The Sewing Place
Machine Talk => Vintage Machines => Topic started by: Stew Rowe on October 11, 2019, 22:10:18 PM
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Hello to one and all, is it to early for Merry Christmas??? !!!
I am Stew, a 50 something UK fella who has just joined The Sewing Place. I have absolutely no sewing experience beyond replacing a button or sewing a school badge onto a blazer. However, I have an industrial sewing machine: a 1936 Singer Industrial 95K10 and want to learn how to use it - to sew seat belt webbing to make a diving harness and similar projects, and hope to receive some advice on how to use the machine. Some background would be useful first though.
My grandad, who was like a father to me, was a commercial upholsterer - serving an apprenticeship before WWII and resuming his occupation on his return from a PoW camp in 1945. Grandad worked in a number of upholstery shops until the 1990's, but purchased the Singer industrial sewing machine in the late 1940's and used it at home to supplement his income to support his family. Grandad could re-cover a three-piece suite, sew a hood for a convertible car, make leather satchels and straps, repair or alter clothes, make curtains etc: just about anything that involved sewing. He could also fix anything: cars, plumbing, electrics, electronics, (the skids to my Action Man helicopter in the 1970's!) etc. and taught me to repair things rather than throw them away. Grandad passed away in 2000 and rather than see his old sewing machine thrown away I said to the family that I would have it (he sat at that machine for the best part of 50 years and I think that it was part of him).
The sewing machine sat in my shed for nearly 20 years and the plywood table started to delaminate, the pre-war wiring was long past its best (in fact was dangerous), the bobbin winder thingy was rusted and inoperative, but the machine itself looks to still be in good working order. The electric motor - also apparently pre-war, also appears to be in good order, although I have not yet run it up pending refitting a new power loom. I have spent weeks gluing the plywood table back together, filling the missing corners and dents, varnishing it, rubbing down the drip tray beneath the machine, the motor mounts, clutch and other metal parts and spraying them all satin black. I have sourced new wiring - but the cloth covered stuff that is close to the appearance of the pre-war original, and have refurbished the Bakelite plug and on/off switch. I have earthed the motor and will have it all PAT tested in due course. I did not want to restore it as such, but have kept the wooden table and machine in a condition that Grandad would recognise as his own - the oil stains and other marks from 83 years of use remain - now smooth and under two coats of varnish. Other than wiping the machine itself down i will not 'restore' it. I want to retain the original patina of age. I have a new leather drive belt on order and some Singer machine oil and original Singer motor lubricant on its way. In a week or so, I will reassemble and test the machine and I am fairly sure that it will run. I have found an original manual, which tells me how to time the machine and where to oil it.
That is all well and good, I can fix stuff, but I have absolutely no idea how to operate it!!!. My first queries are what service parts to replace on the machine? what is it sensible to replace before thinking about starting sewing? I guess the needle (apparently the manual says that I should buy an 88x1 No.16 needle for heavy duty material such as webbing - what do those numbers even mean?) The chrome bobbin case thingy below the needle - should I replace that too?. What bobbins should I buy? I have serviced and repaired the bobbin winder and it should now work. What about the metal plate that the needle passes through and the foot that you lower before sewing? Should I replace the feed dogs? These parts all appear to be available for a 95K but I do not know whether to only buy Singer replacements or can I use pattern parts instead. Also I have seen general references from suppliers to 95-40 etc.machines and to just 95's - will those parts fit s 95K10?
I am sorry that i do not know the names of these parts yet but I will learn them as I go along. Once I have replaced the bits that you guys and gals recommend I will have a few queries about actually sewing!
Any advice and help would be very gratefully received.
best regards to all
Stew
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Hi Stew, welcome to TSP.
You need to speak to @Roger. He likes vintage machines and has a 95K. Look at https://thesewingplace.org.uk/index.php/topic,1576.30.html and maybe post on the vintage machines board, I'm sure you'll get support there.
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Hello and welcome. Sorry I know nothing about your machine but will watch with interest.
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Welcome - it's a great background- sorry I can't help you either but I've no doubt someone will.
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Hi and welcome @Stew Rowe :) I think it's a wonderful thing you re doing and can relate completely with it. My mother would make all of our clothes along with curtains and coats. I can see her now sitting at the treadle singer. Sadly she died when I was 12 yrs old and I never got the chance to learn from her. I wish I could have had her machine :'(.
@Roger is who will be able to help you the most. I'm sure he will soon reply.
Happy sewing :) :vintage:
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Hi Stew
did someone mention vintage :) they're all metal parts as long as they all look in good shape you should be ok, most all metal vintage machines need very little replaced.
The motor cable sounds like it needs replacing, and if you decide to test it definitely check the electrical specifications on the motor youre looking for 220 or 230 or 240 volt, and use a safety plug. if its been near a lot of damp you may have motor issues, or the electrics could have had the insulation fail on them inside the motor.
95 pieces should be reasonably similar, but unless they look massively worn or you need a specialist part you should be ok, I think I have some spare bobbins you only need a few generally, needles fortunately aren't expensive.
88x1 - is the class of needle (15x1 is the normal sort) 18 is the thickness of the needle (they usually go from 8 - 22 depending on machine...
Does that help?
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Hello to one and all, is it to early for Merry Christmas??? !!!
>< YES!!
Please calmly make your way to the bathroom and wash that filthy mouth out with some carbolic.
Thank you ! ;)
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@Stew Rowe welcome :) I love your intro piece, what a lovely reason for sparking your interest in the wonderful world of sewing :vintage:
Take other people's advice, not mine ;)
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Thank you all for your friendly welcome and helpful advice. Roger, i think you are going to be my new best friend!!!.
The electric motor is a 230/250v model. I have opened it up and the windings and armatures look fine, as does the internal wiring. The pre-war, rubber and cloth sheathed power lead had disintegrated but I have replaced that with modern three core twin and earth (cloth covered).
Thank you for the explanation of the meaning of the needle type. I will let you all know how I get on
regards
Stew
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A big welcome from me too @Stew Rowe ! What a great introduction, and what a lovely homage to your Grandad!
Lots of us have Vintage machines (some more than one :|), but not many of us have Industrial machines.
Lots of help and advice - Roger is a machine Guru!
Hope you manage to get this lovely beast sewing!
Jessie
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Welcome @Stew Rowe to TSP.
an 88x1 No.16 needle for heavy duty material such as webbing
88/1 is the British/European size, No 16 is the American size, and it refers to the length and style of the needle.
https://www.hobkirk.co.uk/88x1-industrial-needles (https://www.hobkirk.co.uk/88x1-industrial-needles) is a source for that size needle. They come in several thicknesses.
88/1 (70) - for sewing very lightweightfabric, ie chiffon or sheer curtains
88/1 (80) - for lightweight fabrics such as shirting
88/1 (90) - for medium weight fabrics including curtain lining and similar, lightweight denim
88/1 (100) - for heavy denim and upholstery fabrics
88/1 (110) - for thick canvas, webbing etc
88/1 (120) - for the very toughest, heaviest fabrics
If the machine is working and all the metal parts look OK they will be OK. You may well need to replace the rubber tyre which pushes against the bobbin to wind it.
Two sources for vintage Singer machine parts are:
https://www.sewlincs.co.uk/ (https://www.sewlincs.co.uk/)
He's on Facebook under the screen name Dave Dong
http://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/ (http://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/)
Helen stocks a lot of spare parts but is discontinuing with the electrical stuff due to the ill health of her partner.
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Welcome from me too - can't help with vintage but will follow your progress with interest. :)
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Thanks for the welcome everyone, what a lovely forum.
Brenda, thank you for the two website links. I have just spent 30 minutes looking around Helen's site and I think she will have parts that I need. In poking around I have realised that a small part is missing from the end of the bobbin winder and am trying to identify what it is!
Stew
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Hello all. Just a quick update on Sidney the Sewing Machine (wot? ... other things have names and my Grandad was Sidney!!!)
Sidney started today ... well after a rewire and greased bearings the electric motor runs fautlessly. I cant tell you how happy I am to see the motor whiring round. The clutch is a bit noisy but i can adjust that. Sooo pleased. Just sprayed the metal stand and will reunite the table with it in the next few days.regards to all. Stew
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That's great news @Stew Rowe
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Hi all. I have eeunited the sewing machine and table and will now start on the cleaning and oiling of the machine. I need to make up a ned drive belt too. I am very happy with progress so far. I keep switching the motor on and off!!!
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Hello all,
Well, I have finished refurbishing the machine. I ran it properly for the first time yesterday after a thorough oiling and greasing. I was really surprised how well the machine cleaned up. Roger is absolutely right - if they are old and metal they can probably be recovered.
The enamel paint is a bit shoddy - I don't think that the factory took as much care in the finish of industrial machines because there are runs and imperfections in the paint that are clearly original!. I have used T-Cut to clean and shine the enamel and it actually looks worn but clean and tidy. The face plate had lost a lot of paint so I cleaned the rust back to shiny metal and gave it a coat of clear satin lacquer spay to preserve the look of it but to stop it rusting again. Other than that, the shiny bits cleaned up really well. The tensioner discs had a coating of surface rust but, after reading a few posts here about cleaning metal parts (thank you) I used Autosol and fine wire wool and the chrome turned bright and shiny again. Some other metal parts were left in natural finish and were rusty. Again, wire wool and Autosol and then a soft cloth and a thin coat of oil and they look almost as good as new. All the squeaks have disappeared after oiling, the bottom bevel gears have now been greased and it hums along when i press the treadle. I was not surprised to find that Grandad kept the machine very well maintained. Everything had clearly been well oiled in the past and things like bearings all seem to be fine, which is surprising for an 83 year old machine that is, according to the manual, capable of 3,500 stitches per minute. The pre-war electric motor (now earthed and re-wired) seems to run really well - its actually very quiet but the clutch and belt make a bit of a racket - I think I can sort the belt joint clicking as it passes over the balance wheel and will tickle the clutch a bit.
My Mum, who remembers Grandad sitting at the machine most evenings making things for people, is really pleased to see and hear it running again. I will figure out how to post pictures in the next day or so and post a few. Thank you all for your advice and encouragement. It was a spur of the moment agreement to take Grandad's machine 20 years ago but one that was meant to be I guess (like Rubywishes recent 201 coming to live with her!)
I spent a happy half an hour cleaning pins and presser feet and a funny chrome accessory that the lower bobbin could fit into, all of which I found in the metal drawer that hinges out from under the table - all Grandad's old things, along with his chalks and machine needles. They are all now back in the drawer where he left them.
My next job is to work out how to actually use it!!! - I am determined now to use the machine as often as I can.
regards to all, Stew
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Hello all,
I wondered whether anyone could confirm whether my Grandad's old Singer 95K10 has no reverse function? - I cannot find a lever for it. If so, do I then just have to raise the presser foot and rotate the work piece through 180 degrees to lock my stitching?.
Also, there is a knurled knob on the casing that throws the feed dogs into neutral - they just go up and down but do not feed. What would I use this for?
I have not tried sewing on it yet with any thread loaded but but with an 18 needle and the feed dogs engaged it romps through three layers of webbing without a hitch - I am soo happy with this machine.
Any help gratefully received
regards
Stew
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@Roger @LeilaMay
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The 95k doesn’t have a reverse function. It’s best described as a very speedy machine for doing long seams. But it does require the fabric to be rotated, to lock the ends.
Stopping the feed dogs feeding can be used for freehand embroidery or darning. But this machine is fast, so be a bit careful with those approaches...
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Would stopping the feed dogs not make it sew on the spot? A couple of stitches would lock the seam, if you can limit it to that.
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@Roger @LeilaMay
Nope - I've no experience with industrial machines - but I've enjoyed your thread about it and wish you much joy :)
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Thanks Roger and all for the information. That all makes sense. I now have some thread and I am going to attempt my first stitches. Think ill read some tutorials first .
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Be really careful of your fingers these things have a very high clearance and are really powerful.
In short they will see through your nail and through your finger.
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Be really careful of your fingers these things have a very high clearance and are really powerful.
In short they will see through your nail and through your finger.
:vintage: :o :x
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I managed to sew through my finger with an ordinary domestic Pfaff... it hurt... a lot!! :S
Don't think I would be allowed an industrial, on health and safety grounds ;)
Jessie
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I asked Helen H if she’d tried FMQing on an industrial.... she’s more or less asked me if I was mad...
Doesn’t mean I don’t want to give it a try ;)