The model 15 has an ocillating shuttle; the 115 is full rotary.
Originally Posted by BoJangles
Originally Posted by sewnserge
Hi Nancy -
Wow!! You sound so excited! Thanks!!! :wink: Yes it is a Model 15, and the lever is a back tack. Do you have any suggestion for how to lower the feed dogs?? I was hoping I could use it for FMQ, because it has such a long arm...10-1/4"! It has cleaned up fairly well -- it has been ridden hard--has multiple dings and nicks, and tons of scratches where they put their pins in a strap of fabric they wrapped around the arm. There was a decal, but only a tiny bit is visible -- I can see the S from the Singer decal on the arm, and there is a little bit of decorative scrolling on the upright--but it is mostly gone.
I am excited! Your machine appears to have the Tiffany decals which were common on the Model 115's. That is why it appears to be a Model 115, but it is a Model 15. I did some research and Singer started making Model 15's in 1895 and continued to make them until 1957! The Model 115's were made from 1912 to 1935 from what I can find - they are really similar - I am not sure what the difference was in those two machine early on?
Anyway, there should be thumb screw under the bed when you tip the machine up that will drop the feed dogs for FM quilting if in fact the very early ones had that capability! I have a Model 15-88 treadle that does drop its feed dogs with that thumb screw on the under side of the bed right next to the bobbin hook race.
Nancy