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New to vintage machines (Moderated by Sharon1952, EleanorSews)
Posted on: 2/17/15 6:28 PM ET
Hello, I have been fortunate enough to have recently collected a few vintage machines.
The first two I'd like to figure out, are a Minnesota C treadle in great working order, but will soon need a belt. I'd love to figure out the year, so I can also order bobbins (shuttle type) and needles. Also need to figure out a year for an Eldredge Rotary, made by National in Ill. It has the non-shiny finish, and also works well. I have tried ismacs, eBay, etc. I have found a great quantity of info, but nothing that allows me to pinpoint the years. Any suggestions?
The first two I'd like to figure out, are a Minnesota C treadle in great working order, but will soon need a belt. I'd love to figure out the year, so I can also order bobbins (shuttle type) and needles. Also need to figure out a year for an Eldredge Rotary, made by National in Ill. It has the non-shiny finish, and also works well. I have tried ismacs, eBay, etc. I have found a great quantity of info, but nothing that allows me to pinpoint the years. Any suggestions?
Posted on: 2/17/15 8:24 PM ET
I see 3 different kinds of the Minnesota C ones here:
http://ismacs.net/sears/sears.html
If you look through enough old Sears Catalogs, you could probably find it in there too.
http://ismacs.net/sears/sears.html
If you look through enough old Sears Catalogs, you could probably find it in there too.
Posted on: 2/21/15 5:36 PM ET
I can't help with the exact year of your Eldrege but am just jumping in to say I have one too. I believe the crinkle finish- Godzilla style is a bit later than mine which is mid 30's. My guess would be post war late 40's. Darn good machine and quite powerful. It also does great with different threads, such as clear nylon or top stitching thread.
-- Edited on 2/21/15 at 5:36 PM --
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-- Edited on 2/21/15 at 5:36 PM --
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http://silkmothsewing.blogspot.com/
Posted on: 2/21/15 6:42 PM ET
I think crinkle finish was actually started during WW11... less expensive and fit the rationing rules.
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Bernina: 450/435 Aurora 75th Anniversary Edition, emb module, Bernina Editorplus v6, ARTlink 8, Embrilliance Essentials, Embrilliance thumbnailer, Embrilliance GO shapes, Accuquilt GO baby. GO 8" cube, GO strip cutters. Singers: 221, 15K88, 15-91, HD 4423. Lutterloh patterns, iron= Singer Steamcraft plus.
Posted on: 2/26/15 10:02 AM ET
Hi Everyone! I am brand new to the site. Looking for any info anyone may have on a vintage 'Dressmaker' I just scored at Goodwill for $10! It is blue and white with a black face plate under the controls. Marked J-C5 on the bottom, and J-A3 on the side- both numbers are in the metal body of the machine. I've found many similar machines but not a match. I need info for parts. My bobbins for my 401A seem to fit it but I'm not sure. It's definitely 50's or 60's.
Posted on: 2/26/15 4:55 PM ET
In reply to Kimberly99
The Singer 401A takes a shorter in height, drop in the top of, kind of Singer class 66 bobbin, and the Dressmaker takes a front loading or side loading class 15 bobbin. Just since it even has a class 15 bobbin case. So it's really supposed to have a taller in height kind of bobbin of about the same diameter across and the flanges on each end of it, are supposed to be straight across on the top of that, not curved. So I think using the ones you use in the Singer 401, might work in a pinch for a while, or a short distance, or a moment or an hour, but that bobbin is probably going to be rattling around front to back in there, while trying to use it. I actually would just use the very cheapest class 15 clear plastic bobbin in it instead if I really had to, (over that other class 66 kind) and even if just picked up in stopping by Walmart or Joann's fabric to get some for a few bucks, even if I had to, rather than a old metal class 66 one or newer plastic class 66 one, that might be in my Singer 401 instead. Just since I think using the same one that fits into your Singer 401, is more likely to get a bobbin thread mess about it, and fouled up stitches, and also your needle might be more likely to hit the metal stitch plate on your "new to you" Dressmaker one, trying to do it like that.
So for a Dressmaker, think the larger as in taller, straight flanged class 15 kind of bobbins and for the Singer 401, think the shorter, domed flanged class 66 kind. No matter if any of them are plastic or metal.
-- Edited on 2/26/15 at 4:57 PM --
So for a Dressmaker, think the larger as in taller, straight flanged class 15 kind of bobbins and for the Singer 401, think the shorter, domed flanged class 66 kind. No matter if any of them are plastic or metal.
-- Edited on 2/26/15 at 4:57 PM --
Posted on: 3/1/15 8:07 AM ET
Thanks for your response! The Dressmaker came with one bobbin of its own, good to know what it is so I can get more. Unfortunately it did NOT come with a manual and since I can't find an exact match to it online I can't really figure out how to use it for now. I guess it will be a decoration at least for a while. It IS gorgeous!On a slightly different subject since you seem familiar with the 401A, May I ask if you have sewn on one at all? I LOVE the 401A as it makes beautiful stitches and does so many things. I did a lot of research before buying it and I am glad I did as I know it will be the machine for me in the long run, but I am brand new to sewing and it seems a bit...FAST...for me. I can't seem to figure out a grey area between "wurr wurr wurr" and "OFF TO THE RACES!" Would you happen to know if there is a technique to slowing it down a bit or if there are other pedals available with a bit more control that would fit it?
Posted on: 3/1/15 2:12 PM ET
In reply to Kimberly99
Look on the Sew USA site! They have Dressmaker machine manuals and threading diagrams. You just might find your machine there! Look at C55A... is that your machine?
-- Edited on 3/1/15 at 2:19 PM --
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-- Edited on 3/1/15 at 2:19 PM --
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Bernina: 450/435 Aurora 75th Anniversary Edition, emb module, Bernina Editorplus v6, ARTlink 8, Embrilliance Essentials, Embrilliance thumbnailer, Embrilliance GO shapes, Accuquilt GO baby. GO 8" cube, GO strip cutters. Singers: 221, 15K88, 15-91, HD 4423. Lutterloh patterns, iron= Singer Steamcraft plus.
Posted on: 3/1/15 2:55 PM ET
In reply to Kimberly99
I have sewn on lots of them. I also have a Singer 404 (that is like a 401 but only straight stitch, that i like a lot. You could put a different foot control on the end of the cord if you really want to. But you probably don't have to. Some 400 series have the electrical lead and the foot control together on one plug going into the machine, and some have two separate ones into a machine. Maybe nothing is really wrong with your foot control though. Just maybe it's only old and dirty and sticky inside. When you press on that toe button part of it to "make it go", that moves a piece of metal inside, that slides some metal contacts to a metal plate, and the harder you press, and the more they touch, the faster it's supposed to go. But those get kind of dirty over the years, and also can get bent up. If you even cleaned up the contacts inside the one you got, and changed the "bend of them" a bit, it might work a lot better and have a lot better of a "in between speeds" sewing range even. Maybe yours just "acts that way" because the foot pedal needs a little cleaning and adjusting.
Posted on: 3/1/15 3:38 PM ET
Is your Dressmaker a straight-stitch only machine or a zigzag? The Dressmaker machines were built in Japan after WWII when the US sent Singer engineers to Japan to help them retool their factories for peace-time. The Dressmakers are Class 15 machines (the plans were copied or cloned from the Singer Class 15 machine plans, which is why many people call them "clones") and most work pretty much identically to the Singer 15-91 which is a straight-stitch machine but later models also zigzag. I understand that if you can find a manual for the Singer 15-91, much of that information works on Dressmaker machines, even though the outer shell looks quite different, the mechanics are the same.
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Measure twice, cut once. While this saying is useful in many ways, I have no qualms about editing my posts.
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