That’s a singer 491. A very serious industrial sewing machine.
Take a peek and see if you can see where it was built.
These things came with a clutch motor and could run at 5000! stitches per minute.
Think sweat shop with 50 of these things screaming out at once. Churning out garments at a fast rate.
It should be able to sew through most any garment - jean weight fabric.
Think a home type machine, all metal, on steroids. It’s not really designed for leather of heavy thread.
If yours is not beat to heck, parts should be readily available. But mostly these were rode hard and put up wet…
Looks to be missing the pressure foot and the dingus that holds the needle. And some stuff that sits on top to control the thread.
For mere mortals, getting a variable speed servo motor makes it controllable at slower speeds. Cost $140-$150 ish for the servo control.
Depending where in Texas you are, there might be a repair shop that could take a look at it for you.
I’m sure you could make or modify a table to mount it.
Get it working and it would be a fun toy that will last home type users forever.
All the Best,
Jeff
all the motions inside have to be synchronized, the needle can go up and down, and yet 10 or 12 other movements inside the machine are off-timed , and it will not sew til you set all that
that lever on the left has to go up and down too, but it may be connected directly to the needle part
you will have to figure out the exact threading process
plus -which way the needle faces )if it still does not sew(
it seems to have no stitch length control, or reverse
those are pretty handy
Those clutch type motors that the industrial machines run are scary fast and not easy to control.
That’s why mere mortals replace them with the servo type that can run at a slow speed.
For example: servo motor on Amazon
Even if someone in the know thinks it’s a boat anchor, you could still give it away on Craigs list to someone who could use it for parts.
I’d like to have it just to take it apart and see what’s inside.
I was one of those kids where nothing was safe if I could get it apart.
Unfortunately, the gett’en apart is easier than the putt’en back together. But it set me up for a lifetime of tinkering fun.
All the Best,
Jeff
Yeah, Without someone who is familiar with the machine, it would be tough to know what it needs.
I found a manual, but it’s kind of tough to tell what’s going on.
There are a few Youtube vids that have the 491.
Let us know what you end up doing.
All the Best,
Jeff