Free Westinghouse Sewing Machine Serial Numbers

Posted : admin | On 17-08-2021

From what we have been able to learn so far - from the serial number, 132784, the machine was made 2/26/1906 in Cleveland Ohio. I downloaded a manual for a W7 Treadle. The unit needs some parts, such as the belt, throat plate, more bobbins etc. And does need some TLC. Free Westinghouse Sewing Machine Serial Numbers The Free-Westinghouse Electric Sewing Machine Model 52F in a Cabinet has an estimated value on the secondary retail market for an of average of $300.00-325.00, depending on the condition and where it is for sale.

There are a couple of vintage machines I have talked about in the past that have a special needle that is almost Impossible to find. If you do happen to find some, they can go for as much as $6.00/each. The Free Westinghouse Rotary and the New Home Rotary are two groups of machines that use these special, short needles. I am basing all of the following information on the New Home model NLB rotary sewing machine.
Below is a picture of a needle for the NLB and along with it, a plain, size 14, Schmetz needle that you can buy at your local retailer.
I lined the 'EYES' up to show that the shank of the normal, Schmetz needle(bottom) is longer than the New Home(top), CC1221 needle. Now, according to a very knowledgable sewing machine expert named Bill Holman, you can grind the shank down on the Schmetz needle so that the distance from the 'shank head' to the top of the eye is the same as the New Home needle.

I have this very convenient, desk top grinder that makes this process very easy.

Here is a picture of the two needles after the grinding process on the Schmetz needle. The 'EYES' do line up and the shanks are the same length. The needle point on the Schmetz is a bit longer but that doesn't matter.

When the hook passes the needle on any sewing machine it must be within a proper range from the EYE to be able to pick up the upper thread consistently and at a high rate of speed. If you try this grinding process yourself, please wear the appropriate safety gear. I have tried this process with great success.
Westinghouse

This is a picture of a properly timed NLB and a CC1221 needle. Notice the distance of the 'Hook Point' above the 'EYE'. If the needle shank was longer, that 'Eye to hook' distance would be greater. Too great a distance to pick up that upper thread consistantly with todays standard needle. There are several different Needle part numbers out there that may or may not work consistently with your machine. If you look back at picture 1 and 4, you will notice that the NLB needle (CC1221) is very close to 1 7/16' in length. There are other needles advertised at this length but the eye is not at the correct location. Here is a 206X13 that is advertised to work.
The 206X13 needle is about the same length, but it is not a match. The eye is not the same distance from the shank head. It is almost 1/16' too low(pictured). All this information is just my opinion from experience and research. Any additional information is welcome. We should all continue to learn.I read this online:
'New Home has records showing manufacturing dates up to 1955. If you have a machine manufactured by New Home or Free Westinghouse and want to know the year of manufacture send the serial number to the New Home Sewing Machine Co, P.O Box 25901, Los Angeles, California.

Has anyone ever done this? Or 1800 631 0183 is the phone number on the ISMACS website: http://www.ismacs.net/newhome/home.html it is Janome now, I found out when I called but they were closed for the day. Janome seems to own; Free Westinghouse, New Home, Elna, Necchi! Crazy how there were so many manufactures and now there are just a few that bought them all out!


The machine I am trying to date

So not to be put off by a little thing like time difference I went to the Janome website http://content.janome.com/index.cfm/ContactUs/General_Inquiries and filled in the 'contact us' link. I put N/A for the required fields of Dealer and Software, then I chose a random purchase date to get past that required field, I got a Prompt reply this morning:

'We will need the place of manufacture of the machine in order to date a New Home treadle sewing machine. This information should be on or under the needle plate area.'

Of course it isn't written on or under my machines needle plate, but the decals mention Rockford Illinois:

Free Westinghouse Sewing Machine Serial Numbers And Dates

So I have emailed them back but am not holding out too much hope that they can help, however it is good to know these Free/Westinghouse, Necchi, Elna and New Home machines can potentially be dated by Janome if you can supply them with the necessary details.

My machine's serial number isn't in the Rockford Illinois listings, so although that is where the company was based that is not where my machine was actually made, so Janome cannot help me unless I can find some indication on the machine of where it was made. Oh well, hubby can help me search but I don't like our chances and I don't want to know enough to pull the thing apart on the off chance it is written in it somewhere!!