I’m fiddling with my Singer 301-2 (longbed made before the use of the letter “A”) to make it non-electric. It’s an old used and somewhat abused 301 that I’ve had stashed in the attic at the shop. I like my Singer 221 Featherweight handcrank so well that when I learned that Scott over at bishopsewingsystems had begun making his little handcranks for the model 301, I had to get one to try it out.
I’ve only pulled the motor and changed out the handwheel clutch knobs so far. I still need to fully service the machine, but I shot some oil in it to begin playing with the crank. The machine weighs just over 14 pounds with the motor out, but the light and all of the wiring still in. My Featherweight weighs 9 1/4 pounds with the motor off, wiring in, and a battery-powered LED light clipped to it, so it’s significantly lighter.
I don’t know if there will be much advantage in the 301HC over the 221HC, but something may turn up. If a person only had a 301, then the crank would be more of an advantage. The two most common uses that my wife and I use our electric 301A for is quilt block piecing and FMQ. The 221HC will fit the bill just fine for piecing, and I doubt that we’ll ever try to FMQ on the 301HC. I can picture it now....me trying to coordinate the crank while she moves the quilt sandwich....
We work together well, but I’m not sure if we could work together THAT well.....it could be fun just for the giggles though. It might be an entertaining 2-person team contest to FMQ a potholder or something at a sewing get-together sometime. Probably ought to take along some Bandaids just in case.....
CD in Oklahoma