Looking at two singers, a 201k and a 15-96 from the Kilbowie factory too.
but which one?
have to admit the treadles brings back childhood memories
opinions wanted
Looking at two singers, a 201k and a 15-96 from the Kilbowie factory too.
but which one?
have to admit the treadles brings back childhood memories
opinions wanted
Treadles can be problematic in that many parts are no longer readily available. They are great machines, but depending on the components, if something goes bad you may have a boat anchor. This is particularly true of the oscillating shuttle machines instead of the rotary bobbin. The shuttles are subject to considerable wear and are almost impossible to get now. I don't know enough about these specific machines to make an assessment, but for longevity in terms of replacement parts, I would pass on a treadle.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn
We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series
Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies
Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint
You almost can't go wrong with the 15-96... It's a very capable straight stitch machine and with a minimum of care will last 3 lifetimes. There is also a Large community on-line that can offer advice, parts knowledge and support. I. Have a 15-90 and love it... I would buy a 15-96 in a heartbeat even though I have 3 machines already....
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.”
- Edmund Burke
Parts shouldn't shouldn't be much of a problem with the 15-96 as millions of Singer class 15 machines were made so there are many donor machines out there. It has an oscillating shuttle.
The 201k was one of the best machines Singer ever made.
Assuming it looks like this and is in decent shape...
2011-08-10_290.jpg
...buy it!
RR...are you thinking of the vibrating shuttle machines with the shuttle that looks like a boat?Originally Posted by Ramblinrev
An oscillating shuttle is like a rotary shuttle but goes back and forth instead of all the way around. They are not really subject to wear.
I agree on all points. I have a few of these machines myself, but here's what I use:
20140706_095203.jpg
Thank you for a clarification. Our Domestic treadle (used commercially for years) had a shuttle that went back and forth on a carriage much like a loom shuttle. It looked like a torpedo and used a long narrow spool instead of a round bobbin. We obviously are not talking about the same thing. Eventually the surface of the shuttle got worn out and would have needed to be replaced. We would have had to have one custom machined. I withdraw my concern about available parts.
My only other experience with the down side of treadles is the need to properly tension the belt. But again I suspect this is no longer a problem. Our domestic did not have a tension adjuster on it so the belt had to measured just right and re-cut as the leather stretched out. A simple idler adjustment would have corrected that problem and no doubt those were added as the home market matured.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn
We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series
Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies
Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint
Hey mate - just get both
I have a 201 treadle - well I actually bought it for my wife but it is just a great machine and will sew anything.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Treadles are really neat. I just visited a guy yesterday that has dozens of them all over his house, made me want to get a few. With both of the singers you should be able to find parts as there were hundreds of thousands of them made. The odds of you needing any thing other than a good cleaning and oil in all the right places are pretty low. I'm a big fan of both model families. I have a 201 right now and just found a Model 15 made in Wittenberg, Germany that I might have to see if my wife will let into the house.
All things being equal (condition etc) I would choose the 201, no particular reason. I love old singers.
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