Golden Touch & Sew Model 646

This Singer 646 may seem like an improvement on the popular slant-needle machines. in fact, it does have several new gimmicks such as a bobbin that is easy to fill. However, for someone who wants to collect an older machine for serious use, this may not be the best choice. The reason we say this is because the 646 machine has nylon gears. Nylon gears, sometimes referred to as "plastic" may deteriorate with age. They appear to be biodegradable. A Singer repairman also told us not to lubricate nylon gears as petroleum may accelerate deterioration. In any case, if one of these machines is purchased for home use, check the gears to ensure they are serviceable. Our gears fell apart after we used the machine for about one-minute and we are contemplating ordering replacements and learn how to install them.

Unlike the 500 and 401 which has rotating dials, the 646 uses sliders to select stitch patterns. These controls can be seen above.

Rear of Singer 646

Form follows function. There are no frills on the back side of the Singer 646. The machine has an internal motor and no drive belts. It is gear driven.

This image below shows a plastic horizontal bobbin. The bobbin can be wound without unthreading the machine. To thread the bobbin, depress the red button in the lower part of the image. Concentric rings show amount of thread wound which should not be beyond the outer ring.