BuzzinBumble

This is really interesting ... I had noticed that some feet weighed more than others. For our family's 301, 401, & 500 I noticed that a few of the new 1/4" feet have been less or more than 1/4" and this is because of the way their shanks position them. Supposedly they were made for slant shank machines, but they aren't accurately positioned.

Okay Joe, now let me reveal my stupidity.... I am confused about why presser feet need cushions. When my sewing machine is at rest I have always kept the presser foot in the up position. Is this habit a No-No? Should it be kept in the down position with a cloth cushion beneath it?

J Miller

Lara,

The pads under the presser feet are just to keep the two apart. It's the way I was taught years ago about keeping a spring under tension. They can take a set and loose strength. Weather they will or not depends on a lot of things.
So I make the pad, lower the presser foot and take most of the tension off the spring. It's just the way I do it.
Your way isn't wrong.

Joe

BuzzinBumble

It may not be wrong but your way makes much more sense. I knew there must be some very sound reason behind it! Thank you Joe for enlightening me!

chris_quilts

Joe, interesting info about the feet. I was taught that the presser foot goes down as well as the needle when the machine is at rest. I always have a piece of fabric between the presser foot and the feed dogs.

Mornigstar

Never checked feet for metal content just the style/usage. I have a lot of old feet that I will be selling but so
far I have them sorted to keep with my machines. I have been promised a beautiful 99k machine to finish my
collecting then plan to part with any extras as they are piling up. Don't want to be a hoarder.
No glass feet in the collection as I would keep one as conversation piece. Still have a 127 to repair.

chris_quilts

Ok Joe, I don't know about anyone else on here but I amused myself by digging out my Home Depot Special telescoping magnetic wand and checked if my 301's feet were steel. I only checked this machine cuz it's my go-to main machine. Yes, the feet were all magnetic. Again, thanks for this info. I have to confess that I do use 1 plastic foot - it's my 1/4" foot but only on one machine because that's the only machine that it will work on.

pinecone

I make a lot of purses and use the fusible fleece ironed to the fabric. I use a square piece of the leftovers.

I too have some really old presser feet with scratches on the under side. I just thought it was from sewing over pins. I have noticed that some of the newer ones don't quite line up with the feed dogs. Guess I really didn't give it a thought about the metal involved, it is easy to see plastic. Is one metal supposed to be better than the other?

piney

J Miller

I have old steel feet that are from the 19 teens that are wear free. I some others that look like someone took a grinder to them.

I do not have any of the newer aluminum ones that have much use on them at all. Well, my 1/4" foot has a bit and the plating is already wearing through.

The feed dogs are made from some pretty hard steel in the older machines. In the newer ones I don't know. They might be aluminum too for all I know. I know Singer made some from plastic years ago.

I suspect they'll all last a good long time if you don't run the machine past the end of the fabric or let somebody play with it.

Joe