As I mentioned earlier, a proficient laid of hollow-ground screwdriver bits is a must if you're going to run on your machine. You tin lead to purchase an entire laid or purchase the bits individually, which may run out cheaper depending on your needs. If you lot are a gun-owning household, you lot may already lead keep a laid lying to a greater extent than or less the house, as gunsmithing screwdrivers are hollow-ground. (By the way, the hexagonal shafts of screwdriver bits are standardized, hence you lot tin role whatsoever chip amongst whatsoever other manufacturer's handle.)
Here I'll review the iii sets I lead keep sense with, together with betoken out some purchasing errors I made, inward hopes you lot won't produce the same. If you lot already lead keep some screwdriver bits that jibe some Singer parts, produce non purchase an exclusively novel set, that's a waste matter of money. Just hold off until the adjacent entry, where I'll comprehend some private bits you lot tin add together to the ones you lot have. That volition last a lot cheaper.
B-Square
My outset purchase was this B-Square screwdriver set. I got it for $33 at a local gun store, it was the only laid they had. I rapidly regretted buying it as most of the chip blades are likewise sparse for most Singer screws. That beingness said, the grip included inward the laid is my favorite of all I own:
The long shaft provides proficient torque, together with it's my go-to grip for removing tough screws (like the thick ones that attach the potted motor of a 201-2 or 15-91 to the body). I role it amongst non-B-Square bits.
If you lot ain a broad multifariousness of sewing machines (or guns) you'll last working on, perchance B-Square's thin-blade bits volition run for you, but inward practise I hardly role whatsoever of them. I wouldn't recommend this laid if you're working exclusively on Singers.
Brownells
The minute gunsmithing tool companionship I looked into was Brownells. Having learned my lesson yesteryear wasting my coin on the B-Square laid filled amongst bits I didn't need, I painstakingly measured a bunch of Singer screw slots amongst a caliper to decide the size of bits I would need. I together with hence ordered only the ones I needed at $2.99 per bit, together with ordered a curt grip together with instance to comport them all. Brownells also sells screwdriver sets, but I institute that none of them had a high per centum of bits that I needed.
The Brownells bits are my favorite of all I own. They're one-and-a-half inches long, making them both slowly to grip together with useable as mini-screwdrivers inward their ain right, which I truly like.
This curt grip I ordered from them (#080-089-005) is proficient for spaces where the long B Square grip won't fit, similar when you lot take to take away a machine's hinge screws from a instance or cabinet.
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| The curt grip is swell for getting into cabinets together with cases. |
By the way I mis-measured some screws together with had to re-order some unlike bits, hence I wasted almost $20. To aid you lot avoid this problem, I'll comprehend precisely which Brownells bits are proficient for Singers inward the adjacent entry (it's gonna accept a lot of photos).
Chapman
If you lot don't desire to bother amongst purchasing private bits, Chapman Manufacturing Company's 9600 laid is the best value for the money. For almost $29 you lot acquire a proficient arrive at of 12 slotted-head bits (and another shapes I never use), the ratchet, together with a grip amongst extension. With only these 12 bits I'm able to take away every screw I've tried on a Singer 15-91 together with 201-2. The extendable grip is useful because you lot tin acquire inward a long or curt screwdriver, together with as I described inward an before entry, the ratchet is swell for taking off the needleplate together with feed dogs.
While the Chapman bits are non as long as the Brownells bits, they are also designed to last used as mini-screwdrivers, amongst a knurled steal expanse at the top.
The Chapman laid is the 1 used together with recommended yesteryear Ray White, the sewing machine repairperson whose class I lately had the pleasance of taking. He mentioned that he had heard some reports of people occasionally breaking these bits; inward the resultant of a stuck screw, Chapman bits are designed to intermission before the screw does, but I lead keep non experienced this myself.
You tin mail-order the Chapman laid (#K9600) from Ray White here.
You tin also gild it on Amazon at this link:
Conclusion
If I had to start over amongst screwdriver sets, knowing what I know now, I'd belike only purchase the Chapman laid together with salve the residual of my money. I've spent over $100 to notice out what works, together with acre I can't acquire that coin back, I tin at to the lowest degree move yesteryear this data on. You should last able to acquire what you lot take for almost $30, less if you lot already lead keep some bits or handles to start with.
I similar the Brownells for their heft but the Chapmans serve as good together with toll less. I notice the B-Square bits, inward improver to non plumbing equipment Singer screws well, hence curt that they're hard to handle. They're hence stubby I oftentimes lead keep problem getting them out of the magnetic handles together with sometimes I lead keep to role pliers.
Another affair you lot may desire to reckon is the size of the cases. For example, if you're going to last the resident repairperson for your quilting group, the Chapman instance is the smallest: For guys, it volition jibe inward a jacket pocket; for gals, it volition jibe inward a purse.
Full Disclosure
Lastly, I should refer the Amazon link upwards above. Whenever you lot meet me set upwards an Amazon link, that's because I signed upwards for their affiliates program. That way if you lot click on the link together with truly purchase the product, Amazon gives me a few cents. Because this is the case, I don't desire you lot to recollect I'll force junky products on this spider web log together with travail to play a trick on you lot into buying them. I'll only give honest reviews of products I lead keep at 1 time sense with, together with if Amazon sells them, I'll set upwards a link. Believe you lot me, whatsoever coin that happens to trickle inward from Amazon is going dorsum into sewing machine repair research.
Go on to Screwdrivers, Part 4: Bits That Will Fit a 15-91
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