Originally Posted by
Macybaby
....the 127 is basically the updated version of the 27. The easiest way to tell which one it is - Singer relocated the bobbin winder to ride on the wheel instead of having it lower down to ride on the treadle belt.
Another easy way to tell the difference, if it has a spoked wheel on it, is the number of spokes in the wheel. Most, if not all, 27s have a 6-spoke hand wheel, and most, if not all 127s have a 9-spoke hand wheel.
If it has a disc wheel on it, it could be either model, no matter where the bobbin winder is located. Lots of 27s got upgraded to electric machines in the 1940s, and the bobbin winder had to be relocated up to run on the hand wheel. Some modifications even included removal of the lower bobbin winder mounting lobe and a paint touchup, so they can sometimes fool you. Here’s a 1904 Singer 27 upgraded to electric with the modifications that I’m talking about. Yes, it’s a model 27, even if it doesn’t look like it.
CD in Oklahoma