Looking for help for a Deployed Soldier
 

Hey folks,

One of my students has just arrived "somewhere" in Afghanistan. One of his first emails to me was a request for a small hand-cranked sewing machine to be shipped to him. He has been there less that two weeks and his uniforms are already getting beat up. They are in a remote location....
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The only ones I have in that category are a 1908 Singer 28 and a 1911 Singer 128. NOT what he needs.

I am NOT looking for a freebie, I am trying to figure out which machine to acquire, that would be the best blend of SMALL, relatively easy to maintain, and not "persnickety" machine. (NOT a featherweight, TOO expensive and I have been told (NO experience) that they are touchy to maintain)


Thanks in advance.
Steve

Steve,

What about a Singer 99 Hand crank?

Cathy

A hand Cranked 99 would be perfect! Know anyone who has one? hehe

I will look into the India machines, interesting thought on the shipping element.

Try looking on http://www.shopgoodwill.com. I've seen a few hand crank machines there. Might have what you're looking for.

Steve, I will gladly help you with $$ .... pm me your address... can you convert a machine with a homemade crank?

i will can my singer guy!

It is such a sad thing...my SIL just got out of the army. His uniforms were constantly ripping. My daughter spent more time mending them. I don't know who made the decision for the fabric they are using to make them, it is cheap & poor quality, sad very sad!!! Wish I could help...but don't have one.

so, it turns out that it is ok to say where he is in that photo.

It is overlooking Bäk, Khost Province Afghanistan.

GirlieGirl: you rock! I think we can get it done from this end but should the need arise, I will remember your offer!

I actually have the two old singers and I am pretty sure that the hand-cranks from those would work on a 99.

My daughter overheard me mentioning converting a 99 to handcrank and shipping it to my student overseas and she though I was referring to the new 99 she just bought from Cathy/Mizkaki! hehe she was not amused!!
(Cathy - after completing her first project on her new 99k she is in love with it and wants to sell the Riccar ZZ...)

Thanks everyone for the input. I e-mailed him about this thread and it really seemed to give him a lift that folks cared enough to help. he replied "tell them I said I really appreciate this! The whole unit will appreciate it. I'll probably end up the units "stitch bitch" (sorry, his words... I'm working on civilizing him... I replied to him that the word is "tailor")

Just out of curiosity, I asked him how many troops in his unit could run a sewing machine. Still awaiting a reply.

Good luck with your project. Let us know if we can help in anyway.

Steve,

Lets talk. I just might have a 99 and a handcrank that I can part with. VBG

cathy

Hi Steve: Here are the photos of the Spartan. JoAnn
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I like the Spartans for HC because the bobbin winder works better than the 99s

I'll check with our LQS and get the word out. Maybe we can get them all to donate some thread and extra needles and notions OH MY!

99s are heavy. How about something like this? He's not going to be doing any fancy sewing and it's only 3 pounds. He can pack it in with him where ever he goes.

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem...temID=13080486

Anyone have one small like this one?

Here's another one.

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem...temID=13086303

How about a "new" pink one?

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem...temID=13088120

This is a nice one, 4 lbs.

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem...temID=13086366

AZ KAT

I'm gonna have to say no on those. I have owned two of those and they are SO not up for the task. He is actually going to be doing heavy sewing. Uniforms with felled seams are tough... Straps on bags are tough... Plastic would not do well in that environment and the tin machines just would not do the job.

Thanks for thinking outside the box and considering other options!

He actually has a old full sized singer at home that is electric. He understands the weight issues and he specifically requested something rugged and able to withstand "relocations" I really think the 99 is going to be the ticket.

I will probably do the "notch the solid handwheel" approach and see if it works.
If not , then it will be a spoked handwheel.

Good to know. Better how?

Steve,

If you put a spoked hand wheel on a 99 the diameter on the backside on the handwheel is smaller than in the solid hand wheel.
The bobbin winder now won't reach the handwheel so therefore won't work. The spartan bobbinwinder is simplier,
with no auto stop so it will hinge far enough to reach the handwheel. There are work arounds for the 99 bobbinwinder
to make it work.


Cathy

Spend 19 1/2 years as an Army wife and ex was in Desert Storm so if there is any thing I can do to help, let me know. Uniforms didn't used to be so flimsy, that must be something more recent.

What are the work arounds???

I remember this post about putting a notch in a solid handwheel...
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...ml#post5184000

I also thought 99, but it is heavy. Aluminum 201? Singer 301 - although I've never seen one with a hand crank. Elna Grasshopper would be ideal, self contained with the case also being the table, sturdy, has a low gear, but heavy. Not sure if it could be fitted with a handcrank. The candidate machine probably needs to have droppable feed dogs for darning. I don't know if a Singer 127/128/27/28 has feed dogs that drop, but this can a be hand crank. Geeze! A Pfaff 130 would fix anything, can be handcranked, but heavy and wouldn't approve of sand. I have seen Singer 221 Featherweights with hand cranks, but as you said, not cheap unless somebody donates.

Those little 128s are not all that heavy outside the case. Wilbur and I cleaned one up this evening. He was so cute. He turned the wheel while I oiled. He liked the shuttle, the presser foot and the needle bar. He really looked that one over. The one I have has a massive rust spot right in the middle of the bed. We cleaned it but a lot of paint flaked off. Any ideas how to fix that. The machine is mostly just fine otherwise. Wilbur also made bread in the mudpie kitchen. [ATTACH=CONFIG]411261[/ATTACH]

Steve,

I converted my 99 from electric to HC with an original Singer HC. It works like a dream - but - I would think a HC ZZ machine be better for uniform repairs(?). I'm not sure what vintage Singer ZZ machine to recommend for conversion to HC though.....

Miriam,

Over on Treadle-on Captain Dick has a tute on how to cut the bracket on the 99 BW so that the BW tire will lower down and ride on the handwheel. A few weeks ago I did a conversion in which I cut a notch on the bottom-outside of the bracket (instead of cutting all the way through the bracket) and put the screw back in with the notch under the screwhead. When tightened down the screw holds the BW down far enough that it will engage the back of the hand wheel.

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The red arrow in the picture points to both the screw and spot where I cut the notch.

Cathy

I would be willing to help contribute to the cost of the machine or shipping. Would you let us know how we can help?

Thank you looked into the notch.
Cathy I set it free of the bracket and it works as long as I hold the BW down but it doesn't spring back.
You do have to hold down the Spartan BW anyway.

Miriam,

Yes, 'setting it free' does require you to hold it down. But by cutting the notch it will stay under the screw (stay clamped down) and allow the auto stop to work (spring back action).

I figure that on some machines (due to casting & machining differences) the bracket might not reach far enough and holding down might always be needed. Since it does require a bit of fine tuning as to where to clamp it.

Cathy

How about a ken more 1030 or 1040? The case is easy, there are drop down panels,it weighs 3 lbsmore than a FW, is pretty small.....

I was not familiar with those models, so I looked them up. I do not see how they could be made handcranked...

I have seen a handcrank 201, awesome machine. a bit heavy.

The 99 is actually pretty reasonable weight wise once the motor is gone as well.

Ok Folks. UPDATE TIME.

I have had offers on a couple 99's (Thank you) I have decided to go with that model.

I am planning to take the two machines and make a "best of both" machine and a backup machine. Depending on how Kevin wants/needs to do on this, I will ship both or keep one here for him.

Once I have the machines here I will post updates to the thread.

As far as helping with the shipping costs, that is awesome! Once I find out if I am shipping one or two, and how much it will be I will let folks know.

I sent an E-mail to Kevin about what we are planning and I just received this reply from him:

Wow Steve, that truely is amazing. Please pass along this message.


I am genuinely touched and honored by the kindness of your community. I would have never in my life expected such generosity and selflessness from strangers. The thought is truly humbling.


My grandmother was a great woman, and one of the things she did her entire life was welcome and support Soldiers. She opened her home and her heart to many, many servicemen- I can see this same spirit and honor in you. People like you are the reason that I joined the Army, to serve and protect those that keep the American spirit that makes our country great- not to seek glory, but to express gratitude. I am simply a man doing a job, "a warrior, nothing less, nothing more."


Below is my address. I will make sure that anything sent this way will be free and available to anyone who needs them. Please feel free to pass along my email address, or send me those of these people- I wish to personally thank them. If they are interested, I will maintain communication, and send pictures and share my journey.


I also highly recommend using US Postal Service flat-rate boxes, as they should easily be the most cost-effective way to ship.


SPC Anderson, Kevin
TF White Currahee
Fox (C) Co. / Afcop Sabari
FOB Salerno
APO AE 09314
[email protected]


Again, thank you.

Translate: You people rock!

The first darning I ever did by machine was on my featherweight,... just straight stitching back and forth, it's still holding on the knee of a pair of my favorite jeans. Now that I know how to fmq though, I would almost suggest a darning foot if he's going to darn with a SS machine. I'd be happy to send one, but I wonder if there's a point in sending it to Steve first, because from Canada it will take 2 weeks to get to Steve, which could hold the whole process up. I would be happy to send it directly to Kevin.

That sounds good to me. I'd suggest we wait until the machines are ready and then swamp him is stuff... hehe

Steve,

lol... tailor sailor just won't work for his unit! "Stitch Bitch" is perfect for the branch of service he is in... It is going to cost postage as well... I the picture you posted is nice... but nicer if he was in a picture looking over his homeland...

pm anytime!

Shirley " girliegirl"

Well, he will need some sewing notions to say the least! lol....

Yep, I'm making a list of accessories/feet as well.

This may help you get started:
http://www.tfsr.org/pub/technical_in...ist%202012.pdf

The same site we use to fix our sewing machine gremlins...