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Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell

Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell

Old 06-28-2012, 05:47 AM
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Originally Posted by nanna-up-north View Post
Okay, I'm looking at another machine and would like your opinion. I don't know anything about these free westinghouse machines but does it look like it has everything to you? It looks like a smaller machine. Do any of you have one of these?

http://northernwi.craigslist.org/for/3086074858.html
Jean, what a cute little machine! It looks different - can't tell if it is actually smaller from the photo, but does looks small and heavy!

Nancy
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Old 06-28-2012, 05:59 AM
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Originally Posted by BoJangles View Post
Jean, what a cute little machine! It looks different - can't tell if it is actually smaller from the photo, but does looks small and heavy!

Nancy
The seller was willing to go down in price but I'm not able to go get it until after the 4th..... he hasn't emailed back yet so I'll have to work something out. I thought the cabinet was kind of nice.... needs a refinishing but I've done that lots of times. I just don't know anything about Free Westinghouse machines. I did a search and found a gold one and a blue one but they were in really good condition. This one looks awfully dirty but seller says it sewed for mom and he wants it to go to someone that will use it. That could be me if the stars line up and fate kicks in.
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Old 06-28-2012, 07:48 AM
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Originally Posted by BoJangles View Post
Notsureif, geeze I have been looking up your new 16-188 and WOW what a machine you found!~ I don't remember another 16-188 on this board, but that is one amazing machine! It has upper and lower feed! The upper feed and lower feed can be used separately so you can feed the upper or lower feed faster or slower depending on what you are sewing. That machine will sew medium weight leather! It drops its feed dogs and it has a 'high lift' on the pressure foot! Geeze, it also has about 10 1/2 inches under the arm - I would say 10 1/2"s of 'harp' space - but some people on here get really upset if you say 'harp' space! I don't remember another machine with an adjustable walking foot! I am going to have to go measure my 31's to see if they are the same size as your 19" bed! Congratulations! What an interesting machine!

Also, how hard is it going to be to get the 16x1 needles? Never mind - not hard at all as that is the needle my 31's take - It is obvious I haven't played with those machines yet!

Nancy
Nancy,
So what's wrong with using the term "harp space"? It just sounds silly to me as a harp is a large triangular musical instrument. But I've yet to read any incriminations on the use of the phrase. I guess I'll go back using "arch" instead of "harp".

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Old 06-28-2012, 07:51 AM
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Originally Posted by nanna-up-north View Post
Okay, I'm looking at another machine and would like your opinion. I don't know anything about these free westinghouse machines but does it look like it has everything to you? It looks like a smaller machine. Do any of you have one of these?

http://northernwi.craigslist.org/for/3086074858.html
n-u-n,

That might be a smaller than full sized machine, but it will be a heavy little bugger. The motor should be attached to the back of the pillar and drive the machine with a friction wheel. To bad they didn't put in any more pics.

I kind of like it. It's kind of ugly, sorta like an English Bull Dog.

Joe
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Old 06-28-2012, 07:54 AM
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Originally Posted by BoJangles View Post
Chris and Joe, almost every vintage machine I have had more than one color thread wound on its bobbin. I just remove all the old thread and start with new thread! I think the reason people use to wind multiple colors is just to be frugal. When a spool was almost out of thread, they'd wind it on the bobbin so nothing was wasted. People couldn't afford to waste anything especially during the Depression! I agree with everyone else here - it is probably not a good practice - but if you are using up the thread I really doubt it 'hurts' anything. The machine doesn't know or care how many colors are on its bobbins as long as the bobbin is not over full - which applies even with one color! I think most people here are against the practice because as Joe said, we unwind those multiple layers - they are stuck together and rusted - not fun!

Nancy
My one BIG problem with multiple layers of thread on a bobbin is there's never enough to finish what you are doing. You just get started and run out. I did that three times with what was on the bobbin of the MW just to see how much was there. Not enough of anything until the last layer which was packed in rock hard and rusted.

Frugal is one thing, but winding over other thread is a wasted effort. More trouble than it's worth.

JMHO

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Old 06-28-2012, 08:03 AM
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I got out the 'new' 301 last night. It was very stiff to turn by hand, so I oiled it first. I cleaned some nasty black lube off the gears - it wasn't very hardened - and use my Singer lube. At fist, it sewed well at slow speeds, but screamed in the gear area at high speeds. After a while sewing that improved. With a little tension adjustment in the bobbin case, the stitch is as perfect as AnnieRose's. I was surprised a to find little rust inside and on the bottom of the presser foot, but it's not bad. Bad is the case. THe seller packed the machine well inside the case, but only put the case in a single well fitting box. One corner of the shipping box was slightly crushed and three corners of the case are broken though the fiberboard. What is, is and I was after a machine, not a case, so I'm not crying in my tea.

So AnnieRose has an older sister (and a backup plug so I won't ever be without a working 301). ErinRose is a longbed which won't fit in the table and mocha when I wanted something different, but if she sews as well as she seems to, I won't complain. I will make a table runner with her as I like to use a machine after oiling. My OSMG told me years ago to never oil and machine and put it away. Candace, I made sure my purchase had the single plug. Thank you for the heads up that there are two styles.

notsureif, that's a very sweet story. I'm impressed you can carry a 128 around. I pulled a pectoral muscle moving mine to decorate at Christmas. It's for sale, but it has to be local as I can't lift it to pack it for shipping.

I have a family member in ICU. I'm trying to figure how to take a sewing machine to use while I sit there. I know it's a no-go, so I may have to do some hand piecing or knitting.
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Old 06-28-2012, 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by J Miller View Post
Nancy,
So what's wrong with using the term "harp space"? It just sounds silly to me as a harp is a large triangular musical instrument. But I've yet to read any incriminations on the use of the phrase. I guess I'll go back using "arch" instead of "harp".

Joe
Harps are for harps not sewing machines. I've been told so, by those it irritates:> I could care less, but it's a pet peeve for some folks. So, I stick to 'throat space' to avoid making people growl at me. :>

Last edited by Candace; 06-28-2012 at 08:26 AM.
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Old 06-28-2012, 10:37 AM
  #36248  
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Originally Posted by J Miller View Post
My one BIG problem with multiple layers of thread on a bobbin is there's never enough to finish what you are doing. You just get started and run out. I did that three times with what was on the bobbin of the MW just to see how much was there. Not enough of anything until the last layer which was packed in rock hard and rusted.

Frugal is one thing, but winding over other thread is a wasted effort. More trouble than it's worth.
JMHO Joe
Joe and all the others who replied, I do not use the old thread wound onto bobbins. I take that off immediately when I buy a machine. I am talking about thread I wound on the bobbin and will use up either for quilting or for piecing but it doesn't sit for years and years on my bobbins. When I am piecing, I have been seen using the odd colored thread on my bobbins (Come and get me now, quilt police!) so I can have clean bobbins again and start anew.
I do know what y'all mean by thread build up to rust because from one class 15 bobbin, I unwound 5 different colors of thread from that bobbin.
I do plan on ordering more bobbins from sew_classic when I return from vacation but for right now, I am working with what I have.
Once again, thanks for everybody's input on this issue. Chris
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Old 06-28-2012, 10:41 AM
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nancy, I got up morning and took out the tape measure, your right on it's size,, this thing ( 16-188) is huge, I mean a monster ..

I have never named a car or machine other than POS or PITA...

BUT , This thing has to be either Burtus or Bubba,, it well wore as far as paint,, half the bed is raw metal, maybe a 1/3 of the decals still show, my thoughts are to clean and just clear coat the machine, making it easier to keep clean. yet show it's age.

I was worried about the needles, but nope the shop has a drawer full and many sizes, 50 cents each.., I check the bobbin because I read they were NLA, turns out the what I think is known as class 15 ? wide ones with all the holes in them.

you know what I made the deal to buy this aweek before she sent me a photo, so sight unseen. when she sent a pic the day before I when after it, seeing the photo,, I had to change my pants, I couldn't believe it was still in a treadle base..

I got the 66 treadle and the 128 yesterady also, with those it's time to call off this machine collect deal , BUT I know here there two more singer industrails a 16 and a 61 w, now I want those..

I'm a told junkie, my shop is all vintage to antique tools as in south bend lathe 1933, logan mill 1941, craftmans wood works tool from the 40's to mid 50's so on... all stuff before we became a throw away world..


this 16 - 188 is 90 year old..the only wear I see is where the upper foot hand lever has been viberating on it stop, there is not one puch mark from a needle hitting..


This 128 looks like a toy
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Old 06-28-2012, 10:44 AM
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I don't know about sew-classics, but I had to take pliers to the ones I bought from April1930s. The rolled edge on the repros was a little too much for my first 301 so I had to squeeze it in slightly all the way around. I'm glad the second came with a lot of original bobbins, because I do like use my lonely original for FMQ. The fixed ones work perfectly, but I don't want to take the chance on thread breaking or anything.
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