small, tabletop handcrank?
 

Other than a featherweight being converted to handcrank, I would love to see some smaller, portable, tabletop pictures of handcranks. . . . . .

Oh, another curiosity -- Are many of the older handcranks listed as "children's" really childrens or is it assumed a child's machine because of its tiny size? How to differentiate?

My experience, many older machines are listed as "childern's" when being sold because they seller has no clue what they have.

This is my smallest handcrank.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psrwekp8is.jpg

To give you an idea of size, this is that model (different machine) next to a Singer 28

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psfc754077.jpg

I love mine although I had to revamp it a bit to make it hand crankable.
aluminum, weighs about 16pounds.

I had a singer127 but it weighed about 35 pounds. Sent it off with a lady who bought my Janome 6600. that is its case in the background.

Don't do it on a featherweight, you only get 3 stitches per turn...like watching grass grow :)

there is a thread here somewhere with more info on the Bantam. It is 3/4 size by the way.

A lot of vintage machines can be converted to hand crank or treadle.

I'm not sure you even get 3 stitches per turn on a featherweight converted to hand crank. When I convert mine it seems like I only get one stitch per turn. The crank is directly attached, no gearing. What makes it acceptable is that I can sit outside with it in my lap and sew without needing a table to set it on.

I'd love to find a small handcrank machine that gives a reasonable number of stitches per crank.

Rob

Portable is the debatable aspect. The older portables can be moved around but are heavy. I don't think there are any hand crank models close to the Featherweight when it comes to weight. I guess a hand crank Singer 99 and 128 are good examples of basic smaller portable models.

They aren't common at all, but I have seen the later aluminium (beige/brown) Singer 201K23 with spoked hand wheel, and I guess they will easily convert to hand crank. Because of the aluminium cast body their weigh less than the 3/4 sized cast iron models, and actually can be carried in one hand. (I just looked it up and the model is 201K29).

I'm trying to think of something that's a bit lighter than a standard 3/4 size hand crank. There have been a few threads on uncommon cast aluminium 99s, (I think one was in a crinkle finish?). I'm not sure anymore, perhaps others remember something about this? These should convert to a more light weight machine. A 99 is actually rather nice to work on. I use my straight stitchers, but they are all electrical.

Most of the children's sewing machines on the web seem to be called "toy", and they are childrens machines. Most 99s, 28s and similar on the web are not described as childrens machines luckily at least as far as I have noticed. It would be doing those who are new to vintage machines disservice. Children's machines are often called "toys", most of them are chain stitchers, but the odd lock stitch toy turns up. These really aren't for regular sewing, the presser foot and needle access are shaped to be safe for small hands, making it a bit cumbersome for regular sewing.

If it works for you, a chain stitch machine (like Singer 24, Wilcox& Gibbs and it's copies) is very portable.

Since I use the featherweight to stitch my "crumbs" into larger fabric to be used in quilts, I think the chain stitch machines would be a no go. Unless I'm misremembering what a chain stitch is.

Rob

99k https://www.quiltingboard.com/member...653-561484.jpg

German Kohler? Transverse shuttle with ceramic handcrank https://www.quiltingboard.com/member...653-574918.jpg

128 in foreground 99 behind[ATTACH=CONFIG]574923[/ATTACH]