Dave411G

There's a lots of very experienced poster here and I hope you don't mind my joining you and testing your combined knowledge of all things Singer Slant ?
I've been reading as much as I can about the 401A, it seems a very popular machine indeed!
I very recently bought an old 411G, our European equivalent I believe.

I've watched lots and lots Youtube videos by "Andy tube" (the mans a hero) and I feel like my machine is as healthy as a newbie could make it, I ran off a little lined bag, complete with zipper ! and feeling quite proud of myself .

I do have a question however, I'm having issues with selecting stitches, to be more precise;
I've tried to methodically stitch a length on each of the twin dial settings as a sort of reminder..... a Rosetta stone even.
Right dial options (K,L,M,N,O,P,Q) produce 7 stitches.
Left dial options (D,E,F,G,H,I,J) don't seem to make any difference to the 7 stitches, or add anything in themselves.
(I've tried adding a photo, but might have to make a few posts first I suspect).

Is this correct, is my machine operating as singer intended it to?............And if the answer is yes, what is (D,E,F,G,H,I,J) there for?

Regards,
Dave

Hooligan

The D - J is for using combinations of the stich patterns ( L - Special ). The red lever produces variations of these settings.

OurWorkbench

Welcome, Dave. Do you have a manual for the machine? There is one at https://res.cloudinary.com/singer-se...ng_Machine.pdf There are two for the 401 at https://res.cloudinary.com/singer-se...ng_Machine.pdf and https://res.cloudinary.com/singer-se...ng_Machine.pdf

There is a huge file that shows the different stitch combinations which can be downloaded at https://www.knitting-and.com/blog/si...tive-stitches/

Have you cleaned and oiled the machine? While you can evidently move the "Left dial options (D,E,F,G,H,I,J)" but it isn't making a difference, it is possible that the innards are not working properly. Maybe this link - https://archaicarcane.com/stuck-in-t...lant-o-matics/ will help sort it out.

We like pictures. In order to post pictures on Quilting Board, you will probably need to reduce or compress the picture to a file size that is smaller than 2MB. How to post images can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...020-01-17-.pdf
Don't forget to scroll over to the far right to find and click on the "Upload" button.

I have found that only the big red "Reply" button or "Quote" work to give me the paper clip icon to work for adding pictures.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...p-location.jpg

Some additional info regarding reducing images at post #4 and images for the scroll and upload button can be found at #5 of quilt block ID?

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)

leonf

Made in Germany

juliasb

Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan USA. There are so many well versed Vintage Machine experts here that can answer your questions that they leave me in their dust! I dabble with about a dozen vintage machines. I don't have a Singer 401 so I cannot advise you, but I see you have already received a couple very helpful post. I do hope to see a great deal of you on the board.

thepolyparrot

It doesn't sound like it. Those selector knobs and the posts they engage can get gummed up and stick like Super Glue. I had to use denatured alcohol and brushes to break up the old oil and lint so that the selectors would actually select.

Do you have a manual for your machine? I have a pdf for the 401G manual if that will help you.

Here are a couple that might help - couldn't hurt?

Dave411G

Thank you for the help advice and downloads so far everyone..........

Good news;
Removed a huge amount of lint from the hook area.
Have judiciously oiled and greased in all the right places, (Managed to find a shop selling oil and grease from the back door, as not officially open for a few weeks yet). Nothing seized up, drops a stitch occasionally but possibly due to very old cotton thread or the calico.

Most pleased with "Ourworkbench and Hooligans" downloads, regarding stitches...seems I wasn't using width and length properly (at all really I left them at W5 , L4 respectively)....but i was pretty right-on with the dials (just wasn't enough on their own really), thanks.

Next dilemma,
Bought some feet from ebay.....Saw a straight stitch throat place and hoped I'd hit the jackpot.....in reality a mixed bag and only one hemmer foot kinda works, but too long in the shank really.

I have measured from Throat plate to centre of eye, and it seems to be: 7/8" Low slant shank.

Have spent a few hours scouring internet and not really getting anywhere useful, trying to decipher sometimes contradictory ebay and shop ads.

Does anyone know if there Is a list of Singer/Simanco numbers that will lead me to buying the correct; Hemmer, Bias binder, Adjustable hemmer, Edger, Straight stitch, oh and the Chain stitch !

I'm interested in the usual hemming for wife's jeans and trousers, hemming curtains and making tool rolls for my chisels, carving gouges and Auger bits. Once all that's out of the way and I'm more experienced, I'd like to tackle some upholstery, for a chair I'd like to pimp-up to resemble a Eames Chair. In the meantime i think i'd like to decorate my boring beige cotton workshop apron.

Elisabeth; I do have "owners manual 411" and "401A" from singers website. I also have bought the " 42 pages of Service manual for 401A". If the offer of the 401G manual is still being proffered then I'd like to accept if you think the "G" might contain something the A doesn't?

Regards,
Dave

thepolyparrot

I'm not sure that it would help you - maybe the diagrams would be better for the insides of your machine, but I don't know.

I'm trying to upload the pdf, but the file size might be too large - it's a pretty high resolution scan of the manual. If you PM me your email address, I can send it to you via email.

Glad you're making progress!

bkay

I'm certainly not an expert on 411G machines, but I would think it's a slant shank machine as are the other 400 machines. If so, it would take slant type feet, not low shank.
bkay

OurWorkbench

Glad you are getting some useful information and getting the machine cleaned and lubricated. I understand about hopeful jackpot. It looks like the throat plate and one would think, that indeed, the feet that were with it should go with it. bkay is correct that your machine takes slant shank feet. I know all too well that many times that attachments get all mixed up. I got a White top clamp machine and it came with feet for it, some Japanese high shank feet, a Simanco low shank foot and some Singer back clamp attachments. It looks like the narrow hemmer and straight stitch foot should work for your machine. The others are at an angle that makes it difficult to determine. I think the zipper foot might be a slant shank. There is a list of a lot of the Singer part numbers at https://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/simanco_accessories. Another source that would probably be helpful would be https://web.archive.org/web/20190727.../IPpartCharts/ probably
404-1_4_5 another would be https://web.archive.org/web/20190823...tCharts/4_4999 any of the first three. I don't remember for sure, but many times the rufflers do not have numbers on them, even though they are listed by part numbers in the parts lists.

I also found another 411 manual at https://danhopgood.files.wordpress.c...anual-med3.pdf

For hemming jeans, you are better off using just a regular foot as the denim is too thick to go through the hemmers. Another thing about hemming jeans when you come to a seam, you may have problems. Sometimes it helps to put something under the back of the foot to make it even with the height of what you going over. I have sometimes turn the hand wheel to go over and sometimes that doesn't work either. It also has been suggested to hammer the seams to make them thinner.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)