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Picked up a Singer 111W153

23K views 15 replies 5 participants last post by  mknittle 
#1 ·
Picked one up Monday works great. Just have to get a table now. Gonna post some pictures when I get a chance. I'm wondering if I'm threading it correctly. The pix's in the manual are horrible.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Congratulations! The 111W153 is almost exactly like the 111W155, only your machine has slightly less lift and has a slightly lower maximum speed. Here's what the threading should look like.

Now........do yourself a favor and have it gone over by a professional sewing machine mechanic. Also, change the needle, and if you got any thread with it, throw it away and buy new thread.
 

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#3 ·
No I have to figure out how to adjust the bovvin tension. The thread is running flat on the bottom. The top looks fine. When I adjust the top, everything bunches up on the bottom. The manual for this machine sucks. No pictures at all for bobin tension adjustment. I have some here in my camera but my comnputer will not recognise the camera right now.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Coodeville said:
No I have to figure out how to adjust the bovvin tension. The thread is running flat on the bottom. The top looks fine. When I adjust the top, everything bunches up on the bottom. The manual for this machine sucks. No pictures at all for bobin tension adjustment. I have some here in my camera but my comnputer will not recognise the camera right now.
There is no way to troubleshoot your sewing machine on the internet without some hands on help. Please don't think I'm talking down to you, and I am sympathetic to your frustration, but the only way you can adjust anything is if the machine is just slightly out of adjustment in the first place and you know exactly what to adjust. The bobbin thread tension is adjusted by the front screw on the flat spring steel plate on the bobbin case. Do you even know where the bobbin case is? If you've never worked with an industrial sewing machine, how would you know where to start, and any adjustments you make may only make things worse. Do you have the slightest idea where you should start to adjust the tensions or time the machine? Thread tension is important, but the timing of the machine is way more important, and if you don't know how to do that you're absolutely lost. Your problem could be as simple as having the needle in backward, or threading the machine wrong, or not putting the bobbin thread in correctly, or a hundred other simple little things you have no clue about. Or...you may have a bad part in the machine that is causing your problem which you also have no way of figuring out on your own.

And yes, after 35 years, I have put a new needle in facing the wrong way which was what was wrong. (BTW, my sewing machine mechanic tells me that putting the needle in the wrong way is the number 1 mistake that he sees most people make.)

Will you trust me when I tell you that you need to have a pro look at the machine? I've been sewing for over 35 years, and I can't figure out what's wrong sometimes.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Good, you will be happy you did. Stick around while he looks it over and ask a lot of questions. That's better than any manual anyway. The needle's scarf should be facing to the right like this ( . BTW, here is the bobbin case. The tighter you tighten the front screw the tighter your bottom tension. Obviously, the looser the front screw is the looser the bottom tension.
 

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#8 ·
Well, I go the machine back and it's working great! I purchased a table, 550 watt servo motor and bobbin winder used for 225 bucks. The mechanic said that there wasn't anything wrong with the machine besides a little dust here and there.

I took some material samples and played around with the machine. I adjusted the servo motor to the lowest speed setting possible and set the machine to 5 stitches per inch. The machine worked smoothly through everything I used. The stitch was near perfect. I even did some vinyl to sewfoam as well and that came out great. As soon as I can, I'll post some pictures. What a difference compared to my model 66 and 15-91.

Total combined investment is $400.00
 
#11 ·
Do you have a service manual for your machine? I have a 16U288 walking foot Singer, two Featherweight 221 Singers, a Necchi, an Elna, and a few more. They all have slight differences, for instance, most of the needles thread left to right. The 221 threads right to left. I bought one non-working 221 at a VERY good price........the needle was threaded wrong (from left to right). I threaded it from right to left (per the manual) and it sews perfect.
 
#12 ·
The 111W153 is a compound feed walking foot machine which threads from left to right.

The 16U288 is not a walking foot machine. While it is considered an industrial machine, it is a lighter duty machine with drop feed only. The 111W has a maximum speed more than double that of the 16U. The 111 is better machine for auto upholstery.

Walking foot is the common term for alternating presser feet. That means that there are two shafts for the foot, which is in two pieces which alternate being up and down. There is also a separate shaft for the needle, because the needle is also part of the compound feed mechanism, along with feed dogs.
 
#13 ·
DanTwoLakes said:
The 111W153 is a compound feed walking foot machine which threads from left to right.

The 16U288 is not a walking foot machine. While it is considered an industrial machine, it is a lighter duty machine with drop feed only. The 111W has a maximum speed more than double that of the 16U. The 111 is better machine for auto upholstery.

Walking foot is the common term for alternating presser feet. That means that there are two shafts for the foot, which is in two pieces which alternate being up and down. There is also a separate shaft for the needle, because the needle is also part of the compound feed mechanism, along with feed dogs.
Maybe I don't know what a walking foot is. I took some pictures of it and attached them here. There are two shafts for the feet, which alternate being up and down and pull the fabric rearward, in conjunction with the lower feed dogs. I surely "Walks" and it is unlike any domestic machine I have ever seen.

I am not saying it is better than a 111W, in fact, I don't know what a 111W is. A 16U288 can be bought for $200 to $300 since they are about 60 years old. I ran a Google search for a 111W and found one for $750.

The manual says: Machine 16U288 is designed for sewing......medium weight leather, et al.

From http://EzineArticles.com/4965670
The Singer 16U288 and Singer 210B are especially made for sewing heavy materials such as upholstery, canvas, and leather. There are lots of newest models from singer that can handle heavier projects.
 

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#14 ·
I have the same machine. the 111W153 My mom gave it to me! It had been sitting sense the mid 70s because it would only run well in short bursts. the shop messed with it a couple times and the same thing. so it ended up in a upstairs corner. I took an interest in it about a year and a half ago so she gave it to me. :) I brought it home I set it on the bench and oiled everything up and let it sit for a couple hours. when i went to turn it by hand it would turn a couple revolutions and lock up.when I rocked the hand wheel back and forth it would free up .this happened maybe 3 or 4 times, The last time I made a faint clunk and freed up But the feed dogs weren't moving. When I rolled it over to take a look The old woven cotton timing belt with wire staples was laying in a pile on the bench.:welcome: I bought a new rubber toothed belt and figured out how to time everything. you would think the shop would have figured hook timing was creeping that much something else was wrong! Oh well runs like a Swiss watch now
 
#16 ·
:thumbup:
Coodeville said:
Well, I go the machine back and it's working great! I purchased a table, 550 watt servo motor and bobbin winder used for 225 bucks. The mechanic said that there wasn't anything wrong with the machine besides a little dust here and there.

I took some material samples and played around with the machine. I adjusted the servo motor to the lowest speed setting possible and set the machine to 5 stitches per inch. The machine worked smoothly through everything I used. The stitch was near perfect. I even did some vinyl to sewfoam as well and that came out great. As soon as I can, I'll post some pictures. What a difference compared to my model 66 and 15-91.

Total combined investment is $400.00
:thumbup:
 
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