Why two threaded spool pin holes on a 201?
 

On my Singer 201-2 there are two round flat areas on the top of the hump of the machine. Both are threaded. The spool pin is in the rear most hole.
Why two threaded holes?

Just curious cos I noticed the same thing in the pics LauraRG posted in the thread about her newly acquired 201-2.

Joe

it is only a guess, but my 306w also has a dual disk tension assy. on it and there is a section in the manual detailing its use as a twin needle machine. in my case its pretty much moot as I don't think anyone makes a *306* needle but for the "standard" machines I don't see it as a problem. I had never heard of dual needle before so forgive me if this is obvious, but twin needle is popular in leather goods, handbags and cowboy boots for example, two rows of sometimes accenting or contrasting stitching.

greywuuf,

That could be, or it could be for a second pin to fill bobbins off of or just there for dummies to ask questions about. Beats me.
I have a reprint manual for the 201 and I don't remember anything in it about dual needles. The 201 being a straight stitch only has the one tiny needle hole so it wouldn't work with dual needles anyway.

I have a number of machines that will work with dual needles though and they are really fun to play with. Especially those that will allow zig-zagging and decorative stitching with the dual needles.

Now here's a trick that makes a really attractive stitch; get two of the big serger thread stands with the tall hook on them and build you a thread widget. I swear I have a thread here about what I did, but I can't find it. So what I did was take a length of 3/8" dowel rod, drill a hole through the middle so it will sit on the spool pin and then drill two smaller holes crosswise at the end. I took the spring out of a clothes pin and put it in the holes at the end of the dowel rod, then put the two threads through it. From there I threaded my #2 66 treadle as if I were using one thread. As the two threads passed through the spring it twists them. When this gets sewed into a material it really looks neat.
Serger thread is thinner than normal thread but strong and flexible. I've yet to break it even once.
Here's a couple pics to ponder on:

Here's a close up showing two threads going in and one twisted thread coming out of the widget.

The bigger pics show details much better, but this set up sews really good through all the machines I've tried it on and makes a really nice stitch.

Joe

WOW! Neat idea. Thanks!

Very clever!! I think I do remember you having posted this previously....probably at least 2-3 months ago? But, yeah, it's here somewhere!! LOL

Yes I did post it, and it was right after I joined the forum. I really should search back, find the thread and bookmark it for reference.
Joe

Ummm, with regard to your nifty twisted thread application: what size needle did you have the most luck with? Also, was it a specialty type of needle? Embroidery, etc?

Thanks for holding my hand.

Pat

Oh I lovethis ideal, so useful. Thanks bunches.

Pat,
I used a regular Schmetz Universal #16 needle. I had a bit of trouble getting both threads through a #14 so I upped it one size. Worked just fine.

Joe

Hi Joe,

Where were you before February 2012? You seem to have so much knowledge and experiece with these older machines, why were you hiding from us?

Joe are you selling the machine and if you are will Kitty come w/it????????

Well, last year a fellow on one of the shooting forums I belong to told how he had a treadle machine and was using it. I remembered I had a treadle in the garage. My #1 Singer 66. I dug it out, put it together, oiled it all up and started playing with it. I started having fun.
From there I dug out several machines we had acquired, cleaned them, lubed them and got them all ready to use. The most difficult one was my Newhome Greyhound. The box had fallen apart so I had to rebuild it.
Then I had to re-wire it as the old wiring was just seriously dangerous.
Each time I started to work on one I'd dig into it and try to find as much info as I could.
Then I ran into a forum called Sewing Forum. I was doing pretty good there, learning much and trying to help as I could when the spammers killed it. The administrator finally had to shut the forum down to clean it out. But by the time he got it back up, it was pretty much history. A couple folks there suggested the Artisan's Square forum as a place to go. So I joined that one.
Then when I was looking for information for my HOTHER they directed me here. I joined and although I haven't found much info about the HOTHER, I've met a bunch of nice folks and am just enjoying myself immensely.
I'm pretty mechanically inclined so sewing machines just seem sort of normal to me. What knowledge I have I learn by searching, reading, asking, and doing.
I wasn't really hiding from you, I was just not here ... yet.

Nagi,
The kitty is Fiona. A rescued kitty we got in October of 09. She showed up at the store my wife worked for ini the back of a produce truck. They opened the door and she came bombing out. Just about scared the guy who opened the door half to death. The asked and then pleaded for my wife to take her. So we got another little fur people to care for. She is very friendly and yet ornery at the same time.
She's not going anywhere.

The machine in the case is an Ideal Automatic. We can't find any information about it, but it's a good machine. Japanese casting, assembled in The Republic of Ireland, for the German market. All the printing on the machine is in German and it came to us still wired for the European 220 volt system. I had to put a new electrical system in it. My wife bid on it because in the pics it looked small. She thought it would be about the size of a Featherweight. LOL, that thing weighs a ton!

As for selling it I don't think so. If I did my wife might do something mean and evil to me.

Joe