What Did You Buy Today?

[Aukai]

The sewing machine guy is a cool dude, nice score. Given the rarity, and that it is exactly what you need.

 

[Winegrower]

I just finished the Hemingway tailstock die holder…lemme say that is a terrific design, the way the clutch works it can work right up to a shoulder under power, check it out. But, then I needed some 1’ adjustable HSS dies…these can be expensive, but drillsandcutters.com has them for about $8 each, and they are good quality, no problem tapping 303 stainless in 7/16” and 1/2” sizes. I got NC and NF, 1/4” to a half by eighths.

 

[IamNotImportant]

Here is some more of that stuff i bought yesterday
a bunch of drill bits

This one i believe is a fake one, though it has a sticker on the back saying it was made in Japan, if it is real, i would like to get it fixed.. the battery corroded in it. It is very tight when trying to slide it.


Some of the stuff that i had to remove some rust from it

 

[great white]

Buy probably isn't the right term here. I do all of my own canvas and sail repair on my sailboat. My grandmother's ancient straight stitch Singer works for most stuff. It dates to the pre WWII. But for some stuff you need a zig zag machine. Back in the day these old Pfaff 130's were the go to portable zig zag machine to get for sail and canvas repair if you could find one at a decent price. Haven't been made since the 1950's and still command a hefty price if it is in good condition.

So I see an add on CL for one where the guy is asking $100 for a Pfaff 130 along with some old treadle sewing machine bases. I didn't want the bases. Just the Pfaff 130. Call the guy up and in our conversation he wants to know what I want to do with the machine. I tell that I am going to put it back into working condition and use to repair sails and canvas on my sailboat. He tells me he will give me the machine for free.

Picked it up today. It is dirty and gummed up. But it is all original with no apparent broken parts. Even the paint looks decent under all of the dirt. Another project added to the never ending list. This project goes to the top of the list because I need it to do some work on one of my sails.

View attachment 429891

Cool. I’ve got its “third cousin”, the Singer 319W/K:



Singer licensed the Pfaff 130 patent to make the 206/306 machines, which were “redesigned” (ie: body was remade to look more “contemporary”) into the 319/320 machines.

Great workhorses, crazy amount of different stitches for 1957-ish.

Heck, it will even embroider if you‘re brave enough to try. Drop the dogs, install the embroidering plate and go to it! All manual though, you have to do it all by hand movements. No punching a phrase into a computer and letting the machine go nuts. I wouldn’t bet against it being capable of any stitch besides edge sergering.

The only issue is they use a shorter tip “206x13” needle instead of a standard 15x1 size in order to comply with the conditions of the Pfaff patent license deal. Basically, the singer couldn’t be “identical in function” as the Pfaff design. Easily fixed with a little adjustment to the bobbin case and a slight timing adjustment. Some report you don’t even need to touch the timing, but I’m pretty retentive about proper hook/shuttle alignment. Nothing worse than a dropped stitch halfway through a leather seat panel….

I was lucky enough to buy mine for 150 bucks. Came with everything. Orginal singer cabinet, manuals, needles, full set of stitch cams, spare parts for just about every wearing part, ultra rare double needle (I refuse to use it for fear of breaking it), etc, etc. Turns out the guy who owned it was clearing out his fathers collection after he passed and just wanted it all gone. Grabbed a bunch of machines that day, but left a few rare ones behind. Wish every day I’d just bought it all and tossed it in my truck. Oh well, live and learn….

I’d say its my best machine, with my White rotary a close second.

I use my Singer 331k105 walking foot :



(sometimes called a “lagging/kicking/hopping” foot) for heavy work like canvas and leather, although the 319 and white would probably punch through just as well. They just wouldn’t advance the material as well as the walking foot, although adding a roller foot attachment makes them pretty close. the 331 came with a clutch motor, which I eventually changed out for a servo motor. Best addition to the machine ever!

What I really wish I had was the industrial singers with walking foot and needle feed. They sew just about anything and are highly prized by upholstery and leather shops (ie: $$$$).

 

[wayback machine]

Since we're speaking of Pfaff 130's - We got this a couple years ago, from a lady that was using it as a plant stand, and thought it was a nice antique, but useless, otherwise ......... Machine was totally stuck, but now machine and stand run as smooth as silk.
The paperwork in the drawer said it was originally from a dealer in Heidelberg Gemany - The lady I bought it from said she got it from the wife of a USAF officer, who brought it back to the US when he retired.

My wife has a floor loom, and she likes to sew together fabric she weaves on the loom, with this machine -
That way she can say that everything was hand and foot made :~)

It needs to have the stand refinished - It's on my to-do list .........

 

[francist]

I’m still waiting for one to show up for me here. They show up in Vancouver area quite frequently but getting it to the Island adds another $150 to the price tag so I’m biding my time until one appears locally.

 

[rwdenney]

...
This one i believe is a fake one, though it has a sticker on the back saying it was made in Japan, if it is real, i would like to get it fixed.. the battery corroded in it. It is very tight when trying to slide it.
View attachment 429948
View attachment 429949...

The one screw head I can see appears to be a JIS head, not a conventional philips, so that is a point in its favor. The Chinese knockoffs and fakes that I have see use conventional philips screws, and not very well made ones at that. As I recall, the serial number should also be on the box and at least they used to be engraved/stamped on the slide. On the fake that I received, the numbers were all different. But I'm not really knowledgeable on Mitutoyo's serial number schemes.

Rick "JIS heads have sharper inside corners" Denney

 

[IamNotImportant]

The one screw head I can see appears to be a JIS head, not a conventional philips, so that is a point in its favor. The Chinese knockoffs and fakes that I have see use conventional philips screws, and not very well made ones at that. As I recall, the serial number should also be on the box and at least they used to be engraved/stamped on the slide. On the fake that I received, the numbers were all different. But I'm not really knowledgeable on Mitutoyo's serial number schemes.

Rick "JIS heads have sharper inside corners" Denney

it was sitting inside a wooden Mitutoyo box

 

[IamNotImportant]

The one screw head I can see appears to be a JIS head, not a conventional philips, so that is a point in its favor. The Chinese knockoffs and fakes that I have see use conventional philips screws, and not very well made ones at that. As I recall, the serial number should also be on the box and at least they used to be engraved/stamped on the slide. On the fake that I received, the numbers were all different. But I'm not really knowledgeable on Mitutoyo's serial number schemes.

Rick "JIS heads have sharper inside corners" Denney

after looking at several others, i still believe that this one is fake, good thing i wasn't really trying to get this.. for all the stuff that is these pics, and there is still more i have not posted.. i only paid 360 for everything.. which i felt like it as fair at the time..
As for the Mit dial indicator and the elect caliper, i have found a place that has the parts and can fix both.. that will be great

 

[wachuko]

Wachuko,
That "Hurts", I love good quality tools and have a growing selection with a few junkie pieces here and there. When the tap handle broke, I took a peek on eBay for a good used one and saw something similar, problem was that i needed a replacement now, so I replaced with what was available locally. I will be keeping my eyes open for a better one.

Every time I pick that thing up I'm going to be thinking about the Starrett.

Apologies about the pain caused… it will heal with time.

I just like the quality feel of the Starrett…