Friday, November 2, 2012

Singer 237 Treadle

I do like this machine.  It finally has a belt and I tried it out this morning.  I can barely thread the needle since I have no use of my left thumb and the needle threads left to right.  I really MUST find those needle threaders I have somewhere.

It makes quite a lovely stitch and the treadle action is very smooth.  I am pleased with that since I took this whole stupid thing apart this summer.

I think this could be my new favorite machine


11 comments:

  1. I just donated two of these to the Sewing Machine Project. I was going to keep one, but in the end, let it go. I figured someone else needed it worse than me. They do make a very nice stitch. I love ALL machines.....hense, my obsession. Behave, and have a wonderful day. Heal quickly! :)

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  2. I also love the 237's and look forward to mounting one on a treadle. Yours looks great. Just found a beautiful kenmore 158.501 that has the same drop from the handwheel without table extension in the way of a treadle belt, that I also want to try. Take good care of your hand - Peg

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    Replies
    1. Hi Peg,
      I have a 158.511 that I am sure will mount easily on a treadle, too. I will take care of my hand as soon as your sister lets me REST !!!

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  3. I did the same thing with a treadle here. I have the singer 237 mounted in an old treadle cabinet. Works well for me. I had heard that the motor that came on the singer 237 was not very powerful. I had to take this machine to my old sewing machine tech since I couldn't get the tension right. It was actually broken but he was able to replace the entire tension assembly so now it works great! He really like putting the Singer 237 in the treadle cabinet. Thought it was a wonderful idea! I did it because I wanted the zig zag stitch, and the easy to find bobbins and needles. I am not a fan of the shuttle bobbins.

    Hope the hand feels better soon! I been there and it is really not fun at all!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ann
      I agree and with a fractured thumb, threading a bullet like shuttle just wouldn't work! My 237 had a broken tension nut ( its plastic and pretty easy to replace). But even so it made a very nice stitch. It was just cracked a bit.

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  4. Can you treadle any of the old electric singers? I have a 401 I would love to be treadled, but I thought it needed a special kind of handwheel with a groove in it in order to use the treadle belt.
    Janine

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    Replies
    1. HI Janine,
      Some of the old electric Singers can be treadled if they are belt driven with an external motor. The 401 is gear driven and cannot be treadled.

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  5. There's a later version of the 237 with a knob on the bed that allows you to drop the feed dogs.

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  6. I had never thought about converting my 237 to a treadle. The motor on mine is loud and bogs down. Therefore I don't use it. I have a treadle that I stitch on everyday just about. Will the 237 fit into any Singer treadle cabinet??? Would love to have a ZZ treadle!! Is it as smooth as say my 103 year old treadle?? Because the 237 wasn't made to be a treadle?? Thank you sew much!!! Amie in TN

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  7. The Singer 237 was made to be electric or treadle Quilterbee its in the users manual

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