Over the summer I enherited a sewing machine from my late grand-mother. This got me into a little bit of sewing ( which is why I joined this group ).
I looked all over the internet to get some information on it ( the machine ) but I have been unable to find any. I have ever browsed ebay every other day or so for the past few months in hope that someone would sell a similar machine, no luck there either.
My sister-in-law just lent me her scanner ( she has no use for it right now) so I decided to scan my manual and post a photo of my machine in hope that someone would recognise it.
The machine was distributed in Canada in the 1970's by "Jolson sewing machine & supplies" and sold by various local retailers. It is suppose to be a japanese badged machine and was sold under the name "Omega super 900" and "Omega R-900-K" but the manual just says "Super Automatic".
A couple of ppl who know about such things told me it was a very good machine ( which it fine by me, I like it better then my brother's Singer
401-J, which I had a chance to try out earlier today ). But I would still like to see if I can't find some technical info on it, so I can service it myself.
So If you recognise this machine, assuming it was sold elsewhere under a different name. Please tell me. And if you have any opinion on said machine having used it I would love to hear it too.
I have several of these badged Omega, Super Automatic, Imperial, Morse Normar , Viking and Dressmaker. They are a pretty standard Japanese clone of a Singer machine and should not be difficult to find parts for. In 2 of the manuals they show a 'drawing' of the same enormous factory where they were supposedly built. Pretty good machines, very simple to repair and easy to operate. What did you not like about the much coveted 401?
It looks a lot like vintage Morse, which is also Japanese made. If you're looking to service it yourself (and I'm assuming you mean besides what's usually covered in the manual), why not pop over to the YAHOO group "wefixit," which is just what we do...!
"Hannah" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com... What did you not like about the
I guess "didn't like" might have been too strong, "I was disappointed" might be more on the nose.
As you say the 401 is "much coveted", and strarting all this research to find my own Omega 900 on the web, reading this NG, I got this feeling that I didn't pick the better machine ( I had a choice between my granny's and my great-aunt's , I just took granny's Omega and my brother was left with the
401, neither of us knew anything about sewing machines ). At times , this NG almost seemed to be taunting me :" the 401 is so great, best Singer ever made, best zig-zag ever made" etc. And no one had even heard of the Omega.
Over time, as I started sewing , got some books, and info on how to actualy use a machine ( any machine). I started to realy appreciate how nice my little Omega actualy is. It's got every thing I need, straight, zz, blind, stretch ZZ, 3-zz, 3-straight, overedge, honeycomb, button hole. drop-d feed. etc. And since the 401 was the best I started thinking how wonderfull it must be, in comparison. I had seen it at my brother's I browsed the instruction manual ( now that was great , the one for my machine reali sucks). The 401 just had so many more stitches ... wow.
So as good as my machine was turning out to be , I thought that the 401 must have been so much better... So when I did actualy try it, yesterday, it was a bit of a let down. Ok it has more stitches then mine. but they are mostly zig-zags with diffrent teeth configuration, which are only usefull to make decorative stitching embroidery style and only realy interesting when used in combination. And I found the stitch selector to be a bit off putting. And there is not automated buttonhole not even a 4 step one. I was expecting the machine to run realy smoothly ( mine tends to vibrate at high speed ), but it "grinded" that may just be that it needs a realy good cleaning and oiling but I don't think it is just that. And it still vibrated. I didn't realy care for the stitch lenght selector, it too is cumbersome, and I don't realy like that the reverse doesn't just spring back. Threading the needle was a bit or a challenge there a bit too many thread guides and they are not easy. My brother kept saying that he was happy he got the 401 because having tried both machine to make a cover for this boat he found that only the 401 could punch thought all the required layers.I tried to make a jeans hem with some scraps he had on hand and I had more difficulties then hemming atcual jeans on my machine.
I guess a mature seamstress, might find it a great machine, But it is definatly not for a novice, nor I think an intermediary.
I understand that there is about 20 years difference between the Singer 401 and my Omega900. And it is quite likely that even if my machine is cheaper it does contain some improvement over the other. But over all the "much coveted Singer 401-J", didn't live up to my expectations. Sorry, maybe there is something wrong with me, but the NG is always telling newbies that a sewing machine is a personal thing, that you should buy one that you are comfortable rather then the best deal or the best machine. And I am more confortable with my Omega then the S401.
So enjoy your 401 everyone,
Jean
PS all this doesn't mean that I might not borrow my brother's 401 for a few months someday just to give it a good run and try all of those stitches just to see what I can do with it but I probably won't leave him my machine as ostage while I try his out.
There's an email list you can sign up to (click on Join Digest). If you post your question there someone will tell you what your machine is... and when and where it was made, and the name of the factory's tea-lady at the time. OK, I lied about the last one, but they are a very knowledgable group. If anyone knows it'll be them.
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.