I learned something last night about presser feet ...
 

I learned something last night about a machines ability to sew through heavy or uneven stuff.

I was working with a Singer 413 I'd just cleaned and lubed and was sewing on a small piece of denim. I make a little pad from denim scraps to go under the presser foot for each machine I have. Two pieces of denim with the edges of the larger piece folded over the smaller piece and stitched down. This machine would not feed the uneven layers of denim. It just quit feeding.
I grumbled that even my nearly 100 year old treadle would walk over that like it wasn't there. Then I noticed the presser foot was cocked at an angle and acting like an obstruction. I swapped that out for a different solid ankle foot and the problems went away.
The original Singer snap on ZZ foot was the problem and will be replaced with a good solid ankle foot as soon as I make my next Sew-Classic order.

We've also noticed this with our 401A too. The aftermarket and Singer solid ankle feet work better than the snap on feet. I've decided to eventually replace all the snap ons. They just don't work as well as they should.

Joe

Good to know, Joe. I have some of the snap on feet for my Brother 270D and sometimes I have problems with them "falling off"!! Good idea to replace with solid ankle feet!

I'll put that info in my 'need to know' file..... now if I can just remember where that file is???

Ditto!

Post-its are my friends.

I think some of those good old ones with the shanks are more durable and built for stability - though I do like the "convenience" of the snap-ons - and I think that is basically what it is - the convenience. But I have a lot of old feet with the shanks and I'm keeping them. Just be sure of the throat size where you needle goes through - like my Pfaff is 9mm and my Brother machines are 7mm, and I had a little old one that was a 5 or 6mm.

Marysewfun

There are two styles of snap on feet. The old Singer style with the very narrow attachment point, and the later style with the 1/4" attachment point. My post above was in reference to the old narrow Singer style. I have little experience with the wider style. Actually have one machine that uses them, the newly acquired Singer 3810.

Joe

funny you should mention this...my Elna has snap on feet and I noticed this happening making a tote the other day! going to see if some of my vintage feet/adapters will work on her!

WOW, i had no idea, but if you don't snap them on, (ok dumb question) how do they stay on?? i have two pfaffs a 1469 and a 1471 and just acquired a singer 301a at a garage sale this past weekend. thank you for sharing and your help

Mary,

There are several different attaching methods. The most common is the one piece that screws onto the shaft with a thumb screw. Then there is the snap on. The snap on uses a spring loaded adapter that is mounted on the shaft and you snap the foot on and off of that part. The problem I've seen with the early Singer type with the narrow attaching point is they wobble and move around too much. I don't know about the pfaff designs. The newer designs use a 1/4" attachment and is more solid. I have very little experience with that design.

If your not familiar with the old one piece type look at my thread:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...t-t186875.html
Look close at post #1 and #10. You can clearly see where the foot pivots. Instead of a spring loaded point, there is a solid ankle and foot with a pin holding them together.

Joe