Singer Slant-O- Matic 401G. Last of the best Singers?

Definitely the last of the classic, 400 series, engineered Singers in UK/Europe. You Americans got the 500 series Rocketeers, which are same/similar mechanically, but we don't see them much here in UK.

This one is a basic 401G. Multiple internal, built in stitches, even more with extra cams, twin needle capable, all steel internals, no belts or plastic gears, just Singers last, proper, built to last domestic sewing machine. And very expensive at the time. Early 1960s! Nearly 60 years old now, & good ones will last another 60 without doubt:)

I found this one on Ebay & won it for £28; ) With shipping £41. It is almost immaculate cosmetically & mechanically. But was sold as Spares/Repairs because of a 'Tired Motor'. Has a very nice, original case & foot controller. Arrived this morning, undamaged in transit & I'm very pleased with it. Ebay pic above.

I've got several of these 400 series machines & a dud motor? No problem! Or so I thought. This one has a PAB 8-12 motor. It really didn't want to come out, but eventually did with some 'gentle' persuasion.

I'm cooking my dinner as I write, a Ragu sauce for spaghetti a little later: )

I suspect this motor has worn out brushes which are grinding away at the commutator arm, but we'll see later.

I do have a later 611G which I'm hoping its motor will fit this machine... Not sure yet though.

Meanwhile I show you the reluctant to be removed 401 motor checking my Ragu sauce.

25/08/23

Had a good look at the brushes this morning. I've never seen the like!! Can't believe it!

Hardly any copper left on the commutator at all. Brushes got plenty of length left though.

It's been fitted with the wrong brushes by the look of it. The springs are tightly compressed! Too long, & the pressure has ground away the copper, like emery cloth/sandpaper would.

I was expecting the carbon brushes to be worn out & the springs wearing away the copper! I still can't quite believe it. It's amazing it could turn at all!

Anyway, I tried the motor out of my later 611G, but it won't fit... I was hoping: )

So it needs a replacement motor. I'm thinking now that I'll check my other 400 series Slants & borrow a motor out of the worst one, while I find another motor. This machine is almost perfect cosmetically, & smooth as silk mechanically, after a good oiling/greasing. I just want to try it under power: )

Prime candidate is my GoTo 431G.

 

Scruffy, got a white 631G extension unit, damaged throat plate pins replaced with 600 series pins, no case, but it works lovely & I use it often: ) More pics/info on it here on my website. (Got 2 other 431Gs on there if you are into Singers real top of the range Slants; )

On reflection this 401G has been little used & I guess it's had this motor problem many years ago, gradually getting worse, & then it's been stored away. What a shame? It'll be up & running soon though. Very satisfying for me.

Decided to go for the GoTo 431G motor. Ever tried removing a reluctant motor from a 400 series machine?

Be careful! And patient.

26/08/23 

Success at 6pm today! Two days of WD-40 soaking & some quite heavy blows onto the Bakelite body. Neither of these French made motors have any aluminium in the casing.

The 401 motor is a PAB 8-12. Motor out of the 431 is a PAB 8-11 so I assume the 431 machine is slightly earlier than the 401.

As I understand it, it is OK to use force on the Bakelite body of the motor at the pinion end. So long as you don’t damage/crack it! When it finally emerged it was undamaged: ) I did clout it a few times on the end of the shaft to finally free it, but that is not recommended…

I’ll be checking the bearings shortly, & removing any WD-40 around the commutator arm! I’m just relieved that it came out after 60 years in position. I had my doubts…

Opened it up & all looks good. Better than I expected. Brushes are good, commutator didn’t really need a clean/polish, but it got one. I've not cleaned it here, just wiped the shaft at the top.

Pleasant surprise to see it so clean! Not bad for its age. Better than me: ) I was around 15 when this was made.

I'm finding it a bit of a fiddle to get it back in, but I leave that until tomorrow now. It needs a good clean inside the tube where it locates, & I need a rest. If it needs brushes in the future it'll be easy out, rather than this struggle: )

I'm sure it'll be running well tomorrow & although I've got two other 401Gs, this'll be the best one.

Sunday Afternoon.

I finally got the motor into the machine snugly & running sweetly: ) What a palaver though. Six hours it took. I thought removing it was the hard part, but no!  The gory details later below. I need my Sunday dinner right now.

Left it last night because the 431 motor was not just sliding into place as expected.

This morning it still wasn’t & I can’t see why? Last half inch insertion is tight. Push it in & I need to hammer it out again. The inside of the tube is clean as far as I can see. The Bakelite insertion end of the motor is slightly stepped with two little hard edged ridges. I smoothed out the lower one & it made little difference. So I try smoothing out the higher one next.

I removed the hand-wheel assembly for better vision of the inside of the insertion tube. I see nothing amiss & the cables are not interfering with the insertion. I’ve gotten rid of the top step now & I tried it into the original 431 & it will not just push in to locate it. Won't even slide into the original machine! What?

Nor in the 401, but it goes in much further now. I can see from the smoothed out sanded area that it is the top end of the Bakelite that is tight! So now I sand down the top end of the flutes a little more & I think it will fit eventually! I simply can’t believe I’ve got to do this. I just sanded down the flutes a little more on each of the 6 & it goes in a little further each time!! And I can see where it’s binding. It smooths out/shines the sanded area enough to see exactly where it is tight! It’s almost there into the correct position.

How on earth can the Bakelite end have expanded since its original fit? Something to do with hammering it out? No! It's not cracked. Doesn’t make sense to me, but I’m sure it will fit eventually. I just need to sand it equally in small progressions? Looks like it anyway. Fingers crossed: )

Later afternoon...

Done it. Got it it back snugly together just pushing it in & the motor sounds fine. Full speed & everything looks good. New needle & adjust tensions is all now.

Did some test stitching & I finally smile & relax. Photos a bit later. I'll be much wiser next time.

Not bad, not perfect, but OK. Internal cams here. Just tensions needing some slight adjustments, & a slightly stiff camstack selection methinks. Now re-oiled & loosened up. More use will only improve it.

30/08/23

Given it some good excercise today trying out some of the different Top Hats. Working very well & improving all the time. The Button Controller is perfect. It can creep along as slow as you like, or whizz along as fast as it can. It's the fastest of all my Slants, & it feels comfortable doing it. Very pleased with it now: ) I'll do a proper test stitch on it tomorrow.

 

Looking very nice this morning. It's very close to immaculate & it'll get a detailed clean & a proper polish shortly to emphasise that. Found some attachments & Top Hats for it (It came with none, except a lone cam) & it stitches beautifully. I happened to have a good set of Sewing Machine Attachments for class 403 machines waiting by. It'd be nice if I had a spare extension table, with the drawers, to store the Attachments, etc. but I'll find one I'm sure: )

20th December 2023

Been sat doing nothing for a while because I got distracted by certain Berninas: ) But had it out today & it still impresses me. It deserves a Christmas present I reckon & here it is with with all its pressies...

Now has 7 extra cams, Ruffler, Feet, etc. etc. Ready to sew happily for another 60 years: )