Noisey 15-91 sewing machine
 

I have just started using my newly acquired 15-91 for FMQ and that seems to be going okay, but this machine seems really noisey to me as it sews. Sounds coming from the bobbin area, and has been well oiled and cleaned, but it sure chatters a lot more than my 66 which purrrs when it sews. Is this just the nature of this particular machine??? Love to hear from all of you in the "know" about this machine.
thanks..

Coleen, is your machine an antique or vintage machine for certain? There are some newer "Singer" model 15's that that are made in Indonesia or somewhere. The machine-ing of the parts in those machines is no where near the quality of the older ones, and consequently they are very noisy.
If that's not it, then it may be something as simple as bad bobbins. Many come from China are not good. Try to find/use a vintage class 15 bobbin and see if you notice a difference.

shesews...thanks for your reply...serial number indicates Nov. 1951...is that considered a newer Singer and not a "vintage" one??? The bobbin is I'm pretty sure original, but I may have a newer bobbin in there from "sew-classics" I am having trouble winding the bobbins on this machine, but I can use other machines to do the bobbin winding, but have been wondering if this machine is always noisey, so I'd like to hear from all of you that have them and what your experiance is with them. I'll try another bobbin and see if it changes. Thanks

The nostalgia series were 1970s ish, and the serial numbers start with an "N". They're also not potted motor machines (i.e. 15-91) - belted or treadled only. You have a good one. If it's from the bobbin area, I agree, change the bobbin with a known good one. I've had some cheap ones that were too big to even properly fit, and they scrape and pull at the thread. There's also a drop of oil required at the race area, it will be in your manual.

There are also adjustments for the bobbin winder, depending on what your issue is. There's a service manual available in the wild for this machine, on Singer's site even, that would walk you through those adjustments. You can also try tfsr.org, they have a sewing machine manual that will cover it.

I will say that I find the 15s noisier than a number of my machines though. Something about that hook / bobbin area seems louder for some reason.

Also, I assume you've already done this, but make sure the bobbin case "snapped" into the hook area. If it's loose it will make a heck of a racket.

It is the nature of the beast. I have 2 of them. One is from the early 30's and makes a "shick, shick, shick" sound as I sew. I find listening to it relaxing. My other is from the late 40's. It makes a "chucka, chucka, chucka" sound with each pull of the take up lever. I'm used to them talking to me while we sew.

Mine makes the same "chucka, chucka" noise as Mitch's mom's machine. It drove me crazy as I thought it was in need of more oil. But it's just making a noise.
The bobbin on the 15-91 is an oscillating hook so it moves back and forth. If the circular parts that hold the hook in are loose they will rock back and forth and make a racket. Check them and make sure they fit tightly.

Joe

Yes, I thought the noise strange at first... Each model seems to have their own sound.

Thanks for all your comments...finally decided that the extra chatter when FMQ was from the hopping foot banging on the needle holder....now I at least feel more comfortable with the noise and know I'm not stressing out the bobbin area...but what foot do you all recommend for free motion quilting on this...mine is a metal one, when I raised the feed dogs and put the regular sewing foot back on it is much less noisey, so I'm pretty sure it's the speed and motion of the darning foot on it when I'm doing the free motion that is making it loud...mine seems to do the "chucka chucka" sound with the tread in the tension discs and the take up lever when regular sewing...Still interested in what you all use for your quilting foot???????? thanks

I used an Janome quilting foot (bought for my Elna, but she can't FMQ) on my 15 clone. No extraneous noise. Mine isn't as quiet up in the arm area as I'd like, but it seems to be getting quieter with use. That being said, I do my FMQ on my 301, but she was out of commission once so I had to use the 15 clone and the Necchi.

My favorite hopping foot for all my low shank machines is a little $3 cheapie. I have at least 8-10 different hopping feet and this one beats the others all hollow - very smooth, lots of visibility: http://shop.sew-classic.com/Low-Shan...foot-55417.htm

I bought a bunch of extras because I figured that being that cheap, they were going to break - but I haven't broken one in five years of quilting. :)

thanks for the info on the "cheapie" foot....I have an order coming and that may solve the extra noise problem. Love, Love, Love this board for all the info on here and everyone being so quick to answer and help out.

Mine makes a kind of "clucka-clucka-clucka" noice when I fmq, but is pretty quiet when I'm just sewing. I think it's just the fm foot.

SO...I did as you suggested and ordered this little foot...had to get two to satisfy the minimum order, but I needed it for another machine anyway...and it worked really great, thanks so much for the tip .... love this board for all the wonderful useful information that is shared. Just finished a small table topper and fmq it on the 15-91 with this foot and was very satisfied with the noise level and how good it worked. Thank you!

I decided to buy 1 of these also and another one shown, plus I ordered the tri flow oil and grease too. Thanks for the link.

I love the 15 to fm with so much I went and bought a second 15. One doesn't make the noise the other does. I am going to order that foot myself. These are my go to machines. I piece with my 15 a lot. I have one set up all the time.

Hello Colleen,

If you want to hear what my machine sounds like when I'm doing FMQ on the 15K treadle, you can listen to it on Youtube- link to my channel below. Also, I use a hopping foot too, but mine is all metal.

If the stitching is good, I really wouldn't worry too much about the noise. Every machine is different, and if there were something wrong it wouldn't be stitching properly.

This stitiching is really good with this machine. I'm so glad I got one of these 15-91's.

I am wondering what you did with the feed dogs while you were FMQing. I have a 15-91 that i'm just setting up to try FMQ with it right now and don't see a way to drop the dogs. Did you just loosen the tension screw from the top, or did you cover up the feed dogs with something?

Thanks for the help - i'm super excited to try it for the first time. It's just gotten back from having its electrical checked out - i was afraid it might start a fire and haven't used it yet. It got a green light, so now i'm ready!

oregongirl,

There is a knob under the bed near the feed dogs that is used to drop them.

Joe

Thanks for that link, I just ordered 2 of them.

I have two of these machines and I just love them. I do all my free motion on one of them without the foot. So I just ordered it, thank goodness. These are real work horses. I can't say mine is noisey, like all machines they have their own personality and sounds.

fantastic, joe! thank you - i'll go see if i can find it! I'm going to need feet too - there were no accessories at all that came with this one, but it was cheap, so i can't complain!

btw, this machine isn't especially noisy at all. does yours need oil or lubing? that can make them noisy.

i found the thumb screw and released the feed dogs. yippee! i didn't see it at first but then pulled out the manual that i'd downloaded and it told how to drop the feed dogs for darning. now i need that darning foot. i'm looking on ebay.

After changing to the "cheapie" fmq foot, the noise is pretty much gone, and I LOVE this machine for the fmquilting that I'm trying to perfect...practice, practice, practice. That's what I do.

I know this is an old thread, but for those who arrive here via internet search for a solution to a noisy bobbin area on a 15-90 or 15-91, you may try checking your shuttle driver cushion spring (page 28 of 15-91 adjuster's manual, just google for it). The spring tends to flatten out over time and allow too much space, resulting in the click-click or clack-clack. You can tighten up by bending the spring out a bit; but be careful, if you bend too much you will have issues with thread not getting though and breaking. Or, you can always just replace the spring with a new one, Singer part number 125298. I'm not a professional, this is just what has worked on my machines.

Thank you man_quilter...all information is appreciated...started this thread a couple of years ago, and this now about the only machine I consider when I'm doing FMQ in my quilts. Must not be as noisey as it once was or I am more used to it now.

I use my 15-91 for FM but have not noticed it being more noisy than my other machines. My favorite FM foot is a generic low shank I purchased from Sew Classic: http://shop.sew-classic.com/Low-Shan...luxe-NN-31.htm

My mothers old HOTHER 15 clone has that annoying clicking sound. I'll bet that is a good place to look. Hopefully the 15-91 or other 15 adjusters manual specs will work on a JUKI made clone.

Joe

I bought two of them a few weeks apart and I loved one and hated the other...They sewed very differently as far as stitches too, both were in very good shape and nothing wrong mechanically. Neither were quiet and one was much noisier. They are work horses though and do not complain no matter what you throw at them. :)

I've noticed that with other machines I have duplicates of. Some are quiet and totally cooperative. Others are just cranky and contrary. I just take my time with them and work the bugs out.

Joe

I realize this is an old thread but so much useful tidbits!

I sew "everything" on my 15-91. It will get noisier if the needle is dull. So will the feather weight (and I'm sure others as well). It will literally be a hammering noise. I was told of a lady who had never changed her needle in 30 plus years going into a quilt shop an asking to buy "a needle". The lady telling me this story said she about sat down!

I tried several "hopping" feet and hated them all for FM. I have my dogs up (or slightly up- depending) and a light down pressure on the pressure foot. I use an open toe foot. I tried the hopping foot hack by Leah Day and still found I liked my open toe foot better.

The thing about the 15-91 is the bobbin side is as nice to look at as the top side. I actually like it appearance -wise over the longarm bobbin side!

It could do all kinds of strange things if you use a wrong bobbin. Make sure you are using a 15 bobbin.