Found a 201

[Schneiderfrei]

Hendrick,

They are formidable at first sight.  But, needs must.

For instance, setting up timing is a very simple matter, and there are many youtube examples, yet here in Australia the bill is typically $100.00.

G

[Victoria Quinn]

I've replaced the broken nylon gear and re-timed my mother's Riccor 2600 Super Stretch a few times since high school.  That was the only time I was ever allowed to touch it... She was very particular about who she trusted with it.  I got the job after she had a couple bad experiences with some of the shops in her area, and I was easier to smack if something went wrong.  lol  Once I set the timing on it, I just took a couple photos, documented the gap, and put it in the case for reference.  The first time it took me about 2 hours to figure it out, and the second time I did it (15 years later) took about 5 minutes.  With the proper reference, timing is a simple task.

[Schneiderfrei]

Yeah, just like fitting and drafting.

[Victoria Quinn]

Yeah, just like fitting and drafting.

I can see the science in drafting... Fitting seems more like a cross between an artful eye and a magic touch.

[Victoria Quinn]

Ok Hendrick, and Theresa.... No more name dropping on these machines.  I couldn't get the 15-91 endorsements out of my head.  I am weak, and curiosity got the better of me.  Found a 15-91 that had been up for sale for a while in a Bentwood case and talked them into $75.  I pick it up on Friday.  I have a seam on my riding jacket that needs a little attention, and I have a winter coat that's been in the queue.  If it blows my mind, I'll make it my new "Oh crap" machine for those mission impossible moments.  Otherwise, I can re-list it after swapping out the case and pedal for the ones I got with the 201.  I'm not much for that cabinet or aftermarket pedal that came with it.  Figured for the price, my costs were pretty much covered with the current price of a "Singer" pedal and portable case.   

[theresa in tucson]

Victoria, if your 15-91 is in the original bentwood case be careful when picking it up.  My mechanic cautioned me on mine as the wood is old and can be brittle.
You can make a nylon strap set to wrap around the case with a handle so you are actually lifting the machine with the nylon handle instead of the bentwood handle.

[Hendrick]

You will love both machines for their different qualities, trust me, you'll want to keep both of them. Funny you mention the handles Theresa. In both my bentwood cases there are "aftermarket" steel bars (that run nearly the full width of the case) holding the handle nuts. I guess there were more "handle incidents" than this particular dealer liked...

[theresa in tucson]

Hendrick, when my mechanic cautioned me about the handles he had in his shop a bentwood case where the handle had pulled through so the problem is very real.
After time the thin wood just isn't strong enough to cope with the weight of the machine.  To call those old Singers "portable" was a stretch.

[Victoria Quinn]

It looks to be an original bentwood case, I'm unaware of any reproductions.  I like the idea of the nylon harness.  However, I may want to come up with some nice brown leather belting for a harness, perhaps some brass buckles to keep with the 20's design of the case.





I have never trusted any sewing machine case to carry a machine; except maybe the featherweight - it's a pretty stout little case for that machine.  Sewing machine cases are more like expensive dust covers than transport devices...  They're just too bulky to actually walk with and not smack yourself in the back of the knee. 

I was actually very surprised with how small and light the 201 really was.  I was expecting it to be much much heavier, and "bigger".  Walked past these black singers for decades and they always seemed bigger, until I actually went to purchase one.  It might just be how slender the 201 is, that gives me that impression.  It's fairly easy to hold onto and its weight is pretty evenly distributed, so that may be why I don't notice it's heft as much.  Or I could just be losing my mind...    I swear the newer machines seem like they're way bigger and far more cumbersome.

[Victoria Quinn]

The 15-91 showed up today.  Much, much heavier than the 201.  It's gotta be double the 201.  The 201 is arguably portable, the 15-91 is very much a cabinet machine...  preferably one with a crank to lift it up to the deck.   

I am going to have to rip into this one tonight.  It was sold with the caveat that they had "no idea if it worked" but that machine has been oiled like it was going out of style, and it smells like a solvent tank.  If it was in storage, they did a great job at ensuring it wasn't going to rust.   

**  The wiring seemed decent enough, I decided to test it. The bobbin tension was way out of whack, and the upper tensioner was put together wrong.  There is so much oil in (and on) that machine that you can't even hear the bobbin oscillating.  Took about 30 minutes, but I got an 80% solution on the stitch balance, and nothing smoked.  Guess it's time I get her cleaned up and dried out some...   I mean literally "dripping oil", like someone hit it with a whole can of Kroil or bicycle chain oil (paint and all).  Seriously want to let the guy know that "a drop will do ya'."   

[Hendrick]

Congatulations on your new aquisition! Give it a good cleaning and rub off all the excess oil (I like to do that with kitchen tissue but I guess that is not very "circular"). I also don't care much for the "steam engine odour" (as a kid, the smell of diesel oil and the like gave me nausea). Next time you take the tensioner apart, remember to put in a new check spring, it can make a big difference and costs next to nothing. Also note that this is probably the easiest machine to arrange the timing of; it has a fixed hook so all you do is lower or lift the needle bar according to the marked points and your good to go. I actually never paid attention to the difference in weight between them but both are hefty beasts for their size for sure! 

[Steelmillal]

15-91 data sheets. Gonna have to look at my machine now.

https://archive.org/details/singer-15-91-adjusters-manual-en

https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-577791

May be duplicate elsewhere on forum.

[Schneiderfrei]

Brilliant technical data.  You should have no trouble.

G

[Greger]

Three pages about machines. Isn't your thimble good enough?
Smashed my thimble finger. Might need to buy a larger thimble. Not sure they are large enough. Might have to make my own. Way cheaper than a sewing machine. 😁

[Schneiderfrei]

Personally, greger, I am good with a needle and thimble, but lack machine skills, which ranckles!