[mpm32]

I just got a singer 111W151 in great working order. I got it to do some car and boat upholstery on (or learn to do it).

It came with a 1/4" welting foot. I am looking to get some other foot sets for it. I noticed that the rear presser foot for this machine come in two configurations. One with the shank 90 degrees to the other. I am sure you can change the orientation of the presser foot shaft but I cant see how to do it.

I did find the US Army manual for this machine but I doesn't tell how to do this. Does anyone know?

Thanks in advance.

[DanTwoLakes]

You don't need to change the shaft, you need to buy the correct feet for your machine. Different models use different style feet. On the 111W, the shaft for your rear foot has a slot that goes from front to back, and all the feet for that machine will take the same style feet. The rear foot is held on by a screw that goes in from left to right. The Singer 211W151 has rear feet that attach in a slot that goes left to right. Unless you're going to sew welts with welt cord larger than 5/32, you won't need any more welt feet.

[mpm32]

Thanks for the reply. My presser foot shaft has the slot that goes left to right not front to back.

So in my research and from your confirmation, I believe that my machine is a needle feed and does not take the two piece walking foot sets.

Now I need to find a source for some different type feet for my machine. Of course, I may be premature since I'm not sure what I really need.

I know for my project I am going to want to do some top stitching so I'll need to find a foot for that. I found some zipper feet, left and right, maybe those will work well for the top stitching.

[DanTwoLakes]

Check out this thread: CLICK HERE
Your machine has to be a Singer 211W151. Check out this link: CLICK HERE

[mpm32]

Thanks,

The machine is definitely a 111w151, it says that on the plate. It's a WWII machine that was used for parachutes, canvas, tents etc.

I'll take some pics.

[DanTwoLakes]

If it's a 111W, it is a compound feed machine (a combination of needle feed and drop feed) with alternating presser feet , which is another way of saying walking foot. The 151 designation must mean it is a special machine made for the government, 'cuz there's no mention of that particular model from Singer. I don't know why it uses the 211W feet, but that's what you'll need to get. It's also odd that the machine would be a "W", 'cuz that means it was manufactured in Germany which makes no sense if it was during WWII. Do you have the serial number?

[mpm32]

I did have trouble finding a manual and the only one I found was an army manual that covers several machines including the 111W151.

An interesting thing in the manual is the page on Demolition of Sewing machines to prevent enemy usage.

[Coodeville]

I just read that the 111w151 is not alternating presser feet.111w151

[DanTwoLakes]

If the 111W151 does not have alternating presser feet (walking foot) and is only needle feed, it will be very limited when it comes to auto upholstery. It would be better suited to sewing flat canvas, sails, or tarps. It would struggle to sew thicker things like sew foam. Compound feed means it has two ways to push and pull the work through the machine with feed dogs and needle feed as opposed to needle feed only. Home machines are generally needle feed only.

[mpm32]

Yes it is needle feed.

I had some time to clean it up, oil it and sew some marine vinyl last night

I did try to sew some vinyl to foam and it passed it through fine. My sewing technique however has a long way to go.

I do need to slow down the machine. I have ordered a small motor pulley and I am going to try that along with blocking the treadle to gain some control.

As it is now, I don't have much control over the speed, I can feather it to get the motor going but I don't have the touch yet to keep it at the slower speed. It likes to take off at full bore. I know about the servo motors, I'm not sure if I want to invest in one just yet especially if I don't have the skill needed to do my project.

I also need to figure out the correct thread tension trial and error I'm sure. I know how to adjust the top thread tension, I need to figure out how to adjust the bobbin thread and presser foot tension.

It sews through eight layers of marine vinyl with no problem. I don't think I'm going to practice on it much more until I get the new needles I ordered, the one that's on there came with the machine and I'm sure it wasn't helping my results. The new poly thread kept breaking but I can't attribute that to any one factor - it was probably a combo of thread tension, needle, and technique.

From the manual I can figure out how to thread the machine but it doesn't tell which way to thread the needle. I was threading the needle from left to right since that's the side the thread groove in the needle was on, does anyone know if this is correct?

Thanks for the help - this forum is great!

[DanTwoLakes]

You adjust the bottom bobbin tension by tightening or loosening the small screw that holds the front of the spring steel tension to the bobbin case. In the two pictures, the front screw is not there, but that's the screw that adjusts the lower tension.

The thread goes through the needle from left to right. The groove on the needle faces to the left. The scarf on the needle faces to the right. The scarf is the half moon shaped cut out just above the eye on the needle where the hook picks up the bobbin thread. Make sure you are running the thread through the thread guide just above the needle.

You adjust the foot's pressure with the wing nut on the back of the machine and the knob on top of the machine. In general, you want the pressure to be as light as it can be unless you are sewing really light fabric.

[mpm32]

Awesome, thanks for the picture. I knew that the bobbin case had to come out.

[DanTwoLakes]

STOP!!!! No, the bobbin case doesn't need to come out, you can get to it without doing that. Don't try to take the bobbin case out unless you know what you're doing.

[mpm32]

Ah, ok thanks, I wasn't going to take it out, I think the lower tension is fine. I just wanted to know where the adj. was. Thanks for telling me I can get to it without removal.

[Coodeville]

Originally Posted by mpm32

As it is now, I don't have much control over the speed, I can feather it to get the motor going but I don't have the touch yet to keep it at the slower speed. It likes to take off at full bore. I know about the servo motors, I'm not sure if I want to invest in one just yet especially if I don't have the skill needed to do my project.

Do yourself a favor and get a servo motor. It will make it much easier for you to learn.