I was typing a comment and accidentally wiped out everything! Oh well - I will be brief this time. THANK YOU for this video! I went straight to my craft room and checked all of my empty bobbins for my Bernina 930 Record electronic. I found 7 out of 9 were 'new', and one was bent slightly as verified with my digital caliper! That one went into the trash. I haven't had any issues so far with bobbins, but I definitely felt and saw the difference between new/cheap and vintage bobbins. I will keep this information in mind in case I do have any issues - and I will have a first line of trouble shooting to see what the problem is caused by. Thanks again. I recently donated a Singer Slant-O-Matic 403A to a thrift store because I didn't have room for one more machine. Now I regret it. I have the Bernina, Singer Genie 353 (nostalgic purchase), BabyLock Imagine serger, BabyLock Decorator's Choice (in shop for major repair), Janome CoverPro 1000 CPX (right needle position refuses to work consistently and doing battle through PayPal with private seller), and a rescued White 7700. One of my hobbies is taking vintage machines that find my husband (he is out and about all the time), giving them a good cleaning - oiling - greasing, and donating them to our church for others who need them. I missed my calling and often wonder what my life would be like had I taken dedicated training as a sewing machine technician! Joann's Fabrics and Crafts even offered to put my business cards out if I wanted to just do simple cleaning and lubrication for others because we had no one in our community to do routine maintenance. I was flattered, but don't want the responsibility of doing more harm just because someone doesn't take care of their own. Throw away machines...not such an issue for me. I talk too much, but wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your video. I subscribed to your channel and will be looking for more tips along the way.
I have found the new style 66 bobbin's hole isn't big enough for vintage bobbin winder shafts. I found this out the hard way when I bought some new 66 bobbins.
Thanks for info, my vintage Kenmore 158.1941.2 uses class 15 bobbins but uses ones with 7 holes, for some reason it doesn't make good stitches if I use th multi hole class 15 and big trouble with a plastic class 15. Other people don't have any problem as long as metal class 15. My Singer vintage 237 fashion mate will sew nicely no matter what class 15 bobbin is used. But since it can only do basic zig zag stitches, and side loading machines cannot use a double needle I don't sew on it as much. I was told by my sadly retired Singer (but could work on anything), repairman that the 7 hole class 15 bobbin was mainly for Kenmore , Brother, Janome, &White? ? vintage machines. You are so right about the crummy quality of newer metal bobbins. You can think purchasing Vintage ones but they are not! With your info from this video I can find all the newer bobbins in my stash and discard them. Thanks for another useful video.
Thank you for sharing. It is an interesting insight you shared about the number of holes in Class 15 bobbins making a difference. I wonder if it might be due to a shift in the bobbin's weight (albeit very subtle).
I'm finding the same issue with my "new" 1969 Kenmore Model 480. The traditional 10 hole class 15 bobbins don't allow it to fit fully into the bobbin winder or the bobbin case. I have a few 8 hole bobbins that fit and work perfectly. I noticed this on a friend's Kenmore 1660 as well. There seems to be just a slight difference in the size of the barrel and the perhaps (not sure) width of of the bobbin or the space between ends. The diameter of the bobbin is the same as a Singer 10 hole. Hmmmm...
Thank you for the time and effort you put into making these videos. Very good quality and instruction. I have a question about the comment regarding plastic bobbins possibly causing issues because they weigh slightly less than a metal bobbin. If the tension mechanism is delicate enough to be affected by this small of a difference, how does it account for the difference in weight between a full bobbin and a mostly empty bobbin? Wouldn't the difference in weight be more between them?
Or the difference in weight between a solid bobbin and one with holes? And is part of the smoothness of the originals because the bobbin was used for years, and wore smooth?
Thank you, this was very helpful! I wondered whether it was okay to interchange the plastic bobbins of my modern and vintage Janome machines, and also whether it was wise to use the tarnisheded bobbins left by my late mother-in-law. Also, I had heard it was better to avoid modern bobbins with my Singer Featherweight, but not how to tell the difference! I appreciate the help.
I’ve had problems with new bobbins. My Nelco takes 15 bobbins, and the new ones often have a very badly cut notch so they won’t fit on the winder since the little tab can’t fit in the notch. I recently got a vintage 66, and while I was testing the stitches it worked just fine. I wound a new bobbin for a project, and the tension was horribly wrong and the thread kept bunching over the bobbin. I couldn’t figure out why, and after hours of fiddling with the bobbin tension I switched back to the original bobbin and it worked perfectly. When I compared the two, I noticed the new one was slightly taller and more rounded so it wouldn’t allow the thread to pass smoothly over the bobbin. Thanks for this video, I never thought to feel it instead of just looking.
Glad to hear you solved your bobbin problem Justin. A part of the problem with the new bobbins is that they are poorly made rough stampings and inconsistent sizing. It may sound "nerdy" to say this, but even sewing thread bobbins were made better during the vintage era. Its seems there is nothing that manufacturers won't cheapen in order to keep the prices low.
Yay! A bobbin vid!! How about bobbins for vibrating shuttle machines, the different sizes and why the new ones also need more work because the end pins won't fit in the winder...(hint: Dremel). Not bobbins, shuttles..
Another issue with new bobbins...I've found that sometimes the dimensions aren't exactly right. I bought a package of metal class 66 bobbins, and when I tried using them in a vintage Singer 401, they were just a hair too wide which meant they didn't spin in the case as they should and were very difficult to remove. I had to throw the entire package away. I've experienced the same with new plastic Singer Athena bobbins and also with Touch and Sew bobbins but with the latter, the problem was the height, not the width, so they didn't wind correctly.
Hello Addison. They can be found on a number of websites such as Ebay, Etsy and at Bonanza such as these. Be sure to always specify used/vintage when you purchase and not "New" bobbins. www.bonanza.com/listings/Four-Rotary-Bobbins-744-Used-Working-Original-US-Quarter-Size-/687326915?search_term_id=44329863
I use a Singer Fashion Mate 288 which I inherited and I am never certain what bobbins are the right ones for it. I think it could benefit from some precicion. It came with plastic bobbins and I think they're Class 15 but I can't be certain. Can you instruct. I don't know the age of it, pocssibly 60's or 70's? I learned a lot from your video regarding the shortcomings of the newer vs vintage bobbins for a 221, 301 machine and and the same issues for the class 66 bobbins. Thank you for all your detailled thoughtful guidance. I am a sewing instructor and my school district classroom has a lot of abandoned bobbins in the supply cabinet. Now I have some teaching and investigative work to do. Thank you.
Hi Karen. Earlier SInger Fashion Mate models used sided loading "Class 15" Bobbins. But yours I believe has bobbins loading from the top and are commonly known as "Class 66" bobbins. I prefer vintage metal versions, but it is possible that plastic bobbins were issued with the machine by the time yours was made. To be on the safe side, I would ideally use vintage metal versions and they are not difficult to find nor particular expensive.
So much I didn’t know about bobbins! Thank you! But, I wonder, would new metal bobbins make a contemporary sewing machine work better versus using plastic bobbins? Just wondering!
On my Pfaffs the only thing I can tell different using metal or plastic bobbins, is the bobbin light on my computer Pfaff doesn't come on with metal bobbins.
Very informative! Would polishing new metal bobbins with a buffing wheel and polishing compound help the performance? Also, since the weight of with plastic bobbins is a problem, it makes me wonder if a full plastic bobbin would work as well as a close to empty metal bobbin or if there is a difference in performance between a full metal bobbin and a close to empty one. Thank you for the video.
Great question Steve. I'm pretty confident that the engineers of the old machines designed them to work well with metal bobbins whether full or empty. Thread tension can be impacted by subtle changes sometimes so its best to stick with metal bobbins for vintage machines. You can try your idea of polishing new bobbins and please let us know how it turns out. I aim for vintage bobbins whenever I can since they are already smooth and suited to the vintage models.
I already bought modern remake 66s and 15s. 😬😥 Like 20 of each. :-/ I definitely noticed that adjusting the tension on the 66 vintage vrs modern is soooo different.
Thanks for writing Anna. Many folks have bought those like you did since they were understandably trying to avoid plastic bobbins. While those you purchased "might" work in older plastic machines, you might try getting some vintage bobbins in good condition and see if you get better results. Good luck with yours.
Good video, but I feel a tad left out. The bobbin on my machine is a spool. Fortunately the machine came to me with the shuttle and one bobbin inside, so I'm hoping the repair shop can source more bobbin for me. I also asked him to make up two leather belts while he was replacing the one on the machine. Do you have a video showing how to thread the bullet type shuttle? Thank you! ~Diane
Hi Diane. Great point as I did not have one of those spool bobbins. Some of the early ones are made of Brass!!!! and are lovely. If I ever have a machine that takes those, I will consider making a video on that. Thank you for the suggestion
I bought an Italian made Ann Person Stretch & Sew for $5 at a second hand store. No manual, and I'm not sure if the V-1 on the side is the model number or not. It came with a very short bobbin. It has a center ridge on one side but the ridge on the other side looks like it's been melted off or something. Is this supposed to be a Featherweight bobbin? I can't find more, partly because I don't know what it is.
Hi, I found a site recommending R221 bobbin for my Damascus Grand treadle sewing machine I have a bobbin case; searching for bobbins. Any resources that you can recommend?
Hi Nancy. You can certainly try searching sites such as Etsy, Ebay, & Bonanza. Another option that might be more fruitful is joining treadle groups such as TreadleOn. Since the earliest sewing machines were all treadles, they might have more info on early brands of machines such as Damascus. I suspect what you are searching for is out their but it more obscure that lots of vintage electric machine resources. There should be other treadle groups on places like Facebook or other sites.
Hi . I came across your video. I have an old vintage singer but it didn't come with a bobbin. How do I find out which bobbin to get? It's a AK537251 model. Underneath it says Simanco USA 45223. I'm not sure what that means. I've tried looking up what's year the machine is from but didn't find no info. It wasnt in the Singer database. I'll appreciate whatever info you can give me. Thank you.
It appears from the serial number to be a Singer 201 made circa 1951. All 201s take what are called Class 66 bobbins. I prefer vintage metal versions which are easy to find for sale online at etsy, ebay, etc.
Recently picked up a model 66 from about 1940. Comparing the original bobbins with cheap modern bobbins there are more differences than just the surface finish issues you mention. Specifically the central hole is undersize so that the new production will not fit on the standard 1/4 inch shaft of the bobbin winder. The hole is .245 inch which will not slide onto a .250 inch shaft. The modern machines that use class 66 bobbins are probably made with a 6mm (.236 inch) winder shaft so the new bobbins would fit on that. There is also an issue with the location of the bobbin winding drive pin hole, which is just enough further from the center of the bobbin to not fit right on the bobbin winding mechanism. As a long time machinist I am comfortable with switching between metric and inch measuring systems, but I've seen many instances when parts designed in the inch system have not survived the translation into production in places that use only the metric system. They will sometimes round off critical dimensions to some even number in metric. Looking at the Singer website, it appears that the Singer brand class 66 metal bobbins have the same issues (probably made in the same Chinese factory). It remains to be seen whether these bobbins will work at all once the dimensions are modified, as they still have the surface roughness in places where the thread must slide smoothly in order to feed properly.
My comment is also about the "66", some modern copies don't copy the curve of the top and bottom correctly or consistently. I have purchased ones where the dimensions were matching to the original but there was no curve either top or bottom, purchased ones where the curves were correct but the dimensions were wrong (as per fast richard) and also purchased some which had good dimensions but a curve on only one side of the bobbin. That last one was the cause of me giving up purchasing new "66" and rather spending time keeping an eye open for vintage ones.
Insightful information, but I slightly disagree with the idea that the metal bobbins are the only "vintage" bobbins for all vintage machines. Singer sold plastic Class 66 bobbins as the originals for many machines including my great-grandmother's Singer 404 sewing machine. The Singer bobbins even shared the same part number: 172222 for the metal bobbin and Singer 172222P for the clear, plastic, one. So Singer designed them to work, and I still sew with the four original, plastic, bobbins that came with the 404, Thank you for your series on these older machines. They really are mechanical marvels, works of art and can sew with the best machines sold today.
Don't need to use oil on them get keep rust off bobits & other metal parts with car wax.. even some metal rim polish just carefully of thin plated metal parts my stuff treated don't rust any more but thin cheap plating can come off.. rubbing chrome wt wadded foil works off rust
I had thought of using polish too. But I have found that bobbins and bobbin cases have very tight crevices that I don't want to get polish or wax into since that could interfere with the delicate operation of something like a case where thread has very narrow spaces for travel. With the oil, I don't have that worry. I do find metal polishes fantastic on larger metal pieces.
And doing some research today I think I found the best solution is using a sacrificial piece of iron in electrolytic bath is electricity to remove every bit of rest and then Nickel Plate the, zinc plate or whatever is the original plating was to bring it back to close to original condition
Hi Cindy. I always suggest that people use vintage metal bobbins (the new ones are not made as well even when metal). You can find these on Etsy, Ebay, Bonanza, etc.
Watching your video got me started again in trying to fix my singer 533 stylist
I was typing a comment and accidentally wiped out everything! Oh well - I will be brief this time. THANK YOU for this video! I went straight to my craft room and checked all of my empty bobbins for my Bernina 930 Record electronic. I found 7 out of 9 were 'new', and one was bent slightly as verified with my digital caliper! That one went into the trash. I haven't had any issues so far with bobbins, but I definitely felt and saw the difference between new/cheap and vintage bobbins. I will keep this information in mind in case I do have any issues - and I will have a first line of trouble shooting to see what the problem is caused by. Thanks again. I recently donated a Singer Slant-O-Matic 403A to a thrift store because I didn't have room for one more machine. Now I regret it. I have the Bernina, Singer Genie 353 (nostalgic purchase), BabyLock Imagine serger, BabyLock Decorator's Choice (in shop for major repair), Janome CoverPro 1000 CPX (right needle position refuses to work consistently and doing battle through PayPal with private seller), and a rescued White 7700. One of my hobbies is taking vintage machines that find my husband (he is out and about all the time), giving them a good cleaning - oiling - greasing, and donating them to our church for others who need them. I missed my calling and often wonder what my life would be like had I taken dedicated training as a sewing machine technician! Joann's Fabrics and Crafts even offered to put my business cards out if I wanted to just do simple cleaning and lubrication for others because we had no one in our community to do routine maintenance. I was flattered, but don't want the responsibility of doing more harm just because someone doesn't take care of their own. Throw away machines...not such an issue for me. I talk too much, but wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your video. I subscribed to your channel and will be looking for more tips along the way.
I'm really enjoying learning about vintage machines. Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge.
Glad you like them!
Very good; never knew something so small could make a big difference. Thanks so much for taking the time to highlight it all on bobbins.
I have found the new style 66 bobbin's hole isn't big enough for vintage bobbin winder shafts. I found this out the hard way when I bought some new 66 bobbins.
Thanks for info, my vintage Kenmore 158.1941.2 uses class 15 bobbins but uses ones with 7 holes, for some reason it doesn't make good stitches if I use th multi hole class 15 and big trouble with a plastic class 15. Other people don't have any problem as long as metal class 15. My Singer vintage 237 fashion mate will sew nicely no matter what class 15 bobbin is used. But since it can only do basic zig zag stitches, and side loading machines cannot use a double needle I don't sew on it as much. I was told by my sadly retired Singer (but could work on anything), repairman that the 7 hole class 15 bobbin was mainly for Kenmore , Brother, Janome, &White? ? vintage machines. You are so right about the crummy quality of newer metal bobbins. You can think purchasing Vintage ones but they are not! With your info from this video I can find all the newer bobbins in my stash and discard them. Thanks for another useful video.
Thank you for sharing. It is an interesting insight you shared about the number of holes in Class 15 bobbins making a difference. I wonder if it might be due to a shift in the bobbin's weight (albeit very subtle).
I'm finding the same issue with my "new" 1969 Kenmore Model 480. The traditional 10 hole class 15 bobbins don't allow it to fit fully into the bobbin winder or the bobbin case. I have a few 8 hole bobbins that fit and work perfectly. I noticed this on a friend's Kenmore 1660 as well. There seems to be just a slight difference in the size of the barrel and the perhaps (not sure) width of of the bobbin or the space between ends. The diameter of the bobbin is the same as a Singer 10 hole. Hmmmm...
Thank you for this information. I always hesitated to buy "vintage" bobbins because I didn't know how to tell them from modern ones.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into making these videos. Very good quality and instruction. I have a question about the comment regarding plastic bobbins possibly causing issues because they weigh slightly less than a metal bobbin. If the tension mechanism is delicate enough to be affected by this small of a difference, how does it account for the difference in weight between a full bobbin and a mostly empty bobbin? Wouldn't the difference in weight be more between them?
Or the difference in weight between a solid bobbin and one with holes? And is part of the smoothness of the originals because the bobbin was used for years, and wore smooth?
Thank you, this was very helpful! I wondered whether it was okay to interchange the plastic bobbins of my modern and vintage Janome machines, and also whether it was wise to use the tarnisheded bobbins left by my late mother-in-law. Also, I had heard it was better to avoid modern bobbins with my Singer Featherweight, but not how to tell the difference! I appreciate the help.
Very useful video. Helps me select the best bobbin for my old Singer 15-91 and a 99. THANKS!
Glad it helped!
thank you helpful, looking to get more bobbins for my 1940's White Rotary(was my grandmothers)
Thanks! This was EXTREMELY helpful.
Tq for yr sharing
We need yr coaching
When I encounter a LIGHTLY rusted bobbin, I will polish it up with a VERY FINE grain steel wool so that it runs silky smooth again.
Valuable info. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you we learning everyday '!!!!!!!!!!
You are quite welcome!
I’ve had problems with new bobbins. My Nelco takes 15 bobbins, and the new ones often have a very badly cut notch so they won’t fit on the winder since the little tab can’t fit in the notch. I recently got a vintage 66, and while I was testing the stitches it worked just fine. I wound a new bobbin for a project, and the tension was horribly wrong and the thread kept bunching over the bobbin. I couldn’t figure out why, and after hours of fiddling with the bobbin tension I switched back to the original bobbin and it worked perfectly. When I compared the two, I noticed the new one was slightly taller and more rounded so it wouldn’t allow the thread to pass smoothly over the bobbin. Thanks for this video, I never thought to feel it instead of just looking.
Glad to hear you solved your bobbin problem Justin. A part of the problem with the new bobbins is that they are poorly made rough stampings and inconsistent sizing. It may sound "nerdy" to say this, but even sewing thread bobbins were made better during the vintage era. Its seems there is nothing that manufacturers won't cheapen in order to keep the prices low.
i had the same experience. I have a bunch of new class 15 bobbins for sale cheap!
Yay! A bobbin vid!! How about bobbins for vibrating shuttle machines, the different sizes and why the new ones also need more work because the end pins won't fit in the winder...(hint: Dremel). Not bobbins, shuttles..
Another issue with new bobbins...I've found that sometimes the dimensions aren't exactly right. I bought a package of metal class 66 bobbins, and when I tried using them in a vintage Singer 401, they were just a hair too wide which meant they didn't spin in the case as they should and were very difficult to remove. I had to throw the entire package away. I've experienced the same with new plastic Singer Athena bobbins and also with Touch and Sew bobbins but with the latter, the problem was the height, not the width, so they didn't wind correctly.
Fantastically helpful! Thank you.
Thank you for this video. It is very helpful.
Glad to hear that!
The featherweight bobbin is also used in singer 9w7
I have a 9w7 that takes this bobbin, but some of them took a "bagel" bobbin that you can't find anywhere. 😃
Thank you sooo much! So very helpful.
You're so welcome!
I would love to find some of the old White and Kenmore (made by White) bobbins
Hello Addison. They can be found on a number of websites such as Ebay, Etsy and at Bonanza such as these. Be sure to always specify used/vintage when you purchase and not "New" bobbins.
www.bonanza.com/listings/Four-Rotary-Bobbins-744-Used-Working-Original-US-Quarter-Size-/687326915?search_term_id=44329863
I use a Singer Fashion Mate 288 which I inherited and I am never certain what bobbins are the right ones for it. I think it could benefit from some precicion. It came with plastic bobbins and I think they're Class 15 but I can't be certain. Can you instruct. I don't know the age of it, pocssibly 60's or 70's? I learned a lot from your video regarding the shortcomings of the newer vs vintage bobbins for a 221, 301 machine and and the same issues for the class 66 bobbins. Thank you for all your detailled thoughtful guidance. I am a sewing instructor and my school district classroom has a lot of abandoned bobbins in the supply cabinet. Now I have some teaching and investigative work to do. Thank you.
Hi Karen. Earlier SInger Fashion Mate models used sided loading "Class 15" Bobbins. But yours I believe has bobbins loading from the top and are commonly known as "Class 66" bobbins. I prefer vintage metal versions, but it is possible that plastic bobbins were issued with the machine by the time yours was made. To be on the safe side, I would ideally use vintage metal versions and they are not difficult to find nor particular expensive.
Darn. Well, now I know! Thanks as always!
You bet!
So much I didn’t know about bobbins! Thank you! But, I wonder, would new metal bobbins make a contemporary sewing machine work better versus using plastic bobbins? Just wondering!
No, it could be that newer machines require the plastic bobbins but you can certainly test and let us know if they work.
On my Pfaffs the only thing I can tell different using metal or plastic bobbins, is the bobbin light on my computer Pfaff doesn't come on with metal bobbins.
Very informative! Would polishing new metal bobbins with a buffing wheel and polishing compound help the performance? Also, since the weight of with plastic bobbins is a problem, it makes me wonder if a full plastic bobbin would work as well as a close to empty metal bobbin or if there is a difference in performance between a full metal bobbin and a close to empty one. Thank you for the video.
Great question Steve. I'm pretty confident that the engineers of the old machines designed them to work well with metal bobbins whether full or empty. Thread tension can be impacted by subtle changes sometimes so its best to stick with metal bobbins for vintage machines. You can try your idea of polishing new bobbins and please let us know how it turns out. I aim for vintage bobbins whenever I can since they are already smooth and suited to the vintage models.
I already bought modern remake 66s and 15s. 😬😥 Like 20 of each. :-/ I definitely noticed that adjusting the tension on the 66 vintage vrs modern is soooo different.
Thanks for writing Anna. Many folks have bought those like you did since they were understandably trying to avoid plastic bobbins. While those you purchased "might" work in older plastic machines, you might try getting some vintage bobbins in good condition and see if you get better results. Good luck with yours.
Good video, but I feel a tad left out. The bobbin on my machine is a spool. Fortunately the machine came to me with the shuttle and one bobbin inside, so I'm hoping the repair shop can source more bobbin for me. I also asked him to make up two leather belts while he was replacing the one on the machine. Do you have a video showing how to thread the bullet type shuttle? Thank you! ~Diane
Hi Diane. Great point as I did not have one of those spool bobbins. Some of the early ones are made of Brass!!!! and are lovely. If I ever have a machine that takes those, I will consider making a video on that. Thank you for the suggestion
I’m looking for a few bobbins for my Singer 115. Bobbin part 55623. Where can I get these?
I have a old free westinghouse sewing machine and I need needles size cc1221 do you know where I can get them thanks
I'm looking for the same needles for my Free Westinghouse also. I've heard 15x1's can be ground down to fit but I'm nervous about that.
Do you know if there is a similar case for Toyota? We cannot find a case in Brasil!
I bought an Italian made Ann Person Stretch & Sew for $5 at a second hand store. No manual, and I'm not sure if the V-1 on the side is the model number or not. It came with a very short bobbin. It has a center ridge on one side but the ridge on the other side looks like it's been melted off or something. Is this supposed to be a Featherweight bobbin? I can't find more, partly because I don't know what it is.
Where can I buy flying men sewing machine the old one.
Have Sears Kenmore 117-840 made in Germany but cant use class 15 bobbins as ithey arei too wide. Suggestions?
I have a coronado that my wife just picked up for me for free and it's missing the bobbin and covor for it do you know where I can find any?
I have a sewing machine. Not sure what it is. Made in Great Britain, uses drop in 66 bobbins. Shorter than my other Singer.
If it is labeled SPARTAN it was made in Scotland I believe. Basically a Singer model 99k. There are videos on RUclips about it.
Hi, I found a site recommending R221 bobbin for my Damascus Grand treadle sewing machine
I have a bobbin case; searching for bobbins. Any resources that you can recommend?
Hi Nancy. You can certainly try searching sites such as Etsy, Ebay, & Bonanza. Another option that might be more fruitful is joining treadle groups such as TreadleOn. Since the earliest sewing machines were all treadles, they might have more info on early brands of machines such as Damascus. I suspect what you are searching for is out their but it more obscure that lots of vintage electric machine resources. There should be other treadle groups on places like Facebook or other sites.
Hi . I came across your video. I have an old vintage singer but it didn't come with a bobbin. How do I find out which bobbin to get? It's a AK537251 model. Underneath it says Simanco USA 45223. I'm not sure what that means. I've tried looking up what's year the machine is from but didn't find no info. It wasnt in the Singer database. I'll appreciate whatever info you can give me. Thank you.
It appears from the serial number to be a Singer 201 made circa 1951. All 201s take what are called Class 66 bobbins. I prefer vintage metal versions which are easy to find for sale online at etsy, ebay, etc.
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage thank you so much for the info. I love your videos. They're awesome 😃
What if I tried to use a class 15 bobbin in a class 66 machine?
That would not work or at worst, could damage the machine. These are 2 very different bobbin systems, but both kinds are easily available.
Recently picked up a model 66 from about 1940. Comparing the original bobbins with cheap modern bobbins there are more differences than just the surface finish issues you mention. Specifically the central hole is undersize so that the new production will not fit on the standard 1/4 inch shaft of the bobbin winder. The hole is .245 inch which will not slide onto a .250 inch shaft. The modern machines that use class 66 bobbins are probably made with a 6mm (.236 inch) winder shaft so the new bobbins would fit on that. There is also an issue with the location of the bobbin winding drive pin hole, which is just enough further from the center of the bobbin to not fit right on the bobbin winding mechanism.
As a long time machinist I am comfortable with switching between metric and inch measuring systems, but I've seen many instances when parts designed in the inch system have not survived the translation into production in places that use only the metric system. They will sometimes round off critical dimensions to some even number in metric. Looking at the Singer website, it appears that the Singer brand class 66 metal bobbins have the same issues (probably made in the same Chinese factory). It remains to be seen whether these bobbins will work at all once the dimensions are modified, as they still have the surface roughness in places where the thread must slide smoothly in order to feed properly.
Thanks for adding to what we know re: bobbin specs!
My comment is also about the "66", some modern copies don't copy the curve of the top and bottom correctly or consistently. I have purchased ones where the dimensions were matching to the original but there was no curve either top or bottom, purchased ones where the curves were correct but the dimensions were wrong (as per fast richard) and also purchased some which had good dimensions but a curve on only one side of the bobbin. That last one was the cause of me giving up purchasing new "66" and rather spending time keeping an eye open for vintage ones.
Insightful information, but I slightly disagree with the idea that the metal bobbins are the only "vintage" bobbins for all vintage machines.
Singer sold plastic Class 66 bobbins as the originals for many machines including my great-grandmother's Singer 404 sewing machine. The Singer bobbins even shared the same part number: 172222 for the metal bobbin and Singer 172222P for the clear, plastic, one. So Singer designed them to work, and I still sew with the four original, plastic, bobbins that came with the 404,
Thank you for your series on these older machines. They really are mechanical marvels, works of art and can sew with the best machines sold today.
Don't need to use oil on them get keep rust off bobits & other metal parts with car wax.. even some metal rim polish just carefully of thin plated metal parts my stuff treated don't rust any more but thin cheap plating can come off.. rubbing chrome wt wadded foil works off rust
I had thought of using polish too. But I have found that bobbins and bobbin cases have very tight crevices that I don't want to get polish or wax into since that could interfere with the delicate operation of something like a case where thread has very narrow spaces for travel. With the oil, I don't have that worry. I do find metal polishes fantastic on larger metal pieces.
And doing some research today I think I found the best solution is using a sacrificial piece of iron in electrolytic bath is electricity to remove every bit of rest and then Nickel Plate the, zinc plate or whatever is the original plating was to bring it back to close to original condition
I need a bobbin 4 my machine 15 modern age 👍👍
Hi Cindy. I always suggest that people use vintage metal bobbins (the new ones are not made as well even when metal). You can find these on Etsy, Ebay, Bonanza, etc.
😊 7/2024 Peace ✌️
Disappointed in the fact that there mention what so ever of Singers vibrating shuttle bobbins ! why ?