Supermatics have special bobbins. In the pictures you can see three bobbins. The first, on the left, is the bobbin that came with the machine originally. It has holes on both sides and a smooth top. Inside the hole, there is a groove that runs the whole length so that the bobbin can fit on the bobbin winder. Later Supermatics came with a slightly different version of this bobbin, where only one side had holes and the other side was solid. You can see a modern reproduction of this type of bobbin in the middle pictures. I bought these bobbins on ebay from a seller who claims they will fit Supermatics, but that's not entirely true. The groove in these new bobbins is not deep enough, meaning I cannot fit them on the bobbin winder. It's not a big deal, and the bobbins work fine in the machine. On the right is your typical class 15 bobbin. These bobbins are the same size as Elna bobbins, but they do not have the groove running down the inside. They will however, work in Supermatics. The only issue I've noticed is that, rarely, the thread will not pass correctly over the bobbin on a stitch. You can see that the bobbins in the middle and on the left are flat on the top with nothing that could catch the thread that moves over that area when creating a stitch. The class 15 bobbins have a protrusion with a notch in it. Overall, this has not been an issue. If you want to spend less on bobbins (you can buy 12 class 15s at Walmart for very little, wherease the 'real' bobbins cost about double), you can definitely get by with class 15s in a Supermatic. Given the open design of the Supermatic's bobbin area, without a bobbin case even, I have a suspicion that even class 66 bobbins would work as well. Unfortunately, I don't have any class 66s around to try. If anyone has any experience with this, please let me know!
I have a supermatic and am having bobbin problems ( would like to get more). I have bobbins that will work in the machine, just can't put them on the winder. You wrote of some that worked - on the winder or just in the machine. Thanx for any info. I love my old supermatic. Both my mother and MIL had one in the 50's. I'm surprized I haven't seen any comments about the bobbins jamming up if a stitch it taken without fabric under the presser foot.
ReplyDeleteI bought a green Supermatic a few years ago. Came with just one bobbin. It had holes around circle rim a both top and bottom with one groove for rewind shaft. Recently I donated money at a sale for tan Automatic. It also came with just one bobbin. Smooth metal on bottom, holes on topside with one groove onside where it goes on winder shaft. I'm having bottom tension issues and have come to conclusion the actual bobbin may be causing drag which in effect increases bobbin tension. A class 66 bobbin fits and it will sew with it but there us still some drag.
ReplyDeleteOh, I also tried cheap plastic class 15 bobbin. They work in the Elba Automatic but did not try anything on bobbin winder yet.
ReplyDeleteElna (sorry - my phone always try to auto correct)
ReplyDeleteYou can get the old style bobbin here. Not cheap. http://whitesewingcenter.com/elnaparts.php. Mr. White has tried, unsuccessfully, to get them reproduced.
ReplyDeleteClass 66 bobbins will work in a pinch, although they are a little awkward to remove because of how recessed they sit in the shuttle.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try it, but you might be able to take some needle files and cut a groove into the bobbin to fit the winder.