Caroline94535

I have a black Singer buttonhole attachment, #160506.

I've found seven of its templates, and have been searching the Internet to find just how many there are.

So far I've found they made...


3/8" straight

5/16" straight

1/2" straight

5/8" keyhole

5/8" straight

13/16" straight

15/16" straight

1-1/16" keyhole

1-1/16" straight

And the elusive, and often way-overpriced, Round Eyelet template. (I found a reasonable one!)

Do you know of any other sizes that were made? On the sizes I listed as only being straight, do you know if they also had keyhole versions?

manicmike

Macybaby is the person for attachments and probably has all the templates that Singer/Greist ever produced.

Going slightly off topic a bit, I think these would be really easy to copy, just by making a mould and making from thermosetting plastic (the old fashioned way) or you could scan and 3-D print them from whatever you like.

I have only the ones you have except the elusive round one, but the template buttonholer is my favourite attachment.

SteveH

that's a great idea Mike..... CAD draft them up, print them out... cool

Rodney

I don't know if it's worth doing or not but there should be enough room in the template for other designs as well.
Rodney

path49

Caroline, Your list is complete. There were 10 in all...including the eyelet. 5 came with the buttonholer ....then there was an additional set of 4....& the eyelet was sold separately.

J Miller

The Singer button holler cams are the same as the Greist button holler cams. I have many sets of 4 and a set of 10. What they are I cannot say as the box they're in is still in the storage locker.
They were originally made from metal then later plastic, so an adventurous individual might could create all sorts of cams.

But .... from my collection of button hollers, I'm thinking there may be more than 10. If I remember I'll check them out when I get the stuff here.

Joe

Caroline94535

ManicMike, Steve, and Rodney - I can't tell if you're pulling my leg or having a late night nip! I howled so hard with laughter at your suggestions that my side hurt!

"...make your own molds and templates from thermosetting plastic," and "Scan and 3-D print." I do apologize if you were serious ... but I'm still howling!

I'd never heard of 3-D printing until I watched The Big Bang Theory episode where Raj and Howard were making 3-D images of themselves!

I know exactly two engineers that actually do things like this. (Make things, not copy themselves! )

I think I should go to work with them for a few days. I wonder if they have a "bring your old neighbor to work day"?

ManicMike - I don't actually own all the ones I listed. That is just a list of the sizes/shapes I found examples of on line. I have two of the straight 5/16" size, but not a 3/8" size. Does someone want to trade a spare 3/8" for one of my 5/16"? I do have the round eyelet. It's a cutie!

J Miller - Certainly don't rush, but if you do know of any other sizes or shapes let me know. I'll add them to my "hunt them down" list.

J Miller

Caroline,

As soon as I get back from the next storage locker run I'll post what I find.

Joe

SunlitenSmiles

this is what I have also (10) Singer and brand new in 1957 with my machine (301A) the eyelet one is the cutest in its little box...the set of 4 is in a slide box...and the original 5 tuck into the corners of the case with the 1 1/16 at home in the attachment so that the case will snap shut. I have used them all at one time or another for clothing or toy bags.

OurWorkbench

Looks like you have the list for the black buttonholer templates. Is the 3/8" the only one you are missing? I have found templates in some bags of sewing notions at the thrift stores, with no buttonholer in sight. I know one week I found a buttonholer green box with just a few pieces but no buttonholer. The next day at a different thrift store found a bag with the buttonholer and some templates. You can find additional information about the singer models and some others as well at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttonholer

Not really to confuse the issue further I found a "Singer Professional Buttonholer" several years ago, but never tried it. It has considerably more templates, BUT will NOT fit the old black ones. It seems like when I tried to research I kept getting conflicting info if it would work on a regular short shank as the numbers on the box indicated it was for a slant shank - which I didn't have at the time. I liked that it had templates for bound buttonholes as well. I can't remember what idea at the time that I wanted the rectangle shape for something besides buttonholes. You can find the manual for the "Professional" at http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...uttonholer.pdf

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.