Singer 111W153 & table resto project
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
Singer 111W153 & table resto project
Hi everyone,
I just got this as my first machine from my uncle who had it sitting in his basement for the past few years. He had it for a while and used it to fix horse blankets for people at shows when my cousin was into the horse game. I'm excited to have it and love how it looks! We turned on the motor and it ran well in his basement.
My plan is to just do quick cleanup on the machine (while leaving the original patina), clean up the table with new paint on the legs and a wood treatment for the top (also keeping the patina), and hopefully get it running nicely to sew some stuff!
Some pics attached. So far I've cleaned up the machine, oiled it up, disassembled the whole table, sandblasted the legs, painted them (now letting them dry).
Next step is going to be applying the wood treatment for the top which I will hopefully do in the next few days.
Oh and btw, from another thread I made on the leatherworker.net forums, with the help of some members there, we were able to determine that this machine was built around 1943 in Bridgeport, USA!
I just got this as my first machine from my uncle who had it sitting in his basement for the past few years. He had it for a while and used it to fix horse blankets for people at shows when my cousin was into the horse game. I'm excited to have it and love how it looks! We turned on the motor and it ran well in his basement.
My plan is to just do quick cleanup on the machine (while leaving the original patina), clean up the table with new paint on the legs and a wood treatment for the top (also keeping the patina), and hopefully get it running nicely to sew some stuff!
Some pics attached. So far I've cleaned up the machine, oiled it up, disassembled the whole table, sandblasted the legs, painted them (now letting them dry).
Next step is going to be applying the wood treatment for the top which I will hopefully do in the next few days.
Oh and btw, from another thread I made on the leatherworker.net forums, with the help of some members there, we were able to determine that this machine was built around 1943 in Bridgeport, USA!
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
Yeah! I think they were used to make parachutes etc during the war. Then this one was used in the Woods plant to make sleeping bags. The wood on the table is depressed where I'm guessing the zippers were fed through its while life
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: North Central, NC
Posts: 2,741
What a great project you have. Did your uncle actually lug that around to horse shows to fix those blankets? That thing looks heavy .... and well used. I do see that "dip" on the front edge of the wood top. Ah the stories it could tell! What will you use it for? Cannot wait to see it put back together.
#6
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Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
Thank you!
Thanks! No he actually took the blankets home with him, washed them with a pressure washer & dried them, then fixed them with the machine, and yep, it is heavy .
As for the uses, I'm not sure yet...I'm hoping to do some leather work (wallets, bags, etc), and maybe some upholstery for cars and motorcycles...just having a hard time finding out where to get the materials from (I'm in Canada).
What a great project you have. Did your uncle actually lug that around to horse shows to fix those blankets? That thing looks heavy .... and well used. I do see that "dip" on the front edge of the wood top. Ah the stories it could tell! What will you use it for? Cannot wait to see it put back together.
As for the uses, I'm not sure yet...I'm hoping to do some leather work (wallets, bags, etc), and maybe some upholstery for cars and motorcycles...just having a hard time finding out where to get the materials from (I'm in Canada).
#7
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
Just another update since I managed to get everything painted, the legs assembled, as well as the top coated with finishing wax. Doesn't look half bad.
Christmas present I got!
And one of my dad's current project...Pullmax custom metal shaper
Some more pictures from the shop
And my dads custom made CNC Plasma table, which I will use to cut out the foot pedal I need to make.
Christmas present I got!
And one of my dad's current project...Pullmax custom metal shaper
Some more pictures from the shop
And my dads custom made CNC Plasma table, which I will use to cut out the foot pedal I need to make.
#8
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
Worked on the foot pedal today since the table and machine didn't come with it (it was removed for some reason). Started out by designing the piece to be cut in Autocad, then cut it out on my dad's CNC plasma. Then bent it up on our sheet metal break. Finally, made some inserts for the mounts on the table to allow the pedal to pivot. Still need to weld up the corners and paint/apply some rubber or something to the face of it.
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
I wish I still had my Singer 111. My wildest project was a couple WWII officers tents. There were two tents and 3 awnings. Two awnings over the tents and one between. There were grommets in the side walls to roll the walls. Used in Philippines. A couple vets saw the tents set up at Fort Knox and commented that they didn’t think there was any of those left. I went down to Fort Knox and got the blue prints copied at the library. I’m thinking I used every scrap of the bolt of fabric. Canvac treatment. Like sewing on a crayon.
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 12
I wish I still had my Singer 111. My wildest project was a couple WWII officers tents. There were two tents and 3 awnings. Two awnings over the tents and one between. There were grommets in the side walls to roll the walls. Used in Philippines. A couple vets saw the tents set up at Fort Knox and commented that they didn’t think there was any of those left. I went down to Fort Knox and got the blue prints copied at the library. I’m thinking I used every scrap of the bolt of fabric. Canvac treatment. Like sewing on a crayon.
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