A look back at historical costumes, sewing, pattern drafting, pattern altering, jewelry and everything to go with dresses and clothing from the past.
Thursday, September 20, 2018
My Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer Sewing Machine is Working!
Hi! Except for a few hiccups here and there, due mainly to operator's error, the Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer sewing machine is working and is making very nice stitches. I am still learning about this machine. Each sewing machine has its individual quirks and eccentricities. Do you have any experience sewing with this great sewing machine? If so please let me know at kathiego88 at gmail dot com. Thank you!
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
New-to-me Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer Sewing Machine is Back!
Hi! Recently, I got the new-to-me Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer Sewing Machine back from the Singer Sewing (Repair) Center. Yay! They only charged me their normal fee for cleaning, oiling and lubing - $69.95. Also the owner, Jeff, had found me one of those used plastic cases that fits the Singer 500A or 503A and sold it to me for $25.00.
The one they sold me has a lot of marks and scuffs here and there, but now I have a carrying case and it did not cost $100.00 plus!
They are very nice in that shop and the sewing machine is working---now! I had some problems with the original foot pedal so I bought a new foot pedal and now the sewing machine is working properly. Now I need to learn more about how to use this great machine. Cosmetically it has some dings and chipped paint here and there. I'd really like to paint it the light pink color, but I really hesitate as I don't want it to get ruined after waiting for it to be put in working condition for so long.
When I first got the machine, the stitch selector knobs would not turn, the hinge was broken on the nose plate, the bobbin cover kept falling off and it had a terrible smell. I didn't run it long enough when I first got it to realize that the foot pedal had problems in that the button would get stuck in the down position and just not stop running! Very scary and dangerous!
The replacement foot pedal is one of those generic brown ones that is a simple rectangle shape with some springs for $41.09. I bought it here.
The model number is 618776-007. It is very important that you look at the pictures carefully and make sure that the part that plugs into the sewing machine is the exact hole configuration! Otherwise it just won't work.
Ruffler attachment. I had separately purchased a box of attachments from a person on eBay. All the feet seem to work except for the Ruffler attachment. I attached the Ruffler, #160629, and although it fit on the presser foot bar, it was loose on the needle bar and when the needle came down it would only come down half way and would go no further. It hit metal on the bottom of the Ruffler attachment. This was disappointing.
Now I will need to buy the correct Ruffler for the Singer 500A and according to the "List of Parts - Machine No. 500A" that Ruffler is #161561. The difference I can see off hand is the #161561 Ruffler has the adjustment screw in a different place. I imagine that the metal plates below are in a different configuration.
They are very nice in that shop and the sewing machine is working---now! I had some problems with the original foot pedal so I bought a new foot pedal and now the sewing machine is working properly. Now I need to learn more about how to use this great machine. Cosmetically it has some dings and chipped paint here and there. I'd really like to paint it the light pink color, but I really hesitate as I don't want it to get ruined after waiting for it to be put in working condition for so long.
When I first got the machine, the stitch selector knobs would not turn, the hinge was broken on the nose plate, the bobbin cover kept falling off and it had a terrible smell. I didn't run it long enough when I first got it to realize that the foot pedal had problems in that the button would get stuck in the down position and just not stop running! Very scary and dangerous!
The replacement foot pedal is one of those generic brown ones that is a simple rectangle shape with some springs for $41.09. I bought it here.
The model number is 618776-007. It is very important that you look at the pictures carefully and make sure that the part that plugs into the sewing machine is the exact hole configuration! Otherwise it just won't work.
Ruffler attachment. I had separately purchased a box of attachments from a person on eBay. All the feet seem to work except for the Ruffler attachment. I attached the Ruffler, #160629, and although it fit on the presser foot bar, it was loose on the needle bar and when the needle came down it would only come down half way and would go no further. It hit metal on the bottom of the Ruffler attachment. This was disappointing.
Now I will need to buy the correct Ruffler for the Singer 500A and according to the "List of Parts - Machine No. 500A" that Ruffler is #161561. The difference I can see off hand is the #161561 Ruffler has the adjustment screw in a different place. I imagine that the metal plates below are in a different configuration.
I purchased an overedge foot and a set of two slant sewing machine foot adapters. I got one of the adapters to work with the snap on overedge foot. I found out recently that one needs to have the correct snap on adapter to work with the Singer 500A. If you try to use the low shank adapters or any low shank snap on feet they just won't work.
This video on Youtube was very helpful.
Hope this information helps someone out there. What are your experiences with the Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer? Let me know at kathiego88 at gmail dot com.
Saturday, September 8, 2018
Sewing Machine After Market Manuals, Painting Vintage Sewing Machines
Hi There! You can find many sewing machine manuals for your vintage sewing machine online free as downloadable PDF's. I downloaded the manual for the Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer sewing machine. It was not too bad; however there were a number of missing pages - mainly detailed pictures and explanations of the decorative stitches and also the color pictures pages.
Then I ordered this from a person on eBay:
"Rare Deluxe-Edition Instructions Manual for Singer 500, 500A Sewing Machines" The only selection for shipping was media mail - sigh. It finally arrived yesterday and was better than the download in that the format and fonts were larger for easier reading and it included the missing pages and the color pages-Yay! My only complaint is that some of the sewing machine - that is the machine itself - illustrations were lighter than I would have liked. If they had been dark it would have been better. All-in-all the "new" manual is good enough and legible enough to use.
The name of the seller on eBay is doriefrie1. She has other deluxe manuals and also service manuals.
Here is a link to the Singer 500A manual that I purchased from her.
If you live far away from an authorized Singer service center/sewing and vacuum repair shop or if you lack funds, you might want to invest in a deluxe service manual. It's interesting to see how all the various parts inside a sewing machine link together and work.
I'd really like to paint the Singer 500A a light pink solid color, not pearl or metallic flake, but I'm afraid to as when we get the sewing machine back, I don't want to chance ruining it by getting paint stripping chemicals, paint or clear coat on the inside parts.
For the various plates and knobs, on the gold colors I would like to paint them chrome and on brown parts I would like to paint those black with chrome numerals.
You can compare to the pink Cadillac above to see how that would look - there's even black on the dashboard.
So to reiterate that would mean the balance wheel would be pink, but the gold wheel closer to the machine would be chrome, the thread tension gold plus minus wheel would be chrome with a black plus and minus sign, the brown Singer plate on the light housing would be black and the "Singer" and outer ring would be chrome, the large A-J stitch selector knob would be chrome and the brown underneath knob stitch selector K-Special would be black. On the stitch length screw knob - that would be chrome while the plate would be black with chrome on the design accents and numbers.
It would look really good I think - like that pink Cadillac.
If you were brave enough to paint your vintage sewing machine, what colors would you paint it? Let me know. Thank you for reading, Kathy
Then I ordered this from a person on eBay:
"Rare Deluxe-Edition Instructions Manual for Singer 500, 500A Sewing Machines" The only selection for shipping was media mail - sigh. It finally arrived yesterday and was better than the download in that the format and fonts were larger for easier reading and it included the missing pages and the color pages-Yay! My only complaint is that some of the sewing machine - that is the machine itself - illustrations were lighter than I would have liked. If they had been dark it would have been better. All-in-all the "new" manual is good enough and legible enough to use.
The name of the seller on eBay is doriefrie1. She has other deluxe manuals and also service manuals.
Here is a link to the Singer 500A manual that I purchased from her.
If you live far away from an authorized Singer service center/sewing and vacuum repair shop or if you lack funds, you might want to invest in a deluxe service manual. It's interesting to see how all the various parts inside a sewing machine link together and work.
I'd really like to paint the Singer 500A a light pink solid color, not pearl or metallic flake, but I'm afraid to as when we get the sewing machine back, I don't want to chance ruining it by getting paint stripping chemicals, paint or clear coat on the inside parts.
For the various plates and knobs, on the gold colors I would like to paint them chrome and on brown parts I would like to paint those black with chrome numerals.
You can compare to the pink Cadillac above to see how that would look - there's even black on the dashboard.
So to reiterate that would mean the balance wheel would be pink, but the gold wheel closer to the machine would be chrome, the thread tension gold plus minus wheel would be chrome with a black plus and minus sign, the brown Singer plate on the light housing would be black and the "Singer" and outer ring would be chrome, the large A-J stitch selector knob would be chrome and the brown underneath knob stitch selector K-Special would be black. On the stitch length screw knob - that would be chrome while the plate would be black with chrome on the design accents and numbers.
It would look really good I think - like that pink Cadillac.
If you were brave enough to paint your vintage sewing machine, what colors would you paint it? Let me know. Thank you for reading, Kathy
Thursday, September 6, 2018
While the sewing machine is in the shop.... list of possible feet
Hi there! While the new-to-me Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer is in the shop to be cleaned, oiled, lubricated and brought into working condition, I came up with a list of presser feet. I had bought, from a different person, an original box of attachments that had several feet and all but one fashion disks or cams.
Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer
Presser Feet
- General Purpose Foot
- Straight Stitch Throat Plate
- Straight Stitch Foot – One “toe” longer than the other
- Seam Guide
- Special Foot
- Zipper Foot
- Invisible Zipper Foot
- Roller Foot
- Evenfeed or Walking Foot
- Overedge or overcast edge joining foot
- Free Motion foot/Darning Foot
- Button sewing foot
- Buttonholer attachment
- Circular Stitch Attachment
- Cording Foot
- Ruffler
- Bias Binder Foot with Guides
- Gathering/Shirring Foot
- Teflon Leather Special Fabrics FootCan you think of any others for the Singer 500A? If so, please let me know. Thanks, Kathy
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer Sewing Machine
Recently, I acquired a Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer Sewing Machine. I'm trying to find information about how to strip this sewing machine of paint so that I can paint it another solid color - I just don't like beige and taupe. There are many different types of paint stripping products out there - some more toxic than others. I have viewed countless Youtube videos about stripping and painting sewing machines, but usually they are for the Singer Featherweights or 1800's to 1920's sewing machines which were painted black or "Japanned". Also there are videos about painting your plastic machine, but the Singer 500A is not made of plastic, it is made of aluminum.
One question I have is how do you keep the paint stripper product out of the many small oiling holes in the body of this particular sewing machine - the Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer? There is a lot of information about blocking all the holes using the blue painting masking tape, paper towels, Q-tips, cotton balls, toothpicks and other devices, but I think those things would melt under the onslaught of the chemicals used to strip the paint. What kind of paint was used on the 1960's Singer 500A Slant-O-Matic Rocketeer? Was it lacquer, acrylic, latex or something else? How many layers of paint did they normally use to paint this machine? I would be much obliged if someone could answers these questions for me. I have been scouring the internet, but I have not had any luck so far in getting answers. Thank you - contact me at kathiego88 at gmail dot com.
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