Wheeler & Wilson
Generic Info -
Needles, Threading, etc.
Wheeler & Wilson Sidewinder - Generic Info:
History: Wheeler & Wilson manufactured these wonderful Side-Feed Sewing Machines from 1852-1876.
(Just as a time reference: ... Lincoln Dies & the Civil War ends in 1865. )
Multiple variations on this style machine were produced, some silver plated, some painted, but all had the distinctive dual arms that so easily identify them.
There were 3 primary variations:
1) Flat, wide base, with the drive shaft exposed.
2) Flat, slender base, with the drive shaft exposed. (AKA the Waisted base, since it appeared to be cinched at the waist)
3) Boxed base, where the drive shaft was hidden beneath the cast iron 'box' formed around it.
After 1856, they also incorporated their patented Glass Presser foot insert, which allowed the seamstress to see her stitches right through the presser foot, allowing her to stitch much closer to the edge.
Several interchangeable presser foot inserts were offered, which could swap out the glass foot for a rolled hem foot, or any other foot they offered. It was a very good design feature.
In their time, these were the most desirable machines available, and were the equivalent price of a new car, nowadays.
(Now, I don't know if that's a Chevette, or a Benz, but either way, it was a lot of money. : )
Operation: The seamstress sits at the front end of this machine, & feeds the fabric side to side, instead of front to back, as almost all other sewing machines do (only a very few other machines feed this way.) I thought they were so cool when I first saw one, but I'd imagined they would be huge. As it turned out they were surprisingly small, at only 6" tall. (the sewing plate is only 4" x 6")
These machines run off of a Treadle (as do most early antique machines), but this one uses an unusually wide, flat Belt to drive it. The flat belt is about 2" wide (most treadle belts are thin & round, like a rope). This treadle also locates the belt at the center of the foot rocker, between the seamstress's legs (See the bottom for a real example), while most treadles locate the belt & flywheel to the right of the seamstress's legs.
My Thoughts: While these machines were intended to run off a centered flat belt, I see no reason why they could not be used with a more common thin belt treadle, as well. The leather covered belt guide on this machine is designed such that a regular belt should not slip off sideways, if you attached it to either edge of the shaft. It is slightly rounded - making the edges smaller than the center, which should be enough to keep a well fitted belt in place, on either edge.
Or, you could simply mount a motor below the table, & attach a shorter belt from it to the drive shaft.
Note the large Stitch Length Regulator on the Left. It merely turns an off-center dial, which in turn stops the feed dogs from advancing beyond the set point, thus controlling the stitch length instantly, & without fuss. These guys were so ingenious, & this is the best design I've ever seen for stitch length adjustments. Super easy to turn, too (at least after I'm done with it).
NEEDLES: Several valuable machines of the time required a curved needle, & they're hard to come by now (you can't just bend a long needle - believe me, I've tried). The Grover & Baker Needle is very similar to the W&W, & might fit, but since they have very different gaps between the Needle Point & the hole, you'll likely have to fiddle a bit to get the timing right to catch the hook below.
W&W Needles load so the hole is front to back, towards the Presser foot. The Needle End should protrude about a quarter inch above the dome shaped Screw that holds them. It's important to load that needle properly, & in the correct way. There are two holes in the dome shaped Screw Head. The one closest to the point of the dome is a thread guide - before feeding through the needle, down below.
The hole just behind that one is for the Needle. There's a corresponding groove in the Needle Bar Arm, which isn't seen unless you remove the Screw. Be sure the Needle is seated within that groove before tightening the nut - FROM BEHIND. It's hard to access that tightening nut, unless you have a slender wrench that will fit in there, but it must be tightened from the Nut ONLY.
TIP: If you don't have a tiny wrench, you may find it easier to simply remove the Presser Foot assembly entirely, so you can access the nut any way you want. (Removing that Presser Foot assembly is only one screw to remove the whole thing.)
Below, you can see the single Screw - on the far LEFT, which removes the entire Presser foot assembly. Easy Peasy - especially on my refurbed machines, because I clean out all the rust & debris, clean the screws, then oil them all upon reassembly. (If you're working on a rusty machine, WD-40 is your friend, and a BIG screwdriver, possibly with some Vice Grips to help turn it.)
TIP: Be sure the needle bar is as high as it will go before you start, then Be very Careful not to ding the Needle, as you remove the presser foot. They're both hard to replace.
On the far Right below, you can just see the tiny Nut that backs the dome shaped Needle Screw. It's a bit of a 'feel your way along' thing, to be sure the needle is in the slot, & the screws' thread-hole is in position, while tightening the Nut ONLY. Never try to use the screw head to tighten. That hole needs to be lined up for the thread guide, so ONLY the Nut can be tightened, or you risk breaking the needle.
Needle: Sideways Adjustments may be needed over time. If your Needle seems to be hitting something (you'll hear a ticking sound as you sew), or not catching the looper below (skipped stitches), you can try adjusting the Needle Position to see if that fixes the problem. It's quite easy to do, & only requires a large-ish screwdriver, & either fingers or a wrench to loosen those big Nuts.
There are 2 quite large screws on either side of the back end of the machine (See picture below). These screws hold the Needle Bar in position - side to side. If you loosen one screw, then tighten the other side, you will move the entire assembly towards the side you loosened. The giant Nuts are there solely to stop any further movement, once you're happy with the needle position. I've only finger tightened them on my machines, but if you're working on another machine, you may need a wrench to loosen them.
Obviously, you want to BE Sure your Needle is Raised above the presser foot hole while you do this, so you don't break the needle, or the glass presser foot insert.
STEPS:
1) RAISE THE NEEDLE SO IT DOESN'T GET DAMAGED! Get it well above the presser foot, so when you loosen things up, it doesn't flop down & break either the Needle or the Glass insert.
2) Loosen both Nuts - Just a half turn - but Not the Screws, yet.
3) Look down the Needle arm from the front, to see which way you need to travel, to adjust the Needle position. (You can lower the needle if need be, to see which way, but raise it back up before you loosen any Screws).
4) On the side you want to move towards - Loosen just that Screw a Half Turn (or less), Keeping in mind the Needle bar may slump a bit, so watch/protect that Needle as you go.
5) Tighten the Screw on the other side - the same amount as you loosened the first screw. That should tighten up the Needle bar again, only now centered just to one side or the other of where you started. Check that Needle position now, & if it's good, tighten up the Nuts, & if not, repeat adjustments accordingly, until you get the Needle positioned where you want it.
6) Tighten up the Nuts, then do a final check on Needle Position. If you're happy, test the movement. If you've tightened things up too much, you may find it stiff to move. Just loosen things back up a tiny bit, if it's too stiff.
FYI: Those big screws are not screws on the ends. They're just pivot pins for the Needle bar to pivot on. Too tight, & the machine will be stiff - too loose, & it will flop around. There has to be some wiggle room, so it can pivot easily, but not so much it slides around sideways. A drop of oil does wonders for all moving parts, so do oil it regularly, especially if you use it a lot.
Bobbins need to be loaded so the thread comes off clockwise, & loose enough for the top thread to slide around it easily - but not so loose it falls out. It will likely feel a bit sloppy, compared to modern machines.
TIP: I use a pen to hold it in position, as I tighten the slide's knob.
BRUSH: That brush located at the lower left of the Bobbin needs to just touch the outer ring, to slow down the thread just enough for the needle to catch the next loop. It should just touch the ring, but not split the bristles.
Shown here is a Thread Waxing attachment - which is almost always missing. This one says 'Patent 1863'.
These were filled with Wax, & as the thread passed through, it got waxed.
Threads were more apt to break back in the days of these machines, & Waxing helped prevent fraying & breakage.
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Tension Rings are unusual on these machines, because they're all 1-piece, so the tension coils do not press to hold the threads tighter between two rings - as most machines do, they merely slow the spinning of the tension rings, as the thread passes around it.
Some directions say to wrap the thread all the way around the tension rings before moving on (Top), while others say to simply feed the thread over the back & top of the tension rings before moving on (Bottom). Then you simply have to adjust the tension nut to determine the best tension for the threads & fabrics you're using that day.
These machines came with 2 coil options - a flat coil for finer fabrics (Top), or a spring coil for heavier fabrics (Bottom).
I've used both, & see no significant difference.
Shown here is a Thread Winding / Needle Sharpening Bar - which is almost always there, but no one knows what it's for, because the Sharpening Stone is usually missing, & the Bobbin is either inside the machine, or missing as well.
These bars are merely screwed into the side of the machine, so it spins along as the treadle spins the drive shaft of the machine.
One need only press on the sharpening stone, or the bobbin, to either sharpen the Needles, or wind Bobbins. Notice how skinny that Bobbin is. Even so, it takes a while to wind it full by hand. Much better to have it filled with the treadle bar. (I don't have a treadle so I simply unscrewed the bar, and spun it in my hand for a faster option to fill the Bobbin, rather than fingers only.)
Tip: It's a bear to get the thread back out, if you wind the tail end into the Bobbin. You'll need a piece of paper to dig it back out. Nothing else will fit in that slot. It's just the width of the thread, with no excess, so either keep the thread tails out, or keep a folded paper handy.
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Needles were not readily available for people spread out across the country, & far from the Manufacturers, so being able to sharpen your own needles was a valuable option. I suspect that's at least part of the reason the W&W Needles have such a long tip - beyond the needle hole, assuming more than one sharpening between needle changes. You can easily see the grooves on this sharpening stone, where it's been used a lot to wear it down this much.
The flat parts on the bar are there to get a wrench on it for tightening. I think it gets pretty tight with just finger tightening, but your experiences may differ. : )
FYI: You can remove the Bobbin winder Bar when sewing. It's got nothing to do with actually using the machine. It's just an attachment to make Bobbin winding easier, or Needle sharpening. I'd imagine it's in the way when actually sewing.
Wheeler & Wilson Treadle
with a Flat Belt setup.
Note: Ladies in 1860-70's were wearing floor length dresses, often with many layers underneath - to fluff out their skirts.
Now imagine using this - without getting your skirt caught up in that center wheel, as you pump those pedals.
I'd be worried using this with pants on, much less a huge skirt.
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FYI: These machines were the price of a new car in today's $$, so this wasn't for the poor folks.
This was the BMW of Sewing Machines at the time.
