Post-War Domestic Rotary Machine

Just a quick video to show this machine since I had the cabinet open to work on it.
Here's a video on how to thread the machine: • Threading the Domestic...
Looking for the manual? Go here! ismacs.net/domestic/manuals/d...
Want to see more vintage machines? Let me know!
Find me at www.SteamCat.net and buy me a cup of coffee if you find this useful.

[@ethan073]

This machine is virtually identical to my White Model 43

[@billjunking_fool5549]

I was just looking at my pants thinking I'm going to have to patch them my mother taught us to sew just now I was driving down the road and picked this one up it looks identical to yours I'll definitely keep it and get it ready to sew my torn clothes thank you for your video😊 I forgot to mention it was sitting out there for free😊

[@steam-cat]

Nothing wrong with free! No doubt you've discovered some of the many KZbin channels devoted to restoring vintage machines. Here's the link for the manual: ismacs.net/domestic/manuals/domestic-rotary-153-series-sewing-machine-manual.pdf

[@billjunking_fool5549]

@@steam-cat thank you I definitely appreciate that I'll look into that right away I hope you have a good weekend

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

I got one of these as a gift in about 1991. The cabinet top "automatically" opens the machine into the use position. There is a cable and cam system that is connected to the top panel. The thing is a BEAST! It can punch its way through the thickest canvas, vinyl and denim. I'm going to go look around at your other vids and see if you have anything about using the attachments, what they are and how they work. Thanks for this excellent look at your machine!

[@karenmattingly8527]

Really.neat machine.

[@jafinch78]

Thanks for sharing! I have the exact same cabinet looks like. Really neat. Picked up with the brochure too which I've documented on my Facebook and on the FB Vintage Cabinets, Bases, etc. group. James Analytic on the FB. Neat machines! I still need to perform some test stitches as I'm behind and catching up with my previous acquired rescues and the 153 was maybe a week ago's acquisition. Thanks for sharing!

[@user-vn5bn2og1j]

مكنة قمة الروعة والاناقة والابدأع

[@ronald5629]

You should always put something between the motor and the sewing machine to keep the motor tire away from the flywheel when not in use

[@beakittelscherz5419]

hi from Germany. Very Interresting Video.. Never heard of this Branch of machine... A Tip on the Filming: Quality with a cellphone is totaly fine. But you can make it way more stable for yourself using a stick. You get those cheap on amazone. I use my Microfone stand where I clamped the handle with the phone on. quite easy setup but effective. Thanks for showing. will check out your Channel!

[@steam-cat]

Thank you! Normally I use a different camera on a stand or tripod, but I really wanted to get close-up on this one. One day I'll be able to get a gimbal to stabilize the cell phone.

[@ronald5629]

Just like mine.. one of mine

[@maryzermeno6824]

Puedes paaar mas despacio el enhebrado de la tension y como sacar la bobina

[@ronald5629]

1949

[@carolzelle7647]

What did you use to clean the outside of your machine. It really looks nice.

[@steam-cat]

Most of the time it was sewing machine oil. A mild soap and water solution will work on the cast iron. I was lucky in that this machine had ben generally taken care of and was inside a table with a cover. That kept a lot of the grunge off.

[@averyhy]

Great Video, My wife was gifted my mothers machine after she passed, it is a treasure for me just because of its ownership and the fact my sister and I grew up wearing clothes made on this machine. if you have any knowledge or suggestions i'd appreciate it,,, it is picking up the thread from the bobbin ok, while the tops stitch looks good the bottom on get extra thread bundled up as it sews... any ideas

[@steam-cat]

Thank you! Often the issue you're experiencing is due to thread tension. It could also be that it didn't get threaded correctly. If you don't have a manual, please grab a copy from the link above. Top thread tension is easy to set, but the bottom can be a little tricky and can take a lot of patience. There also may be a bit of old thread caught in the upper thread tensioner. Examine it with a magnifying glass and you may be able to get it out with a pair of tweezers. Another trick that often works is to run some unwaxed dental floss through it. This is all assuming you've properly oiled the machine, which you probably have. If not, there are instructions in the manual. I use Singer sewing machine oil (no sponsorship!), but any basic sewing machine oil should do the job. And just to cover all the bases, make sure you're using a new needle and thread, and that the needle is inserted correctly. The latter is a common mistake, especially if you have multiple sewing machines. I hope that helps, and do let me know if you get it working.

[@labrat8876]

Thanks for the video! I recently got one of these machines but I'm not finding any info on how to clean and restore it. The outside is not problem, I want to refurb the innards.

[@steam-cat]

You're welcome! Do you have a manual? You can find one here: ismacs.net/domestic/manuals/domestic-rotary-153-series-sewing-machine-manual.pdf The White, Domestic, and Kenmore are essentially the same machine. I was never able to find a service manual online, but you shouldn't need one just to clean it up. Have sewing machine oil, an old rag, and cotton swabs handy for cleaning. These old machines usually just need some TLC. You shouldn't need to use anything other than sewing machine oil and elbow grease, unless you find you need to replace parts. Good luck!

[@steam-cat]

Forgot to mention to look for videos from shops that repair vintage sewing machines. You should find someone taking one of these apart.

[@VianaOliveiraArtsandCrafts]

Hi. Thanks for your video. I bought one at goodwill and I fixed oiled everything. I have a problem the upper thread is not picking up the thread from the bobin. Everything looks fine down there. Do you have any idea what of what could be? I appreciate thanks

[@steam-cat]

Thanks for watching! You might double-check that the needle is in correctly and is not bent. The flat side of the needle should be facing the screw. Also make sure the bobbin isn't in backwards and that the tension is correct. Have you downloaded the manual? The link is below. You can compare with the pictures and make sure everything is correct. I hope that helps.

[@jafinch78]

Like SteamCat noted and making certain to thread from left to right. So, thread from round side of the needle shank to the flat side seems to be the general rule I've found so far in my journey. I was having an issue and have also had on other White's that are badged differently (Kenmore, Domestic, White) that use the same bobbin (#744) design, where the bobbin case, shuttle and race needed a more detailed cleaning out since was full of debris and I found a cheap dental pick helps a bunch to get into all the locations. I made a video detailing more thoroughly for the White FR here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnWsZYp4drxjoaM I have a bunch of videos regarding these White's since they're so addicting being they're so quiet I've found compared to the Singers and other machines when cleaned, in spec. and oiled thoroughly.

[@ronald5629]

Make sure you're turning it the right way because these turn away from you instead of toward you on the top of the flywheel

[@rich-f-in-tx6388]

It's built by White Sewing Machine Co. of Ohio. They bought out Domestic in 1924. This model is basically a White 77MG in a different shaped body. Only looks like the stitch selector/adjustor is different (in that the 77 had plastic knobs). *edited to add: have you figured out that you cannot use a side clamping attachment on a top clamping machine? 😬

[@steam-cat]

I just grabbed the top zig zag attachment and went with it. There is one that fits the machine in the drawer.

[@nancycarmona2441]

Where i he bobbin go I am looking at buying one of these for heavy quilting I like ur presentation

[@rich-f-in-tx6388]

@@nancycarmona2441 The bobbin goes in the bobbin case

[@steam-cat]

@@nancycarmona2441 Hi! Glad you enjoyed the video! Please check out the reply to Wonderland Alice, which has a link to the manual.

[@mariazermeno9688]

A mano derecha está una plaquita que dice “reverse” y “forward” y long y una pala quita,para que son?por favor.saludos

[@steam-cat]

It reverses the direction of the feed dogs so you can move the fabric backward as you sew.

[@wonderlandalice7031]

I dont know how to thread it! My great grandma's had this and I refurbished all of the red wood and it's beautiful but I don't know how to start using it. My bobbin cover I think it too small. Do I need that?

[@steam-cat]

You refurbished the cabinet? How awesome! I'd like to do mine. As you can tell, it was repainted before I acquired it. It's hard to say for sure on the bobbin cover without actually seeing it. I have a couple of suggestions. One is to look through any attachments you have. You may find it there. The other is to check ebay for a replacement. I've found lots of parts for vintage machines there (and even my old Victrola!) at decent prices. A really good resource is the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society. They have a PDF of the manual here: ismacs.net/domestic/manuals/domestic-rotary-153-series-sewing-machine-manual.pdf It's not that hard to thread, but it's different enough from modern machines that it does take a bit of practice - and a diagram, which you will find in the manual. It's free. I hope it runs well for you. Good luck!

[@mrupholsteryman]

​@@steam-cat thanks for this! I just picked up (within the last 2 years) a Kenmore and a Domestic (that looks exactly like this one...but in a different table) The Kenmore ended up becoming a flat place to store sheets and blankets 😒 and I still haven't gotten the parts I need to make it run happy....but the Domestic that I just picked up today...has some more work needed 😅🤣😂 But at a price of 10 dollars for the machine and a small table.... I'm gonna use this pdf you provided to learn along the way. The vac and sew store locally seemed to give me the idea that the older machines would be very difficult to find parts for... I am wondering if there is a market for restoring these tables or even making custom tables.... I only have the one bobbin that is in the unit... I thank you again for this video. I come from an auto upholstery background and was curious about how these less expensive units may work for leather work and sewing through fiberboard etc.... And IF there is a way to MAYBE make an extension to make it a LONG arm sewing machine?? I know the newer ones fetch thousands of dollars...but if I can maybe see about how the internals may be elongated to make a Frankenstitcher... may be a worthy investment of a welder and a custom table to still keep it like designed to hide when not used.... Anyone else tried this??

[@steam-cat]

@@mrupholsteryman Congrats on your machine purchases! There were a variety of cabinets available that fit those machines. I see the occasional video where someone has restored a cabinet. There could be a market for it. They ought to sew through leather. My first project on the machine (after the cover) was re-covering our bar stools. Since they had piping I was sewing through four layers of leather-look vinyl and I had no problems at all. Okay, maybe a tiny bit of pilot error since I was still kind of new to the machine and I'd never done that sort of project before. ;-) I was really pleased with the results! As far as parts go, you might find some on eBay. That's where I found my replacement rubber wheel. You should also be able to find bobbins either there or on Amazon. Otherwise, having one or two around for parts may not be a bad idea. I'm not enough of a machinist to know if you could Frankenstein a machine into a long arm. However, there are some alternatives out there. There are frames you can buy but they aren't cheap. There are several DIY options out there, though. I'll leave you to explore them. Just search for "DIY quilting frame" (without the quotes). I used to have one of those frames, but it was wood and eventually warped. If I were doing it again I'd probably go with PVC. I totally get the "storage" aspect of the cabinet. When mine is not in use it doubles as a table for my laser, and I keep a small cart in the kneehole of the cabinet for extra storage. The Steam Cat Labs is a multi-purpose space! (Don't worry, folks! The laser has an enclosure which is vented outside. Safety first! There's a reason the cat wears goggles!)

[@jacquelineyanez5991]

What kind of needle does it use

[@steam-cat]

I've had no issue with modern Singer or Schmetz needles. My last project on that machine was heavy duty vinyl and the Singer leather needles worked great.

[@soneil7745]

What's the date on the sales receipt?

[@steam-cat]

It's pre-1960, and was bought used.

[@soneil7745]

@@steam-cat I was just curious about the year to see what that price is today. It seems like no one has any date info on postwar models except a rare find like a dated sales bill like what you found.

[@elizabethclaiborne6461]

White owned Domestic and had the contract for Kenmore till 1958. The Nationals and Montgomery Wards look like Whites but aren’t, the parts do not interchange. Singer parts don’t work. White made machines and National made machines both use clamp on feet - they do not interchange.

[@seamstressajm]

You didn’t show the bobbin, and how to thread it. Great video though, except for that

[@mariazermeno9688]

Hay otro youtuber,aunque no le puso sonido,pasa despacio el enhebrado de la máquina y la bobina,igual lo busque “como enhebrar bobina en una máquina Domestic Rotary” o sale como white rotary