Singer 237 review by Sewot

[Sewot]

Well she has arrived and wow what a machine.
She looks to be made yesterday and not 50 years ago.
The first thing I did was test her as is.
Beautifully quiet with accurate stitching.
She can sew a lovely satin stitch and an excellent button hole although being a simple machine.
Manuela on this forum uses a very similar machine to make the most gorgeous dresses.
It is her influence that made me go for this model.
I am lucky...she is pristine.
The main body is made from cast iron which is good for stability and a long lasting machine as the bearings will not wear out.
The top cover, face plate and other minor items are of plastic.
But it is 60s plastic which is thicker and harder.
The Singer emblem and markings are not transfers but engraved into the plastic and then coloured with paint.
The presser foot lever, tensioner knob and all other levers are chrome plated steel.
The needle  has three positions.
The feed dogs can be lowered.
It has fully adjustable zig zag.
It is fully mechanical and easy to clean and oil.
No adjustments ( servicing) was necessary.
Just a good clean and oiling.
It is a wonderful machine.
Not as quiet as a Singer 201 but none the less quiet enough for me and I like quiet machines.
It came in a horrid plastic case which I did not like so I have mounted it in the Singer 201 wooden base which has its top to match.
The good thing about Singers is that they standardised things so differrent models fit in the same case and to change a motor and belt it's just one bolt.
Its a good machine.
I have called her " Pearl".
Pearl's a Singer?
Heres a few pics of the strip down and clean.
I will post a few later tomorrow when shes all back together again.

[Lilian]

What a lovely machine @Sewot lucky you got her 

[Sewot]

Well I have done all possible now to make her look pretty.
Cleaned  oiled , polished and finely adjusted.
I made a base unit yesterday.
It is from Australian Black Butt.
A very hard and heavy wood.
I mean HARD!!!!
Then french polished it.
She and base unit are " very" heavy.
There is next to no vibration when on the sewing table.
I am a " quiet machine freak" so have sound proofed the inside of the base unit.
It has proved to be effective.
A lovely blast from the past wot wot?
Pete

[Efemera]

Lovely bit of woodwork...

[Gernella]

She looks very clean inside and a very posh cover.  Very definitely a keeper with a good sewing stitch.  They certainly don't make them like they used to nowadays.

[Lilian]

Beautiful woodwork, looks very fitting and I like the cover too.  You are quite talented 

[steve_h]

Very nice looking machine. Those old Singers were made to last.
You did a wonderful job on the base and the cover.

[Sewot]

Thanks Steve!
Yes it is a first rate quality machine although designed to be budget priced.
Singers' must have ran out of Aluminium as used on the later 201 machine casings to make them lighter and to compete.
A lot of the smelted alloy came from old Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancasters after the war.
A " Spit" sold for £25 scrap value then.
Rolls Royce Merlin engine toboot!!!!
Aghhhh!!!!
To late!!!
So then they must have ran out of Aluminium and thought...
" Mhhhh. Back to cast iron but we'll make certain parts outa plastic coz that works and its cheaper!.
So....
The 237 has a plastic  casing top, Head, knobs and facia plate.
They at least thought about this with regard to " wear".
All the plastic parts cannot wear out.
Everything else is metal.
If they had made the afformentioned parts from cast iron or steel the machine would not have sold due to it's humunguous weight.
That is why I am certain that Singer in this Era simply ran outa Aluminium.
Guess what happened next?
Enter stage "left"...
PLASTIC !!!!
As George Carlin said...
Thats why we humans are here!
To make Plastic!
Pete