Before the notorious Singer machine was invented, similar attempts have been made for a long time. Therefore, it is wrong to think that the American inventor Isaac Merritt Singer was a pioneer. He only managed to modernize the designs he liked in order to perfectly create one. By the way, the very first contender for the creation of a sewing machine was Leonardo da Vinci himself. However, they returned to real development much later.
Our story began back in the fourteenth century, when a certain unknown Dutch inventor first created a mechanism that sews sails. Later, in the 18th century, the German Carl Weisenthal invented yet another apparatus. There was already a needle in it with an eye placed in the middle for pulling the thread, able to play stitches made by hand. And only the Englishman Thomas Sent in 1791 was granted a patent for the production of the first sewing machine.
The predecessors of the Singer sewing machine
Even later, in 1830, the French inventor Berthelemy Timonier created, and subsequently received a patent for the production of a machine that already knew how to play a chain stitch, and in one easy-opening thread. Three years later, the first American inventor Walter Hunt came up with a device that made it possible to carry out more reliable shuttle stitches. But now they were already double-stranded. In addition, he first used a needle, which at its sharp end had both an eye and a shuttle device.
After 11 years, Elias Howe borrowed Hunt's idea and, improving it, invented a new, stably working machine. However, the fabric was fed vertically to it, which led to uneven stitches. Although, even taking into account this defect, the machine was very popular.
Legends in one night
Once, in 1850, Isaac Singer, visiting a repair shop, noticed several sewing machines. All designs were completely different. So, thanks to the development of those same Howe, Hunt and Timonier, the Singer machine was invented. The idea of a new instance was born in just one night! It took another eleven days to make it. Singer added three significant details. To prevent threads from tangling, in his prototype the shuttle is placed horizontally. A continuous seam guarantee was provided by the presser foot and platform.
A little later, Howe sued Singer, believing that Isaac Merrit illegally took advantage of his discovery. The court made a decision. Singer is required to pay the plaintiff 1% of sales. However, Isaac did not despair and began to sell sewing machines in installments. Soon his business was already booming. Only in 1860 they bought about 20 thousand Singer cars.
The first myth. The original is impossible to fake
Undoubtedly, many may be interested in the question of how valuable the old Singer machine is . Among the speculators, initially there are several legends. The first myth claims that Singer and Singer are completely different products. And their cost is also different. Say, when the inscription Singer is shown on the typewriter, its cost is minimal. If the inscription Zinger is visible, this is a genuine product, and it can cost more than 1 thousand dollars.
Do not believe it! This is a complete deception! The name Isaac Singer in English is spelled Singer. However, the emergence of such a myth, most likely, contributed to one unpleasant story. This happened at the end of the XIX century, when the first fakes appeared. Sewing machines were sold by merchant Popov under the brand name Singer. Although confusing with the original is extremely difficult! She not only looks more primitive, but also sews much more slowly.
The second myth. Cast iron or platinum?
The second myth is widespread on the Internet. The cost is due to the platinum content that the Singer machine has in its working parts. The photo, of course, will not show you this. To set the price, you will be offered to inspect the machine shafts with a magnet. The weaker the magnet, the higher the cost of the product. If we are talking about the Russian region, they even suggest sending shavings from this shaft to Perm for research. By the way, perhaps this particular myth is much closer to the truth. Once in the past there was a similar method that protects the details of the elements of the sewing machine from rust.
Unfortunately, this myth provoked murder in 2001. A group of teenagers, learning about the presence of precious materials in the bowels of the product, began to hunt for sewing machines. The victim was an old woman, nonchalantly letting strangers into the doorway of the apartment, where she was immediately killed. The investigation found that nothing had disappeared from the apartment, only the Singer.
The third myth. Lost bourgeois gold
The third myth. It would seem that such a simple product as a sewing machine has long been associated with the story of lost gold. There were rumors, though not documented, about surviving bourgeois after the revolution in Russia. Allegedly, their representatives in Europe helped them to extract funds stored in banks extremely unusual. All the money was invested in platinum, gold. Later, machines were created from these precious materials. Their case was covered with black paint, placing on top of the name of the popular brand Singer.
To avoid confusion, they modified it a bit, depicting it with an error. So the name Zinger appeared! Then the whole batch was sent to Russia. Only a part of the products fell to its intended purpose, while the rest went to those who did not even have a clue about the treasure. In this connection, collectors began to search exclusively for Zinger throughout Russia. Five years ago, for such a copy it was possible to gain 20 thousand dollars.
Sure, a lot of fakes arose. Skillful scammers simply interrupted the capital letter on simple antique Singer cars. But their "work" was in vain. If you hold a magnet over parts that do not contain cast iron, everything will fall into place. Gold magnet does not attract! Unfortunately, Singer’s car was already irreparably damaged. Such an instance loses all its value and does not cost anything at all.
The fourth myth. Million for a sewing machine
And finally, the fourth myth. Singer owners in 1998 reported the search for a sewing machine manufactured in the century before last, with a specific number that began with a unit. According to them, it should be in Russia, and its owner, if found, will be paid a million in dollars! Since that time, resellers began to especially eagerly comb the vast expanses of the vast country in search of an incredible machine.
If you have a desire to find out more, look for such an ad. They say it was printed in Komsomolskaya Pravda or AiF 98 years. However, a similar myth, most likely, also cannot be true. Now Singer Corporation is not in the best position, so it will not be able to pay such a huge amount, especially for advertising purposes.
An old woman even where!
Despite the fact that the "old ladies" have been over a hundred years old, they are still snapped up. Singer machine was originally designed for sewing products from durable fabric. However, judging by the reviews of the lucky owners, the Singer garment still easily copes with canvas, tarpaulin, leather and other dense materials.
Modern fashionistas also do not want to lag behind current trends, so many needlewomen turn to the development of the art of cutting and sewing. Together with this, specialized equipment requires the master to know about the design of the sewing machine. The owners of such a technique are sure that the ability to independently fix the malfunction helps to save time.
Undoubtedly, you will need instructions for the Singer sewing machine, a brush, machine oil and, just in case, the phone number of the repairman. By the way, machine oil can be easily washed by hand. Every time you start work, be sure to lubricate them with cream.
The main guarantee of success is cleanliness!
The time comes - and everything fails, including the sewing machine. If the equipment began to skip stitches, displaying uneven or open stitches, the settings may be incorrect or the machine may break. In any case, to identify any problems it needs to be disassembled.
First of all, you need to find out the source of the breakdown. Often the cause of the problem is the accumulation of rust, dirt. First remove the dirt from the tracks of the rail moving the fabric, as well as from the needle plate. Loosen all screws holding the plate and carefully remove it. Often under it, a lump of villi of tissues is found. Remove contamination with a brush.
Necessary tools
If you are a beginner, you must at least establish exactly what does not suit the sewing machine. Therefore, by indicating the boundaries of the search, it will be easier for you to find a solution to the problem. As soon as you have identified a breakdown, before starting repairs, clean the machine from dirt and scrapes.
Usually, all possible causes of breakdowns, as well as how to configure them are described in the instructions. The only thing that is required of you, having chosen a characteristic breakdown from the list, is to carry out the recommended methods of debugging.
For convenience, use a brush. Oily hand cream, glue, kerosene can also come in handy. Rags, a needle and screwdrivers will not be superfluous. Remember: only sharpened screwdrivers must be used! If they are old and not the right size, you will ruin the screw head. Then it will be very difficult to unscrew it.
Do no harm!
If you are not sure of your own skills or the cause of the damage is unknown, and even more so if after some attempts at random it was not possible to fix the breakdown, follow the main rule: “Do no harm”! Remember: any manifestation of initiative, especially when you do not understand the problem, can cause undesirable, and sometimes irreparable consequences. It is better to call the master and entrust him with the repair of the Singer machine. The specialist will still detect the damage much faster and be able to eliminate it. What is important in this case, the repair process will be painless not only for you, but also for the machine itself.
Following the reviews of those who purchased the Singer garment or inherited it, we can say with confidence: so that the equipment does not junk for as long as possible, you need to use it correctly, conducting regular preventive maintenance. All operating rules are specified in the instructions. Remember, proper maintenance significantly increases the life of your machine, and also saves you from having to lose money and time on expensive repairs.
Shuttle
The old "Singer" to this day is in great demand. There are few objects that would serve a person with such enviable constancy. Especially when the product is more than a hundred years old and it is an antique. The Singer machine is incredibly easy to use and maintain. Judging by the reviews of the owners, you can’t lubricate it for years, it sews both silk and fur. It is extremely difficult to name the Singer sewing machine an antique product. Many are still exploited without causing disappointment.
However, life is life! Despite the excellent hardening of the shuttle, consisting of steel, even he can wear out. Not every repair specialist will fix the shuttle breakage. And if the shuttle of the Singer sewing machine is completely lost, write is gone. Surely they were once made somewhere, but now ...
The shuttle, or rather, the shuttle operation of any machine is the main unit. High-quality stitching, tangling of threads, omissions and many other indicators in the operation of a garment product depend on the condition of the shuttle and its adjustment. By the way, the shuttle has another name - "bobbin". A bobbin case can be called a shuttle. A bobbin is a reel. A thread running from below is wound around it. A bobbin with thread is placed in the cap. As a result, they are inserted into the shuttle.
By the way, the shuttle also needs to be periodically cleaned of various accumulations. Having previously examined it for mechanical defects, clean it from oil and dust. Rags soaked in kerosene can easily remove old dirt.
On a note
If your Singer sewing machine has not been used for a long time, or, on the contrary, has been used for a long time, you need to lubricate its mechanism using machine oil. This tool is more convenient to type into a syringe. Put all the necessary departments in small portions.
If you want your “Singer” to serve for many more years, do not forget to look after him!