I threw this together last night - not my neatest piece of work ever, but I needed to try out the latest acquisition, a 1936 Singer 201K treadle. The treadle belt was a bit slack and slippery, but there's absolutely nothing to complain about with the stitch. The machine is now cleaned up, oiled and gleaming. When I get a new treadle belt on it it should run like a train.
This is the back of the mobile phone cosy. Once the phone is inside you can pull the elastic over to the front to keep the flap down.
We saw the machine out at the front of a second hand furniture shop on Saturday. It was an instant purchase - a 201K treadle in good condition is not to be sniffed at. The car was parked a few yards along the road and two young lads from the shop lugged the machine along the pavement and heaved it into the boot. One of them was really interested in the machine and said he was sad to see it go. I promised to make him something on it, so this mobile phone cosy is for him, complete with his initials.
Welcome to Felicity, the latest follower - thank you for joining!
Great find for you and a lovely thought to make something for the guy in the shop. I love my 201k treadle but like you I need to adjust the belt tension to get the best out of it. I would love to see pictures please.
ReplyDeleteG
x
Hello Gavin,
DeleteCan't find a picture of yours either...
Love,
Muv
I promise pictures soon ;0)
DeleteG
x
Congratulations on your find! It's nice that yet another vintage machine finds a home where it'll be valued.
ReplyDeleteBut I was wondering, how do you recognize a 201? I looked at photos on the internet, but to me they look the same as a 66.
Some further research brought to light that apparently the feed dogs can be lowered on a 201, but I can't tell that feature just from looking at a machine. ;-)
love,
Marianne
Hello Marianne,
DeleteYou should enjoy looking at today's post.
Yes, you can lower the feed dogs, but it all has to be done from underneath.
Love,
Muv
Hi Muv, You don't waste any time getting your machines up and running. I think you may find the 201 is power hungry. Due to the over engineered cogs and rods. Which need a lot of energy to drive them. Not like the 27's that spin if you blow on them. They are very different in lots of way's and I can understand way people consider that it was the best Singer did. Word of warning the lower cogs don't take them out to clean them. The timing goes right off. Also the oil hole by the Singer seal just to the left need's a lot of attention. You may be lucky and have a clean one, I put a long match stick down mine full of all-sorts. When cleaned out you should see another hole which oils the right had cog. So pleased you got one, very powerful and a joy to use. The 15 is now in bits. It is a Singer, new paint job of red/brown with new transfers. It is a late one 50's ish, but the quality has dropped off, not poor but not of the normal standard. Duncan x
ReplyDeleteHello Duncan,
DeleteYou can see from today's pictures why it was a quick clean up job.
I never take the insides apart, Duncan, it's just not my style. If a machine needs that level of cleaning or maintenance it stays in the shop.
Love,
Muv