The Singer Hemstitcher 72w19 - Questions and Answers

I sold my hemstitcher. It took almost a year once I decided it was time. I was not getting enough work to justify the space anymore. At the same time, I wasn't enjoying the work that I did get because I just didn't have the energy. I did love this machine and it was very difficult to let it go. Luckily, I think the person who bought this was very excited and happy about acquiring the machine.

Over the years, I have received a lot of questions about this machine. My previous blog entry on this machine is one of my most popular entries. I was supposed to get notifications anytime someone reached out to me through my Contact page. It didn't work and I didn't think to check until recently. So, in one grand finale for the hemstitcher, I'll try to answer those questions.

Repairs

I have a Singer 72W19 and I'm trying to find someone in the southeast that works on them. Do you know of anyone?

I would appreciate knowing the names for the 3 people in Utah that service Hemstitching machines. I have a hemstitching machine that I inherited from my husbands grandmother. It is a model No. 72w19 fitted with a motor. I think the timing is out as it doesn't seem to do what it's supposed to. Could you tell me who in Utah works on these old machines and how I can get in touch with them.

Could you share the contact info of person that showed you to care and maintain your hemstitcher. I have one but I can't find anyone to help me adjust and maintain the machine. Thank you so much.

The person I found to help me repair my machine many years ago was past retirement. He would be close to 90 years old now, if he is still alive. I'm grateful I found him because he taught me enough that I could adjust the machine myself. It took me calling every sewing machine repair person I could find asking them if they worked on these machines. Most repair people, technicians, or industrial sewing machine mechanics do not really know how to adjust these machines. Some will say they will try, but that always made me nervous. Incorrectly adjusted machines could cause damage to the machine. The timing on the machine has a lot of variables and each component has to be adjusted in order for it to work.

That said, I only know of one place that MIGHT work on these. Daines sold new versions of the hemstitcher. But, I will warn you that they may decline or charge you a lot of money. Your best bet is to get a copy of the manual and learn to adjust the machine yourself.

I recommend purchasing the manual and parts list. I believe I bought my copies on ebay or some other site that sold old manuals. Well worth the investment!

Specific Repairs

I cannot figure out how to replace my needle that broke. I can’t seem to fit it into the ‘slot’. Anyone who can walk me through it?!? Please!!

It is hard to provide advice on this because I can't see what you are doing. Perhaps the needle clamp screw needs to be loosened more?

I wanted to verify which screw on the instruction page to turn - is it the "S" screw? A friend said that I could mess up everything if I unscrewed the wrong one, and I am scared to try! I bought this machine a couple of months ago and it runs, but has a broken right needle. Thank you so much!

I'm not sure which screw is the "S" screw. There is a needle clamp screw facing toward the front near the top of the needle in the needle bar. If you could refer to a manual and/or parts list, you will find the correct screw.

That said, you will not mess everything up by loosening a screw. If something came out of adjustment by doing so, you will just have to work to put things back correctly. This is how I learned how to adjust the timing.

I have a Singer 72w19 and need to change the needles. First time for this. When looking at the front of the machine there are 2 sets of needles. Do I use the top set or the bottom set? I'm thinking the bottom set but when I loosen the screw the needle doesn't even budge. Any instruction on this would be appreciated. Thank you, Denise

There is only one set of needles and they look like regular sewing machine needles. Perhaps you are referring to the piercers? A look at the manual/parts list will help you identify what you are looking at.

Hi, I have a Singer 72w 19 hemstitch machine and I am having trouble with the thread breaking. I was stitching on it and suddenly the left needle broke for some unknown reason. I replaced both needles and now I'm having trouble with the thread breaking about every six inches of sewing.

This is a common problem with these machines, especially the left needle thread. I did not completely eliminate the problem with my machine, but I did minimize it. First, make sure the needles are entering the fabric correctly. Very minor adjustments there can make a big difference. It is possible the left needle is too close to the piercer and the piercer is cutting the thread. Or the left needle is not rotated to the right position. Next, be sure to oil all the moving parts on the front of the machine where metal touches metal. The needle bars and levers all need to be able to move freely. I would add a drop of oil on each of those parts before sewing. I also had a screw that would work itself loose on one of the levers and cause the needle to move out of adjustment. A drop of loctite eventually prevented the screw from coming loose from the machine vibration. Finally, use the best polyester thread you can find. In my case, a Gutermann polyester thread from a cone worked best.

I have seen on our classified ads that there is a hemstitcher head for sale for 500 dollars. I have an old industrial serger in a table that has been converted to house power. Here is my question: Do you think that I could swap out the serger for the hemstitcher?

Most likely no. The table tops are cut specifically for the machine. A hemstitcher will not fit in an industrial serger table. If you had the correct table top and stand, you could move the motor over provided you have the correct wheel size on the motor. Some motors have fly wheels that will cause the machine to run too fast.

Machine Parts

I need a complete needle and piercer holder for my hemstitcher. Do you have any of them? Please let me know what parts you have. Thank you.

Where do you purchase your needles for your hemstitch machine? I have two of them (one 1904 and one 1928), but I need to order needles. Can you help me out? Thank you, Marcia

I recently received a Singer 72-19 and need resources for supplies and how to use it. Suggestions? I live in Sandy, Utah

You can buy needles from an industrial sewing machine supply. Daines had needles at one time, but they charge a lot for shipping (it's not something they normally do and they don't really like to do it). For piercers, I ended up using google to find a source from China. Some industrial supplies or hardware store will have some of the screws. All other parts would have to come from a parts machine.

Machine Value

I have inherited Singer 72w-19 Hemsticher, W522308. I think it is from 1920. It has lots of needles and misc attachments. I am wondering if there is a market for it. it comes with a table. I would appreciate any info on it. Thank You. Jenny

Yes, there is some value if the machine is in good working order and comes with a table and motor. I have read there are attachments available for the machine, but I have never seen them. A good machine will go for a few thousand dollars, but I can't put an exact value on one. I was pretty firm on the price I asked for my machine and eventually got what I wanted. It did take me a while to sell it though

Machine Operation

How can I make the hemstitch go faster it is so slow thanks Linda Farnsworth.

It may seem as though the machine is too slow. Each rotation requires several things happening at once. First the pre-punch piercer punches the fabric and the fabric moves forward. The main piercer then enters the pre-punched hole along with the needles. The needles enter the same hole about three times. This process is longer than a regular sewing machine. Speeding up the machine with a different size pulley increases the likelihood of parts hitting each other or the throat plate and throwing everything off. It is essential the machine run slower because that is how it is designed.

Yahoo Group

Did you run the hemstitch Yahoo group? I hadn't checked on my groups lately and discovered it's gone...darn! I will admit to googling Esther + hemstitch machine and finding your lovely blog..... So even if you aren't the same Esther, I'm glad I found your blog anyway!

Yes, I ran a Yahoo Group for Hemstitchers for a while. At least a couple of years. It received almost no traffic and I just didn't have the time to continue it. I did ask for volunteers to take it over before shutting it down, but no one seemed interested. It's a bit of a moot point now since Yahoo Groups are dying and Yahoo has done nothing to update or improve the Group software in over 10 years. I think Yahoo Groups will eventually be shut down.

A tale of a broken screw, loose screws and a DIY mechanic for the Singer Hemstitcher 72w-19

This lovely 72w19 Singer Hemstitcher (circa 1945) has caused me all kinds of grief this month.


I have had a persistent problem with this machine every since I purchased it 4 years ago. The left needle thread has a tendency to break, almost randomly. I can stitch some distance, it will start skipping and then get cut by either the needles or the piercer. I have played around with various settings and adjustments continuously over all this time. Sometimes I can improve it, other times it becomes worse. Despite all these adjustments, the right needle continues to behave as it should and the left will not.

One day, I noticed that the piercer holder was loose. I could wiggle it with my finger. This led to me over tightening the piercer holder screw and breaking it. This screw is a size #6 and some of the screw was stuck in the machine. How to get it out?



It would be easy to say I am not a sewing machine mechanic. I have done some basic tuning up on regular sewing machines. Set the timing on both of my sewing machines. Cleaned, oiled, lubed. But that is about it. Armed with my 72w19 manual, I set out to fix my machine, extract that screw and get to the bottom of the thread breakage problem. The engineers who designed this machine and most mechanics who worked on these are all gone now. Those that are left are hobbyists, for the most part. Some are very good, but too far away to consult. Other mechanics rarely work on or understand these machines.

Even with the manual, there are gaps of knowledge. Perhaps later I will post a little about the history of these machines. One thing I did learn is that the ladies who purchased these machines attended a training and certification class so they could adjust them on their own. I am sure they picked up all kinds of information never written in the manual.

So back to the broken screw. Nothing could happen until that screw was extracted and replaced (and luckily I did find a replacement).

Assemble some basic tools:
1. Drill (variable speed, set on slowest setting)
2. Very small metal cutting drill bits (like 5/64")
3. Punch
4. Extractors and/or left hand drill bits
5. A steady hand.

Step 1
Use an auto centering punch to punch a pilot hole into the broken screw. There are different sizes and shapes of punches. I found one that is about the size of an ink pen. You press down on it and an internal spring forces the punch. A very nifty and useful gadget for small spaces (also expensive uni-tasker). You may need to do several punches because the surface of the broken screw will probably be uneven. This punch is critical so that the drill with a metal cutting bit doesn't float around.

Step 2
Using the drill with the regular metal cutting bit, drill a hole in the center of the broken screw. Make sure the drill is on a slow speed setting. In my case, I could drill all the way through the center of the screw to the other side and not risk damaging other components. Even so, drill just far enough to be able insert a slightly larger extractor or left hand drill bit. Stop every so often to clean out the hole and to let the drill bit cool off. The drill bit may dull quickly, so be prepared to replace it.

Step 3
If the screw is not jammed too tightly into the machine, you may be able to insert the extractor and turn the screw out by hand. This is what I ended up doing in my case. If you need more power, use the drill but be sure to reverse the direction of the drill.

And here is the result. You can see how small that broken screw bit was and why I was so nervous about it.

With the broken screw removed and a new one inserted, I once again began to check all the possible adjustments. In this I discovered more lose screws. There were lose screws on the piercer bar, and underneath the bobbin. Cleaned more lint and gunk out of areas I rarely clean. Oiled every moving part. Adjusted the vibration (zig-zag), pitmans, levers, etc. I could definitely say I have learned a lot by over adjusting some part and seeing what would happen (very carefully of course). I think I may have zeroed in on the vibration setting as the sources of the skipping as the left needle only skips on the inside vibration.

And then the piercer snapped in half the other day. I can't figure out how or why. Did I have it set too low in the machine? Maybe it was just worn out and over abused?

Thankfully, replacement piercers can still be found. Though they are very expensive. I bought two, just in case this happens again. Hopefully not.

The Singer Hemstitcher 72w-19 broke down

Every time I sit down to stitch blankets on the hemstitcher, I cave and try to adjust it. The left needle thread continues to break despite everything I have done. One commenter suggested I move the main piercer either up/down or left/right. While I attempted to do this, I discovered that the main piercer holder was loose. Is it possible that the main piercer holder was vibrating or moving as a stitch is formed? It could explain why I could stitch a few inches and then the left thread would break randomly. The holder was only marginally lose but I could moved it ever so slightly with my finger.

So I attempted to tighten the screw on the holder. I wrenched down on the screw and shouldn't have done that. After all it is a 70 year old screw. And yes, the screw broke.

There is a broken part of the screw stuck in the machine. Thankfully, I was able to locate a new screw. One nice thing about the old Singers is that the engineers used as many of the same parts in multiple machines as they could, especially screws. The problem, of course, is extracting the screw. I zoomed in pretty close in the picture above, but that screw opening is only about 1/8 inch. I am very nervous about doing this because I have to be very, very careful to not damage the threads of the piercer holder. That part will be very difficult and expensive to find, if at all. I probably will buy a Dremel as I don't trust myself with my regular drill. I don't know.

I am my own mechanic when it comes to repairing my Singer Hemstitcher 72w-19. There are very few mechanics familiar enough with this machine that I would trust them to work on it. I have really spent a lot of time studying it and I think I now understand how all the important parts work. The movement of the piercer thread holder as it stitches proves that it can break or cut the threads. It moves much more now that the screw is not completely there.

And of course this happened at a time when I have two large blanket orders. Thankfully, my customers are willing to wait. But if I can't fix it, then I will be taking these blankets to one of my competitors to finish. I am a bit stressed about the whole thing.

Singer Hemstitcher 72w-19 thread breakage solutions

Hemstitching woes continue to plague me. Thread breakage with the left needle thread continues to be a persistent problem. The breakage is preceded by skipped stitches that cause the thread to wrap around the pierces where the piercers or needles eventually cut the thread. I have run through various scenarios trying to diagnose the problem. The timing of a machine is absolutely critical or no stitches form. In the case of a hemstitcher, the timing is a bit more complex. The position of the needles relative to the piercers and how they move as the fabric moves under the foot is all a part of the timing. A Singer hemstitcher 72w-19 has two bobbins which must be separately adjusted to work in time with the needles as they descend with the piercer. For a while I have thought there was a timing issue with the left needle.

Or maybe not. I have set and checked the timing and it appears to be right on. I have adjusted nearly every possible adjustable part. Even the pitmans that control the needle position and angle - something I dreaded touching. I adjusted the check springs. I have spent countless hours making one fine adjustment after another, studying the manual over and over. I feel as though I have hit a brick wall. It is rather frustrating to be stitching a customers blanket and have the left needle thread break every 5-12" for no apparent reason.

Check Tension

So off to browse the net to try and find some kind of solution. American and Efird is probably one of the best technical websites for manufacturers. They have an excellent article on thread breakage that has given me some insight. A checklist of things that might be causing some of the problems. One thing that I had observed the last mechanic to work on this machine do was wrench down on the tension discs. I have maintained tight tensions ever since. Tonight I loosened the tensions until the bobbin tensions took over than edged back to a balanced stitch. The stitch is better and perhaps that will solve some of the problems.

Needle Orientation

The next step was to look at the orientation of the needles, in particular the rotation of the needle in the needle clamp. Most every blog entry I have read says to turn the needle out to help avoid thread breakage. I think that is the wrong approach because it affects how the hook interacts with the needle. The needles should be aligned with the eyes opposite each other in a straight line. This may not make a lot of sense if you are not familiar with the machine, but mechanically, it does.

In any event, I still must plug away at stitching some customer orders with my fingers crossed that I will have fewer problems. If you are having stitching problems because of skipped stitches or thread breakage, I highly recommend the American and Efird article.

Oh and did I mention I had to fix the belt. Leather belts have a tendency to wear out. I used my last clip, so I must order some more just in case. I have extra belting because my machine can be used as either a treadle or with a motor. I don't have the fancy tool that punches a hole in the belt and compresses the clip. I learned a neat trick of using a drill to create a hole for the clip. It worked great.

Troubleshooting a stitching problem on a Singer Hemstitcher 72w-19

I have previously blogged about my hemstitcher and how temperamental it can be. I would blame most of its stitching problems on its "personality" and just try to deal with it. The primary problem I have experienced is skipped stitches. Skipped stitches are very bad because that extra thread can get caught around or under the piercers where they are cut. Usually, I would experience skipped stitches with either the left needle or the right needle, and occasionally both.

In the past, I would work through the most "obvious" and possible solutions to prevent skipped stitches. Most how-to guides suggest rotating the needles out ever so slightly. I would thoroughly clean, oil, and lube. I would check the threading. I would replace and reset the needles. Often, I could solve the problem enough that I would experience little thread breakage. That was until I worked on a blanket order that consisted of flannel fabric that came from H - E - double hockey-sticks L. If you heard a scream, followed by head banging 2 weeks ago, it might have been me.




The picture on the left shows the stitching along the long grain (the grain parallel to the selvedge edge, also called the warp). You can see the frequent skipped stitches. In fact it skipped so often that I was experiencing thread breaking and thread fraying every 2 inches of stitching. The picture on the right shows the stitching along the cross grain or weft. The stitching would be absolutely perfect - no skips or thread breakage.

My initial thought was there was something wrong with the fabric. It either was a blend or had too much sizing. My hemstitcher will not stitch reliably on polyester fabric blends, but a burn test confirmed it was cotton. I couldn't wash the blanket to rid it of the sizing. Some flannels do not look the greatest after washing, and usually the sizing does help with the stitching. Too much sizing is an indication that the fabric is of lesser quality, although not always. This order was a 45" x 45" blanket consisting of a panel print on the front and a coordinating print on the back. I had very little scrap left over to do any testing to see if it was indeed the fabric. Stitching on other softer flannels was easier, although I was still getting thread breakage.

It took me a while to finally figure out what the problem was. One significant clue is the stitching difference between the long and cross grains. There are distinct properties to these two grains that affect how fabric behaves and also how it behaves as it is stitched. The long grain (warp) consists of yarn that is pulled taut. The cross grain (weft) consists of yarn that interlaces with the long grain. It goes over and under the long grain yarns. If you fray out fabric, you will notice that the cross grain yarn has a wave and the long grain is straight. You can pull the cross grain yarn like a spring, but the long grain will snap. Because of this, the cross grain of a plain weave fabric has a natural, built in stretch.

While stitching, a hemstitcher inserts two needles into a pierced hole. As the needles come up, they swing out pulling the yarns of the fabric apart. The next stitch will hold the hole open. Each hole requires three stitches. The machine has to work harder along the long grain of the fabric because of the inherent nature of that grain. The machine works less hard on the cross grain because of the natural stretch built in.

Ok. So now I knew the problem, but I didn't know how to solve the problem. I have to stitch around all four sides of my blankets, so there had to be a way to adjust the machine so I could stitch and not get anymore skipped stitches. I pulled out my usual help guide in diagnosing stitching problems. The Coats & Clark pamphlet titled The Basics of Hand & Machine Sewing, published in 1995. This is a fantastic pamphlet that covers many aspects of needles, thread, proper tension, etc. I don't know if this is available anymore, as I acquired the full set of Coat & Clark pamphlets in college. The best part of this particular pamphlet is a Checklist in Case of Trouble. Every possible stitching scenario is covered.

At the top of the list for skipped stitches was Wrong size or type of needle for the fabric. But I skipped that because I assumed I had the right type and size of needle. Other solutions suggested:

Timing of machine - check
Lint - check
Threading - check
Damaged needle - check
Sewing at a steady, even pace - check
Fabric with excess finish - ? possibly
Hold fabric taut while sewing - check

Nothing seemed to make a difference. I think the excess fabric finish contributed to the problem, but was not the root cause. Stitching on other fabrics showed the problem still existed. So I finally decided to cave and try the next needle size up. It couldn't be that simple, but why not try.

In a true, head smacking moment, the machine stitched absolutely perfect on both grains. And it makes sense too. A larger size needle is stronger and can pull the yarns of the fabric apart easier. Since I have to stitch through two layers of flannel, a larger size needle is necessary. Now I have to decide what to do with 100 size 12 130x3 needles, while I wait for an order of size 14 needles.

One thing I am not sure about. I had some Singer brand size 14, 130x3's laying around loose in the table drawer, which work great. The Singer brands are known to be the best, but also the most expensive. I am ordering the Organ brand (which is what my size 12's are) in the size 14. Hopefully, there isn't too much of a quality difference.