My machines are all straight-stitch only; I have an assortment of feet for it but almost always just a foot like this (which would also fit your 237):

http://shop.sew-classic.com/Low-Shank-Straight-Stitch-foot-narrow-45321-45321.htm

You may need a different foot in order to do zig-zag.

No affiliation with sew-classic, but I've purchases from them in the past with no complaints.

Good luck with your new machine; be sure to give it a thorough cleaning & oiling.

thanks again guys. i didnt end up getting above pictured machine. it was not working and the owner wanted quite a bit for it. meanwhile this machine popped up on local craigslist. i called the guy, it is working, he wants $80 for it. should i take this one? looks like newer model than the other one. looks like 306.

upload image

Machine seems to be in decent condition; cabinet is rough. I'm not familiar with the 306, but did find this page which wasn't very complimentary [1]. Personally I'd probably pass, given the points about availability of needles & bobbins. Might not be a big deal, but could be a deal-breaker. Be patient & keep your eyes open; sooner or later something will come along.

Besides Craigslist, another good source for old machines is estate sales. Most of the machines I have I picked up at estate sales for less than what folks ask on CL.


[1] http://sewing-machines.blogspot.com/2009/08/singer-that-should-be-forgotten.html

That's a Singer model 15, probably a 15-91. It's a classic all metal machine which will handle the webbing, fabric, and heavier threads you'll use making gear.   It's easy to service and replacement parts are available and inexpensive.  Buy it if the price is right, $50-75 for a working machine.

Yep, that's a 15-91. Grab it. Great machine; very desirable & lots of online maintenance/repair information.

Webbing (i.e. daisy chain) works great! Here's a pic of my DIY bag w/daisy chain. This was its maiden voyage/shake-down ride, so I only strapped the top tube (used paracord - dual use in case of emergency); used one-wrap on the seat & down tubes. For "real" rides I'll paracord the whole perimeter.

Yes, the material will likely fray if you simply cut it and leave it unfinished. Personally, I wouldn't try ironing/melting it - too easy to ruin it.

If you can't/don't want to hem it yourself, I'd recommend finding a local seamstress/alterations shop who can alter it for you. Hemming pants is a pretty quick & easy job; shouldn't cost much.

Glad you got it sorted out.

For future reference, in the past I've stopped by the local police station, explained my plan, and asked if there was a good place to park my vehicle. They let me park in the back of their lot, and I gave them my phone # just in case. Worked out well, and they weren't left wondering why an apparently abandoned, out-of-state vehicle suddenly appeared in town.

+1 to sean's thoughts, especially since this is your first sewing effort - no need to make it more complicated with curves.

Another option to alleviate the cable rubbing would be to run full-length housing.

Nice. I used an old kraton grip, cut in half. Not too stiff, not too soft. Here's a pic with my DIY sling (the sacrificed grip's sibling is in the foreground). It's a bit of a PITA to thread the straps through the grips, around the bars, and through the sling, but it's only done once before the trip, so it's not a major deal IMHO.

A couple newer pics. FYI I painted the rack using Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy, which has held up well so far.

Here's the new upper loop.



Easy to stack a handlebar bag on top of the bag in the rack.

Thanks for the compliments. I'd always wanted to learn how to weld/braze, so a couple years ago (with no experience) I bought a torch set & tubing bender, and learned how to do it. I've always been a "maker" and I've come to enjoy metalworking & brazing very much, but didn't realize going in how much more cutting & filing time is required versus actual torch time. Not to mention a good amount of head-scratching time.

Alex Wetmore's rack building blog posts were a *big* help and inspiration - http://alexwetmore.org/?cat=298

Since those pictures were taken I've replaced the top loop with a smaller loop. I'll post some updated pictures when I have some time.

I built/use a Minty Boost [1]. Works fine; weighs 1.3 oz w/o batteries. Pack as many AA batteries as you'll need for a trip, or buy 'em along the way.

[1] http://learn.adafruit.com/minty-boost

I also run my bar-end cables under the bar wrap. Works fine.

Looks very nice !!
Always interested in construction steps (always eager to learn).
Regards,
Berten

Thanks; link to construction steps added to original post.

Made this matched pair of feedbags. Large enough to hold a 32oz Nalgene bottle. I attach them to handlebars & stem with a long length of paracord, although velcro one-wrap or zip-ties would also work.

The hi-vis interior makes it easy to see what's inside.

Construction steps available here.



Edited to add link to construction steps.

Looks good! Thanks for sharing.

Looking to make a handlebar sling but I'm hung up on how wide to make it. As wide as my dry bag? Wide enough to cover my brake levers? I suppose "a bit too wide" is better than "not quite wide enough"? Maybe I'm over-thinking this and it's really not all that critical? Thanks for any advice.

Don't get frustrated if the first one doesn't turn out perfect.  Might even be a good idea to get some cheap fabric to try a simple one first just to get used to the whole process.  Good luck and keep us updated with pics.

+1. I made my first (and only) frame bag with inexpensive pack cloth...in the event it was a total loss I wouldn't be out much. But it worked, and continues to work. Learned a lot - tried some things that worked well and others that didn't work so well. Next one I'll make with some fancier material (maybe...).

Cool. Looks like it could use some refinement, but if it works then I can't complain.

Nice machine. Must be open season on Singer 201s...I picked up a 1950 edition today for $15. Seems to run well, but I'll probably take it in for a thorough cleaning & tune-up.

FYI, the user manual is still available on the Singer website [1], and a (very thorough!) service manual is available in the 'Files' section of the wefixit Yahoo group [2] (need to join for access).



[1] http://www.singerco.com/uploads/download/651_201.pdf
[2] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wefixit/

I've never seen an alky stove like this. Very inventive so simple and light. I really like your complete kit. Did you make the windscreen as well?
It looks like it doesn't let any heat escape that does not help heat the water.

Thanks! Yes, I made the windscreen as well, using this tool. It seems to work well. I made it from some 0.025" sheet aluminum, so it's pretty stout. A couple bike spokes cut to length are used for the pot support. I like that it comes apart & fits in my pot. I'm really intrigued with caldera cones but it doesn't seem as though they pack very well.

Another advantage of this stove design over the pepsi stove I used to use is that this one is much easier to recover unused fuel from.