Chain Stitch Sewing Machines: willcox gibbs

Showing posts with label willcox gibbs. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

A new video tutorial!

This is a cool little video on how to use a Willcox & Gibbs automatic tension chain stitch treadle sewing machine. You can also use this video to learn how to operate an Eldredge chain stitcher since it threads up the same way. If you are new to using a W&G or an Eldredge I think you will find the video very helpful.

I did not create this video, it is only a coincidence that the lady that did has a name similar to mine. So with much thanks to Becky for creating this video and allowing me to share it with you here on my blog, here is a direct link to it:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjKG9pdacv0&feature=g-upl .

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Another needle that is compatible with W&G chain stitch sewing machines

I scored big at a yard sale this past summer. I bought a small green box of Singer

(Simanco) needles in size 25x3 without opening them until I got home because they were sealed in plastic. I didn't know which machine they would fit, but I always buy vintage sewing machine needles if they are cheap enough and are in their original packaging.

Imagine my surprise when I got home, opened the box and I saw that they looked like Willcox & Gibbs needles! I tested one and it works perfectly. So if you see a box of Singer 25x3 needles somewhere, buy them! :o)

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Recently I was discussing the wheel brake feature of the "American style" Willcox & Gibbs hand crank sewing machine with someone on the Treadleon e-mail list. The person said her machine didn't have it, which made me realize that most people probably don't have them, and maybe I should write a tutorial on how to replace a missing or worn out one.

The wheel brake was made of a small piece of treadle belt leather, and in most cases it probably rotted away by now, as these sewing machines are usually well over a hundred years old. It rests in front of the small cog/gear wheel and is held in place by a small set screw which is recessed into a small hole that looks like it could be an oil hole (but it isn't).

Careful examination of a Willcox & Gibbs advertisement for this style of hand crank (which they call a "hand attachment") shows the leather strip in place, but you need to blow the picture up to see the detail.

I took pictures of both of my "American style" W&G hand crank

sewing machines. One has the wheel brake installed, the other I haven't replaced yet. By looking at both photos you can see what it looks like with and without one. The first picture shows what your machine will look like if the brake is missing, the next picture shows the brake intact.

To make a new wheel brake:

1- Remove the set screw and remove any remaining leather scraps that might still exist. Use a dental pick to poke through the holes and clean them out of any remaining leather, grime, or gunk.

2-Hold a small piece of treadle belt leather up against the area it needs to go to gauge how long you should cut it. Use my photo as a guide line for the proper length.

3-Protect your work surface with a rotary cutting mat, cutting board, or even a piece of scrap lumber before you start cutting the leather.

4-Use either an x-acto knife, box cutter, or a straight edge razor blade to carefully cut the leather to the correct length. You could also use treadle belt pliers if you have them. It is better to cut it a little too long than too short. You can always cut more off. If you cut it too short you will need to start over with another scrap. I had to experiment and do mine a few times before I got it just right.

5- You may need to taper the end of the leather that goes through the holder for it to fit. This will depend on the diameter of the leather you are using. Again, you may not get it quite right the first time, so try again with another scrap of treadle belt leather if it comes out wrong.

6- Insert the leather in the hole, tighten the set screw, and then try to turn your hand crank the wrong way. The brake will prevent you from doing it. The brake helps prevent thread jams and thread breakage that occur when a user accidently cranks their machine in the wrong direction.

I hope this helps you in your restoration of your own "American style" Willcox & Gibbs hand crank sewing machine.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

How to do embroidery using a Willcox & Gibbs chain stitch sewing machine

After 2 long years, I have finally finished this project!
This is a complete tutorial with step by step photos on how to do embroidery using a chain stitch sewing machine.
All of the items in the tutorial were created on a automatic tension Willcox & Gibbs chain stitch treadle sewing machine, that is almost 100 years old!
You can also use these instructions with other chain stitch sewing machines, though no matter which brand or model of machine you use, I personally recommend using a treadle as it leaves both hands free to guide and control the fabric, and you can also go very slowly with a treadle which is important for accuracy with intricate designs. Electric machines tend to go too fast, and hand cranks leave only one hand free to guide the fabric. Both can cause frustration and/or inferior results.
You can view and download the instructions as an Adobe PDF from here:
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B6EOaLLsmE83ZDJiYjAwZWMtYzRlZi00NjNmLTkzMDctOTJhMmYyNTc1NmRm&hl=en

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Threads for Embroidery

I received several e-mails recently about threads to use with a Willcox & Gibbs

chain stitch sewing machine for decorative embroidery work.

Here is a list of threads I recommend:

. DMC 30 wt or 50 wt cotton machine embroidery thread
. DMC size 80 cotton tatting thread
. Coats 50 wt machine quilting thread in cotton
. Coats 40 wt trilobal polyester machine embroidery thread
. Coats 40 wt rayon machine embroidery thread
. Sulky 30 wt cotton quilting thread
. Sulky 40 wt rayon machine embroidery thread

The list is not in any particular order. Use whatever you can find, and

experiment until you get results that please you.

I will note that the trilobal poly thread gives a very dainty tiny stitch

that is super shiny. I don't think it looks quite right for red work. The

rayons can also look too shiny. I'd recommend the cotton threads for red

work on cotton fabric, and save the shiny threads for other projects.

Be careful when buying big cones of embroidery or quilting thread as they

may not fit on the W&G spool pin. You may need a separate thread stand

with them.

Also make sure the spool says "machine" on it not "hand". Hand

embroidery or quilting thread is not suitable for machine use. Yes, the

tatting thread works despite it not being machine thread, but it often

requires rewinding by hand on to a old, empty spool. Something about the way

they wind it doesn't always work right on a machine.

Don't try to use metallic thread on a W&G it just makes a nasty thread jam.

Keep a scalpel and tweezers handy when trying out new threads in case of a

jam. Also ALWAYS test on scraps to make sure the chosen thread will work for

your design and fabric.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Choosing the correct needles and thread for your Willcox & Gibbs Chain Stitch Sewing Machine

Choosing the correct needles and thread for your
Willcox & Gibbs Chain Stitch Sewing Machine

The information about needles in this particular blog also applies to other machines that use the same needle, such as chain stitch sewing machines made by Kruse & Murphy, Eldredge/National, and Western Electric. Please note that the Singer model 24 series of chain stitch sewing machines do NOT use the same needle as the other machines mentioned in this article.

Willcox & Gibbs needles

Willcox & Gibbs brand needles have long been discontinued and some people may have trouble finding them. This particular blog article will address how to get compatible needles and which ones I recommend.

Original W&G needles are stamped W&G on them and if they are in their original packets with the manufacturers name on them, they go for big bucks on eBay. I have seen them go as high as $30 for 3 needles. I do not recommend buying them for sewing with unless you are extremely desperate.

The Boye wood tubes of needles, which are labeled "20 1/2" also sell for a lot of money as a "collectible", again I don't recommend them, unless you luck out and find them cheap. Be sure to check what size they are, as the smaller ones are nearly impossible to find fine enough thread to it through their itty bitty holes. The 000, 00 and 0 sizes were meant for very fine heirloom sewing on very thin fabric with ultra thin silk threads.

There were other companies that made compatible needles, but they are even harder to find. I occasionally come across generic needles in plain envelopes inside a drawer or case of a W&G machine. Manufacturer of needle is unknown. However, once you know what a real W&G needle looks like, you will easily be able to recognize what a compatible needle should look like.

This picture will show what a W&G chain stitch sewing machine needle looks like compared to some of the other needles by other makers. Its looks are quite distinctive, it is #6 in the middle of the other needles in this illustration: http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-machines/SIL/0039/imagepages/image24.htm . It is a very short and stout needle, with a groove going down the entire length of the shank.

Studying the text and images in this catalog :http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/SIL/0773/ will show you images of hundreds of different needles going to various models and makers of sewing machines, and will make it easier for you to learn to spot which needles are suited to various machines in your collection.

The best needles for actual sewing on a W&G are the more modern needles made by Schmetz, which are also sadly discontinued, but easier to find, cost less, and are of such high quality
that one needle may last you for many many hours of sewing. Contrary to what most sewing needle manufacturers recommend you do not need to change to a fresh needle every 8 hours of sewing time, at least not with Schmetz. They stay sharp a very long time, and I rarely break them. I have probably used Schmetz needles for 30-60 hours of sewing before they became too dull to use.

If you are looking for needles to fit your W&G, go to the Schmetz website:

http://www.schmetz.com/ . Click on the link for "customer service", and choose what country you are in. You'll get a name of a person to contact, click on their name and it will open a window for you to email them.

Send that person a message with your address and ask them for a list of dealers in your area .

When you get the list, call those dealers and ask for what you want, and if they don't have it ask them to special order it from Schmetz for you. The dealer should be able to find out from Schmetz exactly what is left in their inventory. If there isn't any left in the size you want, start calling every dealer till you find one with them in stock. You will most likely need to deal with industrial suppliers, NOT little fabric shops or sewing machine stores geared towards home sewers. If there are needles left in a size you want at the Schmetz factory, the order will take a few weeks to get since it will come from Germany to your dealer then to you.

When you call dealers ask them for Schmetz "WY 502".

I got my needles as a special order from:

S.M. Cristall Co, Inc.

1865 Kenmore Ave.

Buffalo, NY 14217

Toll Free: 1-800-800-9983

Phone: (716) 876-9105

Fax: (716) 876-9142

http://smcristall.com/pcs/product_list_categoryid_29.php

They may be a good place to start, but again, if the size you want is no longer available from the Schmetz factory as a special order, then you will need to get a list of Schmetz dealers that
might have some left in their own warehouse/store. You may need to contact dealers in other states and/or countries. Be persistent.

I personally don't know of any eBay dealers that are going to continue selling the Schmetz W&G inventory that they have left at the old rate of $15 for 10. It is all about supply and demand. If they can get $35-$50 on eBay for 10 they will do it. If you buy from an industrial supplier you will spend about $66-$70 ( US dollars) for a parcel of 100 needles all the same size, separated into 10 packs of ten needles each. I have heard that some dealers are charging double that amount, but it is still a bargain compared to eBay prices for individual 10 packs.

(These prices are current as of July 2008.)

Choosing the right size needles and thread for what you plan to sew:

When reading your W&G manual or looking at the cloth plate on some of the machines, you may notice a size chart listing needles in sizes 00-4, along with recommended thread sizes and stitches per inch.

Here is a conversion chart for the needles sizes:

W&G needle sizes = new modern sizes

00 = 7 or 8

0 = 9

1 = 10

2 = 12

3 = 14

4 = 16

5 = 18

6 = 19

7 = 21

8 = 22

10 = 23

I personally don't recommend anything smaller then a 12 or larger then a 16 for most home sewing needs with modern threads.

The size 12 works perfectly with most home sewing thread, including the rayon or polyester machine embroidery threads, cotton machine quilting thread, and Coats & Clark dual duty
cotton/polyester thread. The size 12 is suitable for light weight fabrics. Use size 14 or 16 if you wish to do decorative embroidery with the thicker tatting thread made by DMC, or if you are sewing thick fabrics like velvet. Size 18 is really only for very thick fabrics, like denim.

If you choose a large needle and thick thread to sew light fabrics, you often end up having the fabric dragged down, sucked into the machine , in a snarled up mess around the looper, often with holes in the fabric. Be careful not to order or use large needles if you wont be sewing on heavy fabrics.

When choosing thread, try to stick with spools that are short and wide, not the long skinny ones. The long ones don't always fit on the spool pin, so if you want to use them you will have to
purchase a thread stand. Serger thread is also very thin and works well with W&G auto tension sewing machines, but you will need a separate thread stand. Here is a picture of mine:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1161342327043399186aoSRtf .

How to choose the correct stitch size, based on needle and thread used :

Ignore the chart on the machine (if there is one) and in the manual. It doesn't translate well to modern threads.

I recommend using 12 stitches per inch if you are using thick threads with a large needle (size 16 or higher) on thick fabric.

I would recommend using 12-16 stitches per inch with a size 14 needle, depending on the choice of thread.

I have never found a thread thin enough to go more then 20 stitches per inch , and going only as high as 16-18 per inch with the thinner threads and smaller needles such as the size 12 needle.
Older machines do NOT have a numbered stitch length selector, and also may not have the chart engraved on the cloth plate, so you will just have to experiment till you get results that please you.

Summery:

Size 12 needle: 12-16 stitches per inch with ordinary thread such as Coats & Clark Dual Duty, 18-20 stitches per inch with very thin thread, such as polyester or rayon machine embroidery threads.
Size 14 needle: 12 stitches per inch if using decorative tatting thread, or up to 16 per inch with cotton machine quilting thread, or ordinary polyester threads.
Size 16 needle: 12 stitches per inch, heavy thread & heavy fabric.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Willcox & Gibbs Manuals and Catalogs

The Smithsonian website has quite a few Willcox & Gibbs manuals and catalogs that you can view and print online for FREE. Right now.

Adjustable (Glass)tension manual http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/NMAHTEX/0475/
Automatic tension manual http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/NMAHTEX/0469/

Catalogs & Brochures to help identify your Willcox & Gibbs Sewing machine

1870 Catalog for adjustable (glass) tension models http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/SIL/0039/
Adjustable (glass) tension parts list http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/NMAHTEX/0222/
1876 brochure for automatic tension model http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/NMAHTEX/0471/
The American hand crank has cog wheel type gear no belt. Pic is here:
http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/NMAHTEX/0470/imagepages/image35.htm
The glass tension manual has a nice pic of what the UK version of the hand crank looks like :http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade-Literature/Sewing-Machines/NMAHTEX/0475/imagepages/image6.htm it works off a very short leather treadle belt. Pics explain it easier than words! There were some cosmetic design changes to the UK hand crank over the years, but they all used the leather belt.

Some of the cabinets for treadles: