Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell
Haahaa...I'm sorry for laughing. Shoe polish does wear off and does pick up dirt; otherwise, I wouldn't have had to polish my shoes weekly as a kid. Now I don't polish any shoes.
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
Miriam and Nancy, thanks for the info on the Singer 401s. I have read the instruction book and now know how, maybe to use the machine. I think I'll like it a lot better than I first thought. I was a little disappointed that it wasn't another black Singer, but now the tan color of it is growing on me. Especially after I cleaned it, oiled it and cleaned the outside with the good old machine oil. It now shines! Now to look for the other feet and cams it could have with it..... the hunt is on. I knew that I had some other attachments that weren't low shank and looked at them today. Unfortunately they are long shank.
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
I think the 401 is one of the best of the genre of complex Singer machines. I pretty much consider this bunch the 319, 306, 401 that basic group. Very good machines but the operating systems are complex. Lots of things to do to get what you want. Once you do get it down pat, they do an excellent job.
Joe
Joe
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Millville, NJ
Posts: 1,835
Though not a big fan of the sewing machine tractor, this person is pretty skillful here:
http://marshall.craigslist.org/for/3155399692.html
Pretty soon they'll figure out a way to leave the motor on and have the thing putt around the living room or hook up a cultivator for the garden.
Jon
http://marshall.craigslist.org/for/3155399692.html
Pretty soon they'll figure out a way to leave the motor on and have the thing putt around the living room or hook up a cultivator for the garden.
Jon
I think the 401 is one of the best of the genre of complex Singer machines. I pretty much consider this bunch the 319, 306, 401 that basic group. Very good machines but the operating systems are complex. Lots of things to do to get what you want. Once you do get it down pat, they do an excellent job.
Joe
Joe
The 401 is suppose to be the top of the line for the 400/500 series, but it is very complicated to use compared to the 306 and 319! There are so many variables on that machine - I much prefer my 503a, which only makes the stitch for the cam you put on it - much easier to learn and use! I have both machines, but I always gravitate to the 503a because of the simplicity of use! I know, if I used my 401 more often, I'd get use to it! But, I prefer the 503a!
Miriam, I can see why the lady had questions! Isn't it great teaching? I always learn too when 'I' am teaching!
Nancy
Last edited by BoJangles; 07-23-2012 at 05:20 AM.
Though not a big fan of the sewing machine tractor, this person is pretty skillful here:
http://marshall.craigslist.org/for/3155399692.html
Pretty soon they'll figure out a way to leave the motor on and have the thing putt around the living room or hook up a cultivator for the garden.
Jon
http://marshall.craigslist.org/for/3155399692.html
Pretty soon they'll figure out a way to leave the motor on and have the thing putt around the living room or hook up a cultivator for the garden.
Jon
Nancy
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
Joe the 319 and 306 are very straight forward! You get the stitch you ask for with just a flip of the lever on top of the 319 or with a cam on both the 306 and 319 - but, you know they both take a 206x13 needle. The 319 and the 306 both take a side clamping low shank foot, where the 401 takes a slant shank foot, but normal 15x1 needles! Also, the 306 and 319 take an "L" bobbin, different from the easy to find class 66 bobbins on the 401's!
The 401 is suppose to be the top of the line for the 400/500 series, but it is very complicated to use compared to the 306 and 319! There are so many variables on that machine - I much prefer my 503a, which only makes the stitch for the cam you put on it - much easier to learn and use! I have both machines, but I always gravitate to the 503a because of the simplicity of use! I know, if I used my 401 more often, I'd get use to it! But, I prefer the 503a!
Miriam, I can see why the lady had questions! Isn't it great teaching? I always learn too when 'I' am teaching!
Nancy
The 401 is suppose to be the top of the line for the 400/500 series, but it is very complicated to use compared to the 306 and 319! There are so many variables on that machine - I much prefer my 503a, which only makes the stitch for the cam you put on it - much easier to learn and use! I have both machines, but I always gravitate to the 503a because of the simplicity of use! I know, if I used my 401 more often, I'd get use to it! But, I prefer the 503a!
Miriam, I can see why the lady had questions! Isn't it great teaching? I always learn too when 'I' am teaching!
Nancy
Nancy
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
Well the 403 is basically like the 503 so I can see why you like it better! The only problem is I love the shape of the 500, Rocketeer, series better than the 400 series! I also like the 319 and 306 because they don't have that weird slide plate where the feed dogs don't drop - you just raise the slide plate! That is one part of that 400/500 series I don't like! The 319 and 306, though have - also in my opinion - a weird slide plate that snapes off completely, but the feed dogs drop. The one problem with the 306 and 319 is the bobbin - so hard to get to! I have to remove my treadle belt everytime I have to change a bobbin on the 319 - I have to gotten use to that - but, at first what a pain in the you know what! I guess it is just what you get use to - they all have their little idiosyncrasies! Of course, the one thing bad about the 306,319,206 is that they take a special 206x13 needle, and special L bobbins, which most of us don't have because most every other machine uses a 15x1 needle and a class 66 or class 15 bobbin! Oh well, I still love both the 306 and 319 - what powerful machines!
Nancy
Nancy
[ATTACH=CONFIG]350797[/ATTACH]
Jan I hope things for your DH keep on improving and that he stays in remission! You must be so relieved to have him home again!
Billy so GLAD top see you back here on the QB! That is such an awful disease - like all auto immune diseases, so hard to deal with. May quilting and working on your machines give you much solace!
Billy so GLAD top see you back here on the QB! That is such an awful disease - like all auto immune diseases, so hard to deal with. May quilting and working on your machines give you much solace!
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