Vintage 306W singer sewing machine

Depends...how much are they asking for it? What comes with it? What condition is it in?

The 306 is a great machine (I have one) that takes cams for decorative stitches. However, it uses a special needle size not readily available.

It has a cleated 'drive belt' that is not available anymore, so take a good look at the one in the machine and if it is frayed at all, don't buy it.

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

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It's a very powerful machine. Some have been adjusted to take a standard needle, some have not. My biggest complaint is that you have to lift the whole machine to get at the bobbin. In looking for a good picture of one, I came across an interesting page on eBay.

If it has been re-timed, you will have problems balancing the tension because the feed will be slightly out of time and generally the upper tension will be real heavy to compensate for it.=20

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------

starting in the sewing busines ,what kind do you recomend me I will be sewing lots of denim,cordury,cotton ect. thank you so much for your help. Maria.

starting in the sewing busines ,what kind do you recomend me I will be sewing lots of denim,cordury,cotton ect. thank you so much for your help. Maria.

In your position, depending on what is available to you, I think I would look for a Singer 401, 500, a Pfaff 360, an Elna Supermatic, or other all-metal, mechanical machine with a good selection of utility stitches.

If you will be using the machine steadily, like for 8 hours at a time, then you will want to look at industrial/commercial machines, which won't offer you as much versatility in stitches, but which will hold up to extremely heavy use. Most seamstresses can use a home machine, because they don't run the machine for hour after hour, having fittings, cutting out, pattern selection, hand finishing, and other activities other than sewing. But any kind of production sewing requires a machine designed for constant use.

Thank you very much, I need to buy a good machine since I'm starting in the sewing busines ,what kind do you recomend me I will be sewing lots of denim,cordury,cotton ect. thank you so much for your help. Maria.

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A Singer 401 is a great choice. Several people on this group have this model, as do I. It was the top of the line in the 1950s, with boatload of built in stitches, no belts (all gear driven) and all metal...it will set through anything you can fit under the foot. Needles and bobbins are readily available. It's a real joy to sew on, too.

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

--------------

since I'm starting in the sewing busines ,what kind do you recomend me I will be sewing lots of denim,cordury,cotton ect. thank you so much for your help. Maria.

stitches.

fittings,

Elna Supermatics get my vote. Powerful, durable all metal construction and a HUGE amount of stitches possible via cams.

C.

Great machine provided it has not been re-timed to take regular needles. Needles should be fairly easy to get from a sewing machine store, or on line, we buy from the industrial supply man in town You do have to lift up the machine to change the bobbins, but it does have a pretty good support system. I use this model along with a couple of straight stitch Singer machines in a retail alterations business. The 306 is used mostly for the repair (ie darning tears) of oil industry coveralls. Also for sewing leather patches on welders garments. It is in constant use throughout the day and has been for about 3 years. We are looking for a couple more to add to the business. I do like the machine very much. Friend just picked one up for her drapery business. hope this helps

It should not cost much since many of them were made. They are excellent heavy duty machines. They are very rigid and sturdy and run pretty quiet.

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I have a Singer "Automatic Swing-needle Machine" Model 306W that is in ORIGINAL

I have a Singer "Automatic Swing-needle Machine" Model 306W in ORIGINAL con dition, works great and has ALL original attachments and disks. I have use d it occasionally. My mother bought the machine originally and I inherited it at her death. It has the original Sewing Machine Cabinet. If interest ed please replay and we can negotiate a price plus shipping.

YOu do realize that post is 12 years old right?

a gigglegropper posting from

2601:601:8280:4dd7:f516:d8d8:48bf:97d1...

So probably not.

Hey, a topic is a topic in our present state of desuetude.

I know that the 400 series was Singer's peak moment, and I have personal experience of the "Touch and Swear" properties of the 600 series, but I'm not familiar with the 500 series, and I don't recall the 300s coming to my attention before this thread.

A brief DuckDuckGo search turned up a page claiming that 300 models were the first new machines designed after World War II. It also says that the 301 was named after the ISO name for the lockstitch. I think I've found a bit of advertising hype from the early fifties -- "In one minute it can throw up to 1,500 stitches into your lady's crinolines."

Ah, paging down, the document "celebrates [Singer's] 100th anniversary" in 1951.

Further reading: It's a collector's review of the machine, with extensive quoting from period sources.

Seems to be everything the author knows thrown into one long scroll, with no attempt to organize the material. At the bottom I find that it's on a website for a 301 fan club.

If the 301 was the first new post-war design, when was the 221 designed? One of the quotes says that the 301 replaced the Featherweight in the hearts of quilters.

Wikipedia says 1933.