Singer 206 sail maker

A vintage commercial singer 206, used in antiquity to make and repair sails, now has a new lease of life, and is earning its keep once again.
Thanks to Stephen Johnstone for donating the machine,
#sewinghacks #sewingmachine #singer #antique #vintage #zigzag #sailing #sailmaker #206 #swingneedle

[@CraigSewTalk]

Thanks for showing us this machine. Wonderful restoration job you did.
I had never heard of an industrial version until now.

[@MichaelJohnson-ml1zd]

Is this a Cast Iron machine or an aluminium bodied machine. I have a cast Iron 206 with the knee lift. when I got it the bight control had disintegrated. It also had a different needle bar where the needle (single and double) were in their own separate holders. The double needle holder takes 2 single needles. a year or so later a friend put me on to another 206 which had been stripped although the bight control was there.I used the bight control to get the original machine going. this was an aluminium machine and so much lighter! I am pleased to know it was worth saving.

[@sailingtessbesssewfarnorth1746]

This one is iron, I think that makes a difference with corrosion of dissimilar metals, I don’t suppose singer ever expected the machines to be around long enough for that to be a problem.

[@rndea100]

lucky u got the double needle clamp there hard to find

[@rndea100]

how good is this machine for denim an canvas

[@sailingtessbesssewfarnorth1746]

@@rndea100 it will handle jeans and limited canvas work, but it’s not a heavy duty industrial.

[@rndea100]

i have this exact model with the black face plate but it has issues with the tensoin can i add a more modern tensoin to it an it has an old kneedle bar from a 95 singer for dbx needles an missing the clip at the back that connect the knee lift to the pressor bar is this an industrial version an how is it different to the 306/319/320s i also have a 206d that needs to be restored i need to find the chrome part the cover the part under the hook

[@sailingtessbesssewfarnorth1746]

DBx1 is a good needle option. Tension assemblies are available on eBay, and this video shows the 319 320 & 306. Hope that helps.
Singer 319 operation and hook hack for 15x1 needle.
ua-cam.com/video/xuQnglpPD6M/v-deo.html

[@rndea100]

@@sailingtessbesssewfarnorth1746 the hook already takes a 20 u singer case how it came to me but i was gona use it for a button holer but becus of the needle bar doesnt have a clamp onit so it wont take attachments does a nice zig zag just tensoin problems on strait stich