Boscobd

I have a Singer Slant-o-Matic 603 Special that I learned to sew on. It used to be my mother's - she bought it used sometime in the '60s and gave it to me when she got a new machine sometime in the late '70s. I hadn't sewn on any other machine until I got a Baby Lock for my 25th wedding anniversary in 2008.
It is a fine machine and I'm just wondering if anyone has any info on it and what the general opinion of the older mechanical Singers is. The instruction book has a copyright date of 1963. I was born in 1961, so I have used this machine for many, many years. It holds a special place in my heart!

CarrieAnne

I LOVE the older Singers! I have the slant o matic 401, I just bought off craigs list!

KellyPA

I have a Singer Slant-o-matic 500A.... I ONLY use older machines. My "newest" machine is from the 70's. I think older machines are great! They are made with metal parts, and tend to be work horses!

sharon b

Try posting your questions here

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-43881-1.htm

They are awesome with help and advice :thumbup:

Grammy o'5

I have a Singer Touch & Sew Model 603E. Is that similar?
I love it. I bought it used in 1974 and have used it ever since. It's sewn everything I've asked of it, from baby clothes, wedding gowns, all kinds of clothes for my daughter -- even a men's suit jacket and the upholstery for the one time I reupholstered a chair! I don't sew clothes anymore, just mend them. Now the only sewing I do it quilting and use it constantly! :thumbup:

Boscobd

I'm not familiar with the Singer Touch & Sew models - they may have been the next generation machines.
To the other Slant-o-Matic owners - I agree, it is a true work-horse that shows no signs of wearing out. I do have a Baby Lock Quilter's Choice Professional that comes close - metal parts, semi-industrial motor, solid and smooth as can be, and is a mechanical mathine. Not a lot of extras, but, again, a true workhorse. I tend to use the Baby Lock these days, because I think I'm "saving" the Singer by not using it so much. I have this idea that the Singer is on "borrowed time" and I don't want to "break" it.

sewgull

The older models of Singer machine are workhorses. They are NOT plastic. I still have a model 628 purchased in 1963. Recently got a 1974 Kenmore a local charity store.
Love both of them. Along with my Pfaff I can sew anything.
Many older models machines are also metal parts.

pieces

My grandmother had the Singer slant machine and
was always breaking needles. Have anyone else had this
problem?

KellyPA

Boscobd - I use my "vintage" singers every single day! use it, don't worry, it can handle the use!!!!

Boscobd

I never had any problems with needles breaking on my Slant-o-Matic. The only problem it has is that every now and then when starting the bobbin winding, the leader thread won't break as it's supposed to and it takes a few tries to get a bobbin to wind. I've had it into the shop (a couple of different shops as we've moved around a bit) and no one has ever been able to solve it.