Mickey2

I have one of these and I might soon have two. I haven't decided yet, but there is one offered at a good price, just missing a few parts. It's in a domed case, knee lever control;: missing knee lever and power cord with plug.

Mine is a 201K, in a table that looks like it might have been a treadle at one point. Serial number dates it to 1950, at a time when hardly any ordered treadles. It has the spoked wheel, but all set up with motor and lights. If it ever was a treadle, the electrical conversion happened early on in its' life. The owner though it had been electrical from new, but who knows what happened in it's first decade. She was the second owner.

I am trying to reduce noises as much as possible. The belt is new, but it squeaks slightly, at least when sewing fast. I have been wondering if the small solid hand wheel is better with electrical motor, or if the spoked hand wheel is all fine. I have read lugged type belts are the best. At the moment I have the black type rubber V-belt, and I plant to order an orangey lugged belt to check the difference.

I have had problems with the upper thread jumping out of the first thread guide. I found a solution in a transverse spool holder that clips onto the spool pin. It allows for the thread to go horizontally from the spool to the first thread guide, it's even possible to set it slightly lower than the thread guide, and tread stays in its' route how ever fast I sew.

I am on the hunt for an extra bobbin case. I can live with just one, but switching from a light weight thread to top stitch thread is very cumbersome. I have to set bobbin tension everytime and I find it such a hassle, and having an extra bobbin case set for the ticker thread sounds like a nice solution.

I feel my 201 might need some fine tuning; I have to turn tension up, way up to tightest setting to sew with top stitch thread on heavier fabrics. It does it, but just barely, it's like I can't get tension tight enough. When free motioning I also have tension dial way up compared to others, might be someting I need to work on.

I just replaced the bobbin tire, I think it's the correct size. It slided on with a bit of effort, and it's much firmer than the old. The old has sort of sagged or perhaps it was just a number too large, it kept falling off if I didn't wind slow and carefully. I had to adjust the bobbin winder a bit when the new tire went on, it's like it's a bit thicker, but I can't see much differece though. After the adjustment it doesn't click in and out of place as it used to, I probably have put it of sync some how; needs attention, but I can at least wind the bobbin on regular speed.

I've had my 201 for just over a year now, it's become my favorite in spite of the fixer up issues. It's a joy to work on it, for the most part it stitches perfectly with out any fuzz; but still there are a few things that need to be looked at.

Any thoughts on the subject? Anyone having similar issues with the 201? I might add a few clever attachments to my collection, I have a buttonholer I like, a zigzagger I don't like, a walking foot would be nice.

sewbeadit

I have heard the orange belts aren't that great, however I don't know. My 201 belt is quiet it is black. I know my thread would pop out of the thread guide as well, the spools of thread now have a larger hole in the middle to put on the thread spool and they bop around on there causing jerking motions of the thread which causes it to jump out of the guide while going a bit faster. I put a tight rubber band around the spool pin to make it a bit larger and still the thread would spool off easily not causing any extra tension. Sounds like you have fixed that problem. Your bobbin tire may be too large, some are made thicker for different machines. I have had my machine for a couple of months and use it regularly and really enjoy sewing on it, mostly quilting, or piecing. Oh I hemmed jeans with the heavy orange Jeans thread and had no problems, you may have to clean your tension, take apart, clean and put back together to get that corrected, but I am not sure. That machine just went right through it no problems at all, I used a 16 needle because of the thread size and the thicknesses of the flat felled seams. Was so happy to see it go through with out any effort! Glad you like your machine. I have some attachments for mine but don't use them much.

treadlecrazy

The solid handwheels are better for use with motors. I'd suggest changing it out with a solid handwheel. You'll put less strain on the motor and will probably have an easier time sewing thick materials. If it were my machine I'd put it on a treadle base, though. I'm jealous - I went so far as to convert a Singer 201-2 potted motor machine to treadle since I couldn't find a treadle or belt driven 201 at a reasonable price.

There is an easy fix for your tension problem. (Although, I should say I think it's fairly normal to have to adjust the top tension really high when using thick thread.) With regular thread in the machine, adjust the tension until the stitches look good. With a thumb on each side of the number dial, push in on just the black number dial, releasing it from the pin that holds it in place. While the number dial is still pushed in, turn it until the desired number (usually 4) is on top, then release it, making sure the pin goes into one of the holes on the number dial.

SteveH

and this is ALSO what folks do to skew their numbers by accident and then wonder why their tension is all over the place... (I got two different machines donated to me from the same person, for the same reason, before we figured out what she was doing....)

Side note: Changing a 201-2 to treadle!!!! woah... I wouldn't even do that... But I would turn it into a mean handcrank.....

Macybaby

I want to see a 201 without a drop in bobbin - is there some sort of thing that fit in there that you can interchange?

Mickey2

No, I doubt in Macybaby, it would make it versatile though. Who knows, but it would require major reingeneering. I don't mind the drop in bobbin, it has its' advantages and disadvantages. I have a Bernina with vertical set bobbin case, it's easier with bobbin tension adjustments and quite a bit more forgiving when it comes to tension in general. I might get a model 15 just to sew what it's all about.

Thank's for your input all of you, I appreciate it. The 201 has become my main machine for everything but zigzag and blind stitch.

Manalto

Could I interest you in a 15-91 madam? We have one right here on the showroom floor!

Rodney

I'm not sure how easy it is to remove and replace the bobbin case on a 201.
There's pictures of the bobbin case removed nearly at the bottom of the page.
http://oldsingersewingmachineblog.co...-later-models/
I'm not sure how easy it is to remove and replace. Usually drop in cases aren't meant to be taken out all the time.

I would just adjust the tension as needed. It's probably easier than switching the case out. If I was sewing with thick thread often I would set up a dedicated machine.

Singer made a 4 legged electric cabinet with a top that looks like a treadle cabinet. It could be you have one of those.
I think you do have the right tire on your winder. You just need to take a few seconds to adjust it.
Rodney

Macybaby

Well, Mickey did say they were looking for an extra bobbin case for the 201 to make adjusting the bobbin tension easier - so I thought maybe they found something that was easily interchangeable for the 201. Like Rodney says, I also can't see where changeing out part of the 201 would be easier than adjusting the tension on what is in the machine to start with.

With my LA quilting machine, setting bobbin tension is a normal step of the process for each thread type used. I considered getting the TOWA gauge, but didn't. I did get a trigger pull gauge to see how that would work, but I think that will go in DH's tools as I did not find it all that helpful.

Mickey2

It's difficult to reach the tension screw on the bobbin case, mine doesn't turn easily unless it's out of the machine. I have to unclick two springs on each side of the top ring and it comes of, then with a knack it clicks fairly easily into place. I struggled a lot before I realized how it was done. It's not like the case on a 15 or any other vertical bobbin machine which are out all the time anyway. Maybe I should set up a dedicated machine for top stitch thread, it would be reason to get another one in a table ;- )