The Sewing Place
Machine Talk => Vintage Machines => Topic started by: Sewingsue on September 14, 2019, 22:28:00 PM
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As I will be getting my 99K back overhauled and with a motor I was wondering about treating it to a buttonholer, particularly since I have seen posts praising the buttonholes these machines can make.
Can one of the vintage experts in here tell me what the correct buttonhole attachment for a 99K is please (and the best place to find them)?
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That would be a low shank straight stitch buttonholer, either Singer or Greist. Here a link to Singer buttonholers, with part numbers, etc.
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/more-on-singer-buttonholers.html (http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/more-on-singer-buttonholers.html)
I got mine on Ebay ;)
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Thank you @Manuela
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You could check out Helen Howes for buttonholers too :)
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Just had a (very prompt) reply from HH.
The buttonholer I identified from Manuela's link (Singer 160506) is apparently hard to come by - the ones I found on-line were being offered in USA with the P&P more than the item.
However she can supply the buttonholer which would have been available originally for a 99K - BH006 (not cams)
Or I see there is a Greist BH044 with cams - for Low Shank which should fit?
Any advice on which would be the better purchase please?
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I have a BH006 which came from Helen, it had been oiled and came with a sample so I knew what to expect from it. I also have one with a limited number of cams.
It makes buttonholes with bartacks both ends. The ones with cams do the keyhole ends, but they are generally more expensive and harder to find. IME the keyhole buttonholes are not always as good as the bartack ones.
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I love the keyhole buttonholes my buttonholers make, But I usually go 2-3 times around (with the Singer buttonholers).
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For various and complicated reasons I have not one, but two Griest buttonholers (Model 1 - side screw clamping, the most common one, fits most machines) that I'd like to sell!! These take the metal cams.
Between them I have one complete set of all the templates including the extras except the eyelet plus one set of the 5 regular templates. One buttonholer is the older black metal model, the other the blue plastic one. Both have boxes (slightly dented), and there is one manual. I know the blue one works because I've used it, and the black one moves the way its supposed to, so it also ought to work. I've given both an oiling and cleaning.
I'd say £20 plus postage for one (chose your colour) with the complete set of templates, of £15 for one with the 5 templates.
You will need to provide your own thingy to screw it into. I think this was part of the setup of the older machines, on my Bernina 1008 I use a screw on foot attachment.
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@Sewingsue
If you look at the For Sale posts, I have 2 x Singer buttonholers for sale which I believe to be compatible with 99K.
annie
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I Love buttonholers, I'm a fan of the Griest ones - especially the black metal ones with templates, they are so reliable and easy to set up, I usually run round the template twice and adjust the bight on the second run round to make them stronger. however the templates deliver exactly the template, while the type without templates deliver only straight buttonholes but are far more flexible on the length. theres also a limited number of templates available - I think 11 5 keyhole/5 straight and 1 eyelet template - but the eyelet template is like hens teeth.
The majority of buttonholers will fit a 99, because its a domestic straight shank which is most machines, rather than a slant shank, or a back screw for example which are more unusual. So a good hunt on ebay should turn you up a few examples of either :)
I usually have a couple of templated ones about but I sold off my last couple of templated straight shanks ones and only have slant shank ones at the moment.
R.
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@Roger, we had a discussion earlier about 3D CAD Modelling software. After a bit of searching, Efemera found these
3D printable buttonholer cams and sewing machine parts (https://growyourownclothes.com/2017/04/10/3d-printed-sewing-machine-parts/)
They were done using Tinkercad, which is free and easy to use......
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That’s cool! Thank you Manuela
I’ll take a look into that. :)