Vintage Spartan Pawn Shop Find
08-24-2019, 01:57 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 8
Vintage Spartan Pawn Shop Find
Hi everyone!
My name is Meg, AKA TransportGal and I am a brand new quilting and apparel sewist. I am here because I just picked up a Spartan portable sewing machine at a pawn store in Kentucky today. What exactly is Spartan ? The sticker on the side says:"SIMANCO" "CAT RF-J9-8" and has something about the voltage of the machine. What should I know about a machine like this?
The machine works but I haven't sewn any fabric on it yet. I think that it might be a Singer product and I believe that it is a Model 192 but I am not positive. I like how the bobbin is drop in like my 2013 Janome New Home that I have been using since I started sewing a few months ago.
Here is a picture of the machine
[ATTACH=CONFIG]616585[/ATTACH]
I am in my early 30's and I Love everything vintage! I just bought a couple lots of vintage sewing patterns on Ebay this week and I am hoping to sew something from those patterns on this machine. My husband likes to go to pawn stores to look at guns and I happened to see a sewing machine case on a shelf and when I opened it the machine was in it. The belt looks to be of fairly recent vintage and it has all of its guts. The bobbin mechanism cover isn't in the picture because it fell off in the car and my husband found it later
How do I go about servicing a machine like this? I am actually pretty mechanically inclined. If not, I am going to have to find a Singer service center in the Lexington, KY area.
I had the guy at the pawn shop plug it in and it whirred to life when I pressed the foot pedal: no weird noises or sounds of timing issues. So far, it looks like I have a complete machine. Was $20 fair for a machine like this?
This might be a learning thing for me because I have thought about going to school to fix sewing machines.
Anyway, what should I know about this machine?
My name is Meg, AKA TransportGal and I am a brand new quilting and apparel sewist. I am here because I just picked up a Spartan portable sewing machine at a pawn store in Kentucky today. What exactly is Spartan ? The sticker on the side says:"SIMANCO" "CAT RF-J9-8" and has something about the voltage of the machine. What should I know about a machine like this?
The machine works but I haven't sewn any fabric on it yet. I think that it might be a Singer product and I believe that it is a Model 192 but I am not positive. I like how the bobbin is drop in like my 2013 Janome New Home that I have been using since I started sewing a few months ago.
Here is a picture of the machine
[ATTACH=CONFIG]616585[/ATTACH]
I am in my early 30's and I Love everything vintage! I just bought a couple lots of vintage sewing patterns on Ebay this week and I am hoping to sew something from those patterns on this machine. My husband likes to go to pawn stores to look at guns and I happened to see a sewing machine case on a shelf and when I opened it the machine was in it. The belt looks to be of fairly recent vintage and it has all of its guts. The bobbin mechanism cover isn't in the picture because it fell off in the car and my husband found it later
How do I go about servicing a machine like this? I am actually pretty mechanically inclined. If not, I am going to have to find a Singer service center in the Lexington, KY area.
I had the guy at the pawn shop plug it in and it whirred to life when I pressed the foot pedal: no weird noises or sounds of timing issues. So far, it looks like I have a complete machine. Was $20 fair for a machine like this?
This might be a learning thing for me because I have thought about going to school to fix sewing machines.
Anyway, what should I know about this machine?
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 08-26-2019 at 02:47 PM. Reason: shouting/all caps
08-24-2019, 03:50 PM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,821
Yes, it's a Singer product. The Spartan name indicates it was an economy model (no light). If I remember correctly, it was made in Singer's Kilbowie, Scotland plant. I also think (not sure) it's pretty much the same as the Singer 99 .
It will require a good cleaning and oiling. There's a link in this same section about cleaning and oiling a vintage machine. That will give you some good info. Most of the time, when you clean and oil them, they will run like a champ.
$20.00 is a great price.
Someone more knowledgeable than me will come along shortly if you have more specific questions.
Here's a link to the manual http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...er-spartan-192
It will require a good cleaning and oiling. There's a link in this same section about cleaning and oiling a vintage machine. That will give you some good info. Most of the time, when you clean and oil them, they will run like a champ.
$20.00 is a great price.
Someone more knowledgeable than me will come along shortly if you have more specific questions.
Here's a link to the manual http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...er-spartan-192
Last edited by bkay; 08-24-2019 at 03:53 PM. Reason: spelling
08-24-2019, 04:44 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,254
Welcome, Meg.
In addition to what you already know and bkay has told you, this machine is a what is considered a 3/4 size machine. According to http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...s-100-199.html these machines did not come with a case, where yours appears to have been found in a case. Also it looks like there were some 192's made in Elizabethport USA. The manual that bkay linked to evidently changed. It is now http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...ine-manual.pdf another one can be found at via https://www.singer.com/support which if you put 192 for the model number will link to https://www.singer.com/sites/default...al/245_192.pdf
These machines use class 66 metal bobbins and 15x1 needles.
For getting the bobbin slide plate back on, I think the 66 manuals give better instructions. It is similar to the diagrams for the 192 but you want to hold the plate slightly raised under the presser foot and needle. Then push it to the left so that the two ends of the the spring "B" (shown on page 3 of the above manuals) fit into the groves on the underside of the plate.
The manuals also show where to oil.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
In addition to what you already know and bkay has told you, this machine is a what is considered a 3/4 size machine. According to http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...s-100-199.html these machines did not come with a case, where yours appears to have been found in a case. Also it looks like there were some 192's made in Elizabethport USA. The manual that bkay linked to evidently changed. It is now http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...ine-manual.pdf another one can be found at via https://www.singer.com/support which if you put 192 for the model number will link to https://www.singer.com/sites/default...al/245_192.pdf
These machines use class 66 metal bobbins and 15x1 needles.
For getting the bobbin slide plate back on, I think the 66 manuals give better instructions. It is similar to the diagrams for the 192 but you want to hold the plate slightly raised under the presser foot and needle. Then push it to the left so that the two ends of the the spring "B" (shown on page 3 of the above manuals) fit into the groves on the underside of the plate.
The manuals also show where to oil.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Last edited by OurWorkbench; 08-24-2019 at 04:47 PM. Reason: Not affiliated with off-site links
08-24-2019, 05:33 PM
#6
Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 9
See thread in this forum “99 vs 99k”, there is a video link that explains the differences and includes the Spartan.
I don’t have a Spartan (yet) but love my 99k. Do look up how to put that bobbin cover back on correctly- they fall off and get lost if not. You made a great buy, and I bet you really enjoy sewing on it.
I don’t have a Spartan (yet) but love my 99k. Do look up how to put that bobbin cover back on correctly- they fall off and get lost if not. You made a great buy, and I bet you really enjoy sewing on it.
08-26-2019, 02:00 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 8
Update on Spartan by Singer and this weekend's machine haul.
I purchased 3 vintage sewing machines for at grand total of $40 this weekend. So far sewing machine repair has become a little addicting.
I did my first attempt at servicing a sewing machine and it actually went really well. I took apart and cleaned and lubricated everything recommended in the British lady's video on how to service a Singer machine. I also polished all of the shiny metal parts on the machine and changed the belt with a Singer universal fit belt. I also lubricated the machine per the Spartan manual. I discovered that I needed a new tension spring and a new spring for the cover to the bobbin case. One trip to Singer Online and $15 later I have replacement parts plus 5 bobbins and a set of the recommended needles coming in the mail in a few days.
The Spartan is actually really easy to work on. I didn't have any metal polish but I improvised with silver polish for the shiny metal parts. I cleaned the painted surfaces with a little sewing machine oil on a rag.
Now to figure out how to replace the motor in the late 1960's model Kenmore that I was given yesterday
I have to be honest, I sewed a little on the 1960's Japanese model that I bought yesterday and it actually performs better than my $225 (on sale) Janome New Home 8050. It was a little bit of a learning curve figuring out how to use the bobbin winder and thread the machine without a manual but for my first experience with a vintage machine it went really well.
I told my husband that the freebie Kenmore was a heavy duty model and he is really excited for me to fix it so I can repair his favorite pair of Carhartt coveralls. I might be able to do it with the vintage Japanese model because it has a 1.3 amp motor but I need to run some test material through.
This all started with a random trip to a pawn shop on Saturday so my husband could look at guns and 48 hours later I have three vintage sewing machines from different sellers. I had talked about going to school for sewing machine repair after graduate school but it looks like I am doing most of my learning on my own through trial and error.
I did my first attempt at servicing a sewing machine and it actually went really well. I took apart and cleaned and lubricated everything recommended in the British lady's video on how to service a Singer machine. I also polished all of the shiny metal parts on the machine and changed the belt with a Singer universal fit belt. I also lubricated the machine per the Spartan manual. I discovered that I needed a new tension spring and a new spring for the cover to the bobbin case. One trip to Singer Online and $15 later I have replacement parts plus 5 bobbins and a set of the recommended needles coming in the mail in a few days.
The Spartan is actually really easy to work on. I didn't have any metal polish but I improvised with silver polish for the shiny metal parts. I cleaned the painted surfaces with a little sewing machine oil on a rag.
Now to figure out how to replace the motor in the late 1960's model Kenmore that I was given yesterday
I have to be honest, I sewed a little on the 1960's Japanese model that I bought yesterday and it actually performs better than my $225 (on sale) Janome New Home 8050. It was a little bit of a learning curve figuring out how to use the bobbin winder and thread the machine without a manual but for my first experience with a vintage machine it went really well.
I told my husband that the freebie Kenmore was a heavy duty model and he is really excited for me to fix it so I can repair his favorite pair of Carhartt coveralls. I might be able to do it with the vintage Japanese model because it has a 1.3 amp motor but I need to run some test material through.
This all started with a random trip to a pawn shop on Saturday so my husband could look at guns and 48 hours later I have three vintage sewing machines from different sellers. I had talked about going to school for sewing machine repair after graduate school but it looks like I am doing most of my learning on my own through trial and error.
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