One Comprehensive Singer 404 Review With A Parts List
*This post may include affiliate links, which allow me to make a small commission off your purchases. The money keeps the website afloat and is earned at no additional cost to you.
Below, I’ve provided a Singer 404 review along with a parts list for your convivence. If you’ve already seen my YouTube video, you can skip the review and jump straight down to the parts list highlighted in green.
I don’t know who the designer of the 400 series was. But, it sure is ugly.
Singer 404 has ugly flesh tone paint and brown decals. To every quilters horror, it has a top loading horizontal bobbin. This horizontal bobbin means you’ll have to take your project out from under the machine when it runs out of thread. This would be a minor inconvenience. However, this inconvenience is made worse by the class 66 bobbin.
Class 66 bobbins only hold 82% of the volume of a standard class 15 bobbin. Therefore, you’ll be changing out bobbins more frequently on the Singer 404. The top loading class 66 bobbin is a huge problem for quilters, but not a problem for garment markers because garment marker (like me) use far less thread.
Since the vast majority of modern sewing enthusiast are quilters, a Singer 404 review is never stellar.
If you would like to hear more about the lack of love for Singer 404, check out my latest YouTube video here.
Otherwise, hear me out.
My Singer 404 review is positive because I am not using this machine for quilting. I am using the machine to make jeans, coats, and other heavier garments. This machine is perfect for those sorts of projects because its made for it!
I say this because Singer 404 is the big brother to Singer 301a. It’s made with heavier and beefier internal parts than the 301. Evidence of this difference can primarily be recognized in the size of the needle bar, presser bar, and needle shaft.
And the motor is even more impressive.
Singer 404 is a gear driven machine, which means it doesn’t loose momentum like a belt driven machine. For those of you who are unaware, belt driven machines have reduced torque because energy must transfer from motor, to belt, and then to needle. Each time energy transfers from one source to another, some of the momentum is lost.
However, machines like Singer 404 eliminate power loss problems by having the motor fully integrated into the machine. Singer 404 only has a 0.7amp motor. However, the gear driven system means it has far more piercing power than my strongest 1.5amp sewing machine.
There are other gear driven Singer sewing machines. However, this gear driven machine is a huge improvement from grease guzzling Singer 15 and Singer 201 motors. Enough about the mechanics…
A Singer 404 Review isn’t complete without giving a bit of background information.
Singer 404 was made as a successor to the Singer 301a. The New Jersey manufacturing of Singer 404 started in 1958 and was cut short just two years later due to lack of sales. People didn’t like Singer 404 because it wasn’t Singer 301a. Singer 301a has its benefits of being a lighter weight machine, with a side loading bobbin, carrying handle, and differing bed sizes.
While customers from 1958 couldn’t appreciate Singer 404, it does still have it’s place.
The machine weights in at 18pounds and can accept up to a size 18 needle. It also has a full rotary system, which means this machine can go very fast. If I were to give an estimate, I’d say this machine goes about 1500spm. This is close to the speed of a standard Juki 2010qi.
Don’t Worry About Finding Parts because…
… many of the Singer 404 parts are interchangeable with other parts in the Singer 400 series. Below, I’ve listed all the aftermarket replacement parts I could find.
Oil Drip Pad Template (Free Download)
Bobbin Case (#172082) (crude construction means it won’t fit exactly the same)
Option 2 Bobbin Case (appears to be a little better quality than the other one)
Singer 179015 Straight Stitch Needle plate (hard to find…)
Feed Dogs #179016 (No longer available!!!) (404 feed dogs are rumored to be compatible with Singer 604 . So, you may be able to use Singer 604 feed dogs part #163138 instead. But, I’m not 100% sure.)
Light Bulb Size BA15D *Standard Singer 15 bayonet light bulbs don’t fit!
Straight Stitch Slant Shank Foot
Other Helpful Articles
Antique Singer Sewing Machine Model 15
2 Comments
Leave a response
Loved your video on the 404. I was lucky enough to have one gifted to me. After a bit of tuning, she runs just as strong as ever. And, I do think it has a special beauty, like a 1958 Chevy!
Thanks for watching and checkout out the blog. Yes, she does kind of look like a Chevy 🙂