Equipment Singer 201

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I was hunting for a twin to my current machine, a 15-91, that I absolutely love. But it is absolutely in need of an overhaul and I didn't want to start that without a backup.
So a friend found me a 1946 Singer 201. I don't know that I'll give it up when I get my 15-91 all fixed. But first order of business is to get it freed from its table and send a template to Dad so a carry box can be made for it.
And the original sewing skills manual was with it, including the users notes on the machine and its attachments. (Which were also included).
 

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West

Senior
Good info on your machine....


Excellent.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
It looks like it will be as good as my 15-91, which is good news for me. I have discovered that my very old Singers and Vikings have pretty much ruined me for modern machines.
This machine appears to be a 201-2. And my electrician brother will be handling the electrical part to get it out of the table. (The power cord is run through a section of the table.) So if he warns me to replace the wiring, it will be replaced. But it looks like it had a home for two generations and third generation just didn't want it.
 
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West

Senior
We have the 201-2. 1952

Work horse. Read somewhere that Germany used them to do the seats and stuff on the Mercedes-Benz in the 50s
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
We have the 201-2. 1952

Work horse. Read somewhere that Germany used them to do the seats and stuff on the Mercedes-Benz in the 50s
I used to do period costuming. The 15-91 could handle just about anything I threw at it, which meant I had real problems understanding when a modern machine couldn't even handle "simple" stuff. I sewed a lot back then. Broke a Brother in the first 30 days I had it. Then I found a Viking at a yard sale. The guy was a repairman and was putting out anything that had not been picked up. I literally stood with my hand on that machine until my ex got back with the money. $30 was an amazing price and that machine rocked. I had to buy it's twin last year because it also needs an overhaul. The problem is finding a repairman that can work on the older machines. At least for my 15-91 there is a very good series of videos detailing how to take apart and repair most of the machine. I can't find anything for the Viking. Maybe someone upstairs will help out on that.
 

tech

Veteran Member
The 201-3 is a real workhorse.. I grew up with one, using it primarily to repair jeans & hem trousers as I grew, but never to work any patterns. Heck, I'm a guy...why would I do that ;)
I miss the old girl (it went to auction when mom passed.)
 

West

Senior
The 201-3 is a real workhorse.. I grew up with one, using it primarily to repair jeans & hem trousers as I grew, but never to work any patterns. Heck, I'm a guy...why would I do that ;)
I miss the old girl (it went to auction when mom passed.)

Not saying that I never let a real (even family heirloom) treasure go to sale or be stolen....

Just a bloody shame.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Not saying that I never let a real (even family heirloom) treasure go to sale or be stolen....

Just a bloody shame.
I'm the only one in my family that values the old things. So many things have disappeared into sales that I would have kept. But I'm the oddball.
I was lectured on asking to have a dehydrator repaired last week. It supposedly would have been cheaper to replace it. Until I pointed out that the equivalent today would cost $400+ and be of less quality work. Turns out that the issue was a very old interior filter that disintegrated and clogged the wiring. Fortunately it didn't catch fire. So the 1970s steel dehydrator got a cleaning, then a deeper, get rid of the rust cleaning with a wire wheel. And then some new paint. Looks really good and will hopefully function for another few decades.
 

ginnie6

Veteran Member
201's are workhorses! Good, good machines. I too am ruined for these new fangled electronic wonders. Give me trusty White or Singer treadle and I am good to go. I do play around with the 201 to do some machine quilting but you can't beat the quietness of a treadle.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
201's are workhorses! Good, good machines. I too am ruined for these new fangled electronic wonders. Give me trusty White or Singer treadle and I am good to go. I do play around with the 201 to do some machine quilting but you can't beat the quietness of a treadle.
I would have inherited a treadle but it got caught in a flood about 2 years ago. Parents were pissed about that one.
Maybe one day I'll have room for one.
 

lonestar09

Veteran Member
I used to do period costuming. The 15-91 could handle just about anything I threw at it, which meant I had real problems understanding when a modern machine couldn't even handle "simple" stuff. I sewed a lot back then. Broke a Brother in the first 30 days I had it. Then I found a Viking at a yard sale. The guy was a repairman and was putting out anything that had not been picked up. I literally stood with my hand on that machine until my ex got back with the money. $30 was an amazing price and that machine rocked. I had to buy it's twin last year because it also needs an overhaul. The problem is finding a repairman that can work on the older machines. At least for my 15-91 there is a very good series of videos detailing how to take apart and repair most of the machine. I can't find anything for the Viking. Maybe someone upstairs will help out on that.
There is a guy on ebay, a retired Viking repair tech who cleans, repairs and rebuilds Viking sewing machines. His username is sklrlr. It is for 6000 model machines.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
There is a guy on ebay, a retired Viking repair tech who cleans, repairs and rebuilds Viking sewing machines. His username is sklrlr. It is for 6000 model machines.
Mine is a Viking 190. A really old model, but 20 to 25 years younger than my Singer machines. But I'll see if I can find him. He may have leads.

Found him. Sent off a message. I like his idea. I wonder how many other folks are doing things like that.
 
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kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
There is a guy on ebay, a retired Viking repair tech who cleans, repairs and rebuilds Viking sewing machines. His username is sklrlr. It is for 6000 model machines.
Thank you. I reached out to him and he made me a very generous offer. Going to swing by the bank on Monday to make it happen.
 
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