1890 Singer 12K Fiddle Base
Latest temptation is this appealing 12K.
New to me but looks good?
The case looks good too.
I collect it tomorrow, 12th December, & hope it is as good as it looks.
13/12/21
Gave it a closer look today. Quick clean, lubrication, threaded up, sewed very well.
The decals are 98%, the brightwork needs a clean.
The black paint is very nice with just some minor chips on the front middle edge. The spoon bobbin thread guide is missing here, as well as its spring.
Meanwhile it just needs a thread feed from above to work? I hope so.
It's in need of some attention to the wood finish & brightwork, that's all. Hopefully: )
Looks very appealing to me & it sews so well, as well...
Small adjustment to upper tension & that was all.
Next is needles!? 12 x 1 if you can find/afford them, or look for the nearest modern industrial equivalent.
Still only got a single 12 x 1 in the machine (I was wrong there, it's a modern 15x1, see below) & they are scarce. Found some last night though & bought a couple at £7 each... Looking at 46 x 1 Groz Beckerts next.
Found 3 prospects in my needle stash tonight: ) Top believed to be 12 x 1 (Stamped 90) The other two I thought were the same to start with. A closer look shows Frister 14 stamped on the bottom one. (Under the rust) Plus a length difference of 1mm or so.
The two longer ones in size order here. One Frister & one that looks very similar to my eye. Just a longer point?
The lower, shiny '12 x 1' has a visibly smaller shank diameter than the other two, which appear to be the same diameter. I have no Micrometer unfortunately.
I've seen examples of others using standard 15 needles, so it's worth experimenting. Looks like mine has one already: )
This is how I got it, using a standard 15x1 needle, & it stitches well as is. I wait until I have the correct spares & go from there. It's process you need to know with a 12K: )
Took a couple of pics today now it's had a clean & a good service.
The bobbin winder works well with a thread feed from above. (IE Without the missing spoon type thread guide) I think it's ingenious & lovely.
03/07/2023
Found a cheapish 12K spares machine last week & it came with a spoon guide & its spring/locator which is now installed on mine. Hope you are looking Kay? (I'm replying to your email while I do it; )
It fills a long bobbin perfectly, end to end then returns & does the next layer perfectly. No bunching, just one layer on top of the other! So it sews as well as it possibly can when in the shuttle. I think it's amazing & clever for machine made in 1880. (See the link above of one demonstrated on YouTube. Mine does it way better than that one: )
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