Singer Industrial Sewing Machine for Jeep Canvas

[Farrell Fox]

My newest acquisition to my production operation. 1938 Singer 145WSV27. This machine was employed by the Army QMC for repairing tents and other heavy canvas items. The second image is of one of these machines being used to repair a GPW top at Camp San Luis Obispo in 1944. This machine will speed up production, implement accurate stitch counts, and future tops will have the honor of being made on this war time machine. Special thanks to Ravenna Armory​​ for pulling strings to help me get this shipped from Vermont to California!

[Mark Tombleson]

Great find, Farrell!

[Silly's MB]

Really nice Farrell,
The perfect jeep canvas is getting closer !

[Dave M38A1]

Pretty cool.
I like using original equipment for its intended purpose.
Took some auto restoration classes at the local community college. Upholstery was tough. I had a hard time seeing how to turn things inside out to sew it right. My seat covers for my civilian Jeep came out about 6 inches short so I had to attach a little tail to make them long enough to mount to the seat frames. It did work but If I made more, each one would get better.

Dave

[phantomfixer]

awesome find.....love them old Singers...even better if USGI used... enjoy

[nick peters]

Well done Farrell respect in your search for Authenticity.
regards Nick

[Fernmelder]

Actually, the pictures below yours show what appears to be the 30" long arm version. The military even ordered these in their portable shipping crates, as evidenced in the color photo. The military version was called the 144wsv51. Have a look at your data plate as illustrated, and let us know what you find. Variations were common depending on whether it was a one or two needle model, as well as length, either 20" or 30". Could be yours is a prewar commercial model procured and used by the military. Either way, a nice addition to any workshop and a testament to the design and machining capabilities of the pre CNC computerized world we know of today.

[70th Division]

Hello,

Wonderful acquisition Farrell !
Recovery of a piece of American Industrial Legend with that Singer ,
That should treat you well, and your high quality productions,
very well done


Best Regards,

Ray

[Farrell Fox]

Fernmedler,

Do you know the TM number that illustration came from for the 144wsv51?

.....Never mind, I found it!

http://www.supsew.com/blog/wpfb-file/si ... wsv51-pdf/

[Farrell Fox]

1953 Army Ordnance reclaimation depot, canvas reclaimation and fabrication.

At 19:00 in: https://youtu.be/oL1iOSBpWL0

[Falldownjaeger]

Nice find! I've got a Singer 269W11 42-stitch bartacker, a Yamato Class 7 walking foot machine and a Singer 212W twin needle (3/16" gauge) for making plate carriers and other stuff for the Joes on Carson. Had more machines in my spare room, than walking space, I'd sit in the middle on an office chair and bounce back and forth withing a 5x6 ft area knocking out fabrication on the various machines.

[Farrell Fox]

I picked up this Singer 78-1 locally from a nice French lady. The machine is an industrial walking foot made August 1910, so it's pre-WW1 era. It was originally foot powered, but was converted to electric clutch motor. I'll be converting it back to foot power. It has an amazingly simple stitch length adjustment, and will be great for making straps and sewing on the GPW binding tape. This machine sews through everything I have!





This photo shows a similar foot powered machine being used to repair a GPW top in France, 1944.

[Chuck Lutz]

Farrell...check out one of the tops I gave you. It has a circular stitching in a dark RED thread color for a hole. I have seen the same kind of stitching pattern and red thread used on shelter halves before also. I believe the "reclamation" machine might have been using that kind of thread as well but the B&W photo makes that impossible to detect!

It takes a really GOOD machine (and needle!) to sew a doubled-over strap and the canvas it is being sewn onto to avoid breaking the needle and making the machine strain its clutch to sew it one.

[RedArrow2016]

So cool that you got that machine going, my girl here does that for a living she makes canvas for our military vehicles all the time. But hope to hear more about how that machine is going...

[Farrell Fox]

I built a replica mobile unit table for my 145W. Not exact, but pretty close.