Bobbin question
 

Well, I was not expecting to get a new machine today. Wasn't even planning on going anywhere. But we decided to go to the early voting offered in the county. On the way there, we passed the county fairgrounds. When we found the place to vote there were HUNDREDS of people waiting in line. And they had only opened about 10 minutes before.

Anyway, we decided to go back to the flea market and look around and then go back to the voting. There was an estate auction going on at the same time in one of the usual buildings, so only two buildings this month. Walked into the first building and started looking around. I over heard someone saying about talking to the auction people about taking it. Came around the corner and saw the cabinet. Nice cabinet so I opened it. Inside is an EXTREMELY clean Singer 401A. The price listed was $20obo. As I was looking at it - taking it out, moving the pieces, etc. - the guy of the selling team came back from the auction and said that they (the auction) couldn't take it. He walks over to me and asks if I was interested in it. I said maybe. And I started to look it over again. The two of them stepped away and talked. He came back up to me and asked what I was going to do with it. I said SEW of course. He said I could have it if I wanted it. Longer story short - was an aunt's and they were trying to get rid of it. The auctioneer didn't want it and they didn't want to haul it again to the thrift store or dump. Since I was wanting to use it and not just resell it or part it out, that I could have it. For FREE. His aunt would have liked for it to go to someone who would use it. The girl and I talked while the guys took it out to the van. She mentioned that the aunt had quilted on it and had bought it new in 1951. So she was glad to know that it would be loved and used.

And I am glad to have her and will give her a loving, warm and safe home.

So after my marathon story, now my question -

I looked up the serial number on the Singer website. It states that it takes a Class 66 Bobbin. It came with a few bobbins. I was pretty sure what a Class 66 bobbin was - the one that has the domed sides. The bobbins that came with it are metal and have smooth, flat, solid sides. Not what I consider a Class 66.

I did some looking around and with some measuring, have found an eBay listing for bobbins that look like they are right and the measurements are exactly correct. They are listed as 111W/212W.

Are these interchangeable? What about plastic versus metal? Aluminum versus? Or the black metal? I know all about my 221s, 301 and 327, but I am lost with this girly.

Thanks.

Edited to add - I'll post pictures tomorrow.

Congrats. You want metal bobbins and you can buy the exact ones you need from Sew Classic.

Great find ... but ... did you get to vote? :)

Class 66 Bobbins:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...binmantage.jpg

All of these will work just fine in your 401. The metal ones are what Singer made it to use, but the plastic ones will also work.

Forget slease bay, you can buy these bobbins just about everywhere, from JoAnns to WalMart to your LSMG. Sew Classic has good ones and I've bought some from her. Zero complaints.

Joe

You can buy them at WalMart, as well. I have a 66 treadle and the bobbins that came with her were in sad shape. I happened to think about it when I was in the store and lo and behold, there they were. They had the plain metal ones, plastic one and prefilled ones. Enjoy your new baby!

We are going today, regardless of the line. We want to get our vote in before my husband leaves for San Diego for 3 weeks.

What a nice story

Obviously the 401A was meant to be yours. I wonder if Aunt was sending you to her sewing machine? Congratulations.

Hope you will love yours as much as I do mine. Found mine at GW for $30.00 in a blond cabinet. Great Machine!!! And for free, can't beat that. It has that slant shank and I ordered one of those adaptors and can use all of my snap on feet from other machines on her.

If you buy the bobbins WM sells you can make ear rings out of the flat sides when they break. Sew-classic bobbins hold up a lot better IMHO the more you buy the cheaper they are.