Spool 'tip' for antique Singer machines......
 

I'm finding that some of my antique Singer's seem to prefer the 'weight' of the old style wooden spools of thread more than the 'weight' of the current plastic spools.

I tape a coin (a quarter seems to be best) to the top of my plastic spools and problem solved. :)

Shari

thank's for the tip

Hmmmm, now that you mention it I've noticed that but it didn't sink in to my pea brain.

Joe

I will have to remember that wonderful idea!

Thanks for the tip!

Another great tip to add to my list. Thanks.

Thanks I will try to remember that.

Makes sense to me, thanks for the tip. Gonna try it on my NEW Home today.

thank you for the great tip...

I wonder what the actual weight difference is between the plastic and wood spools?

I'll have to figure out a way to weigh some.

Joe

Let us know, enquireing minds ya know. Have both spools types but nothing to weigh on. Please.

Yes, thanks for the tip!!

Somehow, I just knew you would consider how to weigh thread spools. Perhaps you could take a couple of spools to your local pharmacy. They might have scales that could weigh them.

I use cotton thread on a cone with a cone thread stand behind the machine, so I've never had a problem. I also use a spool felt or doily under a regular spool of thread.
Sharon

Or a jewelers, i know a dollarbill weighs a gram.
Whoda thought a sewing machine would perfer a beautiful wooden spool over a yucky plastic one

Gutterman 110yards empty spool: 4g
Old plastic Coats 100 yards empty spool: 5g
Old Wood 125 yards empty spool: 6g
Old wood larger empty spool (more like a 500odd yards spool) 15g
Old wood large "Other" empty spool: 11g

I don't currently have an empty large gutterman spool, sorry.

All weights are very approximate, it's a little digital kitchen scale.

I would love to be able to rewind the old spools. I like the feel of them better too.

they should have a way to take a big spool of thread and rewind on a smaller wood spool. they make bobbin winders. so why can't someone come up with a spool winder.. ya think:thumbup:

I betcha that the plastic ones wouldn't be hard to make a winder for, they all have those holes in the top other than the one in the middle for the spool pin. The wood ones,... I think there would be reverse engineering... unless it could clamp onto the bottom circumference?

I keep the old spools around for winding on weird threads that I find, or the bits from higher end shirts, etc.

edit: I almost forgot:
Canadian Quarter: 5g

Great tip thanks.

I'm going to try it on my Spartan - that machine eats thread at the top - I don't know why yet... Maybe this is it!

I thought I'd post this:
http://moonthirty.com/serger-thread-hack/
http://www.intatters.com/archive/index.php/t-8572.html?
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2E1i-4XEg0

I think what I'm going to do is a blend of all of these. I can see using the gutterman spools the way they show in the first link, but i can't see myself using a glue gun on a wood spool.

The second link, the links in the link itself are dead, but there's enough information in the thread itself to figure out what they did.

I have a dremel and a drill here to try with and will try both (my dremel is speed adjustable, so it may work)

Then the YouTube link shows making a somewhat larger "spool winder" using a sewing machine motor, and a shaft and rubber stoppers.

So I'm thinking for proof of concept, I'm going to get a shaft that fits through the center of the spool, and a rubber stopper for each end. I'll put that inside the chuck of the drill or dremel (depending on the width of the shaft) then try to wind the spools. If that works, I'll try to figure out how to attach the SM motor to it, and a foot for speed control...

I have wondered why you couldn't make a bobbin winder to fit on the motor shaft makes sense - it is kind of out of the way though.

Well,.. so far, I've wound 4 spools of thread. I'm going to start a new topic about it shortly, but basically, the method that the first link uses, with velcro instead of hot glue lets you wind a wood spool without permanent damage. Just hold the top of the spool or it -will- fly across the room.

My National Two Spool's winder is for winding thread directly on to the small wooden spools. Never thought about winding small bits of thread on to the wood spools for storage or use on other machines.

Cathy

It might have been one of your posts that made me go looking. I thought about it after I saw a two spools being wound in a thread her on the QB earlier today. I'd love a two spools, but I've never seen one here. The wood spools however, I have a bunch of them, and I like the look and sound of them better. I'm pretty sure my machines prefer them too.

Cathy,

Is there any way you could post a video of your Two Spools winding up a spool?

Shari

I can, but not immediately. I'm on Mom duty this weekend and may not get home til next weekend.
I am trying to get home on Sunday. If I do, I'll get a short film for you.

Quicker yet would be for someone who has the machine handy to jump in. Monica/ Vintagemotif are you listening?

Cathy

Glenn has a two spools