Singer 306k update

I have not been well for a while, and I promised Lynn that I would not work on the two new machines until the winter. Well for the last two weeks I have been slowly creating a machine base for the 306K and it’s lid. It all worked very well, but when I attached a motor to the machine the bentwood lid did not quite fit over the motor, being pushed about 3mm towards the back of the new case.

What I would have liked to do was just put a hand crank onto the 306k making it easier to work on the machine while I service it and adjust the complex mechanisms. Unfortunately the motor mount on the 306K does not line up with balance wheel, so would not work.

However, I have a 1950 201K in a knee bar case with motor, and I have always wanted to make a hand cranked 201K. The 201K was moved into the new base, and was fitted with my cheap Chinese clone hand crank. The bentwood lid fitted over the machine and hand crank perfectly.

As a bonus my 185K got its motor and controller back.

The 306K was put into the base with the knee bar and motor, and really looks good in it. The lid fits perfectly, so I now have 7 machines in a working condition, in portable cases or cabinets or a treadle, 6 with working motors and controllers, and one with a hand crank.

The 306K was already cleaned up on the outside, but it has now had the hook, bobbin and feed dog area cleaned up and adjusted as per the manual. I am still using a 15×1 size 14 needle, but I have some Schmetz 206×13 size 14 needles on the way.

I still have some bottom tension issues to sort out, and the needle swing needs adjusting (and probably cleaning) but I got some excellent straight stitching out of it, and some zig zag stitching with a bit of a lean to the left!