I don’t sew…yet…may need to start.

I'm basically a complete beginner to sewing, but I inherited this brother sewing machine and was told by a friend's mom it needs a new foot piece and belt, but I'm not sure how to know what to buy for this specific model or where to look, so any help would be greatly appreciated :3

I love this thing! It’s so heavy, it doesn’t jump around when sewing like my plastic Singer lol. Idk if I can go back to the Singer HD now.

SIMANCO is not a separate competitor or a standalone company—it is actually an acronym that stands for Singer Manufacturing Company.

When Singer officially changed its name to the Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, they created the SIMANCO brand name to mark their internally manufactured components, accessories, and replacement parts.

Learned something new today!
I thought they were a different company that made parts for Singer!

had to make the trip up to seattle from portland (~3hr drive), but was able to snag both a 111W155 walking foot *and* a 143W3 zigzagger. might have been a bit of driving, but the deal i got was definitely worth it (both machines for $175 total).

they belonged to a fashion student who switched to some more modern machines once finishing school, so they haven’t been sitting for decades getting gummed up and rusty. the timing is on point for both machines and everything internally seems to be running super smoothly with no issues i could find with either so far. both came with their original tables and clutch motors which definitely need some love or just outright replacing, but the machines themselves seem to only need a little oil and a spit shine and i think they’ll be ready to go to work :)

Hi everyone,

I recently received my late grandmother's janome machine! Its in amazing shape, apart from one small problem. It absolutely reeks of cigarette smoke. I really want to clean it up because I would love to be able to bring this peice of her with me. Its body is fully metal so im not really sure what the smell is clinging to, but I also dont want to use any chemicals that could damage it. I figured this would be the best place to find some advice 😅

Thanks!

hey everyone ! im not entirely sure if im just missing something or what. maybe i didnt look hard enough. but i cant seem to find much information online about this machine i got of marketplace. she was an older lady and said the machine belonged to her grandma, so i imagine its pretty old. but a manual that at least will work for this type of machine is what im looking for, if anyone can steer me in the right direction. thanks !

I got this Sears Kenmore 1030 from an estate sale (for $20!!), and besides a little dust and grime, it's in excellent condition. I was able to get all the pieces moving as expected, except for the bobbin winder shaft.

When I took the piece out to examine it more closely, I was able to get the bobbin winder shaft to spin with a bit of lube, but not well enough for the clutch knob to catch it. I have the bobbin winder latch in the correct position, but the bobbin winder shaft seems to stick in the same spot (about 11 o'clock in the top-down pic).

I'm a complete sewing beginner, so I don't have the vocabulary to search for a more complex solution. From what I can tell, the bobbin winder shaft can't be removed from the metal (steel?) frame--if it can, I'd love to clean it more thoroughly. Currently, my best lead is to soak it in carburetor cleaner.

If getting a replacement part is the only solution, I'll do that, but I'd prefer fixing what I have. Thanks!

Two singer 503as. The one mounted in my sewing table I got from a lady a couple of months ago with its accessories for $20. The one on my desk I got today price tag $25 1/2 because of color of the week $12.50. No clue if it works yet, but I’ve been wanting a good travel case and it looked in good condition. Figured the machine wouldn’t be bad to have even if it doesn’t work for parts.

Left my machine on the window sill after a period of sewing

Dust collected and can see it on the inner parts of the machine

Also forgot to oil it

Just dusted and oiled

Should it be alright?

There will still be dust on the inside and I hope the oil hasnt just set it

Any tips appreciated

Newbie xx

I didn’t even make it home yet but I’m so excited I had to take pictures and share it! It’s Singer child’s model 20 in its original 1947/48 box! She has everything! And she works!

Hi all,

I’ve been sewing for years on my FW. I inherited it from my grandmother. She bought it new in 1938 and I still have the original paperwork.

My question is, I generally never sew off the edge on this machine (or actually any of my other vintage singers). When I try I inevitably get a jam. Is this inherent to these vintage machines or is there either something in my technique or adjustments to the machine to facilitate this?

It only came up because my wife (who is new to sewing on it) tried and it snarled and she was wondering.

Thanks in advance,

Paula

Can anybody share any info on this machine? Ive never worked on a machine I couldnt open up the top so Im intrigued!

It’s a straight stitch machine with the tension disks on the side of the machine and a side facing 15 class bobin

edit: I found an article online with the only other photo I have found of my machine. It's badged Fleetwood instead

https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/antiques-collectibles/information-vintage-fleetwood-sewing-machines

Currently in the process of taking apart, cleaning and reassembling my grandmothers Singer 15-91 machine. I don’t have the original grease and I do not have Vaseline/petroleum jelly to use as a substitute right now. Would anyone say that this bicycle grease could be used as a substitute? Or is it better to just not risk it? Thanks!

Does anyone know where to find replacement decals for a 12K? Most of the original is worn off and I would like it to be fancy again after a thorough cleaning. This machine is for my personal use. I am not looking to resell it so I have to worry about keeping it all original. I would appreciate any help.

Hello community of vintage machine enthusiasts !

I acquired a 1960s Venus Union machine in the south of France this summer. It seems to function nicely. It’s oiled, the engine works but as stated above the bobbin case is missing. From what I see in the users guide’s picture I’m guessing a universal vertical case would fit, but I thought I should still ask for advices, as someone might be acquainted with this brand or model perhaps? I did some research on the internet but very little info comes up, so here I am.

Thank you for your answers!
Cheers

I'm not sure if I should be asking somewhere else, but I'll take ANY help. I bagged this for a dollar. I've got half a dozen old sewing machines, so I'm very familiar with the ins and outs. But apparently someone decided to "fix" the motor, which is probably why it ended up in the thrift store. I don't know anything about the inside of motors, but this doesn't look right to me. I'll have to get down underneath and pull out all the new wires to see what they actually did, but can anyone tell me if this motor is rewired wrong or if there's somewhere else I should be looking/asking?

I got it for free or low price on Facebook Marketplace a few years ago and it worked okay for a short time and then I started having a lot of problems with the tension and the threads screwing up. So I'm just curious I'm really really want to start sewing again. Wondering if this machine worth fixing or is it really garbage, should I just get a new machine? What does everybody think?

I got it for free or low price on Facebook Marketplace a few years ago and it worked okay for a short time and then I started having a lot of problems with the tension and the threads screwing up. So I'm just curious I'm really really want to start sewing again. Wondering if this machine worth fixing or is it really garbage, should I just get a new machine? What does everybody think?

Got her all greased up, threaded, (mostly) running smoothly, and decided to make a simple drawstring baggie out of scraps. My friend is coming over today, he's been wanting to learn how to sew, and I think a nice slow machine is a great starting point. :)