Are all bobbin tires the same?
 

I have several machines needing bobbin tires. Are they pretty much generic?

bkay

Generally yes, they are much the same. There are a few standard diameters but as long as you get the correct size they will go on. I have had to adjust for varying width (of the solid rubber part) on my 201s, and it can be nuisance to get it to fill a bobbin and pop up at the right time. Berninas doesn't have much option for adjustments so they need to be correct for the brand and model. Long bobbin models often have lager bobbin tires. The width of the solid rubber part seem to vary a bit from seller to seller, even if they are made to be replacements for a particular Singer part number. Some rubber qualities last much longer than others, so they aren't all exactly the same.

I'm stumped, what is a bobbin tire?

Actually it is a bobbin winder tire that bkay is asking about. It is the rubber part that rides against the hand wheel while winding a bobbin.

bkay - http://shop.sew-classic.com/Bobbin-W...-Tires_c16.htm has 4 (actually 5, but Necchi no longer available). I think besides the Necchi there might be some others that are different. I read once of finding a Lego tire on the bobbin winder, and another place I read that someone had done that as the couldn't find the right size and the Lego wheel was the right size. Probably sew-classic has the sizes you need.

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

There are a few exceptions, (among them semi industrials) like an entire assebly replacement of bobbin rubber tire and metal pulley wheel. Some models run on the drive belt / treadle belt and doesn't use rubber tire. Some places they are listed as bobbin winder rings, or just bobbin rings.

Mine are all mid century Singers or Japanese imports, so I've nothing exotic.

Thanks, I'll just order the regular ones and if they don't fit, I'll know which way to go for sizing.

bkay

Bkay most, if not all of your machines should take the standard size. What I wish is that they were still made in colors other than black.

Cari

Necchis need the special flat kind, which are also not as fat as the "generic" ones. My bobbin winder flap doesn't snap shut like it used to, I have to mash it a little bit. I have a new one on order, stop panicking, lol.

The original Necchi tires when they get old they crumble like hard wax. When I first got my Lelia I couldn't figure out what the bits of waxy stuff was down in the bottom of the case until I took the top off and saw what was left of the bobbin tire. Yeah, they're special, the dealer I went to charged me $4 for a new one.

Cari