27 or 28 or ???
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,571
I am trying to find out how to determine what I'll call 'sub-numbers' on the various singer models. I.E., 15-91, etc. I have my g'grandmother's restored singer table/case that I'm trying to find a machine for. I have the ismac's site but only get model 66 / 15 / etc. with no -##. When looking at - can't remember if it's the ismac or sandman site - as to which machines fit into which tables, it is very specific as to machine model. Can anyone tell me where I can get more specific model info or how to tell? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Northern CA near Sacramento
Posts: 1,107
NJ Quilter,
The sub number (-#) does not affect whether or not the machine head will fit in the cabinet. I does affect whether or
not it is operational in the cabinet. An example is the Singer 15-91. The handwheel on this potted motor model won't
take a treadle belt, so it won't work as a treadle in a treadle cabinet. The 15-88 (treadle model), the 15-89 (the hand crank model) and the 15-90 (the belted motor model) all have motor bosses so all will accept an bolted on motor or hand crank or a treadle belt. If the power source is removed (handcrank or bolted motor or treadle) these three heads are identical.
I can't help much with the 66 sub numbers without a little research. I do know that the sub numbers on the 66 also won't affect whether or not they fit the cabinet. It can make a difference in whether or not the bobbin winder will work on the treadle models or if it has a motor boss to take a hand crank or bolted on motor.
Have you used this feature of Sandman? http://www.sandman-collectibles.com/...r-machines.htm
I hope I didn't just confuse you more,
Cathy
The sub number (-#) does not affect whether or not the machine head will fit in the cabinet. I does affect whether or
not it is operational in the cabinet. An example is the Singer 15-91. The handwheel on this potted motor model won't
take a treadle belt, so it won't work as a treadle in a treadle cabinet. The 15-88 (treadle model), the 15-89 (the hand crank model) and the 15-90 (the belted motor model) all have motor bosses so all will accept an bolted on motor or hand crank or a treadle belt. If the power source is removed (handcrank or bolted motor or treadle) these three heads are identical.
I can't help much with the 66 sub numbers without a little research. I do know that the sub numbers on the 66 also won't affect whether or not they fit the cabinet. It can make a difference in whether or not the bobbin winder will work on the treadle models or if it has a motor boss to take a hand crank or bolted on motor.
Have you used this feature of Sandman? http://www.sandman-collectibles.com/...r-machines.htm
I hope I didn't just confuse you more,
Cathy
#15
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 37
What is the difference between the machines 301 and 301A and a 401 and 401A? Also what is the difference between the same model 301 and 301A. I hope that makes sense. Are there attachments that can be bought for them. I have been looking at some older machines. Apparently these are good machines to buy.
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Northern CA near Sacramento
Posts: 1,107
MistyK,
The A designation on both the 301 and 401 is to indicate the they were made in the Anderson, SC plant.
On the 301 there is no difference between the ones with the A and those without as all 301s were made at the Anderson plant. This may also apply to the 401s.
Both take the slant shank attachments and will work with most of the attachments. The exception is the slant shank walking foot. It works well on the 401, but doesn't work well on the narrow feeddogs of the 301.
Cathy
The A designation on both the 301 and 401 is to indicate the they were made in the Anderson, SC plant.
On the 301 there is no difference between the ones with the A and those without as all 301s were made at the Anderson plant. This may also apply to the 401s.
Both take the slant shank attachments and will work with most of the attachments. The exception is the slant shank walking foot. It works well on the 401, but doesn't work well on the narrow feeddogs of the 301.
Cathy
What is the difference between the machines 301 and 301A and a 401 and 401A? Also what is the difference between the same model 301 and 301A. I hope that makes sense. Are there attachments that can be bought for them. I have been looking at some older machines. Apparently these are good machines to buy.
#17
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 37
MistyK,
The A designation on both the 301 and 401 is to indicate the they were made in the Anderson, SC plant.
On the 301 there is no difference between the ones with the A and those without as all 301s were made at the Anderson plant. This may also apply to the 401s.
Both take the slant shank attachments and will work with most of the attachments. The exception is the slant shank walking foot. It works well on the 401, but doesn't work well on the narrow feeddogs of the 301.
Cathy
The A designation on both the 301 and 401 is to indicate the they were made in the Anderson, SC plant.
On the 301 there is no difference between the ones with the A and those without as all 301s were made at the Anderson plant. This may also apply to the 401s.
Both take the slant shank attachments and will work with most of the attachments. The exception is the slant shank walking foot. It works well on the 401, but doesn't work well on the narrow feeddogs of the 301.
Cathy
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Northern CA near Sacramento
Posts: 1,107
MistyK,
"The shank sounds like the thing that holds the needle tho. Is that correct?" No. The shank type indicates how the feet attach to the machine. The slant shank is only for certain Singer machines. Most feet will be low shank, high shank or slant shank. There are also other type of attachment.
"After reading around some on the board it sounds like a walking foot is something that you need to actually quilt with." A walking foot that fits the machine properly is nice to have for the quilting, but not absolutely necessary in most cases, and usually never needed for the piecing part of quilting.
"Do you know why the feed dogs on the 301 are narrow. Is that supposed to help the material move better somehow." No. It's a design thing. Older straight stitch machines (301, 221, 201, 15, etc) had no need for widely spaced feetdogs, as the neeedle only goes up and down in a straight plane. When the zigzag models came out the needle moved side to side and would hit the feeddogs if they had not been moved farther apart. The new electronic machine with the very wide zigzag have dogs even farther apart.
Jenny at sew-classic has a lot of info the you need to read try these two blogs of hers.
http://shop.sew-classic.com/What-sha...hank-Style.htm (good drawings)
http://www.sew-classic.com/uploads/W...structions.pdf (good description of what the WF does)
Cathy
"The shank sounds like the thing that holds the needle tho. Is that correct?" No. The shank type indicates how the feet attach to the machine. The slant shank is only for certain Singer machines. Most feet will be low shank, high shank or slant shank. There are also other type of attachment.
"After reading around some on the board it sounds like a walking foot is something that you need to actually quilt with." A walking foot that fits the machine properly is nice to have for the quilting, but not absolutely necessary in most cases, and usually never needed for the piecing part of quilting.
"Do you know why the feed dogs on the 301 are narrow. Is that supposed to help the material move better somehow." No. It's a design thing. Older straight stitch machines (301, 221, 201, 15, etc) had no need for widely spaced feetdogs, as the neeedle only goes up and down in a straight plane. When the zigzag models came out the needle moved side to side and would hit the feeddogs if they had not been moved farther apart. The new electronic machine with the very wide zigzag have dogs even farther apart.
Jenny at sew-classic has a lot of info the you need to read try these two blogs of hers.
http://shop.sew-classic.com/What-sha...hank-Style.htm (good drawings)
http://www.sew-classic.com/uploads/W...structions.pdf (good description of what the WF does)
Cathy
#19
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 37
MistyK,
"The shank sounds like the thing that holds the needle tho. Is that correct?" No. The shank type indicates how the feet attach to the machine. The slant shank is only for certain Singer machines. Most feet will be low shank, high shank or slant shank. There are also other type of attachment.
"After reading around some on the board it sounds like a walking foot is something that you need to actually quilt with." A walking foot that fits the machine properly is nice to have for the quilting, but not absolutely necessary in most cases, and usually never needed for the piecing part of quilting.
"Do you know why the feed dogs on the 301 are narrow. Is that supposed to help the material move better somehow." No. It's a design thing. Older straight stitch machines (301, 221, 201, 15, etc) had no need for widely spaced feetdogs, as the neeedle only goes up and down in a straight plane. When the zigzag models came out the needle moved side to side and would hit the feeddogs if they had not been moved farther apart. The new electronic machine with the very wide zigzag have dogs even farther apart.
Jenny at sew-classic has a lot of info the you need to read try these two blogs of hers.
http://shop.sew-classic.com/What-sha...hank-Style.htm (good drawings)
http://www.sew-classic.com/uploads/W...structions.pdf (good description of what the WF does)
Cathy
"The shank sounds like the thing that holds the needle tho. Is that correct?" No. The shank type indicates how the feet attach to the machine. The slant shank is only for certain Singer machines. Most feet will be low shank, high shank or slant shank. There are also other type of attachment.
"After reading around some on the board it sounds like a walking foot is something that you need to actually quilt with." A walking foot that fits the machine properly is nice to have for the quilting, but not absolutely necessary in most cases, and usually never needed for the piecing part of quilting.
"Do you know why the feed dogs on the 301 are narrow. Is that supposed to help the material move better somehow." No. It's a design thing. Older straight stitch machines (301, 221, 201, 15, etc) had no need for widely spaced feetdogs, as the neeedle only goes up and down in a straight plane. When the zigzag models came out the needle moved side to side and would hit the feeddogs if they had not been moved farther apart. The new electronic machine with the very wide zigzag have dogs even farther apart.
Jenny at sew-classic has a lot of info the you need to read try these two blogs of hers.
http://shop.sew-classic.com/What-sha...hank-Style.htm (good drawings)
http://www.sew-classic.com/uploads/W...structions.pdf (good description of what the WF does)
Cathy
#20
Thanks! I am sure that I will have more questions, but this will be a start. I have not owned a sewing machine but my family did have treadle. I decided I wanted to do something with fabric and making a quilt sounded like a good project. So I have been reading around the board to see what others are doing. I saw a post, can't remember where I read it, that some guy on here sells machines and fixes them. May try and find him again and see what he may have. I am pretty sure I want an older machine rather than a new one.