There usually seems to be a few members here that have expressed an interest in learning the upholstery and trim business. I spotted this well used Singer commercial machine on Craigslist, though I have no idea what it might take to put it back into working condition. It's located in the N.E. part of Indiana. https://fortwayne.craigslist.org/tls/d/craigville-singer-commercial-sewing/7553039836.html Just the bench by itself looks to be worth $40.
S***ches. This is a sewing reference, that dates back to 1723. It comes from the proverb about the practice of mending a small tear in cloth before it becomes a larger one. What it means is a timely effort can prevent difficulty and hard work in the future.
Hello, We had access to a 1960 Viking Husqvarna sewing machine that we had bought for our mom. It was a cl***ic. But, it had not been run for quite some time. So, we took it to a local OC sewing machine shop in 2000 to get it running again. My wife had owned an old Singer Machine since her teenage days, but it was on its last legs and she needed one that was a little more in tune with the sewing needs of the time. Comparing those two machines, one was just a step ahead of the other. They both needed help, but we decided to keep the Viking Husqvarna. The guy in the sewing machine store did not look twice at the machine, despite the age of the machine. He was impressed that it was old, in fairly good condition, but told us that with a few new parts, the machine would last another 20 years with care. "We can fix anything..." Jnaki Did it work out? Yes. It was old, but with a complete overhaul and some new parts, the inner wiring was basically the same as a new model. It was like a hot rod guy going to a repair shop and asking to get a Flathead motor running. So, despite the qualms of an old motor and serviceable parts, it got fixed and it is still running. NOTE: My wife and I reupholstered 6 treated seat covers for our modern dining table chairs that needed a new look. The material was thicker, but the new/old machine did well and we had a good time installing it on the original seat plates. Most commercial units are a little more powerful, but going slowly helps while using thicker material. YRMV
Well with a thimble full of luck, most of us will stop... Me, I just keep bobbin around. Just don't treadle on me... I just can't help myself...
I think that is basically a leather machine, but it does have walking foot (or should) and would probably be fine for auto upholstery. Well worth the price and cost of restoration in my opinion.
Yep. Compound walking foot with small bobbin and no reverse. In running condition with the current clutch motor it would go in the $600 to $700 range around here and you'd still need to spend another $200 for a servo motor to slow it down to "learning speed". Unless you're trying to make a living sewing, the small bobbin and lack of reverse is no big drawback. My Consew 225 is the same, and I'd be tickled to death to get to the point of skill where either of those features were holding me back. This type machine is built like a tank and all commonly needed parts are readily available at decent prices. Extensive manuals available for free download online covering both adjustment and repair/rebuild. The best manual for download is one published for the US military as it covers everything one could ever need to know. Doesn't run could be as simple as a dead motor, a broken timing belt, or the safety clutch has disengaged and needs to be reset.
The Jalopy Journal
