Showing posts with label Singer 15K80. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Singer 15K80. Show all posts

Sunday 24 February 2013

Scintillating Stitches

The 15k80 was clean and lubed so the time had come to see how it sews.

I mentioned yesterday that I am new to the 15 class but with the help of various down loads I have now educated myself as to how these machines should be threaded top and bottom.

Three bobbins came with the machine.  I used my smallest screwdriver to adjust the sloppy bobbin case.


I had disturbed the top tension earlier because I had taken the tension unit apart to check the face of the tension discs for lint, dirt and rust before threading and somehow the tension on the bobbin case seemed a bit "free" to me.  With these things in mind I was not expecting great stitches from this machine.

In my first attempt the top tension was too great and the bottom tension too little.  Result: little bumps of bobbin thread on the top of the goods and a wonky line of stitches.   I wasn't keen to muck about with the bobbin case at this stage so I backed off the tension for a few turns until the bumps nearly vanished.  I got to the stage where I couldn't feasibly back the top tension off any further so threw caution to the wind and tightened the screw on bobbin case a quarter turn.  A little more playing and these are the most recent results.


This is a piece of old shirt cuff left over from a quilting project.  So the machine is sewing through two layers of fine cotton and a layer of interfacing.  It may not be very easy to see but the stitches (approx 15 per 1 inch) are locking in the middle of the fabric sandwich and the row feels smooth to the touch on both sides.  By George I think we've got it!


Saturday 23 February 2013

More of the Singer 15k80

Here is the Singer 15K80 after some light cleaning.


Front of Singer 15k80 after cleaning


I used sewing machine oil and cotton wool balls to clean and polish the black japanning and gold decals.  Just a little oil gently lifts the muck and imparts a little shine and I am careful not to rub the decals too hard.  The general condition of the finish is really quite good.  One or two chips on the leading edge of the machine bed but nothing I won't be happy to live with.


Sweet Bird of youth.   Sorry about the camera shake I am still learning.



I use the same technique on the bright metal.  The throat and slide plates are as new but the rim of the balance wheel is less than perfect.



Underneath wasn't too mucky but bone-dry.  When was the last time this one saw oil?  I took the throat and face plates off and cleaned the feed dogs and presser and needle bars with an old toothbrush.

At this point, clean but not yet oiled, the machine turned freely but did not resemble the the smooth, quiet running, machines other sewers have described on their blogs.  I am new to Singer 15s so I wasn't sure what to expect.  My 201k whispers along the seams and hems but this 15 clattered.  I have read comparisons of the 201 with a Rolls Royce.  If my 201 is a Rolls then this 15 is a Model T Ford.

Now I love sewing machine oil.  It's like Doctor Good for machines.  When I oil a bone dry machine like this one I feel like I am working a little miracle.  I go right over the machine from slide plate to hand crank and from spool pin to shuttle looking for any points at which metal bears against metal and apply no more than a drop or two of oil.  Then I have the pleasure of:
"run[ning] the machine rapidly for a few moments (with the presser foot up) to work the oil into the bearings"
That's one of my favourite bits.  Listening to the machine becoming quieter and actually feeling it become smoother in operation.  In a matter of seconds the clattering is more like clicking and hey presto this sewing machine is running like a sewing machine.  The 15 is not as quiet as the 201.  I don't think I would expect it to be.  The design of the 201 is about 50 years younger than that of the original 15 after all.  I would say that this machine is now maybe just a shade quieter than my 28k.  Any 15 aficionados who can confirm this as a sign of good health please drop me a line.

By the way anyone thinking of recommissioning a neglected machine should make this excellent video by Lizzie Lenard compulsory viewing.  One can learn a lot from that wise lady! 

Friday 22 February 2013

New Arrival

Just look at what followed me home today.

Sewing machine in case

That's right dear reader.  It's a shabby blue box.  Or is it?  Take a closer look.


The lid is off the shabby blue box and we see a shabby black sewing machine.  A Singer 15k80 complete with dust (can you see the finger marks?) and hot pink thread (so not my colour).  Now this machine, like most of us over thirty, would appear to have a story to tell and as I look more closely at it I am starting to think that if this "Singer" could sing it would be hymns ancient and modern.  

My first impression of this machine: black enamel, gold "RAF" decals and thumb screw stitch length control (no back tack or dropped feed dogs here) make me think old.  Late 1930s or immediate post-war?  All right not that old in the world of sewing machines but a respectable vintage.

BUT just look at that case though!  This machine should be in a bentwood or a faux croc skin case shouldn't it?  Then again that blue case looks very non-Singer to me and I can imagine that this is some kind of replacement.  I think, however, that this machine may be more youthful than I first believed.  The striped face plate makes me think she is nearer sixty than seventy.  So what... 1950 maybe?  But look at this:



Note the plate with the model designation.  This looks more like the sort of thing one might find on a slant-o-matic or 185k.  I can wait no longer and look up the serial number.  The internet-o-graph tells me that the serial number was allocated in 1957!  WOW I never imagined that Singer would have been able to sell a machine like this as late as that.  Straight stitch and in one direction only.  Just think about what else was on offer at that time.  So this is a rock and roll stitcher rather than jazz or swing.  That might just explain the blue vinyl case.  I would be really glad to hear from anyone else who has experience of late 15ks and the kind of cases they can be found in.