Featherweight Fanatics Archives

2004

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http://www.FeatherWeightFanatics.com/fwf
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Featherweight Fanatics A Service of Sue Traudt's Valley Brook Botanicals

Digest of postings from Friday, January 23, 2004 

Welcome to all our new members!
To post a message - send it to: FWFanatics@ttsw.com
To post a message to the For sale list - sent it to: FWForSale@ttsw.com
To pay dues  http://ttsw.com/JoinLists.html
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From: "L. Harris" 
Subject: Fla. Gathering/FW Threading/FW Motors
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 22:16:42 -0500

> I went to the Treadle-On Flea Market site and didn't find this listed in
the
> Events section.  Did I look in the wrong place?

Anne, sorry, my mistake.  The Flea Market events have not been updated
as usual, unavoidable delay with that coordinator.  I'll post again with
that link for the Florida gathering, March 12-14, when the update is
current and, in the meantime, just write to me with any questions
at linharris@att.net

FW Threading:  Peg, don't feel alone.  Are you maybe lefthanded?
My first quilt teacher used to keep a FW at the shop for students to
use and I HATED that machine because it always unthreaded itself
and snarled.  The teacher just couldn't imagine why I had so much trouble
until she watched me thread it.  Being lefthanded, the thread was in that
hand when I approached the needle, so it made sense to me to thread it
from that direction.  And she, being righthanded, couldn't imagine why
anyone would switch hands at that point and thread it from the left!  :)

FW replacement motors:  I have gotten one from PD-60 that did not
fit.  It was too long to fit and line up properly.  I have also gotten one
from them that did fit.  Only two instances, to be sure.

Oh, and there are two more new manuals on the Needlebar site.
Wondering how to thread that Singer 12K or post-1954 201K?
Check it out at http://www.needlebar.com  and then the manuals link.

Lin in FL

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From: "Steve Ward" 
Subject: slotted needles, FW motors
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 22:09:55 -0500

Re: slotted needles

When we had a retail shop, we sold something from Singer notions called 
a "handicap" needle, which had a slot in the side of the eye to pull a 
thread through. The theory was that someone who had poor vision could 
still thread their machine. These are still listed for sale, but my 
opinion was that the really did not work well.

Re: replacement motors

The Alpha Sew motors do run well and look ok, at least the few I've 
used. I much prefer to use an OEM motor while the supply is still 
plentiful, and there is very little price difference. A generic motor 
will definitely hurt the resale value of the machine.

Re: notions

As someone here or elsewhere has already said.......the new "Singer" 
notions found in discount stores have no relationship to the Singer Co. 
of old. I have found the quality to be very spotty. In fact, I recommend 
using original bobbins when they can be found, even on the Athena, 
Slantomatic, and Touch & Sew.


Steve
sewingdoc

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From: Stephanie Stokes 
Subject: 1935
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 20:40:57 -0600

I think I missed something.. what is it about 1935? 
  
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From: "221parts" <221parts@tampabay.rr.com>
Subject: Reproduction FW 
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 17:58:28 -0500

Gail, don't forget to wear safety goggles also.......The needle hits the
hook a lot of the time on these reproduction featherweights and they
sometimes snap off and fly.
                                   Dan

From: "GAIL GAMMELL" 
Subject: Reproduction FW
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 08:39:22 -0800

I noticed a question about Reproduction FW on the digest today.  Now I am
sure Graham will respond as well as others but I might add my 2 cents
anyway.
  The reproduction machines are made in Asia.  The parts are not
interchangeable, the close precision tolerances that made the FW the long
lasting favorite she is, have been lost in the manufacturing process.  It
acts sort of clanky and without the fine hum of the Featherweight.  The
stitches are not precise and fine.  Now.....after all that if you had never
used a Featherweight nor ever owned a good machine, you might find this
acceptable. But, most of us know better.  Gail Gammell / So. Calif

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Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 14:42:31 -0800
From: Barb Baker 
Subject: FW oil cans
T
Hi all,

I have a question about oil cans.  Is there a list somewhere of which oil
can goes with which vintage Featherweight?  When were the 1.5 oz oval oil
cans phased out and replaced with the 3 ox cans?  I know some of the early
cans were labeled "Household Oil" rather that "Sewing Machine Oil" but again
when was this?  I have a 40's FW, a 50"s FW, and a white 60's FW and I don't
know which oil cans I should be looking for to have the correct one with the
correct machine.

Thanks for any help.

Barb
in not-so-sunny Kamloops, B.C.

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From: ButziJ@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 17:03:49 EST
Subject:  FW Fanatics looking for

I have decided my first fw must be a 1944, prefer the end of the year - can 
you guess - 
sept 26 is my birthday 1944.
If you see one or know of one would you let me know - or just be on the look 
out.
Thanks
Judi

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From: "Kathy Teague" 
Subject: Dates of my FWs
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 15:13:59 -0600

Hello, everyone, I just recently joined your list. I have really enjoyed
reading the posts! I have a question, maybe someone can answer. My dear
husband surprised me with a little white FW for Christmas! I already had
two black ones, but was really coveting a white one.ggg I just called
the Singer line to get the dates of manufacture and she told me that the
little white one was a 328K from my serial number! I told her, no, I
knew what a FW was and it is definitely a FW.  Any thoughts on that? My
oldest one was born in 40 and the younger lady in 48. I love to sew on
them. Even though I have a fancy Pfaff that does the embroidery, etc., I
still choose my little old ladies when I do my piecing and quilting. It
is just more fun and they are soooooo cute! Thanks for any help you may
give. Kathy in Texas

mailto:jules294@cox.net 
 
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Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 09:45:02 +0000
From: Graham Forsdyke 
Subject: Re: FW Fanatics 1/20/04

To Elizabeth

>
>Has anyone else noticed the Singer site no longer lists dates of
>manufacture.


With any luck this is a prelude to their  listing the complete data 
that we have been working on for some time. I'm still negotiating to 
get it on the  ISMACS site at the same time.

 From any given serial number ( with a few exceptions) it should tell 
you the factory, how many machines in that particular batch, date 
commissioned and the model of machine.



To Sarah

>
>
>Now, a friend of mine emailed that she saw online a "reproduction
>featherweight,"
>brand-new but looking exactly like the old ones, advertised as being "perfect
>to
>take to quilting classes."

Nothing to do with Singer at all and the sales stories about then 
being built from the original moulds etc is total rubbish.

Poor quality, made in China. Four different types have been made. 
Available to the trade at $135 last time I was approached.



To Joyce who said

>      I have been collecting 221 Featherweights for about 5 years and I
>recently acquired a machine, Scroll Plate, Serial #AE 216441. What has me
>baffled,
>is the motor
>     It has a beautiful ALL BAKELITE motor, without the metal band going
>around the motor.  It has gold writing, though it is worn, i

These turn up fairly frequently and was as style used by Singer for a 
time. It actually does have a band  but it's also Bakelite and needs 
to be  assembled with the  motor case ends as it doesn't split like 
the alloy ones.

One old Singer guy once told me that there were special motors made 
for tropical use where they would  stand higher ambient temperatures 
but my ex-Singer motor man says this is hogwash.

Your machine was made in New Jersey, one of a batch of 15,000 
commissioned on July 13, 1936



To Davetta

>    I just got a 222K Featherweight for Christmas.  It is in beautiful
>condition but I need to have it serviced.  I am in NJ can anyone recommend
>someone in the northeast.

I can't get any closer than Charlton Mass


Graham Forsdyke
Purveyor of fine Featherweights to the gentry
ISMACS London
http://www.ismacs.net

http://www.singer-featherweight.com

Bert's Vintage Repair Book Book: 
http://www.singer-featherweight.com/bert/bert.html
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