Singer 96-87 Vintage Industrial...Please help if you can
 

Hi! I''ve inherited a Singer machine and can't seem to find a lot of info on it. I know it's an industrial model, but that's about it. Any knowledge anyone could share would be most appreciated!

Here is a link for the instruction manual. The manual tells you what this machine is used for.
http://parts.singerco.com/IPinstManuals/96-87_107.pdf

Hope this helps,
Cathy

Thank you Cathy :thumbup:

Those industrial machines are not worth very much - lots on CL - a lot of business went to China so the machines are all over the place - price $100 and up depending on what the machine is set up to do - if it is straight sew - you are at $100. Some people claim those ss machines sew leather and try to ask more money. Then the buyer wakes up and finds out he should have bought a walking foot sewing machine. A walking foot sewing machine goes for more because there is actually a demand.

Miriam, please splain walking foot machine. I am lost. I have singer walking feet for some of my little machines, is that what you mean? Had chance to bring home a treadle industrial machine last summer but declined due to space shortage.

A walking foot is a special type of machine. The foot has two pieces. The material is always being moved through the machine. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sailrite-LSZ...-/110970290157 here is some sewing machine with one - scroll down to see the foot - it looks like 3 toes the middle one and then on each side of it The foot moves pulling fabric through as well as the feed dogs. Not good for FM...

Thanks, have walking feet for couple of my machines but never used them. Someday may get brave.

Miriam - would a walking foot be prefered to a compound feed (needle and feed dogs)? I still have my eye on an older Singer compound feed industrial machine.

I don't know the correct terms but it sounds like it might be the same or similar. There is also a needle feed - some of the Davis machines work that way. I've not used one of them. They do have a better ability to evenly feed layers of fabric through a machine. I had a couple nice walking foot sewing machines when I had my tent making business. Other than the foot they are just a sewing machine.

Here's the literature I've been able to find on the 21w180:
http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollect...ines/SIL/0029/

Sounds like a combination of the Davis vertical feed and a normal feed dog feed.

I believe you might be correct - I would love to see that machine... If you get one be sure to take lots of pictures to share!!! I know things like that are out there. With all the factories shutting down or going to China I think we will be seeing stuff like that around. 10 years ago I couldn't find so much and not at today's prices

Miriam - just took a look at ebay and saw some in NC with three or four 241s at $50 each (pickup only, buy it now) from a factory closing. How big is the throat on you 241?

I would have to measure - it is pretty good sized - I would say that is about what you will pay in the rough. Fixed up and in a table you could pay quite a bit more. They are heavy. Those set in an oil bath - they will need cork gaskets. Mine had beads of dried up oil inside, the wicks were hard - the corks broke up - the tension had to have a new spring - mine needed a new bobbin case - I got one from Sew-classic not too expensive - bobbins are generic - I found high shank feet work fine - motor and table can run some money. If you buy them cheap - to fix up and sell be sure you can get enough out of one to make something for your time and effort... I'd like to get rid of mine - it's in my way - it needs a cork gasket and a sew test with the motor active. People all the time are asking for leather machines - this is for high speed not necessarily heavy stuff. I have wondered how it would do for FM - have to have the right foot and cover the feed dogs or set them at 0 I think. The one I have was used by a little old lady who made draperies - I think she might have retired 30 years ago or something... Someone tried to work on it - back then there was no internet to show us how to do stuff. The manual has a bit of info how to do some of it - the industrial manuals have a lot more repair info than the home maker manuals. LOL

One thing I have wondered - maybe I need to get with some of the leather workers. Since the bobbin case was so cheap - I wonder how it would work to set up one bobbin case to just do heavy thread and see how this machine does on leather. It is pretty powerful. I'd imagine it would sew through a finger. I don't imagine it is the thickness but a walking foot moves things through more evenly when you have heavy stuff.

My son has both of these types of industrial machines for sewing tactical gear for his tiny company. The compound feed is a walking foot combined with a needle feed. The upper feet and needle "walk" in unison with the lower feed dogs. In the regular walking foot machine, the upper feet walk in unison with the lower feeddogs
and the needle just goes up & down.

My son was having trouble getting his straight stitch machine to go through around 10 plus layers of a combination of 1000 denier Cordura and binding. We decided that he needed a walking foot machine. We took in a box full of scraps to the dealer to test run several machines. The regular walking foot machine also struggled with the 10 plus layer sandwich. The compound walked through it like it was butter.

Each of these machines has a purpose. Both types are useful, but it is necessary to know which one you need.

Cathy

So some research - it will pay off over the long term

Yes! Lots of research.