Imperial sewing machine, model 535: I am looking for an owner's manual and other info on this machine
An exhaustive internet search yielded very little about these lovely sewing machines. From information from Needlebar.org I found parts of other machines were similar but not exactly the same. Parts of these machines were built in Japan after WWII and imported to North America for final assembly and badging. Here are the few links I found. If you have an owner’s manual for a model 535 please let me know.
Imperial sewing machine, model 535: Front, Perhaps made in Japan and badged in North America
Fate has voluntold me as the human caretaker of an Imperial Sewing Machine, model 535. This lovely machine was left out on the curb as trash, coincidentally as I was bicycling. Though the machine weighs a LOT, it is all metal and sews very beautifully. It even sews quieter than my Singer. The 535 has straight and zig zag stitching, and can darn. Included were about 5 different presser feet. Casting marks “J-C 27” and “304-1”, and printed marks “JA/3”. A thorough internet search has provided very little, except a couple of photos of similar machines, but images from Needlebar.org shows parts of similar looking machines were manufactured in Japan and badged in North America, circa 1950-’60s. As I did not see a Model 535 anywhere I hope that someone can see my photos and help me find its origins, and perhaps an owner’s guide.
Singer 29k71 Patcher is a very versatile machine. The treadle stand is missing.
If you know this machine then you know how versatile it is, helping you out of tight spots. Old they may be, but they certainly do a great job at fixing up modern day clothing. While the design of these machines has varied little from the ~1910s the machines can be purchased new today with near identical designs.
It is not easy to use, nor is it easy to set up. The bobbin is small and has a very limited capacity. Threading of the bobbin requires some learning, as this is unlike other machines. What is the purpose of the long wire?
Singer model 217, ~1960s: Simple and reliable, and always ready for me.
Old Singer sewing machines are well made and built to last. My Singer model 217 was handed down to me and sews very well. I was dismayed that the machine would not turn over as it did before and discovered that the motor needed replacement. These motors are no longer made so getting a replacement was not straight forward. After the motor replacement my Singer hums along like new. Maybe I will sew up some Canadian flags!
Google's China specific search engine is gone, ending self-censorship
You have to admire Google for standing up for its corporate philosophy. I could not see how Google could continue to self-censor its content in China while continuing to uphold its corporate values. I also could not see how Google even agreed to enter the Chinese market in 2006 on the condition that they self-censor. Today Google will dismantle its China-specific search engine and redirect queries to its Hong Kong based site. Of course the Chinese government was outraged, as expected. I believe that for the internet as a community, something was lost today, though I am unsure what. Was it possibly a global sign that we can all get along?
Regex is an acquired taste: initially bewildering and bitter, but given time it grows on you. Eventually you begin to appreciate its bouquet. Small, efficient, and powerful, Regex epitomizes good code. This is an advanced discussion of Regex I have found useful in Pipes. If you are new to either, then read up and play.
Sunforce 12v Power Sports Charger 50014 is but a battery maintainer, not a charger
Solar power has always been enticing idea. You point a panel to the lovely sun and it returns usable power. With few exceptions the sun rises each and every day, so theoretically you have unlimited access to power. Unfortunately the reality of economics creeps into the equation, initially taking the shine off solar power. Wanting to play with the technology, a Canadian Tire sale on small solar panels allowed me to try it out.
The RSS (Really Simple Syndication) Logo. RSS is so useful but abused.
Should not an internet feature with the label “Really Simple” in its name, be in fact really simple? After working with Really Simple Syndication (RSS), unfortunately this is not or is no longer true. In fact wider variations of this very useful tool threaten to reduce the effectiveness of this useful tool.
On Dontai.com I scan the world for RSS (Really Simple Syndication) blog and news feeds that deal with China and Japan. These RSS feeds are funneled into categories for me to read. Sometimes certain RSS feeds misbehave and therefore need to be deleted. One particularly annoying issue is an RSS feed that continues to show up as “most recent”, even when the article is obviously older. When these feeds show up as most recent they clog the news feed, pushing down more recent articles to a lower ranking. This is most annoying.
Our local Toronto Public Library branch has been closed for renovations for a couple of months but reopened on Wednesday. The main change was the absence of the checkout counters, as well as the people that worked behind them. Like at Home Despot they now have a self-serve touch screen checkout system, which gave me a lot of trouble.
