Missing Puzzle (box) Peices
04-18-2015, 03:41 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,137
Missing Puzzle (box) Peices
A couple people have asked me if I had any extra puzzle box pieces to help them complete their sets. Since I was going through what I had anyway, I took some pictures. Side note - I give away stuff I don't want, and I have a lot of extra pieces, mostly the common ones. If you have a box and need a few, send me a PM. I end up with these because I bought a "group" that had something in it I wanted. I do not buy anything intending to resell.
Needlebar has a good selection of pictures of Puzzle boxes, so if you want to see pages from manuals, you can look here
http://needlebar.org/main/puzzles/index.html
I'll point out that there didn't seem to be constancy in the exact location of the pieces, particularly the location of the screwdriver holder, I've seen it on both the left and right sides.
#1 is very unique - much older style hemmers with a different attachment method. Tucker is also unique. The manual picture shows the long ruffler and shirr plate like is used in several later boxes.
this is the shirr plate for the VS machine.
#2 - not found any info on this.
For the following, they are all similar.
Basic compenents are Ruffler with bed Shirr Plate, Tucker, Quilt foot and separate Guide, including nut, Narrow Hemmer foot, Adapter foot for Hemmer set, including set screw. Hemmers, 1-5 plus Binder 6, Large and Small Screwdriver, stilleto, Underbriader, Seam guide plus mounting Screw and bias cutting guide. The two items I bolded are often missing, and quite often someone has attempted to put a different screw in the adapter foot, and stripped out the threads. Usually it's the seam guide screw, and you can make it sort of fit . . . but then the correct screw will never fit again.
#3 is one I have - (mine is for the VS machine). It has the screw pin hemmers (used in all later puzzle boxes), the longer ruffler used in #1, but a different tucker. I do not have the correct screwdrivers, so far I've never seen them show up on eBay.
It has a hook to close the lid -
#4-6, not found any info on these.
#7 this is almost the same as #3 with the exception of the tucker. While I don't have this style puzzle box, I do have the tucker that came in a metal box set.
I have several sets for non-singer machines with the same style tucker - with a different type attachment point. Singer was one of the few of that time with side clamp attachments.
#8 The manual for this one shows different numbers on the parts, but it's a drawing, so I don't know if they are on the parts, or only shown for reference. I don't recall ever seeing hemmers with the numbers on like that. I've seen them two ways - with the single digits (1-6) and with the five digit part number on them.
This is also the same as #3 (and #7) except for the tucker and shirr plate. I only have the IF version, so I don't know what the VS shirr plate looks like. The underbriader is the same.
This tucker is used in the later puzzle boxes
This version has a piece of spring steel underneath, a later version has a coil spring, often they are broke or missing - and also make sure both screws are there, and the smaller guide. I think little figured removed parts out of granny's box quite often.
This shows the spring steel (this one is missing a screw)
This one has the small coil spring instead of the spring steel.
#9 I have seen this manual for both VS and IF machines. The tucker is the same as #8, but the ruffler is different. I have several rufflers like this in non-singer sets marked Johnstone, though most of those have a fixed shirr plate. The Singer one is removable. I can not tell from the manual for the IF what the bed mount shirr plate looks like, but it appears to be somethign different from all the others.
The VS set has a slide mount shirr plate and shows a curved slide for the fiddle base machine.
While I have complete ones in other sets, this one is missing the nut that locks the shirr plate on (notice threaded post at top of picture)
#10 is the same as #9 with a different ruffler, and the VS shirr plate shows a square end for the rectagular bed machines.
** THIS IS THE FIRST MANUAL THAT SHOWS THE CLIP LATCH INSIDE THE BOX - I don't know if the previous ones all had the hook closure, or if Singer just didn't update the drawings for it.
Here is the shirr plate - mine is broken
#11 Same as #9 and #10 with a different ruffler and shirr plate setup. This manual also shows the five digit numbers, and I have seen plenty of puzzle boxes with the five digit numbers used. The manual still references the 2 digit "box location" numbers, and that is one reason I think they were never on the parts - Since they are drawings, it does look like Singer may have used the same drawing, and changed out the last flap with the different ruffler.
I'd estimate that 80% or more of puzzle boxes on eBay are #11.
I have found no evidence that the 66 back clamp attachments ever came in a puzzle box, this does not mean you won't find them in a puzzle box, only that they didn't come that way from Singer. I have attachment manuals dated after 1907 that show other attachment sets (non-puzzle boxes), so I'd guess the puzzle box was used approximately from 1889 to 1907.
Post puzzlebox Singer attachments are quite interesting too.
- continued-
Needlebar has a good selection of pictures of Puzzle boxes, so if you want to see pages from manuals, you can look here
http://needlebar.org/main/puzzles/index.html
I'll point out that there didn't seem to be constancy in the exact location of the pieces, particularly the location of the screwdriver holder, I've seen it on both the left and right sides.
#1 is very unique - much older style hemmers with a different attachment method. Tucker is also unique. The manual picture shows the long ruffler and shirr plate like is used in several later boxes.
this is the shirr plate for the VS machine.
#2 - not found any info on this.
For the following, they are all similar.
Basic compenents are Ruffler with bed Shirr Plate, Tucker, Quilt foot and separate Guide, including nut, Narrow Hemmer foot, Adapter foot for Hemmer set, including set screw. Hemmers, 1-5 plus Binder 6, Large and Small Screwdriver, stilleto, Underbriader, Seam guide plus mounting Screw and bias cutting guide. The two items I bolded are often missing, and quite often someone has attempted to put a different screw in the adapter foot, and stripped out the threads. Usually it's the seam guide screw, and you can make it sort of fit . . . but then the correct screw will never fit again.
#3 is one I have - (mine is for the VS machine). It has the screw pin hemmers (used in all later puzzle boxes), the longer ruffler used in #1, but a different tucker. I do not have the correct screwdrivers, so far I've never seen them show up on eBay.
It has a hook to close the lid -
#4-6, not found any info on these.
#7 this is almost the same as #3 with the exception of the tucker. While I don't have this style puzzle box, I do have the tucker that came in a metal box set.
I have several sets for non-singer machines with the same style tucker - with a different type attachment point. Singer was one of the few of that time with side clamp attachments.
#8 The manual for this one shows different numbers on the parts, but it's a drawing, so I don't know if they are on the parts, or only shown for reference. I don't recall ever seeing hemmers with the numbers on like that. I've seen them two ways - with the single digits (1-6) and with the five digit part number on them.
This is also the same as #3 (and #7) except for the tucker and shirr plate. I only have the IF version, so I don't know what the VS shirr plate looks like. The underbriader is the same.
This tucker is used in the later puzzle boxes
This version has a piece of spring steel underneath, a later version has a coil spring, often they are broke or missing - and also make sure both screws are there, and the smaller guide. I think little figured removed parts out of granny's box quite often.
This shows the spring steel (this one is missing a screw)
This one has the small coil spring instead of the spring steel.
#9 I have seen this manual for both VS and IF machines. The tucker is the same as #8, but the ruffler is different. I have several rufflers like this in non-singer sets marked Johnstone, though most of those have a fixed shirr plate. The Singer one is removable. I can not tell from the manual for the IF what the bed mount shirr plate looks like, but it appears to be somethign different from all the others.
The VS set has a slide mount shirr plate and shows a curved slide for the fiddle base machine.
While I have complete ones in other sets, this one is missing the nut that locks the shirr plate on (notice threaded post at top of picture)
#10 is the same as #9 with a different ruffler, and the VS shirr plate shows a square end for the rectagular bed machines.
** THIS IS THE FIRST MANUAL THAT SHOWS THE CLIP LATCH INSIDE THE BOX - I don't know if the previous ones all had the hook closure, or if Singer just didn't update the drawings for it.
Here is the shirr plate - mine is broken
#11 Same as #9 and #10 with a different ruffler and shirr plate setup. This manual also shows the five digit numbers, and I have seen plenty of puzzle boxes with the five digit numbers used. The manual still references the 2 digit "box location" numbers, and that is one reason I think they were never on the parts - Since they are drawings, it does look like Singer may have used the same drawing, and changed out the last flap with the different ruffler.
I'd estimate that 80% or more of puzzle boxes on eBay are #11.
I have found no evidence that the 66 back clamp attachments ever came in a puzzle box, this does not mean you won't find them in a puzzle box, only that they didn't come that way from Singer. I have attachment manuals dated after 1907 that show other attachment sets (non-puzzle boxes), so I'd guess the puzzle box was used approximately from 1889 to 1907.
Post puzzlebox Singer attachments are quite interesting too.
- continued-
04-18-2015, 03:55 PM
#2
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,137
Here are some of the individual pieces - to help you figure out what you may be missing.
This is the IF version- notice the wire clip to hold the bobbins, and you can also see the closing latch mounted to the center of the first fold section.
This is the ruffler, underbraider and shirr plate for the IF.
This is the shirr plate for the VS version.
and the underbraider
Quilting foot, Hemmer adapter foot with screw, and narrow hemmer
Quilting guide with nut. I have seen a few where the threaded hole does not go all the way through, but I don't know if that is original or something someone found that would fit.
I think the rest you can see well enough in the previous pictures.
I have quite a few extra clips that came out of boxes, but not many screws (I did not take them out).
If you see something that are missing to complete your puzzle box, send me a PM and I'll send them to you. Joe already has an order in, and I've got to pull a few for my other friend. When they are gone, I'll do a happy dance!
This is the IF version- notice the wire clip to hold the bobbins, and you can also see the closing latch mounted to the center of the first fold section.
This is the ruffler, underbraider and shirr plate for the IF.
This is the shirr plate for the VS version.
and the underbraider
Quilting foot, Hemmer adapter foot with screw, and narrow hemmer
Quilting guide with nut. I have seen a few where the threaded hole does not go all the way through, but I don't know if that is original or something someone found that would fit.
I think the rest you can see well enough in the previous pictures.
I have quite a few extra clips that came out of boxes, but not many screws (I did not take them out).
If you see something that are missing to complete your puzzle box, send me a PM and I'll send them to you. Joe already has an order in, and I've got to pull a few for my other friend. When they are gone, I'll do a happy dance!
Last edited by Macybaby; 04-18-2015 at 03:58 PM.
04-20-2015, 01:30 PM
#7
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kentucky - Live in Iowa
Posts: 1,168
Cathy, if you can show me a picture of the screwdrivers that you need. PM me and I will look in my collection, a friend gave me quite a collection of machine attachments. I will give them to you, no charge. If I can help let me know.
Lee.
Lee.
04-20-2015, 04:32 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,137
Lee, this link shows a picture of the Singer manual, since I've never seen one in person, I don't have my own photo of one to show you. It's got an end like a safety pin, with the full loop around in a circle.
http://needlebar.org/main/puzzles/style7/index.html
http://needlebar.org/main/puzzles/style7/index.html
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