly. Even if it doesn’t, thats just a timing adjustment.

The cabinet is the original Singer cabinet. Pretty good shape, but it is distressed. Some of the veneer is split and cracked, but none of it is missing. Finish is poor at best, but thats just sandpaper, elbow grease, stain and varnish. It will be easy to rework the cabinet to look new.

For now, I’ll just put it in the corner of the sewing loft and when the time comes, refinish the cabinet and probably a good going through followed by a cosmetic refresh with paint and decal application to make it look factory fresh.

 

[Dabbler]

Very nice!

 

[great white]

I was thinking a repaint, but now I'm thinking I might try powder coating on this little machine.

Not home DIY, but farming it out to a local powder coater. Ford impact blue is actually pretty nice. Going back and forth between the original black and a non standard color.

Sure is purdy in blue though:



Just a bit more visual punch than "you can have it any color you want as long as it's black".

My concern with powder coat is adding thickness to areas where I can't have any extra thickness.....

 

[dkemppai]

Ford impact blue is actually pretty nice. Going back and forth between the original black and a non standard color.

Funny, I really loathe that color on a car or truck. But I agree that it looks pretty good on that little machine!

Some auto parts stores sell custom color match paint in a rattle can for patch up jobs. Not super cheap, but good enough for a $500 car, etc.. A single can might be enough for a whole machine like that.