The Sewing Place

Machine Talk => Vintage Machines => Vintage Machine Reviews => Topic started by: Roger on August 23, 2017, 23:33:51 PM

Title: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Roger on August 23, 2017, 23:33:51 PM
Machine Model: 500a
Machine's name (if you've named it): unnamed.. it deserves a name tho!
Manufacturer: Singer
Country of manufacture: USA
Year of creation (approx):1964
Amount of time you've owned this machine: nearly 3 years
How often do you use it? semi regularly
Source of Machine: Gumtree
Features: Slant needle (better visibility), standard needles, multi stitches, Cams, almost all metal, gear driven, mechanical
Condition you found it: dry, dusty, and with a lot of thread in the swing needle control, but generally clean.
Favourite things about it: The Awesome Looks, and fantastic easy of use. its reliable, has pretty vintage stitches, and its lovely cabinet
Things that are annoying/difficult: the stitch selector dials can be a little stiff, and sometimes you can accidentally select the wrong letter.
Is it easy to get accessories/parts? its a slant shank, and accessories are reasonably common if particular, its also a remodelled 401 so spares could come from that model if required, its also a gear driven machine so no belts, and its mostly metal except one piece between the motor and the balance wheel, but ive never heard of one of these failing.
Any additional thoughts or comments you'd like to share?
I love this machine, its so great, its the only one I know of in the UK, its in great condition, in a cabinet, and its lovely to use. Its also the first machine I bought and it got me into vintage machines.
Overall Positive or negative: Very Positive
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Efemera on August 24, 2017, 08:08:00 AM
I WANT ONE!... I've been looking for one of these forever.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Roger on August 24, 2017, 22:11:27 PM
I cant say I blame you, they are fab... the commonest closest is the 401g.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: arrow on August 24, 2017, 22:22:50 PM
Your 500a is superb. The mechanical and ingeneering oriented people give this one and related models the best review.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Barcoded on November 22, 2018, 09:55:47 AM
Arrow, any thoughts on the 503a.

I’d guess it would need a power transformer as we are 240 volts
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Iminei on November 22, 2018, 10:43:36 AM
WALNUT MARZIPAN BITES Roger ??????
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: arrow on November 22, 2018, 10:47:13 AM
It's much the same machine as the 400 and 500s numbers in general. I don't know it personally but the 503a has less built in stitches, which only means it relies on cams to do exactly the same stitch patterns. The 503s has this extra guide just above the top tensioner, it might be there to firm up tension on the zigzag or just keep the upper thread in place. I swear the old Berninas have neater zigzag, but it might be down to fine tuning tension and Berninas tend to be more forgiving this way. The 503a is all metal geared though, no belts or plastic gears to worry about. The 500 series in general have one reported weakness; the top lid and the face plate are hinged and more prone to be broke or missing than the 400 series. You only bother about these because of the design of the exterior, the difference is mostly the look.

Some like built in stitches, some seem to prefer less built in stitch patterns since the stitch selector can need quite a bit of oiling to shift smoothly again (mostly clean-up and maintanance issue). The 503a is on the simpler side this way, and it makes stitch selection less intricate. The more built in stitches the more setting levers and combinations are involved, some find them a fuzz on these models others are fine with them. I hope Roger or some of the US members will reply to your question, I really should keep my mouth shut. Here Europe we jump for these machines when they turn up, there's very few of them and shipping them is expensive and a bit risky. The voltage converter is a mininal additon on the end of the plug. Stepdown from 220V to 110V is easy,  step up convertion can be a bit more demanding

In the 400 numbers I have mostly seen German made Singers in my area, I'm not sure why.  500 numbers have so far not turned up for sale. I once spotted a US made 15-91, and I regret a bit I didin't buy it. I still have an eye out for a 201K-2, and it's not like I'm short of sewing machines.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Barcoded on November 22, 2018, 15:33:14 PM
Thanks Arrow! Food for thought.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Barcoded on November 22, 2018, 22:01:49 PM
I just don’t know what to do!
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Roger on November 22, 2018, 22:17:32 PM
WALNUT MARZIPAN BITES Roger ??????

they were good and the box is perfect for scissors and needles when I travel :)
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Roger on November 22, 2018, 22:24:47 PM
I have also tried a 503a and that is a lovely machine too, very smooth and a bit less growly than my 500, I suspect the 500 need some love...
US power does generally require a step down, the 500a has a huge transformer for this... the 503a I encountered is a bit different... I think the motor had been altered at some point because it ran flawlessly on UK power straight off the wall.

if you spot either of these at any sort of an acceptable to you price I would go for it :) theyre beautiful.

The 503 has a little bit of a gotcha tho - it has a bracket inside the case that if you put the case on backwards dings the paint on the flywheel and that is nigh on impossible to avoid.

Hope that helps Barcoded
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Barcoded on November 22, 2018, 23:07:40 PM
Thank you both.

The 503a seems to be more common. And always seems to be with a case and base box. I like the idea of the 500 but a case would be handy

I managed to hack off an owner of a 503 by asking questions about the condition, but not if all the cams were there, but obviously an important question. So now it’s a gamble if that ones complete
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: arrow on November 22, 2018, 23:52:07 PM
The cams for these are still easy to find, much the same for slant shank feet. It will involve a bit of web search, calling Helen Howes, ebay,..., but usually all parts can be found.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Barcoded on November 23, 2018, 00:41:27 AM
Thanks arrow, guess I’ve no more excuses but to go for it.

Appreciate your help
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Renegade Sewist on November 23, 2018, 02:01:00 AM
I now want walnut marzipan bites. I already have a Rocketeer. I use See's Candy boxes for sewing accessories. Local California company.

I thought, how did I miss this thread? Oh. 2017...well before when I joined. They are marvelous, aren't they? I've had mine since I was 17, inherited from my maternal Grandmother. It's in a marvelous Necci cabinet from the late 40's- gorgeous grain to the wood. Has all it's accessories cept one or two and I might very well have misplaced those myself in my youth.

Question though @Roger . I can't get into the cabinet at the moment-too much piled on top  >< but are they all 500a ? Usually I see photos and the machine says 500a but the manual with it says 500. My manual of course says 500.

@Barcoded I bought some extra cams and wound up with quite a few. Push comes to shove if postage doesn't break the bank for you I have many duplicates, an extra accessory box, and a generous nature.  We can start a GoFundMe for international postage on sewing machine parts. I jest, but barely.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Barcoded on November 23, 2018, 06:29:57 AM
Wow, that’s very generous of you.

More importantly would the international funding stretch to Marzipan Walnut bites for everyone?

I shall have to see what I can do and buy the machine.

Thanks again
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Roger on November 23, 2018, 07:05:45 AM
The 503 is definitely more common, in terms of Cams it’s worth noting that you’ll need a zigzag cam, a multi stitch cam and a blind stitch cam for these utility stitches and they can be trickier to find.

I think the 500 and 503 where both only made in 1 factory.

They both have 1piece of plastic which is the large gear between the hand wheel and the main mechanisms but I’ve never heard of 1 breaking, just don’t oil that part.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Renegade Sewist on November 23, 2018, 09:12:31 AM
General query. Would the discs for the 600 and 603 machines work in the 500/503? While tidying this evening and wondering where the boxes with the discs are I came across a box with 10 pristine cams for 600/603 machines.  8)

I'm not a vintage machine collector, though I do like them. I just got a few extra doodads for my Rocketeer in recent years after chatting online with people. Oddly enough whenever I would buy something they would tuck in extra stuff. Like a bag full of extra bobbins. A spare foot pedal in excellent condition. That sort of thing.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: SkoutSews on November 23, 2018, 09:48:05 AM
Just poking my head round the door...

@Renegade Sewist for the 401, the g (Germany) or a (America) indicates the country of manufacture.  That's why the 401g turns up in Europe, where we don't see much of the 401a, and vice-versa.

That's the extent of my knowledge here, so I'll be on my way...
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Roger on November 23, 2018, 18:24:54 PM
Hi Renegade,
The black top hat cams yes but the white ones no...
Although some of the later black cams were redesigned and don’t work with the early machines, but I think that was 700 and onwards.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Renegade Sewist on November 23, 2018, 21:07:16 PM
Just poking my head round the door...

@Renegade Sewist for the 401, the g (Germany) or a (America) indicates the country of manufacture.  That's why the 401g turns up in Europe, where we don't see much of the 401a, and vice-versa.

That's the extent of my knowledge here, so I'll be on my way...

Thank you!!!

I knew there had to be a reason but in my sporadic, limited sleuthing I hadn't found one.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Renegade Sewist on November 23, 2018, 21:08:41 PM
Thanks @Roger . They are black top hat ones. I haven't taken the time to confirm but they appear to be the same, without checking that is.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Barcoded on December 24, 2018, 07:02:17 AM
Hello, a quick update.....

Well it is Christmas after all so I’ve gone and done it. Guess I should have asked the question before buying; it’s a 503 J.  You guessed it, can anyone identify the J?

Well in fact I thought I was being clever, and bought a machine from Canada in the hope the voltage was be correct, but no it’s 110v but the reason for going for this one is that it’s pristine condition and has the original sales receipt. The guy tried very hard not to sell it to me, because of the packaging but we came to an understanding.  Ahem.... postage was more than the machine. Stupidly, going to Canada also means it’s outside of the international postage import thing so I might have a bill for import tax, depending upon how the guy describes the transaction.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Barcoded on December 24, 2018, 07:07:50 AM
Incidentally, Helen Howes was not impressed that I was going for this machine (in general) and tried to talk me out of it because of the plastic parts. She did say whatever I did, do not get one with a busted motor as she said they are impossible to get hold of. She was really helpful with getting other parts, and a case wouldn’t be a problem.

It’s interesting that in many of the adverts there was the chip on the fly wheel that was discribed above because of the case going on wrong.

Should be here Before February.
Title: Re: Singer 500a (Rs)
Post by: Roger on December 24, 2018, 10:19:59 AM
Helen isn’t s big fan of slant shanks... I think they give unrivalled visibility but they’re not the most powerful and are a touch over engineered.

Having seen inside a 503a (which I would have thought was pretty similar to a 503j) I can say there’s almost no plastic in them, pressure foot tension gauge, and the balance wheel to bar gear, but I’ve never heard of one of those breaking. So I’m surprised she flagged plastic parts as an issue.

There is a bracket inside the case that if the case is the wrong way round chips the balance wheel which is such a shame!