This is my workhorse sewing machine. I supplement her with my embroidery machine and my serger, but if I could only keep one machine, this is the one I’m keeping.
The Singer Model 503A Sewing Machine features a slant shank and rotary hook. It uses Class 66 bobbins and 15x1 needles. Singer 500 Series Model Descriptions; A Card Table for the 500 Series; The 503 Manual (9.1 MB) The Back of the 503 with the carrying case in the background. 1961 Singer 503A Slant-O-Matic, called the 'Rocketeer' for it's groovy design. This is a gear driven aluminum machine, with the needle slanted forward to make the work easier to see. Runs single or double needle, with built in bobbin holders and single needle spool holder. Uses standard needles and class 15 bobbins. Look under singer sewing machine co. In phone book, for address nearest you. Principal parts of singer. machine 503 needle position selector stitch chart singer fashion disc bobbin winder stitch width selector hand wheel stitch length regulator throat plate positioning lever take-up lever thread control pressure. This Consew sewing machine is a great investment for a sewer wanting to work on upholstery projects. It features a walking presser foot which works in conjunction with the feed dog system to move both the top and the bottom of heavy duty fabrics and multiple layers of fabric through the sewing machine without bunching or stretching.
After the last 503A was made in 1963 the Anderson plant manufactured power tools and domestic products. After 1975 the ‘Athena’ electronic sewing machines were made at Anderson. By the 1980’s when Singer ceased to make sewing machines in North America, the Anderson plant continued to manufacture power tools, until on 1st.
She’s a over 50 years old and I inherited her from my mom, who purchased her for $50 (cabinet included) at a garage sale.
In fact, I like her so much I have a backup model (not in a cabinet) that I got at a garage sale for $25.
She is a Singer 503 Slant-O-Matic, sometimes also referred to as a Rocketeer or a 503a.
So, why do I think you should hunt for and buy one of these old machines instead of a new one? Mostly because she can do pretty much everything a brand new machine twice (or more) her price can do and then some.
With the exception of electric motors and computerization, the mechanics of a sewing machine haven’t changed all that much since they were invented almost two hundred years ago. Now granted, she has attachments to achieve what newer machines use their computers to achieve, but I kind of prefer the mechanical attachments. They don’t give you error messages.
First, she’s all metal. Take a look at the inside:
There’s no plastic here, which means her parts don’t wear or break as easily.
See the thread path illustration on the left in the picture above? It’s more complicated than most of the new machines, and as a result I have very few tension issues. See, the more back and forth of the thread, the more loopers to put it through, the more opportunities to regulate the tension before it gets to the needle.
She comes with a variety of stitches, just like a new machine
The difference is that her stitches are tied to discs, not a computer. The disks look like this:
Singer 503a Sewing Machine Reviews
and they snap in and out here
The pattern of bumps around the edge of the disc translates to what the needle does, kind of like playing a record. Pretty cool, I think. These discs are the only plastic part in the machine.
Included in the cabinet when my mom bought her was the original manual and an assortment of feet and attachments.
My Rocketeer can do automatic buttonholes when I attach this piece
It goes on where the foot attaches. You take off the foot and attach this piece, press the pedal and the buttonhole sews out for you. It has metal disks in different sizes that you switch out to make different size buttonholes.
I was in college sewing on a new Brother machine before I learned how to make 4-step machine buttonholes because this attachment spoiled me.
She also came with two ruffler attachments. They’re both the same, one was just a spare I guess.
It doesn’t look too different from a modern day ruffler, does it? It works the same way; you attach it instead of the regular foot and she’ll ruffle away.
So, she straight stitches and zig-zags and does multiple other stitches with perfect tension, she can do automatic buttonholes and ruffle just by pressing the pedal. Why would I even think of replacing her?
Seriously, between my mom and I we own 5 of these older Singer machines (the 300 and 400 series machines were also great, these were made in the 1940s and 1950s). We can’t help but compulsively buy them when we see them, saying they’re for “spare parts”. But who needs spares when the originals don’t wear out? (OK, but don’t tell my dad or Hubby that. We need them to believe the spare parts argument in order to feed our vintage machine addiction).
If you ever see one in working condition, BUY IT. Unless I see it first, then back off.
As I've mentioned before my Singer Slant-O-Matic 503A is my favorite machine. I have a confession for you. I've been using another machine. My lightbulb burned out my my precious 503 and I was forced to use another machine for a bit until I replaced the bulb (which really isn't that hard as it turns out. The bulbs are readily available at JoAnn's for less than $3.00 and are really easy to replace). I am a late night sewing person so the lightbulb is really very key so I had to use another machine for a while. I pulled out my Singer 301A, also a slant needle machine like the Slant-O-Matics. The 301 was the first slant machine. Mine is from 1956 and he's a beauty. (I'll post a photo of him soon. Promise).
I found him on an online classified ad. The seller wanted $60.00 for him plus all his accessories. I'll admit, I was first drawn to him only for his accessories (which work on the other slant machines; you just have to remember they're made for a straight stitch machine). He was decked out with just about every original accessory he would have come with: his original trapezoid case (which is awesome in itself), a buttonholer, automatic zigzagger with the original 4 cams plus an additional 4 optional cams, all of which are in their original boxes with original instructions. He also came with his original manual, which was the old one with the black cover, his original green accessories box packed with feet, and 6 original vintage bobbins. I wanted his accessories but had also wanted to try out one of the original slant machines. And at $60.00 that can't be beat.
I gave him a quick test drive and he was amazing. Very smooth. Very quiet. Very cute. $60.00 later the adoption was complete and he was a member of my (ever growing) sewing machine family.
Singer 503a Sewing Machine Review
The 301 is sometimes called the big sister of the little Singer Featherweight sewng machine. Like the Featherweight, the 301 is a portable machine but it's a bit bigger. The 301 is a 3/4 size machine, which means it's lighter and more portable. Lighter compared to other solid metal machines, that is. It still weighs in at about 16 pounds plus the accessories and case. There are tables for the 301's but mine is strictly a portable machine; I keep him savely tucked in his case when not in use. He's a straight stich only machine, which of course means there's no zigzagging with out the automatic zigzagger attachment. I have found that my current sewing projects (mostly super small doll clothes) do not require much zigzagging and the straight stitch machine fills my needs well.The bobbin winder for the 301A is on the front of the machine. It's really pretty genius. You push the bobbin up against the handwheel and that is what fills the bobbin. In theory I guess you could be filling a bobbin while you were sewing. If you really wanted to.
Anyway, when theh lightbulb on Sinclair (my delightful 503) went out I dragged out the 301A, set him up, and have been using him for a while now. It's great because he's so portable I can sew anywhere in the house without much trouble setting him up. I can sew at night in the living room, which is way from the kiddies, and not worry about waking them.
Singer 503a Sewing Machine Reviewer
There certainly are times when a zigzag machine are key. I haven't yet tried the zigzagger or buttonholer on the 301A yet but will let you know what I think of them when I do. It's so simple to switch from straight stitching to zigzag on the 503, 401, and 500 machines that I go to them when I need zigzagging capabilities.
Singer 503a Sewing Machine Reviews
But I am really liking my 301A.