Interesting machine at my job
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: NY, USA. Originally Birmingham, UK
Posts: 85
Interesting machine at my job
I work for a flooring company, and we have a sewing machine for binding the edges of carpet samples.
It's essentially a dedicated bias binding machine.
It's usually in the warehouse, but I had a chance to look at it today because it's in the office waiting to be sent out for servicing.
I thought I'd share, as it closely resembles a vintage domestic machine rather than an industrial model.
In fact, according to the website, they have been making this model for 25 years, so I guess it is vintage!
The casing appears to be all-metal. The motor is enclosed, but is mounted in a conspicuous bulge in the rear of the machine.
Looking at the machine, you can see that the design and materials are like those of our vintage machines, and very much unlike modern domestic sewing machines.
It's nice to see that, where power and performance really matter, vintage-style design values are still used.
If this machine was designed like modern plastic domestic sewing machines it wouldn't last a week, and nobody would buy it.
Here's a link to the website for this machine:
http://www.n-ccarpet.com/model-pbs.html
Make sure you're sitting down before looking at the price.
This price is probably not too different from the price of our vintage machines when they were new, if you take inflation into consideration.
Note also what appears to be a class 15 bobbin case, and the cutaway front which is presumably to allow for easy cleaning and bobbin changes.
It's quite possible that this is a specialized version of a regular sewing machine, perhaps made for them by a well-known sewing machine manufacturer.
Anybody recognize a family resemblance?
It's essentially a dedicated bias binding machine.
It's usually in the warehouse, but I had a chance to look at it today because it's in the office waiting to be sent out for servicing.
I thought I'd share, as it closely resembles a vintage domestic machine rather than an industrial model.
In fact, according to the website, they have been making this model for 25 years, so I guess it is vintage!
The casing appears to be all-metal. The motor is enclosed, but is mounted in a conspicuous bulge in the rear of the machine.
Looking at the machine, you can see that the design and materials are like those of our vintage machines, and very much unlike modern domestic sewing machines.
It's nice to see that, where power and performance really matter, vintage-style design values are still used.
If this machine was designed like modern plastic domestic sewing machines it wouldn't last a week, and nobody would buy it.
Here's a link to the website for this machine:
http://www.n-ccarpet.com/model-pbs.html
Make sure you're sitting down before looking at the price.
This price is probably not too different from the price of our vintage machines when they were new, if you take inflation into consideration.
Note also what appears to be a class 15 bobbin case, and the cutaway front which is presumably to allow for easy cleaning and bobbin changes.
It's quite possible that this is a specialized version of a regular sewing machine, perhaps made for them by a well-known sewing machine manufacturer.
Anybody recognize a family resemblance?
Last edited by Jamesbeat; 06-11-2014 at 06:51 AM.
#5
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: NY, USA. Originally Birmingham, UK
Posts: 85
I read that hire-purchase schemes were invented by Singer for sewing machines. Every household needed one, and not many could afford to pay up front.
I haven't had a chance to play with this one, as it is used by the guys in the warehouse to bind carpet samples.
I believe they have another, larger machine for making carpet base, which has a whipped edge rather than a tape binding. I'll have to see if I can find out what that machine is.
My warehouse experience is limited to hunting through thousands of dusty boxes of tiles looking for a specific tile to send out as a sample, so I try to spend as little time as possible in there!
#6
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 181
Neat machine. I think one would almost have to go industrial to get the same quality in new machines as in the vintage ones we all like. I worked at one place with industrial machines and loved loved loved them--especially how fast they were. I just don't have the space for industrials now and don't really need them (as if that's prevented me from collecting domestics).
Here's an interesting article on the Singer 201, with the explanation about a machine in 1940 that cost as much as 27 weeks of wages at the time: http://www.sewalot.com/singer_201k_sewalot.htm
The Sailrite company does currently produce portable heavy-duty walking-foot machines with a good reputation in the $600 to $800 price range.
I do find it interesting that so often we discuss here how great the vintage machines are and that they are superior to the modern machines, but anything over $50 is often considered "way too expensive." I try to find the best deals possible, but do think they're worth more than we frequently pay.
YMMV
John
Here's an interesting article on the Singer 201, with the explanation about a machine in 1940 that cost as much as 27 weeks of wages at the time: http://www.sewalot.com/singer_201k_sewalot.htm
The Sailrite company does currently produce portable heavy-duty walking-foot machines with a good reputation in the $600 to $800 price range.
I do find it interesting that so often we discuss here how great the vintage machines are and that they are superior to the modern machines, but anything over $50 is often considered "way too expensive." I try to find the best deals possible, but do think they're worth more than we frequently pay.
YMMV
John
#8
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: NY, USA. Originally Birmingham, UK
Posts: 85
We often say 'they don't make 'em like they used to', but I guess that's only partially true.
They DO make them like they used to, but nowadays they market them as industrial machines. The price for this quality of machine in real terms is similar to what it was back then, but now there's a new category of machines that are built cheap for domestic use.
Lucky for us, the machines were built so well back then that they're still here now, and priced ridiculously low considering the build quality!
Maybe those ebay sellers that advertise vintage domestic machines as 'industrial' aren't too as dishonest as they appear
They DO make them like they used to, but nowadays they market them as industrial machines. The price for this quality of machine in real terms is similar to what it was back then, but now there's a new category of machines that are built cheap for domestic use.
Lucky for us, the machines were built so well back then that they're still here now, and priced ridiculously low considering the build quality!
Maybe those ebay sellers that advertise vintage domestic machines as 'industrial' aren't too as dishonest as they appear
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
They do build new industrial machines but the metal in them isn't as good as the older machines - well at least the ones made in China. I have an old Singer 241 that will sew rings around anything new. I sold the newer machine and kept the old one.
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: NY, USA. Originally Birmingham, UK
Posts: 85
Quite true.
I have an 'old new' Singer (a model 347). It has a lot of newfangled features such as aluminum instead of cast iron for the case, an internal motor, a couple of notched belts etc.
Apart from a couple of toothed wheels and sundries such as motor mountings, everything inside appears to be metal.
Unfortunately, some of that metal is zinc alloy rather than the steel components that we love.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that this kind of 'improvement' has made it over to industrial machines too.
I have an 'old new' Singer (a model 347). It has a lot of newfangled features such as aluminum instead of cast iron for the case, an internal motor, a couple of notched belts etc.
Apart from a couple of toothed wheels and sundries such as motor mountings, everything inside appears to be metal.
Unfortunately, some of that metal is zinc alloy rather than the steel components that we love.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that this kind of 'improvement' has made it over to industrial machines too.
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