Substitute needles for the Minnesota and Davis, as well as others, machines
#11
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Location: Millville, NJ
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[QUOTE=J Miller;5256022]Jon,
Do you have enough info on the Minnesota ~B~'s to determine the year of manufacture? I know mine is ancient, but I'd really like to narrow down the year at least.
I can't find a serial number on it anywhere. The only marking under the front slide plate is the letter "D".
......................................
Hi Joe,
Minnesota B's were made roughly from 1902-1909. Even with a serial number I don't think I could narrow it down much more than that. Serial number was on your front plate which is lost to history.
Jon
Do you have enough info on the Minnesota ~B~'s to determine the year of manufacture? I know mine is ancient, but I'd really like to narrow down the year at least.
I can't find a serial number on it anywhere. The only marking under the front slide plate is the letter "D".
......................................
Hi Joe,
Minnesota B's were made roughly from 1902-1909. Even with a serial number I don't think I could narrow it down much more than that. Serial number was on your front plate which is lost to history.
Jon
#12
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
Jon,
Thanks. 1902-1909 helps narrow it down. Someone replaced the missing front plate with a piece of plated brass sheet many decades ago. So long that the plating on the home made slide plate is worn through.
Joe
Thanks. 1902-1909 helps narrow it down. Someone replaced the missing front plate with a piece of plated brass sheet many decades ago. So long that the plating on the home made slide plate is worn through.
Joe
#13
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Join Date: Feb 2012
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Jon; DH bought me a Davis Vertical Feed with the serial # of 573250. The plate info says Dayton, OH, USA, and another plate says "Manufactured for Bruce Sewing Machine Company, SPringfiled, IL". There are no dates on the slide plates but plenty of which size needle for which size thread etc and it was a treadle that someone converted to an e-machine. It came a big ole honking needle - not a 15X1 size needle. I assumed the needle was the elusive and almost unobtainable Boye #10 or #20. How would I verify that? I would love to sew with her but wanted more than one needle before I began a project.
Chris
Chris
Here is a scan of a Davis Long ( Boye #10) needle besides a rule and a 15x1. You can see the big difference in the length of the two.
ISMACS has several sections on needles, specs, and such that is worth the time to study.
Joe
#14
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Millville, NJ
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Jon; DH bought me a Davis Vertical Feed with the serial # of 573250. The plate info says Dayton, OH, USA, and another plate says "Manufactured for Bruce Sewing Machine Company, SPringfiled, IL". There are no dates on the slide plates but plenty of which size needle for which size thread etc and it was a treadle that someone converted to an e-machine. It came a big ole honking needle - not a 15X1 size needle. I assumed the needle was the elusive and almost unobtainable Boye #10 or #20. How would I verify that? I would love to sew with her but wanted more than one needle before I began a project.
Chris
Chris
Hi Chris
I've only seen "Bruce Manufacturing" on the newer Vertical Feeds (NVF). The SN 573250 is for a VF1 made around 1893 which uses the Boye 10 / MTX190. The NVF uses a 15x1. Does your Davis have a big tension disk on top the the arm (VF1)? The big honkering needle is a Davis long. I'd verify you have a VF1 before buying any needles as small chance the slide plate with serial could be off another machine. I'd be real interested to see a picture.
The Boye 10 is not rare just expensive at around 10-12 dollars a tube for 3 needles plus shipping. The MTx190's are around $5 for 10 shipping included. However, the MTx190 are round instead of flat so they have to be aligned and not as easy to use as the Boye 10's and take a few extra seconds to install.
Jon
#15
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Join Date: Feb 2012
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To add a bit to what Jon just posted, you also need to make sure you have clearance room for the MTx190 needle in the needle plate and anything under it. The MTx190s being round will sit a wee bit to the left of where the Davis Long would sit.
In my Minnesota ~B~ I bought one size at a time trying each to make sure. I can use the MTx190s up to size 18. I doubt I could go any larger though.
Joe
In my Minnesota ~B~ I bought one size at a time trying each to make sure. I can use the MTx190s up to size 18. I doubt I could go any larger though.
Joe
#16
Hi Chris
I've only seen "Bruce Manufacturing" on the newer Vertical Feeds (NVF). The SN 573250 is for a VF1 made around 1893 which uses the Boye 10 / MTX190. The NVF uses a 15x1. Does your Davis have a big tension disk on top the the arm (VF1)? The big honkering needle is a Davis long. I'd verify you have a VF1 before buying any needles as small chance the slide plate with serial could be off another machine. I'd be real interested to see a picture.
The Boye 10 is not rare just expensive at around 10-12 dollars a tube for 3 needles plus shipping. The MTx190's are around $5 for 10 shipping included. However, the MTx190 are round instead of flat so they have to be aligned and not as easy to use as the Boye 10's and take a few extra seconds to install. Jon
I've only seen "Bruce Manufacturing" on the newer Vertical Feeds (NVF). The SN 573250 is for a VF1 made around 1893 which uses the Boye 10 / MTX190. The NVF uses a 15x1. Does your Davis have a big tension disk on top the the arm (VF1)? The big honkering needle is a Davis long. I'd verify you have a VF1 before buying any needles as small chance the slide plate with serial could be off another machine. I'd be real interested to see a picture.
The Boye 10 is not rare just expensive at around 10-12 dollars a tube for 3 needles plus shipping. The MTx190's are around $5 for 10 shipping included. However, the MTx190 are round instead of flat so they have to be aligned and not as easy to use as the Boye 10's and take a few extra seconds to install. Jon
Edit: The needle is approx 1 3/4" long but lady who sold it to me said it was not a common needle. Curiouser and curiouser.
Chris
Last edited by chris_quilts; 05-31-2012 at 04:22 PM.
#20
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Millville, NJ
Posts: 1,835
Jon; Picture as son as DDs get home and find camera. Machine just says Davis and the bobbin winder is low on the arm but machine takes a long(er)shuttle for the bobbin thread. I will have to dig out needle and measure it. You have me curious now.
Edit: The needle is approx 1 3/4" long but lady who sold it to me said it was not a common needle. Curiouser and curiouser.
Chris
Edit: The needle is approx 1 3/4" long but lady who sold it to me said it was not a common needle. Curiouser and curiouser.
Chris
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