Mizkaki

Tammi,

Are you talking about the bobbin cases in the top picture of post 43? These cases are similar or the same shape as in class 66 and 401 (etc). The Singer 600 and 700 mainly use the large/ wide plastic bobbins and they are a wind in place system. To my knowledge these BCs won't fit a 600 etc.

Cathy

miriam

You are right the bobbin areas are very different in size/shape - the throat plate is the same though - I haven't figured out how to make the big one from the T&S fit into a 401 - I wonder if you could jb weld something on a spare bobbin holder.

ArchaicArcane

The Bcase on the right -is- from a 401.
The 66 uses a similar bobbin case, but the plate is significantly different, so I can't see it being able to be used for what I'm thinking of here.

There are at least 2 chainstitch attachment sets that I know of that you can get for Singer machines.

There's the one for the 411G, and it looks like it may be kludgeable (I'm pretty sure that's not a word, but I'm using it anyway) to work with a 401/403/421/500/503, etc. Maybe even a 404. Post 43 was the beginnings of me trying to prove that. I want to try to get into the sewing room and do a little more testing to see what happens.

There's also a set, the link I posted to a Bonanza site, that's for the 640/648 series machines. These are the wind in place bobbin type machines. I believe it's the same kit for the 758, but haven't been able to confirm it, since I don't have the CS kit for the 600 and 700 series machines. I suspect that even the 600 series and 700 series machines not advertised as CS capable, but with the same shape of bobbin cases could use the CS set and chain successfully.

What I'm thinking of should require no JB Weld or anything else... mostly just tension adjustments...

miriam

I can see where it would work for the wind in place Bcase but not the 401 type unless you were to modify

ArchaicArcane

Here's what I learned tonight.

1. The bobbin cases are physically identical, except for that small piece of bent metal that's been tacked onto the 503602 bobbin case . I don't see a reason someone couldn't tack a piece of bent metal into place and have the CS capable bobbin case.

2. I didn't test the 600 series needle plate last time, because it doesn't physically fit.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]375708[/ATTACH]

As you can see, the plates are the same size, but the parts are in different places. When trying to fit the 600 series plate to the 401 or the 411 it actually hits the feed dogs.

This sort of made the whole "convert a 401 to a 411" project moot. The plate is as hard to find as the bobbin case. The same was true of adding the 411 plate and bobbin case to the 401. Not a lot of point in proving it for the sake of proving it with no practical usability.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]375710[/ATTACH]

3. Chaining on the 411 with the 401's bobbin case "works" ( in as much as "the stabby thing goes up and down" means that a sewing machine "works") as long as there's a threaded bobbin in place, but the stitch is incredibly loose.

4. The thing about the tension is that the needle tension dial doesn't really affect the tension of the stitch much at all. As I was stitching, I was changing the dial upwards. The stitch didn't improve (as though I had the thread not far enough in between the tension disks, but it was), until suddenly the stitch turned into a lock stitch, then a further turn of the dial put it back to a loose chain stitch again. (Please excuse my utter inability to stitch straight.)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]375711[/ATTACH]


5. The bobbin case must moderate the tension more than I thought, or there's something else that needs to be done to tighten that stitch up. I still think it's possible, it would just take a better sewer / technician type person than me to figure it out. Perhaps, something like how we hold the thread for a little more tension when we wind a bobbin...

miriam

I wish you lived closer...

ArchaicArcane

Yeah, me too, I wouldn't freeze my buns off every time I walked outdoors this time of the year.
Uhm,.. I mean,... why?

JudyTheSewer

I might not know what I'm talking about but I will throw this out there hoping it might help..........I've been playing with my W&G No 8 CS machine. I was using a 16 needle thinking I could use fine tatting thread with that needle size since I want the machine for red work. However, the CS was very loose like yours looks. When I put in polyester #50 thread it did a beautiful CS. I wonder if CS on modern machines are as picky about thread/needle combinations as the machines from the 1800's are. The W&G manual has references to the importance of matching thread to needle size.

ArchaicArcane

I didn't even consider the weight of the thread. Duh. I should know better by now. I'm reasonably sure the needle was a 90/14, but the thread was size "my grandma's old thread". I'm not sure what a tatting thread is, what approximate weight, is it?

JudyTheSewer

The size of tatting thread is slightly smaller than the thread on a spool of Dual Duty Blue Jeans thread that I have. Unfortunately, neither the spool nor the package gives a size of the jeans thread. I am sorry that I can't give you a number.