I had a relapse. This week's haul:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]469217[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]469218[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]469219[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]469220[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]469223[/ATTACH]

I justify it by telling myself "It's only $9.99 and you're preventing it from going into a land fill."

I've never seen the Kenmore 15 and like the style. For durability and reliability I like the Kenmores.

It's a smooth running, heavy machine (nearly 40 lbs.) and has an interesting stitch architecture: straight stitch machine with a cam assembly, so that zig-zag requires a cam (as well as the other 30 or so designs). The styling reminds me of the model 54 and the bobbin faces forward so it's double needle capable. In back, there's a lever to control the length of the built-in buttonhole stitch separate from the stitch length lever on the front, so they're independently controlled.

I'm just a beginner but for me Kenmore is the perfect brand.

That Kenmore 15 looks awesome.

I agree. The green/cream two-tone with the pillar and body a different color than the bed (unlike the more popular body/cap two-tone on so many other machines), the tubular shape with the round-edged front and squared cam door, the placement of the dial/lever, the crown badge detail with the red matching the red on the face plate, the antennae-like thread guides...beautiful. And at 1.2 amps the thing can really haul.

Hello! First post, sewing newb here. If this post is more appropriate elsewhere, my apologies in advance, and some direction would be appreciated. I just procured a recently overhauled 1936 singer model 15. It seems to cycle beautifully, although won't stitch more than once without breaking the upper thread. From all I can gather it seems to be a tension issue, for which my ignorance can not figure out a fix. Being a bicycle mechanic and used to problems being rather big and easy to spot, this tiny, perfectly orchestrated, although fairly simple machine is blowing my mind. Any advice on how to troubleshoot this would be so appreciated. I look forward to learning from you all!
jake

Welcome, Jake! I'm also a newb so forgive my elementary question: have you checked that you're threading it correctly? My strategy would be to try to isolate the problem by very slowly forwarding the hand wheel (by hand) and seeing where the breakage occurs, watching (and testing by plucking the thread) carefully where the thread is becoming really tight before the break. Once you've figured out where it's happening, solving it is usually pretty straightforward.

We have addressed tension problems recently on another thread. http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...s-t242968.html Tammi (ArchaicArcane) is the authority on tension and has a lot of info on that thread. you can also read her blog - a link is in her signature.

KenmoreRulesAll,

I love your machines. You have a good eye. If you're getting them for $9.99 each, I am so so jealous. That Singer 237 is reputed to have a great satin stitch (don't have one myself) and is reportedly the last all-metal Singer.


Jake,

I would check threading diagram and make sure the needle is inserted correctly first. The flat side of the needle should be on the left as you insert it and it will be threaded from right to left.

If your machine has an external motor with a belt, it's a 15-90. If it has a potted motor on the back, it's a 15-91. They use the same manual.

You can find a user manual here:

http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_...uals/15-91.pdf

And the Adjuster's Manual is here:

http://parts.singerco.com/IPinstManuals/15-91.pdf

Good luck with your machine. It's probably something simple. You can start a new thread if you have more issues. Welcome to the board. It's a pretty nice group here.

John

Thanks so much!
I am at my partners parents house at the moment, I can't wait to get home to try and work it out. I will report back with success (hopefully).

John,
It is actually a treadle machine, I did some serial number homework and came up with the year and model 15, but no where could I find the 15-__ designation. Also, with none of it in front of me at the moment, I am relatively sure I have the needle in backwards, with the flat to the right. So my plan of attack tonight is going to be reverse the needle, see if problem persists, then start the tension/threading inspection. I'll be reading up on the tension thread until then. And although the threading on this machine seems elementary compared to the industrial machine I learned to sew on, I'm somewhat confident I managed to thread it wrong. We'll see!

Again, thanks kenmore and Miriam and John. :)
-jake