Singer 401A - Thrift Store Find - Is It a Keeper?
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2024
- Check out our new Singer 401A fresh from the thrift store. Follow along as we figure out if it is a good machine or a paper weight :) Enjoy!
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#sewingmachine #vintage
Video Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:43 Features
14:46 Threading
18:07 Sewing
32:06 Outro - Навчання та стиль
My dad bought one of these for my mom for Christmas 1957. I have the receipt. It was $389 for the machine and $25 for the cabinet.
I learned to sew on this machine as a child. It’s a great sewing machine.
Wow! That is so cool! Thanks for sharing. $400 and change for the whole package...that is amazing. That was a lot of money in 1957. Quite a Christmas gift indeed. Thanks for watching and following along!
I have a ditto story. Dad, a Navy civil engineer ("always get the best machines") told Mom to get it. Could there ever be a better investment than these machines back then. $389 was a lot of money back then, especially with a family of 4 kids.
Back then, 400$ was like 2000$ now, it was a lot of money! It still sell for CAD 150$ these days
I found a 401a in the exact same cabinet in a thrift shop. Singer designed and built these and the 500 series before the Japanese made huge inroads in the world market. Quality and workmanship were # 1. These machines will last forever with minimal maintenance. Great find.
That is awesome! Thank you so much for the info. I wasn't sure that it was in the original cabinet, but maybe it was? I am definitely impressed with the build quality. Thanks for watching and following along!
I have a 401a, I have used it so many times and i been thinking of selling it but after watching this video, I rather not. It staying. Thank you so much for changing my mind. I’m following you now.
Wow! That is awesome! Thank you so much for the positive feedback. I am really glad that you have decided to keep your machine. You can always buy more, and you can never have too many, but you will always miss the ones that you let go of :) Thanks for watching and following along!
same feeling. I am in love again!!
I have two of these. Great machines. You can put two needles in side by side on this model. I kept yelling at you to open the side door to see the threading pattern. 😂
Lol! I know, I totally forgot it. I think I heard you yelling at me :) Thanks for the comment. Thanks for watching and following along!
I got my machine when I was 11, now 75. Runs like a charm, slant needle, plate goes down, easy to fill bobbins, great even stitches. I actually have my original parts box with assccessories accessories inclding all cams and the Singer intruction book.. Only thing ever replaced was the electrical cord that dried out. Happy sewing..PS I do not have caninet just the head- but head usually fits most vintage sewing cabinets..❤❤❤
Wow! That is great! Thanks for sharing. That is a long run. It is a testament to the engineering of these wonderful machines. I was really lucky that my machine came with all the same stuff (I call them "doo-dads"). I am looking really forward to getting to know this machine and hopefully using it to create some neat projects. Thanks again for sharing. Thanks for watching and following along!
You will never nerd another machine...it has everything anyone needs in domestic sewing.
I agree! Such a wonderful piece of equipment that is soooo versatile and capable. Thanks for watching and following along!
This was my Auntie machine and wanted me to have it. I love this sewing machine but forgot to ask her how to work it lol. Thanks for this tortural 😊
Thank you so much! That is great that you have the same machine. I am sure you will love it :) Thanks for watching!
WOW, what a find! I just bought one of these with a cabinet and all it's accessories at an estate sale this weekend and it doesn't sound nearly as smooth as this. I just gave it to my local shop for servicing and am so excited to get it back and start making things! Love the 400 series. I snagged a 404 straight stitch machine for $60 two years ago and it's been great for quilting. This one will really broaden what I can create, since it can finish seams.
That's great! I am sure all she needed was a little cleaning and lubrication. You will love using this machine for sure. It is a lot fun :) Thanks for watching!
I have that machine. I bought it in 1987, paid $300, never had trouble with it, have used constantly.
Wow! That is great! So many people seem to love this machine. I have not heard of one going bad. Remarkable. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, it’s a keeper. 😎🙏🏻
Agreed :)
I went thrifting yesterday and found 3 of these 401 A’s, all in cabinets but without any accessories, in different Goodwills, each priced at $29.99. It looked like one of them, someone tried to remove from the cabinet and it was sitting askew in the opening and it hurt to see it like that! Anyway, I recognized they used cams, so I was leery of buying any of these machines because I couldn’t find any on my searches on my phone while I was shopping, but I’m going back this AM to see if any are left. In the past couple years, vintage machines just are not in my local thrift stores any longer.
Great....now I have to go thrifting today :) Sounds like you are on the hunt. Don't worry about the cams. There is a built in cam stack that does tons of stitches. the cams that you can buy are just extra fashion patterns. Good luck out there :) Thanks for watching and following along!
@@NeverTooMany2023 i figured that out with the fashion cams lol, takes me awhile sometimes. The machine runs great, it was a little grimy but my husband and I cleaned her up, oiled and greased her. The broken part of the cabinet hing is the actual base or metal part of the machine. My husband is a machinist and is going to try to rebuilt (?) it with some epoxy bonding agent (JB Weld) he’s fond of. He gets as excited about vintage sewing machines as I do, he appreciates the workmanship on these machines and loves to explore their gears and inner workings. We make a great team. I’ll be sewing a summer shirt for him as a surprise on it to celebrate. Take care, love your channel! Happy hunting to you too!
I fist found one but was to far gone to be practical to repair so it became a parts machine. Found another one like yours, cleaned it up and got it working well but because it wasn’t a machine of interest for me it would only get used once in awhile. Fast forward to now, I really dove into it cleaning and servicing and I use it now as my main machine. It can do so much after a year of using it I still am amazed at what it can do. In my opinion the decorative stitches represent hand embroidery. Putting decorative stitches on what you make is a whole different subject of machine embroidery. The manual you got with the machine shows a lot of different examples. Not for the faint of heart.
That is awesome :) Ya, once I got her up and running I also was amazed at the capabilities of this machine. I would like to come across a second machine for parts as well. That is very smart. Thanks for watcing!
Awesome! I'm down to about 30 machines! I have 3 401's, love them! Thanks for the help!
That's great! 401's are so much fun :)
Just picked one up from a lady on Facebook Marketplace for 100 bucks. I thought the price was beyond fair so didn't even haggle. Seems to be in great shape. No extra cams or accessories but I ordered some I found online so I can experience the capacity of this machine. I too think there are never too many sewing machines (this one and the Singer 319W I picked up make 12, sigh). I am so excited to use this machine and wonder who the original owner was. Machine is in great shape so not sure it was used a lot. This is my first vintage machine and by all accounts I picked a great one!
That is great! I am sure that you will love your new machine :) Thanks for sharing!
It is a great machine! My mom got hers new and still uses it at age 86. She regularly oils it but I don't recall it ever needing service.
Wow! That is amazing! It is a real testament to the engineering for it to last that long without servicing. Super impressive! I think it is really neat that your mom still sews at 86. I wish her the best! Thanks for sharing. Thanks for watching. Thanks for following along!
My mother had one in the 1950's and 60's in which I learned to sew (I was born 1954), I too don't remember it ever needing servicing or it breaking down,,,my youngest sister has it sitting in her attic as she received all of my parents items upon their death,,she is unlikely to give it up to me or my oldest sister due to being a "sentimental attachment", even though she has never used it,,what a shame,,just because it was my mother's she is keeping it
Someone may’ve already commented-or you likely already discovered-bobbin thread pulling to the top means that the tension is out of balance. Usually top tension is too tight when bobbin thread pulls up to the top. Bobbin thread could also be too loose as you’ve observed. Usually easier to adjust top tension when bobbin has been adjusted & it still seems out of balance.
Awesome info. Thanks!
Singer 306 were produced starting 1953, Singer 319 were produced from 1955 and Singer 401 from 1958. I have a 401 and two 319s, really neat machines. decorative stitching is a great way to take a style up a notch around a collar, cuff or make cool crafts
That is cool. Thanks for the info. Ya, seems like there are endless uses for decorative stitches, even outside of clothing. I will have to look up the 319. I don't believe I have seen one of those yet. Thanks for watching!
Decorative stitching is a great way to add pizzazz to straight-line quilting too. The 306/319 has a wonderful serpentine style stitch cam that's great for quilting. Love these old machines!
I have the same machine that was my moms ! It’s also in a cabinet. Has a foot petal and also a knee lever.
That's awesome! I can't believe how many people have one of these machines. Either they made a bunch of them or they just don't go bad...or both :) Thanks for sharing. Thanks for watching and following along!
iI have the same model and have had it for over 40 years. It is always ready for a stitch. Learned so much about the tension from your presentation. God blissings. Looking forward to your maintenance presentation.
thank you so much! I am glad you enjoyed the video :) Thanks for watching!
Try loading bobbin counter clockwise. That should help with tension.
Thanks for the tip! I will give that a try. Thanks for watching
Very well designed internal components on this machine, the mechanical design was innovative and solid. The cams area on the shaft where the rods connect the upper shaft with lower mechanism may have an issue: near the shaft, the rods run very close to each other and may touch together causing friction and vibration. If this area works well, the 401 is an extremely smooth running machine up to the highest speed: basically no vibrations at all even when just sitting on a normal table. Pretty noisy machine. There is a lot of visibility around the needle, but the slant concept doesn't work well when sewing over thick seams - such as jeans - at higher speed the needle will deflect and break the thread. It may also strike the very tip of the shuttle hook and bent this tip, causing continuous thread breakage. Also, the cover with the stitches pictograms sits right under the thread spools - not practical. The two stitches knobs are awkward to use but the mechanism attached to these is thrilling. The lever for feed dogs lowering is always stuck but it's possible to remove components, clean, grease and make it again very smoothly. It's a light machine, fairly easy to carry around at 20lbs due to aluminum body.
I agree completely. Such a cool machine with a very large following. You make very valid points. Thanks for all the info and thank you for watching!
Sitting at a bar in City Island NY, and after a couple of Martini's, was telling the bartender about my 401's. The proprietress overheard me. She had an apartment upstairs whose occupant had just died, and she asked me if I wanted the abandoned 401 upstairs. Is the Pope Catholic? It was almost frozen, but after some TRIFLOW ... OMG. I Tipped the waiters 20 bucks for getting it down the steps.
That's awesome! I love story time. That is a good one. I hope it serves you well for a long time to come. It was lucky to have found you. Thanks for saving it from a certain life in the landfill :) Thanks for watching!
Yeeuup, she's a keeper 😊
Thank you so much!
I found information on it Singer introduced on Christmas of 1957 , what a buy !
That is so cool! Thanks for that info!
This is the second time I’ve seen the shoe machine like this, not in person, though I wish I had one
Ya, we were lucky to find it when we did. It is a great machine and a lot of fun to use :) Thanks for watching!
WOW SHE'S NICE! AND SHE IS SMOOTH IN RUNNING SOUND! SHE SOUNDS BETTER THAN MY HEAVY DUTY 4411. I WONDER HOW OLD IS THIS ONE?
Thank you so much! Ya, she is a beauty. We are really enjoying her :) I believe that it is a 1957 model. Thanks for watching and following along!
Great find!
Thanks! I agree!
I bought one at our thrift store in town for $12! And after a good cleaning and fresh oil and grease she sews like a dream! My grandmother had a singer 500A. Same machine just different styling on the outside. She made all my mom's clothes on it. The only gear in the whole machine that isn't metal is the gear mounted on the handwheel. It's a fiber gear. I've never seen a machine with a bad handwheel gear so I don't think you'll have to worry about it.
That is great! It is amazing what a little tlc does to a really well made machine :) I have been on the hunt for a 500a for sometime. I have acquired a 503a (same machine without the built in cam stack) but still need the 500a to complete my collection. Thanks for watching!
When you are using the bottom row of stitches (inside the flip up cover) the red lever is left in the middle position. If you move it left or right, it acts as a modifier. With cams, or the top row of patterns, it acts as a stitch width selector. On straight stitch it is the needle position selector.
Oh wow. That is so cool! Thank you so much for explaining that. I can't believe that it is so intricate and complicated. I will have to play around with it more after knowing this info. Thank you again!
They were really amazing machines. Unfortunately when they brought out the 600 series, the Touch and Sew, they started using plastic gears and other parts. They would have been better if they had the gears Made in Japan!
Oh, ok...Good to know. Thanks! Is the 600 series also slant shanked? Thanks
@@NeverTooMany2023
Yes. But plastic parts- bobbins, gears, etc. Not nearly as good as the 400 and 500 series.
@@ronalddevine9587 the 600E is the best of the 600 series and does not experience the gear problems as other 600 models. The T&S 's get a bad rating because of the plastic tray underneath which has a tendency to warp into which has come to be known as the "smile" warp because of the shape of the warp. That does not affect the sewing quality but has been a strike against the T&S machines. The 600 E is the most desirable model & the gears are not plastic. Later models are not desirable due to gear problems. My 600E was purchased new in 1964 and runs like a trooper. Most of the housing is aluminum not plastic contrary to trash talk. It too is slant needle and gear driven. They are fast sewing machines as are all the slant needle, gear driven machines. Later, after replacing with plastic gears, the Singer machines lost their performance value. I still prefer my 221 Featherweight for accuracy and the best straight stitch.
I would love to have one instead of my 403A and 404
That's cool. They seem to pop up at thrift stores and on marketplace regularly. I am sure you will find one. Good luck!
Muito top essa máquina de costura.👏🧵
I agree! Thanks for watching!
I have my grandmother's machine she bought new. She started teaching me at 3, and It's been my primary machine in my career as a seamstress .
I was devastated when I saw smoke as I started up one day😢 my sister found one online, and I used it for a while until I got the nerve to change the brushes and clean a huge amounts of black carbon from the motor. 😊 she sews again!
Clean, oil, and grease per the manual and she will do a great job for you!
That's great! It is really nice that you have your grandmother's machine and that it has been in the family its whole life :) Really cool that you were taught to sew at such a young age. I just started sewing at 50. I am sure I will never make a living at it but I really enjoy it. Good work fixing up your old machine. Thanks for watching and following along!
I don't think your machine is having a problem bc it won't lock in the "I" position. It works kibd of like a bicycle derailleur. You will need to move to another position on the opposite side then you should be able to use the "I" position. We have one of these. It's an awesome machine.
Ok. That makes sense. I did notice that I had to move the right side first to be able to move the left side in some cases. I will have to play around with it some more. Thanks for the tip! I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching and following along!
Your 401A uses a class 66 bobbin. It has the most built in stitches of any of the all metal manual (non-computerized) vintage Singer sewing machines and also uses "top hat" cams. Please READ THE MANUAL. This is an amazing machine (I have a 1957 401A) but it can be messed up if something ignorant is done to it.
Thanks for the info and thanks for watching!
Good find! Don't forget to make a cover for the manual (like in school, lol). Gears are metal?
Thanks! That is a great idea :) Yes, I believe that the gears are all metal. I will know for sure once I do the maintenance video. Thanks for watching!
@@NeverTooMany2023 also I finished two Adjusters Guides for 201 and 221. If you need both - Ill send via email.
The popping sound at 28:47 is the stitch selector knob popping out
Oh wow, that is awesome! Good eye! Thank you so much!
Thanks for your helpful vid. Any idea how to find the serial number? I just brought one home. Cannot find the number.
Thank you so much! If your machine has the removable tray with the feet on the bottom still installed, you can take it off and the number might be hiding on the front side of the base therein. Thanks for watching and good luck with your machine!
Thanks for the info! I just tried the one given to me and all it can do is a straight stitch, but the motor sounds fine. Should I bother to get it serviced?
absolutely. Most likely the stitch selector bar just needs lubricated. Even if something is broken, there are plenty of parts available. This machine is made to last forever. It is more likely that it just needs a little tlc than a major repair. In my first maintenance video on this machine, I show how to remove the top and show how it should all me functioning. It is worth removing the two screws holding the top on and taking a look before paying someone to do the same. (just my opinion) Hope this helps. Thanks for watching and following along!
Disuse can harden the grease and oil, but it can be made to run again!
@@LindaODea-zz8kh Use Triflow lubricants.
You can always send to me if you don't keep lol!!!
i will keep that in mind :)
I would make the same offer😂
I saw the stitch selector pop out too at 28 minutes! Be careful flicking those knobs and levers, read the manual!
I too have this machine, it does a magnificent straight stitch. However, I’ll take my computerized sewing machine’s decorative stitches over this mechanical machine.
Thanks for the tips and thank you for watching
Cuando necesites un técnico para tu máquina computarizada abrazarlas a tu máquina mecánica q nunca te fallara
Got an excellent one a few months ago needed dusting and lube ... your "uhms" are a bit distracting
That's great! I am sure you will love it :) Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback