miriam

I wonder if someone loved that machine until the paint wore off so someone sand blasted it to death? Did their mom roll over in her grave? There are things I like - turns real sweet. I just don't like feeling like my fingers are cramped by that hand wheel - I like a hand wheel with something to grip - maybe it is why I like the Singer 401 better than the 500? ADHD moment?

chris_quilts

Can't remember where but I've seen feed dogs like this before.

chris_quilts

Steve, thanks. Read through it, lots of useful information, but the machine will be staying at the shelter and not going with a homeless person. The shelter would like the machine for basic repairs of clothing and other basic sewing needs.

miriam

Chris, I would give them a clone. They are easy to use and easy to maintain. They will hem or patch jeans.

miriam

Let's amend that to day - a heavy older Japanese zz or Kenmore with zig zag or hemming capacity. Maybe find a cheat sheet how to operate then laminate and attach to the table or case. I would look for one with over 1 amp motor. When I used to help out at a clothing/food pantry we had all kinds of needs to hem up pants or take something in/out a little so people could get a job. Not everybody goes through those places are going to stick around any longer than they have to. One guy was the curator from a foreign museum exhibit and very down on his luck. He was a persecuted Christian and pretty homeless or maybe refugee type mess. He just needed a suit, shirt, tie and some good shoes & socks. We fixed him up. He wrote my name in hieroglyphics and he spoke 30 languages. The guy he was with was in town for cancer treatment. We fixed him up, too. He had lost everything. He had been a foreign diplomat at one time. They stood out believe me. You never know who you are helping. We had a Singer 500 in there for patching things up. We also sewed diapers and skirts for people in other countries out of stuff nobody would haul away. I wish I could be there again. It was a load of fun. Always something interesting going on. My son got to help deliver leftover baked goods to the AA places with a guy who taught him never to take a drink. He never has that I know of. I can't say I gave as much as I got.

nanna-up-north

Miriam, about your ugly machine...... I just read information about hand wheels on Rain's website. There are 2 different hubs that the wheels fit on... one is larger than the other. I'm sure you already know about that but thought I'd mention it.

Also, your feed dogs look just like the feed dogs on my 1916 Singer 128. What is the problem with them??? just wondering.

miriam

Not a problem with the feed dogs but I haven't seen those on a 15 before. I'm assuming it is the age of the machine. I need to find one of the deeper spoked wheels. My fingers don't do the tight balance wheel. I have an industrial I don't like for that reason - I wish it had a big spoked wheel, too... I have had my finger pinched before... those industrial motors can be very powerful... between that and the needle end one has to be careful around those old ladies.

miriam

Redbugsullivan suggested that I might want to decoupage the base of Mr. Ugly and polish the upper. The base seems to be fairly smooth. I think it would work for sewing leather. That's why I think it needs a big hand wheel. It goes right through 2 layers but it needs a boost to start it going. Has anybody got a deep handwheel?

Glenn

This would be one that I would repaint black. The feed dog plate does not look right to me, but I have been wrong before.

miriam

I don't see how another feed dog would fit Mr Ugly's throat plate. Black paint would work - but Redbug is right, decoupage would match some of the kids that might buy and use that machine... it is no collector's item LOL... The hand wheel and the bobbin winder were modified by somebody. I just now put a big old hand wheel I took off a Singer 28 on it and it works great - now the bobbin winder and shield don't fit and the one off the 28 doesn't fit either. I love tinkering...