Singer HA-1 User manual

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Instruction

Manual

For generic HA-1

15 class

Sewing Machines

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Your HA-1 Sewing Machine

This is a generic instruction manual for straight stitch

sewing machines that are commonly known as HA-1s.

The HA-1 machine is mechanically a clone of the very

old Singer 15 class, such as the 15-30 or 15-87. Many

later 15 class Singers, such as the 15-91, used a differ-

ent shuttle/bobbin case arrangement which was mostly

reversed from this style. However, this early style be-

came so prevalent that Singer eventually switched back

to the earlier arrangement.

HA-1 machines have been sold with hundreds of dif-

ferent nameplates, but are all essentially the same.

Most of the HA-1 machines have been built in the far

eastern countries since the end of WW2. There have

been numerous modifications, but the basic machine

has remained so similar that this instruction book will

cover the important points for many machines.

The bobbins are the common 15 class, and the needles

are known as 15X1 (US), 705 (H or B, European), or

HAX1 (Japanese or other far eastern), followed by the

# that designates the size. A US size 16 = a European

size 100, size 14 = size 90, size 12 = size 80. The Euro-

pean # tells the actual size of the needle, such as the

100 is 1mm in dia., the 80 is .8mm in dia., etc.

Prepared by:

Bill Holman

Madison, WI

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TO REPLACE THE NEEDLE

To replace the needle, raise

the needle bar to its highest

point by turning the hand

wheel (Fig. 3) TOWARD

YOU by hand. Loosen the

needle clamp screw (A) on the

right hand side, and the needle

clamp will open, allowing the

old needle to slip out.

Remove the old needle and

slide the new needle up,

(FLAT SIDE TO THE

RIGHT) as far as it will go.

When the needle hits the stop,

it is positioned correctly.

Tighten the needle clamp

screw securely. For best re-

sults change needle frequently.

Note: Use only

15X1, 705, or HAX1

class needles.

NEEDLES AND THREAD

Never use a bent needle, nor one with a blunt point, since this

causes imperfect stitches and may cause the needle to break.

Unless the needle is in all the way, flat side to the right, the ma-

chine will not function correctly, and you will not get good results.

The size of the needle should conform to the size of the thread,

and both should be suitable for the material being sewn. In most

applications, use the same thread top and bottom, and always use

good quality thread and needles.

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THE BOBBIN CASE

Important

In the follow-

ing opera-

tions, the nee-

dle must al-

ways be

above the sur-

face of the

machine. In

raising the

needle, al-

ways turn the

hand wheel

toward you.

REMOVING THE BOBBIN CASE

INSERTING THE BOBBIN CASE

Slide or lift the access plate. (Fig. 4) With left thumb and forefin-

ger, open the hinged latch (A-Fig. 2) on the bobbin case, and hold

securely as you withdraw it from the post. (D-Fig. 2) *Note the

position of your fingers on the latch, because it is important to grip

it the same way when reinserting it into the machine.

After installing the bobbin in the case, grip the latch with your fin-

gers in the same position* as when you removed it. (Note: If you

grip it with your fingers pointed directly toward the case, it will be

difficult to install it in the machine.) Guide the bobbin case back

onto the post with the finger (B-Fig. 2) into the notch (C-Fig. 2).

This should be an easy operation requiring no force. When you

release the latch, it will snap onto the groove on the post, and the

three or four inches of thread hanging free from the bobbin case

will be brought up through the needle plate as shown on page 8.

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WINDING THE BOBBIN

Note: This machine uses standard

15 class bobbins. The bobbin can

also be wound while the machine

is in operation by not releasing the

stop motion knob as described be-

low, in which case, machine and

bobbin winder will operate at the

same time.

While holding the hand wheel with the left hand, turn the stop mo-

tion knob toward you. This will permit the hand wheel to turn

freely while the needle bar remains still. Place a spool of thread on

spool pin (A). Pass the thread through the tension disk (B) at right

corner of the base of the machine. Attach the thread to an empty

bobbin by winding it around numerous times or inserting it inside

out through one of the holes. Place the bobbin on spindle (C).

Push the bobbin winder (D) down until the snaps against the hand

wheel, and finger (E) drops between the sides of the bobbin. Oper-

ate the motor until the bobbin is full or the finger (E) snaps up and

disengages the bobbin winder. Do not over fill the bobbin. Cut the

thread, and tighten the stop motion screw while holding the hand

wheel. Your bobbin is now ready to be inserted in the bobbin case

(pg. 6) and installed in the machine (pg. 4).

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TO THREAD THE BOBBIN CASE

Hold the bobbin case between

the left thumb and forefinger

with the slot up. With 4 or 5

inches of thread trailing in the

direction shown…

...insert the bobbin into the bob-

bin case and pull the trailing

thread back into the slot, down

and to the left, until it snaps into

the “delivery eye” under the ten-

sion spring. When you pull on

the thread, looking at the bobbin

in the open side of the bobbin

case, the bobbin should rotate

clockwise.

There should be a slight but

consistent tension (drag) on the

thread as it is pulled through the

“delivery eye.” The tension can

be increased by turning the ten-

sion screw clockwise decreased

by turning it counter-clockwise.

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UPPER THREADING

1– Place a spool of thread on spool pin (A).

2– Bring the thread from the back of the spool, (so that the notch

in the spool is up) and lead it through thread guide (B).

3- Run the thread down, between, and under the tension disks (C)

from back to front.

4– Bring the thread over the guide bar (D) and through the check

spring (E).

5- With the take up lever (F) in its uppermost position, bring the

thread through it from back to front.

6– Run the thread through guides (G) & (H).

7– Thread the needle from left to right, drawing it through about

4-5 inches.

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TO PREPARE FOR SEWING

Thread machine as per pages 6 & 7.

Pick up the bobbin thread by holding the loose end of the needle

thread with your left hand while turning the hand wheel toward

you until the needle moves down and up and the thread take up

lever has reached its highest position.

Pull gently on the needle thread where it is looped down through

the needle plate, and the bobbin thread will come up through the

needle hole. (If the bobbin thread does not come up, recheck your

threading, and be sure that there is 4-5 inches of thread trailing

from the bobbin case.)

Finally, place both thread ends toward the rear of the machine,

with the needle thread going between the two presser foot toes

(A).

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TO START SEWING

TO REMOVE THE WORK

With the needle raised and the threads drawn back at least 4

inches through the toes of the presser foot, place the material

to be sewn beneath the presser foot and lower the presser

foot lift lever. Turn the hand wheel toward you until the nee-

dle enters the material. Regulate the desired stitch length

(Fig. 12) and start sewing.

Do not try to help the feeding of the material by pulling by

hand, as this may bend or break the needle. Gently guide the

material as it feeds in the direction you want to sew.

Stop the machine by releasing the pressure on the foot or

knee control and stopping the hand wheel with your right

hand. If you are stopping to turn a corner, stop with the nee-

dle just entering the material. If you are going to remove the

material, stop with the needle and take up lever at their high-

est positions. Then, raise the presser foot lift lever, draw the

material to the back about 6-8 inches, and cut the thread.

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Fabric Selector: The height of

the feed dog may be regulated

according to the thickness or

other characteristics of the ma-

terial being sewn, by proper

setting of the drop feed knob.

1– When sewing normal to thick materials, turn the knob to

the “NORM” position.

2– When sewing thin materials, such as silk, which require a

gentler feeding motion, turn the knob to “SILK.”

3– When a situation arises when you want to move the ma-

terial by hand, such as in darning or embroidery, turn the

knob to the “DARN” or “EMBR” position.

OTHER FEATURES

PRESSURE CONTROL

The pressure control (Fig. 4, pg. 5) controls the amount of

pressure that the presser foot applies to the material. Differ-

ent HA-1s use two versions of the pressure control, but you

can regulate it by screwing it up and down or using the snap

release, to find the pressure that provides the best feeding

action.

PRESSER FEET & ATTACHMENTS

Your HA-1 is equipped with a standard low shank mounting

system. With this arrangement, it is easy to find almost any

type of presser foot or attachment for your sewing needs.

Fig. 11

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