Do You Use an Old Singer Sewing Machine in Your Decor?
stargirl
15 years ago
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rilie
15 years agopatricianat
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Singer Sewing Machine
Comments (9)tisha, Congratulations on your wonderful find! I love these old machines. I think they have so much character. Not exactly sure about the extra piece but it looks like it could be a knee lift. See if there is some place where the right knee would be when sewing. There may be a place for the round end to slip in. When pushed against with the knee, it may lift the presser foot up and you're able to sew items turning them with your hands and not having to use a hand to raise the pressure foot. This is usually used when quilting....See MoreSinger Antique Sewing Machine.
Comments (15)Ok, the Monarch will most likely be a Japanese made 15 class machine. Does it have a plate at the base of the upright pillar that says "Precision Deluxe" or something like that? If it does, it's definitely a post-war Japanese 15. These flooded the American market under an almost limitless assortment of names. They came in several colors, black and turquoise are the most common but we also see blue, pink (most sought after by collectors), white, mocha and two-toned (also highly sought). They are fun to collect because they are quite common and still reasonably priced. These are great machines. I use them for free-motion quilting and keep at least two on hand at all time. If it's a portable, you can get replacement motors and foot-pedals very reasonably. I can give you the name of a supplier if you need one. Annie Annie...See MoreGood Find? Singer Sewing Machine 247
Comments (25)Depending on the age of the machine, it might be fixable. I would oil it well, and see if that helps. It might just be sticking because the old oil has dried up and gummed up the machine. When you turn the hand wheel, does the needle go up and down? The stop on the hand wheel might be on backwards. If you haven't taken it off, then that is not the problem. (That's the metal part that you unscrew to wind a bobbin.) I think about the mid 1960's, they started using plastic parts which would be dying about now. I have a Touch and Sew from the early 70's that still works, but it's been lightly used and always stored in the air conditioning. If you have a sewing machine repair shop, they should be able to repair it. I'm in Dallas, and I go to Mr. Sewing Machine on Harry Hines. They are a Baby Lock dealer, but repair all brands of machines. Just call around and see who will work on it. There are a couple of internet sites you might be able to get help. One is victoriansweatshop.com and the other is quiltingboard.com (vintage machine section). Both of these sites are generally good for finding info on older machines, but your machine might not be old enough to get help there. I don't do Facebook, but they should have some groups that might be able to help you. Look for Singer groups. Also, groups.io has some Singer sewing machine groups. Sorry I couldn't help more. All of my sewing machines are older than yours and I'm just not familiar with it at all. I'll check back and see if any of this was any help. bkay...See MoreSinger sewing machine on its last needle LOL
Comments (6)If your machine is running slow it could be that the foot control needs servicing or replacing or that the carbon brushes on the motor are worn and in need of replacing. Replacing carbon brushes is not unusual and I have done it myself with different motors, including my Bernina. A new foot control will run somewhere about $30 and the brushes should be about $15. The brushes are easy enough to change yourself if you are at all inclined to do such. I order from an online source. I would shy away from any modern Singer and look to some of the others makes. Singer has allowed that name to be slapped on many totally unworthy machines. It carries a lot marketing weight. The old Singers from way back when were good machines. That is no longer true. Keep it simple with a mechanical model. That is the only way I roll anymore. Why complicate life? I seriously doubt that many people even use the decorative stitches on their machine very often,whether the machine is mechanical or computerized.. After a lifetime of sewing I know that I have seldom employed that feature on any machine that I have used. I have never found them to be very attractive or useful. Good solid function is the best thing to have. . Good luck. It has become difficult to buy some things right now. If you like your machine and dont really want a new one, you might consider the possibility that it is one of those factors that is causing it to run sluggish. Both are relatively inexpensive to fix. You can always buy and try a new foot control. If you are not mechanically inclined you might not want to change the brushes yourself. It is not difficult but can seem to be daunting if you are not of that mind. Vacuums also have these carbon brushes as do power hand tools and fan motors. Have you noticed any black dust around the motor on your machine, or any sparking around the motor? That is an indication that the carbon brushes are wearing down. It looks like the motor is behind those little vents on the inside of your sewing area. Oiling won't help with either of those problems. It is likely sluggish because it is not getting enough power to turn the motor. If something were preventing the hand wheel from turning or a belt was loose, that would be obvious. It sounds as if the motor is not getting the power it needs and is very likely to be either the carbon brushes or the controller. Of course it could be the capacitor on the motor, but that is also easy to change. Parts are not terribly difficult to find. The expensive part is usually the time and labor. You are paying for the knowledge and experience and the tool belt of the service person, as expected if you employ them to fix it....See Morestargirl
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