If your machine has the slides plates like the eBay listing, yours is a TS (transverse shuttle). All TSs take a 12x1 needle. AND most German TSs will work with the common industrial DBX1 needle.

Cathy, My machine looks like the e-bay listing, but in much better condition. I can get the left slide plate open, but the others are stuck. I oiled them, but think I might need to add a little force or some hair dryer heat to them to get them open. Is it necessary to have them open anyway?
Where can I get the industrial DBX1 needles? Thanks a lot for the information. Today I noticed that there is no stop on the casing. I think that my needle needs to be threaded from the left as that's where the last thread holder is on the needle clamp. Now after getting the needles, I need to figure out how to thread it. You have been a great help! This place is the best for asking for help and getting it!

Janis,

The tiny front slide plate is never removed. The right plate should move. if you must use force, try tapping on it using a hammer against a wood dowel.
The shuttle passes behind the needle, so do orient the needle with the long groove to the front. This will allow the thread loop to form on the back of the needle where the shuttle can pick it up.

The DBX1 should be available from your local repair shop. Occasionally I have seen them in quilt shop listed as for sergers. They are AKA 16X231, 16X87, 16X257. I do have these if you can't find them locally. I prefer the Organ brand because the shank is skinnier than the Schmetz.

Cathy

"The DBX1 should be available from your local repair shop. Occasionally I have seen them in quilt shop listed as for sergers. They are AKA 16X231, 16X87, 16X257. I do have these if you can't find them locally. I prefer the Organ brand because the shank is skinnier than the Schmetz."

I will look for the Organ brand. Today I had gone to a repair shop/quilt store after calling to see if they had the size 12 needles. The woman pulled out some 15x1 needles that had the 12 on the bottom of the package. I tried them anyway, and they were too fat to fit into my slit in the needle holder. Of course, I was trying to put the curved side either out or all the way in, so it would be too fat. Maybe the Schmetz needle shank would have fit if I'd tried putting it in the right way. Would have been the wrong needle anyway. A wasted trip, to say the least, as the repair guy was not there today to help in any way.
I really appreciate your sharing your knowledge in what I need to do to make my machine really work rather than to have it as a toy hand crank that didn't sew, but i could crank it all I wanted and get nowhere.

Hey Janis,

The 12 on the 15x1 needles the lady pulled out was the size of the needle, not the type. You're looking for a "type" of needle. If they try to sell you a needle clearly labeled as a 15x1 as a 12x1, go talk to someone else in the store. That's like trying to put a car tire on a truck. Yes, they use similar numbers, but they're not for the same usage.

Cathy, thanks for the clarification on the aliases of the DBx1 needles. I have 4 packages of Groz-Beckert needles here, they have all sorts of numbers on them but no DBx1 so I thought I would have to order some, but they did say: 135x7, 134, 135x5, 1738, 16x257(which told me they may work), 16x231, SY 1955, 797, Sy1901, Sy 1903, DPx7.

Tammi,

The DBX1 needle and the others can usually be interchanged. The differences are in the size/ diameter of the shank, whether or not there is a scar, or style of the tip. For example the 16X87 does not have a scarf so it is only used in straight stitch machines, never zig zag machines.

Thanks Cathy! These Industrial needles are completely new to me. So for the $3 it's going to cost me to order 10 needles, I might as well just order the DBx1 and be done with it.

It looks like some brother sergers use the DBx1 system, which is good, it means a brother dealer should stock them for a fast "fix" if I'm in the city.

Tammi,


Try one of those Groz-Beckert needles that you already have. Just pick out the brand with the smallest shank diameter. The slimmer the shank, the better it will fit in the needlebar clamp.

Cathy

Ha! Now I remember. I did try this when I found the needles in the cabinet. The shank is too big, even on the smallest one. They're terribly big needles anyway - 125/20, so I will just order a packet, I can get a mixed packet of size 70 - 90 pretty easily to play with. :)

I went to a LSMG today and asked if he had the needles that I needed, thanks to Cathy for listing the size could use instead of the 12x1. He brought out what he had and said they were 35 cents each. Rather than to have to make another trip there another time, about 30 miles one way, and he just might not be reordering them again, ( I was going to that town for something else anyway) I bought all 16 that he had left. $5.99 including tax for them. I'm happy to report that they are also Organ brand like Cathy suggested I get. Haven't tried them yet, but will tomorrow. I want to try filling my bobbin first as I don't think there is any way I can stop the needle's action when filling a bobbin. Will be my first time at filling one by crank. I also have to figure out how to thread the machine.....

Thanks to Cathy, Mizkaki, I got the needles that would work in my Gritzner hand crank, and attempted to put them in like she said to last night. I didn't find a line on the needle bar, but brought the needle down a bit where I thought it might be OK. I tried turning the crank s.l.o.w.l.y and nothing caught or made a bad noise, so I thought it might be OK. Tonight I figured out how to wind the shuttle bobbin and with a couple of tries of how to get the thread in the right place. Next was to thread the machine, not too much of a problem as it was very simple to do, and I did it the first time. I attempted to sew..... this little machine makes the cutest sounds when sewing... and I saw stitches, but the tension was to loose on the top and the stitch was to close. After figuring out what I needed to fix them, I sewed again......SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My little old hand crank machine makes a wonderful stitch!!!
Thank you Cathy, Tammi, Miriam, and Caroline for all of your help in getting my little $25.00 machine to work.
Janis