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Thread Number: 11178
Singer S1 |
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| Post# 120686 1/9/2011 at 01:52 (4,848 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
Hi guys new poster here, been enjoying the site for some time but have finally become a member so I can join in on the conversations. I have come across a Singer upright I believe is an S1 in excellent condition. I am wondering more about this machine & if it's worth the $50 price tag they are asking for it? It is intriguing me & I also wonder how rare it is, if at all. Glad to be a member & get to know you all better :) I am posting a photo I found in the archives of a model that looks the same. It would be the vac on the far right side of the pic.
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| Post# 120687 , Reply# 1 1/9/2011 at 02:01 (4,848 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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Missing Pic | ||
| Post# 120689 , Reply# 2 1/9/2011 at 02:08 (4,848 days old) by kenmore81 (Warwick, RI) | ||
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| Post# 120691 , Reply# 3 1/9/2011 at 02:16 (4,848 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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| Post# 120709 , Reply# 4 1/9/2011 at 08:56 (4,848 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
A SINGER S-1 'Magic Carpet' upright in excellent condirion?
Pay the man the $50! Totally redesigned by Raymond Loewy in 1946, it replaced the Singer R-3 (deemed by Loewy looking like Napoleon's Hat cross-pollinated with a crab) on the left hand side of the picture. Singer kept this extreme low profile style in production for several years with minor cosmetic changes. The S-1 and S-2 are a pinkish buff color and the S-3 is light grey. If it's an S-1 it will be stamped on the motor's rating plate - that would make it the first version Magic Carpet. Vacuums fine on the compressed low nap carpets and rugs and bare floors of the day but anthing plusher will bog down the floating brushroll. It won't become your daily driver unless you have Industrial Office carpeting. :-) First upright to have it's motor and fans placed horizontally, it's a fun and stylish upright with unique true twinfan design - intake fans on each end of the motor with a spindle on the left side driving the brushroll belt. It set the engineering and design bar for upright motor placement right up to the present day. 
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| Post# 120711 , Reply# 5 1/9/2011 at 09:07 (4,848 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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The S-1 and S-2 have the Singer Red 'S' logo with the green lady at her sewing machine.
The S-3 eliminates the Lady. Rare? Well, not plentiful, that's for sure. I looked for ages for one until I got the grey S-3. I know of two shops in the USA that have several beater parts machines stashed in the back room but haven't been able to convince the owners to part with two-to-make-one yet. I really want a pink S-1 or 2 to complete the twinset. :-) Dave 
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| Post# 120715 , Reply# 6 1/9/2011 at 09:45 (4,848 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA) | ||
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| Post# 120718 , Reply# 7 1/9/2011 at 12:06 (4,848 days old) by electrolux~137 () | ||
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btw, the man standing on the right is Raymond Loewy. | ||
| Post# 120719 , Reply# 8 1/9/2011 at 12:24 (4,848 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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Dave, thanks for the reply & history w/ great pics!I was hoping that someone could fill me in on the history of the machine.
Now I realize I should have taken pics while I was there to help me recall all the details. I got so excited when I saw it, but didn't have much time to spend there. Sounds truely like it was revolutionary for it's time. I knew there was something about it that told me I needed to take it home with me. The brushroll did look to me like it would be less effective on today's carpet, not only b/c of the fact it's floating but the bristles looked they are spaced far apart. Will go back tomorrow & see if it follows me home to the rest of my collection :) | ||
| Post# 120734 , Reply# 9 1/9/2011 at 15:42 (4,848 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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Loewy had and kept a full french pompador and barbered moust | ||
| Post# 120735 , Reply# 10 1/9/2011 at 15:45 (4,848 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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| Post# 120736 , Reply# 11 1/9/2011 at 16:11 (4,848 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR) | ||
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| Post# 120738 , Reply# 12 1/9/2011 at 16:17 (4,848 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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You're gonna prize it as a Historical Art Object...maybe
This shot from the bottom with the lower shell half open shows the generous twinfan airpath and the ease with which the belt and brushroll can be changed out. Both halves are aluminum castings with a couple of keytabs and one lever latch to hold the halves together.
The latch lever rod is just in front of the motor. Between the front rollers on the bottom shell is a tab on the axle that rotates half a turn to a flat spot, retracting the rollers 1/4" for most floors and carpet. Since the brushroll floats and contacts the surface on those two long side arms hinged inline with the motor shaft, a plusher carpet benefits from the extra height adjustment. The arms, where they support the brushroll have tapered rubber bumpers that are easy to mix up in a restoration. The taper must face up toward the headlight or the brushroll will bind and jam in the raised position. The green glass headlight lens surrounded by the rubber bumper trim is about 1/2" thick and I've yet to see a broken one. 
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| Post# 120740 , Reply# 13 1/9/2011 at 16:25 (4,848 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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| Post# 120742 , Reply# 15 1/9/2011 at 16:35 (4,848 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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The cloth bag has a 6" inner cloth chute that should keep settled debris from falling back into the fans.
To preserve and protect the original cloth bag, I fitted a flattened accordion-fold fibre organ ducting up-tube and use top fill Hoover paper bags, the one with the long paper up tube. Works great and does not distort the Singer bag profile. Dave 
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| Post# 120746 , Reply# 16 1/9/2011 at 16:45 (4,848 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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how such a mistake got printed
Charles, the same way Olivia Mattis (and many other Theremin sites) state that the Theremin was invented by Leon Theremin, not Terman.
It is a wonderful interview, though... Thanks for that link, Charles. Now we can put a face to Account Executive and engineer H. S. Barnhart. CLICK HERE TO GO TO aeoliandave's LINK | ||
| Post# 120758 , Reply# 17 1/9/2011 at 18:21 (4,848 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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Dave, I am so enjoying the history of this machine. I have always loved vacuums, but the history behind them & how they have evolved thru the decades is so fascinating!
I thought I read in one of your previous posts that you added a paper bag to preserve the original cloth bag. Thanks for the photos for illustration of how you did that. Did I also read that you used a Hoover round belt on this machine as well? Thats what I thought I could use when I turned it over inspecting it the brief moment I looked at it. People wonder what it is about vacuums that I collect them, but I have to say they just don't understand the design & history behind these machines. Most just take for granted these wonderful machines found in almost every household today. I guess I thought that this vac would be much more complicated in design, but the design seems simple, yet effective. | ||
| Post# 120906 , Reply# 19 1/10/2011 at 22:40 (4,846 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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Well... it finally followed me home
I returned & bought the Singer this morning. Turns out that it is an S-4 model. However some interesting things I find about it are that it has the lady at the sewing machine on the logo. Also it is the pinkish buff color. Dave do you know if they went back to the original color & logo on the later models? I am really excited to have it in my collection.I wonder were there anymore S models after the S-4?
I haven't had time to give her the spa treatment yet, but I wonder about laundering the bag? Good idea or not?? It has some oil spots & watermark stains on it. Also want to try & convert to paper bags. I am posting pics of it that I shot quickly to show you guys. Here's the head to toe shot: 
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| Post# 120907 , Reply# 20 1/10/2011 at 22:47 (4,846 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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| Post# 120908 , Reply# 21 1/10/2011 at 22:50 (4,846 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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| Post# 120909 , Reply# 22 1/10/2011 at 22:52 (4,846 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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| Post# 120913 , Reply# 23 1/11/2011 at 00:17 (4,846 days old) by electrolux~137 () | ||
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That's really in lovely condition. IIRC, it's kind of a noisy bugger isn't it? But it's a real find, and at what I'd consider a reasonable price. Congratulations! | ||
Post# 120925 , Reply# 24 1/11/2011 at 03:51 (4,846 days old) by arh1953  ( River Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida) |
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$50.00 for that? | ||
| Post# 120934 , Reply# 25 1/11/2011 at 07:32 (4,846 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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| Post# 120942 , Reply# 26 1/11/2011 at 08:56 (4,846 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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Beautiful machine in great cosmetic condition!
Golly, Brian, I didn't know they made an S-4 even!
Which begs the question, how many years did Singer make the S? And what was the next Singer upright that followed it and when? Since it debuted in 1949, did they raise the S model number each consecutive year? I've only seen it in grey (S2 - mine is an S-2) or pink (S-1 and now, S-4). My reference picture files show an S-2 in beige-y pink and an S-3 in grey...so you could have your S in either colour but what is the meaning of the number designation? Curious minds want to know... Other than colour and logo plate I've noticed no other changes or improvements to the basic machine. Anyone in Vacuumland with a Singer S, it would be helpful if you would tell us your model No, colour, and serial number to aid this timeline research. I'll be doing the same with any other S I come across or know where they are. Handwash the bag an a sink, or tub, with a mild detergent, after turning it inside out and vacuuming and detaching from the exhaust fitting. Hang to dry. It will come out cleaner than before but some stains will be hard set forever - mine has a stain line at the bottom. And then there's this General Electric Twin Power slimline that appears to incorporate the same principals but lacks a cordwinder and adds a Saran outer bag with disposable paper liners. It appears to fill the bag through a rotating nozzle connection platform the bag rests on rather that a direct attachment at the rear exhaust like a Hoover or the Singer. Claimed to be a half inch slimmer. It has the style of the very late 50s and as far as I know no one has posted a picture of one in their collection. Anyone have one? 
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| Post# 120944 , Reply# 27 1/11/2011 at 09:27 (4,846 days old) by Ohio_Tuec () | ||
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I wish I did. I get the feeling they are rarer than hen's teeth, I guess most people bought G.E. canisters at that time. The only place I know that has one is the Vacuum Cleaner Museum in Missouri. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Ohio_Tuec's LINK | ||
| Post# 120975 , Reply# 28 1/11/2011 at 16:23 (4,846 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR) | ||
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Just to throw a monkey wrench into the works....I had an S-4 that looks EXACTLY like Brian's, but mine took paper bags!
All of the S-4's I have seen are that color scheme. I have only ever seen one S-series that was grey, and I don't know what the "number" part of the model number was. And we thought Hoover was confusing! | ||
| Post# 120995 , Reply# 29 1/11/2011 at 20:02 (4,846 days old) by briguy (Wichita, Kansas) | ||
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Dave, I thought you would find the S-4 an interesting model in the lineup. I want to know more about the history of the entire line as well if anyone of you Vacuumlander's out there have any details or pics.
John, I would like it if mine were to take paper bags like yours did. However I may try to convert mine as Dave did if I can do so without destroying it! We'll see... Now I need to get giving her the spa treatment & make my first Youtube vid. :) | ||
| Post# 120999 , Reply# 30 1/11/2011 at 21:47 (4,846 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada) | ||
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Keep throwing those monkey wrenches and eventually we'll
The paper bag option must have been introduced after the S-1 and was possibly a retrofit any Singer vac shop could do to a 'bagless' model. Only after examining a great number of Ss could one reliably come to a conclusion as to which had what and when. My grey S2 shows no signs of being anything other than a single cloth bag arrangement.
I bagged it simply enough, based it on the Hoover top-fill paper bag idea with the paper 'proboscis' extension. Found a corrugated tube that would fit snugly inside the short inside black cloth baffle and stepped on it to shape it into a slim oval with a J curve at the bottom. I did this to avoid bending and choking the uptube while creating a minimal profile bulge showing through the outer bag when collapsed. Rubber banded the cloth collar on the new uptube. The paper bag with the top fill trunk I used was the right width to fit the narrow Singer bag, so it creates no unsightly bulge there either. Thanks for the info, Karl. I found the Museum picture and that's another reason - as if I needed another - to try to get there sooner than later. | ||
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