Busy busy busy!

Hello all,

I've been busier with work than I anticipated, but I've also been able to get some practical experience with my Supermatic and have finished some dresses with it. I hope to post some pics later. For now, I thought I would link to some helpful videos on Youtube for those who are interested in early Supermatics.

Replacing the Pulley

This first video is probably the first step you'll take if you've recently purchased a Supermatic. The main design flaw (and, yes, it's really a flaw) is that the Supermatic is neither belt-driven (like a lot of older sewing machines) nor gear-driven (like the Singer 401a, for example). The flywheel is turned by a rubber pulley on the motor drive-shaft that presses against it. In order to avoid slippage, the tension has to be sufficiently high between this pulley and the flywheel. But what happens to old rubber, or even new rubber for that matter, that's sitting, pressed up against metal? That's right, it gets flat, or develops a 'flat', as they say. After a while, or even years, of this situation, the pulley will be irreparably damaged. There is no other repair option other than replacing it. A replacement pulley will run you around $25, but beware, they aren't always of the best quality. My first replacement broke within a few days of use. There is however a large community devoted to all kinds of Elna sewing machines, and one enterprising person has designed an aluminum pulley with easily-replaceable rubber rings. It is this pulley which I finally installed on my own machine and I couldn't be more pleased.

Oiling your machine!

The second video is about how to properly oil an older Supermatic. If you weren't lucky enough to get a manual with your purchase, you will definitely want to watch this video! Vintage sewing machines need to be oiled frequently: at least once after every project. If your machine was sitting for a long time in disuse, you may even want to oil it more often than that for a while before the machine is no longer 'dry'. Sewing machine oil is special: it is supposed to dry away after a while and not gunk up like other kinds of oils. You can buy Singer sewing machine oil in a applicator container for relatively little at Walmart. Try to stay away from anything else, even 3-2-1 oil is not recommended. Also, if your machine came with an oil can, empty the old oil and refill the can. Old oil can be detected by its color; if its slightly yellowed and not clear, throw it away.

This last video is not of a Supermatic, but of the model known as "Transforma". Unlike the Supermatic, the Transforma was a straight-stitch-only machine. It could be upgraded, however, to a Supermatic if you wanted to. So, if you couldn't afford a new Supermatic in the 1950's (which ran around $250, the equivalent of just under $2,500 in today's money), you could purchase the less expensive Transforma and save up to upgrade it later. As you can see in this video, this Transforma sews beautifully, both backwards and forwards, and doesn't even vibrate enough to knock over a pencil balanced on its arm. Very impressive!