Adopting a Singer 15-96
 

Hi Y'all!
I recently discovered that my boyfriend had a Singer 15-96 made in Wittenberg, Germany (C3837882). He thought it was an ugly end-table and abandoned it in a storage closet. I have been reading a lot about these machines while drinking copious amounts of coffee and yipping like a puppy about all the wonderful things I will make with it! :p

I have never used a treadle before-- while I am excited to experiment with it, I am going to add a motor. I found a machine repair shop spitting-distance from our apartment, so I have taken it there where they assure me it will be cleaned up and the motor added. I live in Budapest and was amazed this all came together so quickly! I want to try some free motion quilting and read a nice guide about working on these machines: here.

My lingering questions: This is a 15-96, the -90 &-91 seem to be more popular for free motion quilting? Any one else have good luck free motion quilting on a 15-96? The ISMACS website says about this model: "1 o'clock" bobbin case finger. Spoked balance wheel. Dogs do not drop." Good? Bad?

I will have to figure out how to remove, plate or disable the feed-dogs. Other than altering the feed dogs, are there other considerations I should account for? I tried to ask the repair shop, but the language barrier was an issue-- "feed dogs" doesn't translate. :shock:

She's just a plain black beauty, none of the lovely decorative touches of some of the other amazing machines I've seen in this forum. But I am excited to bring this workhorse out of retirement! Any suggestions are appreciated!

for the US machines of this series - 88, 89, 90 and 91 - that designation indicates the Power Source - the basic machine is the same - with the exception of some housing changes to accommodate the potted motor of the 91.

There is a plate that fits the 15 that covers the feed dogs - and you can also use the one that comes with the buttonholer (any of the straight shank style, they all fit). One other item - the bobbin case is going to be different than the US 15's of this group, as they have an 11 o'clock case finger.

Here are two feed dog cover plates. The smaller one to the left fits the Singer 66 - the one on the right fits the Singer 15.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psf9c6ecc5.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps4e793469.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psd17100ab.jpg

Went looking through the nearby boxes to see if any accessories were stored near the machine. But I found the manual!!-- in Hungarian. I used the sandman-collectables website to determine the model number, I guess it close to 15-96 anyhow.

Its doesn't seem to be 15-96, but the manual is for a 15D-88. All the info online is in German. But ISMACS says for a 15-88: C.B. Shuttle. Drop feed. "11 o’clock" bobbin case finger. Spoked wheel. Round plate; with reverse feed; feed dogs drop. Treadle or electric.

It is possible that the D in the model number signifies Germany as its country of origin? I don't see any 15D models... But at least I know the Hungarian names of the machine parts!!

so it DOES have drop feed! good!

Congratulations on the find.

It's easy enough to tell if the dogs drop - just look for this underneath.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psb72a26a0.jpg

If you loosen it, they drop, tighten back up to raise them.

And yes "D" denotes that it was made in Germany. I believe the serial number should start with a "C" as that was the range the German factory used.

Also in the upper corner of your manual, there should be a date and it may look like this (442) which would stand for April 1942. I don't know if your manual will have this, I do know the US and UK ones do.

Oh YAY! I am so excited, feed drop, reverse! Now it really feels like a super-find! I just got the motor going and found a manual in English-- we are gonna make some stuff! Thanks so much for your feedback-- I may never know her full history, but having the manual and what appears to be a receipt of purchase is quite nice.

The closest thing I've found the to numbering you mentioned on the manual is in the front page lower corner. It reads "Form. 2741 ung./136." Ung would be short for "Ungarisch" or Hungarian. Maybe 136 is January 1936? The receipt I have shows a purchase date of January 11, 1949 paid in three installments.

Thanks again for you help! I am so excited to learn free motion quilting!

If they used the same format as Singer in the US - than Yes, that would be January 1936. But that is just the last time the manual was revised - so there may not have been reason to change it after that. This style of machine came out in the US around 1931 (the 15 with reverse).

BTW - this style of 15 is my favorite machine to FMQ too. I prefer to use a new style hopping foot.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps4e5c8985.jpg

awesome hope you make some awesome stuff and have fun!!!