The Sewing Place

Singer 401g purchase

SkoutSews

Singer 401g purchase
« on: July 20, 2017, 22:49:02 PM »
 I've hankered after a 401g for a while now. I learnt to sew on this machine, my mother had one, but for various difficult reasons I let it go in the house clearance after my father died. They came up on ebay fairly frequently, but they were usually a long way away, or lacking the important bits and bobs, or in a mucky state. Good examples went for a lot more than I was prepared to pay for what is essentially a nostalgia trip.
Yesterday I saw one, it looked good and I placed a bid. Seems I've just bought it! If it's as good as it looks, I've been lucky. It's not too far away and I'm hoping to arrange to meet the seller for a handover.
Fingers crossed it isn't a disaster! It's intended to replace my back-up machine and I will sell my other one. I remember it as silky smooth and powerful. Let's hope reality doesn't bite too hard.....  -<

arrow

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2017, 23:11:50 PM »
This model get's a lot of appraisal on the web, even from the experts. It's smooth running and powerful, but it's known too need quite a lot of cleaning and persistant oiling to return to it's former glory.  It prone to stick and freeze up when it been neglected or comes out of long term storage. Most buy this machine for it's capabilities and to use it, not as a nostalgia trip; I'm sure you will not be disappointed. It will be very interesting to get to know your first hand experiences with it :- )

b15erk

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2017, 09:04:35 AM »
Skout we need pictures!  Well done on your new machine - the older ones are excellent. 

Look forward to seeing her!

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Roger

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2017, 09:28:06 AM »
Hi Skout,
I love these machines my 500 is a 401 crammed into a different body, and I like it so much to sew on that I got a 401g as a portable machine... (portable is relative to a cabinet)

It is a lovely smooth stitcher, I love the patterns and cams, I haven't found much that it grumps about sewing.

The cam followers do tend to get stuck if stored for a very long time, patience and oiling will usually free them.

I have a lot of spare slant-o-matic parts about like black cams (list in the for sale dept) and hopping and walking feet if you need anything like that pm me.
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

SkoutSews

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2017, 09:59:13 AM »
Jessie, once I have the machine home I'll take some photos and upload them.  You have a similar machine don't you?  A more recent version, perhaps.  The photos on the listing showed a machine in good condition, with all four cams, the general, straight stitch, rolled hem and ruffler feet, a straight stitch throat plate as well as the standard one, the plastic hoop for raising the throat plate, the drawer set with screwdriver and brush, a handbook and the extension table.  Oh, and the original case. I could see a lead and pedal , but couldn't tell whether it was the original rectangular block with button, or a more modern type.  Let's hope that I get what I'm expecting!

Arrow, thanks for the reminder about oiling and cleaning off the old gunk.  I remember my father being in charge of that on my Mum's machine.  From memory, in addition to the usual sewing machine oil points, the direct drive metal gears need greasing from time to time.  I'll investigate further once the machine is home. Expect more questions!

Roger, thanks for your offers of help.  I love the idea of the 401 as a portable!  I don't have the muscles for that.  I hope it isn't frozen.  It was described as stitching smoothly, but I'll have to wait and see.  Is the 500 the Rocketeer with the mad, 1960s styling?

Roger

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2017, 11:04:57 AM »
The 500 is crazy I have no idea what it's doing in this country in a cabinet. It's clearly been here longer than I have :)...

The 401 and 500 are all metal direct drive machines they're relatively easy to fix and should be hard to unsettle... having said that my 401 skips every 5th stitch annoyingly and I cannot sort it out! It's due a visit from a friendly OSMG...

When I got the 500, that was a lovely smooth stitcher, but the seller seemed a bit nervous! I found when I got it home that the race and under carriage were really fluffy and dry, and that there was 1/2 a spool of cotton caught around the mechanism that swung the needle, leading to undulating multi-stitch ZZ, now it's a very crisp ZZ.

Word of warning, if you can avoid removing the cam stack in the top while cleaning, they are actually part of the timing, so the timing is set in 3 places! (Race, needle bar, and cam stack) but there's almost no mention of that online!
« Last Edit: July 21, 2017, 13:20:43 PM by Roger »
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

SkoutSews

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2017, 11:36:23 AM »
Thanks for the warning about the cam stack.  I tend to steer clear of timing problems and run to the experts.  I had the half spool of thread scenario with my old machine when it went on a phantom full speed stitching spree due to burnt out capacitors in the foot pedal.  It's sorted now.

Pick-up is being arranged with the seller, should be Monday.  Photos to follow later next week!

Roger

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2017, 13:23:11 PM »
How exciting :) I hope its fab, theyre such stylish machines :)

Last of the great all metal machines made by Singer.

Have to say I love a good haunted sewing machine (faulty capacitor)

A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

arrow

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2017, 13:39:36 PM »
Stylish and stylish lol

I was rather taken aback the fist time I came across a 401, odd looking beige thing. I was used to old and new machines but Berninas and Husqvarnas look different. They have grown on me though, I'm more used to the appearance and I know they are highly regarded for their sturdy build. I have seen the deveopmens from the black cast iron 99 and 201 which I always liked, to the beige aluminium 201K23 and 185K. Having a few points of referance makes it less of an oddity ;- )

Roger

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2017, 13:43:57 PM »
I know that you mean, they remind me of an old Buick or Rolls Royce in design, they just lack an ornament on the front :)

please note that is not my buick or my 401 :)
« Last Edit: July 21, 2017, 13:55:40 PM by Roger »
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Efemera

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2017, 13:48:17 PM »
I'd love a Rocketeer....

arrow

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2017, 14:01:09 PM »
That's not quite the connotations I had at the time, but I see it when you put it like that. If you had mentioned the 1950s Zundapp or Adler models it fits even more, they had rounded off edges and curves. The 401 is more squarish, lots of angles and lines; a bit lumped to gether. I haven't yet fully understood what the designers had in mind when they made the 401. I'm sure the points of referance was obvious at the time, second  half of the 1950s? 1960s cars have more lines and sharp edges?

« Last Edit: July 21, 2017, 14:05:31 PM by arrow »

Roger

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2017, 14:42:52 PM »
I find the 401 to be very much a slightly more restrained 1950s design but a break from the classic (what must have been parent and grandparent look of the 40s and earlier machines), compared to the space race extravagance of the 500. But both include the functionality to cope with modern fabrics with stretch and patterned stitches, which must have made 201s look rather dull and old.
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Roger

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #13 on: July 21, 2017, 16:47:39 PM »
cracking article on the 500a but the internals on the 401g/a so the complementary things count for both machines:
http://www.ashleyandthenoisemakers.com/blog/2015/3/20/singer-500a-the-rocketeer-review
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

SkoutSews

Re: Singer 401g purchase
« Reply #14 on: July 21, 2017, 20:27:53 PM »
The 401g is certainly not a looker! Years ago I knew someone who used the phrase, 'looks like the rear end of a German tram' and it could apply here. To my mind the 401g is preferable to the 401a, but that might be due to familiarity.
Arrow, that photo of the Zundapp looks like a diesel locomotive of the era to me.