Thought of Joe Miller yesterday

[Chris83716]

Yesterday in San Fransico airport I thought of Joe Miller.

I know this sounds like the start of a bad joke. (sorry Joe but I know you can take some ribbing)

In one of the United terminals they have a pretty large display of antique sewing machines and dress making items. The display was very well done and colorful enough to get my 3 year old to stop and look. The display was much safer for the boy to look at then some of the folks wandering through the airport!

Chris

[Old Savage]

So, what are you saying; you're dubbing Joe --- Mr. Stitch.

Or Old Stitches?

[J Miller]

Chris,

Thanks for thinking of me. That is one display I'd like to see. Did you take any pics?

OS,
Hey, I like that. "Old Stitches". Kind of has a ring to it.

Considering I have some really ancient antique sewing machines and I make them work, that's a good name.

Joe

[pwl44m]

Well now is as good a time as any to tell Joe about My Machine. It is supposedly one of the first Electric Singers. The Motor is built into the Machine instead of hanging off the side with a belt. It is buried in the Garage, I will see if I can get to it easily and get a couple pics for Ya Mr Stitches.
I think We need a poll to rightfully name Joe, while I liked Old Stitches I automatically typed "Mr. Stitches". So I guess You'd say thats My vote.
Perry

[J Miller]

Perry,

That would most likely be a Singer 101. It was the first dedicated electric motor sewing machine Singer made. The motor built into the machine is referred to as a "potted" motor. That's cos the motor cover resembles a pot.
In all of Singers history they only made three models with the potted motor.
The Model 101, Model 15-91, and the Model 201-2. I have a 201-2 in a cabinet and it is a sweeeeeet sewing machine.
These machines are all iron and steel. There is no fiber or plastic gears in them I know of. The motors drive a gear on a shaft that drives the big gear attached to the hand wheel. Very responsive and quiet usually.

I'm working on a denim quilt and when I'm done I'll be using the 201 to quilt it.

I'd love to see the pics of yours.

.......... Oh geeze, I just made a liar out of myself. . I said I wasn't going to respond to any non firearms threads. Oh well, the made me do it.

Joe

[pwl44m]

You are off the hook Joe. When I bought the Machine a while back I had went to see the Guy about that "Maynard" rifle I bought. He had a few other things for sale, this Machine being one of them. So it is Gun related.
Perry

[Blaine]

Sew, I guess we can say Joe keeps us in stitches....

[KirkD]

Well, don't let this get around, but there is something about those antique, treadle-operated, cast-iron framed sewing machines that I really like.

[pwl44m]

Got a couple pics for Ya Mr. Stitches. Limited space dictates. Book says for a portable machine. All I know is what I got.
Perry

[Rusty]

Well that was ok, Mr. Stitches seamed to take it in stride.

[Old Ironsights]

Everybody needs a good needling now & then.

[Blaine]

Everybody needs a good needling now & then.

Especially on this thread.

[Pitchy]

Stitches, i like that name Joe
Nice machine Perry.

[pwl44m]

Everybody needs a good needling now & then.

Especially on this thread.

Suits Me, Dem politics- create a disturbance elsewhere and they forget about the Animal Cookies.
Perry

[Old Ironsights]

Everybody needs a good needling now & then.

Especially on this thread.

I don't think we can selvage it. It's all hemmed up.

[damienph]

.......... Oh geeze, I just made a liar out of myself. . I said I wasn't going to respond to any non firearms threads. Oh well, the made me do it.

Joe

I think that your problem is solved; respond to all firearm threads under your J Miller moniker and all others under your new alter ego/alias: "Mr. Stitches" or if you prefer, "Old Stitches"

[AJMD429]

Sew, I guess we can say Joe keeps us in stitches....

[J Miller]

Perry,

That is not a 221-1. It is indeed a 101. The 221-1 is also known as the Featherweight, a much much smaller machine with a folding plate on the left end.
If you give the serial number, on a pad at the base of the pillar, I can tell you when it was made.

Joe

[20cows]

Seams like a good idea to me!

[pwl44m]

Joe, in looking through the book I clearly saw that it was a different Machine. Was the folding plate U spoke of for the Bobbin ?
SN Is - C776693. there is a mark before the C but I don't think it is part of the SN. If it is it has to be either a 4 or an A. It wasn't a good stamp.
Perry

[J Miller]

Perry,

That would be an A. So AC 776693 is ...... Old Stitches is consulting his crystal ball ..........
...
.
A Singer Model 101, one of 10,000 machines allotted on August 2-1929.

Cool.

Now some tips: Use sewing machine oil ONLY and only use Singer Motor lube in the tube for the grease pots under the bottom of the gear box just to the left of the hand wheel.

It takes standard class 15x1 needles and I "think" Class 66 bobbins. The sides are curved not flat.

I'll bet it runs and with a little help would sew just fine.

The drop plate on the Featherweight is not so much the bobbin cover as it is a work space that folds up. The FW is about half the size of a standard sized sewing machine such as that 101 you have. It's made from aluminum and in the case with all the attachments and accessories might weigh 20 pounds. There were millions of them made and yet they are super desired by collectors and quilters and command mucho dinero when auctioned.



Joe

[pwl44m]

Thanks Joe, I think this one won't be seeing service by Me. I bought a pile of stuff from the Guy that day. For the price I couldn't pass it up. Now to find a Mkt for it, maybe trade for a Gun. But every time I mention Gun on Craigs List I get flagged.
Perry

[J Miller]

Thanks Joe, I think this one won't be seeing service by Me. I bought a pile of stuff from the Guy that day. For the price I couldn't pass it up. Now to find a Mkt for it, maybe trade for a Gun. But every time I mention Gun on Craigs List I get flagged.
Perry

Perry,

From what I've seen and learned you "might" get $50.00 to $75.00 for the machine as it sits. Normal regular sewing machines were made in the hundreds of thousands and are not rare at all. There is no real collectors value to them unless they are in mint condition and of a limited numbered version.
Except the Feather Weight, that's become a cult machine.

Joe

[Chris83716]

Sorry Joe no pictures, but I think we fly back through San Francisco on the way back. I will see what I can do time permitting.

Chris