Singer 95-10

[T.KAMILA]

I just got a Singer 95-10 sewing machine for FREE!! Table and motor-clutch included. Is this machine up to doing boat covers and sail covers etc. It looks old and I need to know how useful it might be before I spend money having it checked out by a pro. No manuals included.

Tom

[T.KAMILA]

I just got a Singer 95-10 sewing machine for FREE!! Table and motor-clutch included. Is this machine up to doing boat covers and sail covers etc. It looks old and I need to know how useful it might be before I spend money having it checked out by a pro. No manuals included.

Tom

[T.KAMILA]

I just got a Singer 95-10 sewing machine for FREE!! Table and motor-clutch included. Is this machine up to doing boat covers and sail covers etc. It looks old and I need to know how useful it might be before I spend money having it checked out by a pro. No manuals included.

Tom

[Sailing-Randy]

Why not talk to our friends at Sailrite and ask what they know of the machine? They seem friendly and might give you some helpful info.

[ 06-07-2003, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: Sailing-Randy ]

[Sailing-Randy]

Why not talk to our friends at Sailrite and ask what they know of the machine? They seem friendly and might give you some helpful info.

[ 06-07-2003, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: Sailing-Randy ]

[Sailing-Randy]

Why not talk to our friends at Sailrite and ask what they know of the machine? They seem friendly and might give you some helpful info.

[ 06-07-2003, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: Sailing-Randy ]

[NormMessinger]

I don't know that model but I have a Singer Featherweight which I've used to make down parkas, sleeping bags, a couple of tents one a four man, and assorted duds for wife, kids and me. I suspect it would have made the sails if it had zigzag ability and room to pass the fabric along. I sewed heavy canvas on my mothers old peddle powered singer.

If "95" is the year it was made all bets are off but if it is 50 years old you got a deal.

[NormMessinger]

I don't know that model but I have a Singer Featherweight which I've used to make down parkas, sleeping bags, a couple of tents one a four man, and assorted duds for wife, kids and me. I suspect it would have made the sails if it had zigzag ability and room to pass the fabric along. I sewed heavy canvas on my mothers old peddle powered singer.

If "95" is the year it was made all bets are off but if it is 50 years old you got a deal.

[NormMessinger]

I don't know that model but I have a Singer Featherweight which I've used to make down parkas, sleeping bags, a couple of tents one a four man, and assorted duds for wife, kids and me. I suspect it would have made the sails if it had zigzag ability and room to pass the fabric along. I sewed heavy canvas on my mothers old peddle powered singer.

If "95" is the year it was made all bets are off but if it is 50 years old you got a deal.

[Todd Bradshaw]

I don't know much about it but found a PDF of the parts manual that goes with it and the last date on it was 1938. The intended use is for "light to medium weight fabrics" and it's maximum stitch length is listed as 7 stitches per inch. That's about half as long as what's ideal for Sunbrella, but doesn't mean it can't work. It looks like all the machines listed in this parts book are rotary-hook machines - the bobbin assembly turns round-and-round, rather than oscillating back and forth. Rotary mechanisms are usually smoother, less tempermental and may be more durable.

It's possible for certain parts to get worn enough that they have too much slop in them for high-speed industrial work and they get sold-off. Some have been reconditioned, some will still work pretty well for non-production work and some tend to be really cranky and constantly causing problems. Only one way to find out, try using it.

The PDF is located here and is 84 pages long, covering several machines. Looks like the 9510 starts on page 11, though many of these machines seem to use common parts that show-up throughout the entire manual.
http://cuttersexchange.com/charts/SingerIndustrialPartsCharts/95-1,%2095-2,%20&%2095-10%20--%2095-12.pdf

I wonder if it's "Cutter's Exchange" or "Cutter Sex Change" - maybe the guy moonlights as a plastic surgeon....

[Todd Bradshaw]

I don't know much about it but found a PDF of the parts manual that goes with it and the last date on it was 1938. The intended use is for "light to medium weight fabrics" and it's maximum stitch length is listed as 7 stitches per inch. That's about half as long as what's ideal for Sunbrella, but doesn't mean it can't work. It looks like all the machines listed in this parts book are rotary-hook machines - the bobbin assembly turns round-and-round, rather than oscillating back and forth. Rotary mechanisms are usually smoother, less tempermental and may be more durable.

It's possible for certain parts to get worn enough that they have too much slop in them for high-speed industrial work and they get sold-off. Some have been reconditioned, some will still work pretty well for non-production work and some tend to be really cranky and constantly causing problems. Only one way to find out, try using it.

The PDF is located here and is 84 pages long, covering several machines. Looks like the 9510 starts on page 11, though many of these machines seem to use common parts that show-up throughout the entire manual.
http://cuttersexchange.com/charts/SingerIndustrialPartsCharts/95-1,%2095-2,%20&%2095-10%20--%2095-12.pdf

I wonder if it's "Cutter's Exchange" or "Cutter Sex Change" - maybe the guy moonlights as a plastic surgeon....

[Todd Bradshaw]

I don't know much about it but found a PDF of the parts manual that goes with it and the last date on it was 1938. The intended use is for "light to medium weight fabrics" and it's maximum stitch length is listed as 7 stitches per inch. That's about half as long as what's ideal for Sunbrella, but doesn't mean it can't work. It looks like all the machines listed in this parts book are rotary-hook machines - the bobbin assembly turns round-and-round, rather than oscillating back and forth. Rotary mechanisms are usually smoother, less tempermental and may be more durable.

It's possible for certain parts to get worn enough that they have too much slop in them for high-speed industrial work and they get sold-off. Some have been reconditioned, some will still work pretty well for non-production work and some tend to be really cranky and constantly causing problems. Only one way to find out, try using it.

The PDF is located here and is 84 pages long, covering several machines. Looks like the 9510 starts on page 11, though many of these machines seem to use common parts that show-up throughout the entire manual.
http://cuttersexchange.com/charts/SingerIndustrialPartsCharts/95-1,%2095-2,%20&%2095-10%20--%2095-12.pdf

I wonder if it's "Cutter's Exchange" or "Cutter Sex Change" - maybe the guy moonlights as a plastic surgeon....

[Bruce Hooke]

I have a Singer 201 that is of a similar vintage. What I've heard about the 201 is that it is the closest thing to a commercial machine that Singer made for home users. I have used it to make a backpack, as well as various other camping gear and clothing. It will go through a lot of fabric (including heavy leather and upwards of 4 layers of denim or Cordura). What I have never been able to get it to do is take "button and carpet thread" -- the mechanism just does not appear to be designed to take heavy-weight thread. I just mention this because this is something for you to keep an eye on if you proceed with getting the machine repaired, because I expect you would want to use heavy-weight thread for some of the things you have in mind.

Note that for sailmaking and canvas work a zig-zag stich often seems to be necessary. I am guessing that your machine won't do that, but you could still probably do a lot with it.

What condition is the machine in and how much work would it take to get it working?

Someone competant to work on the machine should be able to give you an honest assessment of the capabilities of the machine.

[Bruce Hooke]

I have a Singer 201 that is of a similar vintage. What I've heard about the 201 is that it is the closest thing to a commercial machine that Singer made for home users. I have used it to make a backpack, as well as various other camping gear and clothing. It will go through a lot of fabric (including heavy leather and upwards of 4 layers of denim or Cordura). What I have never been able to get it to do is take "button and carpet thread" -- the mechanism just does not appear to be designed to take heavy-weight thread. I just mention this because this is something for you to keep an eye on if you proceed with getting the machine repaired, because I expect you would want to use heavy-weight thread for some of the things you have in mind.

Note that for sailmaking and canvas work a zig-zag stich often seems to be necessary. I am guessing that your machine won't do that, but you could still probably do a lot with it.

What condition is the machine in and how much work would it take to get it working?

Someone competant to work on the machine should be able to give you an honest assessment of the capabilities of the machine.

[Bruce Hooke]

I have a Singer 201 that is of a similar vintage. What I've heard about the 201 is that it is the closest thing to a commercial machine that Singer made for home users. I have used it to make a backpack, as well as various other camping gear and clothing. It will go through a lot of fabric (including heavy leather and upwards of 4 layers of denim or Cordura). What I have never been able to get it to do is take "button and carpet thread" -- the mechanism just does not appear to be designed to take heavy-weight thread. I just mention this because this is something for you to keep an eye on if you proceed with getting the machine repaired, because I expect you would want to use heavy-weight thread for some of the things you have in mind.

Note that for sailmaking and canvas work a zig-zag stich often seems to be necessary. I am guessing that your machine won't do that, but you could still probably do a lot with it.

What condition is the machine in and how much work would it take to get it working?

Someone competant to work on the machine should be able to give you an honest assessment of the capabilities of the machine.

[T.KAMILA]

Thanks for the comments. Well I give up on getting the thing to sew at all. I think this one is heading for the dump. Anyone out there want it?

Tom

[T.KAMILA]

Thanks for the comments. Well I give up on getting the thing to sew at all. I think this one is heading for the dump. Anyone out there want it?

Tom

[T.KAMILA]

Thanks for the comments. Well I give up on getting the thing to sew at all. I think this one is heading for the dump. Anyone out there want it?

Tom

[holzbt]

It may just need to be correctly timed. I bought an old singer about 10 years ago that didn't work quite right. A tailor who used to stop by my shop took the plate off the end and adjusted it in about 1 minute. It now sews fine and I can get through about 8 layers of canvas with it.

[holzbt]

It may just need to be correctly timed. I bought an old singer about 10 years ago that didn't work quite right. A tailor who used to stop by my shop took the plate off the end and adjusted it in about 1 minute. It now sews fine and I can get through about 8 layers of canvas with it.

[holzbt]

It may just need to be correctly timed. I bought an old singer about 10 years ago that didn't work quite right. A tailor who used to stop by my shop took the plate off the end and adjusted it in about 1 minute. It now sews fine and I can get through about 8 layers of canvas with it.

[JAX]

^^^ Note that for sailmaking and canvas work a zig-zag stich often seems to be necessary ^^^

For canvas work you want to use straight stitch (it puckers the fabric less); for much of sail work you want to use zig-zag as it puts down two rows of stitches in one pass.

The Singer 95 was considered a decent machine for canvass work, though not for full production run shops.

btw, while being able to go through four layers of cloth is (mostly) okay for canvass work, sail work often needs the capability to go through six, eight or even fourteen layers of resin impregnated sail cloth, plus corner webbing. Hand stitching (even for the professionals with several different machines on the floor) is often needed, particularly through webbing. A budding sailmaker needs to also have a mallet, an awl, a rubber stick pad for under the cloth, a sailor's palm and a supply of needles.

The old Singer I'd take to your local *commercial* sewing machine repair shop (not a microwave/toaster/mixer/alarm/screen door repair shop. Ask your local drycleaner or shoe repair shop who he uses to repair his machine) and ask them if the machine is worth any needed repairs.

You could also ask around on the sailrite.com forum. Lots of excellent infomation there. I doubt you could ask a question there that at least one person didn't know the answer to.

[JAX]

^^^ Note that for sailmaking and canvas work a zig-zag stich often seems to be necessary ^^^

For canvas work you want to use straight stitch (it puckers the fabric less); for much of sail work you want to use zig-zag as it puts down two rows of stitches in one pass.

The Singer 95 was considered a decent machine for canvass work, though not for full production run shops.

btw, while being able to go through four layers of cloth is (mostly) okay for canvass work, sail work often needs the capability to go through six, eight or even fourteen layers of resin impregnated sail cloth, plus corner webbing. Hand stitching (even for the professionals with several different machines on the floor) is often needed, particularly through webbing. A budding sailmaker needs to also have a mallet, an awl, a rubber stick pad for under the cloth, a sailor's palm and a supply of needles.

The old Singer I'd take to your local *commercial* sewing machine repair shop (not a microwave/toaster/mixer/alarm/screen door repair shop. Ask your local drycleaner or shoe repair shop who he uses to repair his machine) and ask them if the machine is worth any needed repairs.

You could also ask around on the sailrite.com forum. Lots of excellent infomation there. I doubt you could ask a question there that at least one person didn't know the answer to.

[JAX]

^^^ Note that for sailmaking and canvas work a zig-zag stich often seems to be necessary ^^^

For canvas work you want to use straight stitch (it puckers the fabric less); for much of sail work you want to use zig-zag as it puts down two rows of stitches in one pass.

The Singer 95 was considered a decent machine for canvass work, though not for full production run shops.

btw, while being able to go through four layers of cloth is (mostly) okay for canvass work, sail work often needs the capability to go through six, eight or even fourteen layers of resin impregnated sail cloth, plus corner webbing. Hand stitching (even for the professionals with several different machines on the floor) is often needed, particularly through webbing. A budding sailmaker needs to also have a mallet, an awl, a rubber stick pad for under the cloth, a sailor's palm and a supply of needles.

The old Singer I'd take to your local *commercial* sewing machine repair shop (not a microwave/toaster/mixer/alarm/screen door repair shop. Ask your local drycleaner or shoe repair shop who he uses to repair his machine) and ask them if the machine is worth any needed repairs.

You could also ask around on the sailrite.com forum. Lots of excellent infomation there. I doubt you could ask a question there that at least one person didn't know the answer to.

[R.I.Singer30]

I have an old Singer that I use on upholstery.Ocassionally when I try something too heavy it releases a "saftey" which causes the bobbin not to spin.There is a metal button on the base that if you depress the button and hand spin the wheel on the right you will feel it re-engage.I found this out after taking it for repair.They didn't charge me for the info.If you aren't to far from Providence call Spirito's on Atwells Ave.they have been in Buissiness for 82years and know industrial Singers.(401)421-5624 Dan l.

[R.I.Singer30]

I have an old Singer that I use on upholstery.Ocassionally when I try something too heavy it releases a "saftey" which causes the bobbin not to spin.There is a metal button on the base that if you depress the button and hand spin the wheel on the right you will feel it re-engage.I found this out after taking it for repair.They didn't charge me for the info.If you aren't to far from Providence call Spirito's on Atwells Ave.they have been in Buissiness for 82years and know industrial Singers.(401)421-5624 Dan l.

[R.I.Singer30]

I have an old Singer that I use on upholstery.Ocassionally when I try something too heavy it releases a "saftey" which causes the bobbin not to spin.There is a metal button on the base that if you depress the button and hand spin the wheel on the right you will feel it re-engage.I found this out after taking it for repair.They didn't charge me for the info.If you aren't to far from Providence call Spirito's on Atwells Ave.they have been in Buissiness for 82years and know industrial Singers.(401)421-5624 Dan l.