Sears Kenmore 1803 Sewing Machine

1803 Advertisement (Scroll to right a hair to read entire page)

UPDATE 10/20/2023 - I only learned the belt pulley by the handwheel, on this model was plastic , thanks to Joe Winchester, in one of the Vintage Kenmore groups on Facebook, discovered a brown plastic pulley on his 158.18033, and asked us to check ours. I found plastic pulleys on this 158.18130 (newer than 1603, 1703, 1803 models), one 158.18033, and one 158.17033, but other versions of these same models, both 17033, and 18033, which I worked on, had aluminum/metal pulleys. 

The earlier models of 1603, 1703, 1803, which will had a 0, 1, 2, and SOME 3, for the version number, 158.1603x, 158.1703x, 158.1803x, the 158.18031, for example, the pulleys are aluminum, or another look alike metal. 

Plastic pulleys and anything attached to them, should NOT be heated by blow dryers or heat guns, when trying to free up frozen machines. It will cause earlier cracking. 

Manufactured by Maruzen Jaguar, in Japan, the Sears Kenmore model 1803 ( 158.18033 ) was one of Sears' top of the line sewing machines, a model to compete with the Bernina 830 & 930, Viking Husqvarna models of the day, and other sewing machines which cost close to, and sometimes, over $1,000 in the 1970's and 1980's, depending on what country, and city they were sold in.

1803 with catalog ad all 4 gray and cream vinyl "books" of accessories and cams, monogrammer, buttonholer, etc.

1803 parts list illustration and part #'s from manual part no. 36490 that came with my  158.18033

1803 on right, installed in a table, 1703 on left

Kenmore 1703 and 1803 use the same solid state electronic pedal, which was designed to allow the machine to sew at the same strength, at all speeds

1703 and 1803 are identical inside, mechanically, this is the coverplate open to show the needlebar mechanism

1803 accessories or "Tower of Power" in the gray & cream vinyl books

1803 buttonholer, feet, screwdrivers, Q foot for knits, chainstitch attachments, and needle threader

Buttonholer for 1803 as originally in case

 

1803 and 1703 can use a super high shank to low shank adapter to use low shank feet, including the snap on low shank adapters, but you need to try each snap on foot carefully, because if your sewing machine is a left homing needle model, like the 1703 and 1803, you won't be able to use the straight stitch feet in this set, unless you use the cam setting, for sewing a straight stitch.

The 1803 with a super high shank adapter for low shank feet, with a low shank snap on adapter. Several different low shank adapters do fit this machine

Maruzen Jaguar widened the zigzag stitches, to compete with the top European machines, adding chain stitch adapters, buttonholers, with a variety of sizes and styles, and even monogrammers, back when monogramming everything was in fashion. They included built in convenience stitches, as well as either a gray and cream vinyl "book", or sage green plastic accessory trays, full of  30 stitch cams, the buttonholer and cams, as well as the monogrammers and cams, and a variety of presser feet.

KENMORE 1803 AND 1703 CLUTCH MECHANISM INFORMATION SOURCES LINKS-
Kenmore 1803 clutch button & bobbin winder

ED NISLEY'S BLOGPOST HAS A TUTORIAL FOR DISASSEMBLING THESE VERY UNUSUAL CLUTCH MECHANISMS! CLICK THE LINK TO SEE HIS BLOGPOST AND PHOTOS-
KENMORE 1703 1803 CLUTCH MECHANISM DISASSEMBLY

1803 Features & accessories

Gray and white plastic "books" accessory organizer trays for-
     monogramer, buttonholer, cams,
feet, chainstitch adapter, and more...

30 type C stitch cams,
    20 double layer stretch stitch cams
    10 single layer satin stitch cams
Twin needle capable

Chainstitch adapter needleplate & bobbin adapter

Q foot & knits needle set to avoid skipped stitches when sewing knits

Super High Shank Presser feet-

 Left Homing Straight Stitch Foot

 Zigzag

 Satin Stitch

 Shirring foot

 Adjustable invisible zipper and cording foot

 Blind Hemmer Foot (in separate box)

 Clear zigzag foot

 Clear satin stitch foot

 Clear cording foot

 Clear embroidery and monogramming foot

 Clear overedge foot

 Clear button sewing foot

 Adapter foot (metal)

 Adapter rolled hemmers 4 sizes

 Adapter multi sized bias binder

 Bias Tape cutting scissors guide

 Edge stitcher for Adapter foot

Quilting Guide

Adjustable seam guide & thumbscrew

Large screwdriver

Small screwdriver

Stiletto (to help you with bias binding and sewing close details without sewing your fingers)
Needle threader
Seam Ripper

 Kenmore 1803 type C cams, sage green, in gray and cream vinyl "book"

Monogrammer cams for Kenmore 1803

Kenmore 1803 Monogrammer, blind hemmer, rolled hemmers adapter foot, edgestitcher, multi size binder, binder cutting guide, seam guide and thumbscrew, adjustable invisible zipper and cording foot, and quilting guide bar.

Buttonholer (below box), cams, buttonholer geared plate, 2 screwdrivers, stiletto, satin stitch metal foot, straight stitchfoot, shirring foot, clear cording foot, clear overedge foot, clear embroidery monogrammer foot, clear satin stitch foot, clear button sewing foot, mini screwdriver, needle threader, chainstitch adapter needleplate and bobbin insert, Q non skip stretch foot, 2 stretch needles

Kenmore 1803 reverse mechanism and linkage

1703 left 1803 right, same exact mechanisms inside

Kenmore 1803 bobbin hook with hole for chainstitch adapter, to lock into. Rear view.

Kenmore 1803 bobbin hook with hole for bobbin chainstitch adapter to lock into.

Be aware that not all Kenmore 1803 models (& probably the 1603 and 1703 models, as well) do NOT all have identical bobbin winding mechanisms, though they are very similar. I only noticed this when I repaired an 1803 clutch mechanism for someone, and had their 158.18031, next to my 158.18033. The 18033 top, is on the left in this photo, and the 18031 top, is on the right. (You will notice that the 18031 has a line of the bobbin winding tire's debris, which falls on the belt, flung all over the top of the lid of the machine. Of course, I wiped it off, before putting the machine back together, but do expect your machine to get dirty inside, from wear.)

Underside of 1803

To see twin needle embroidery with this model of Kenmore sewing machine, (I blogged with photos about rolled hemmer folder, and twin needle embroidery I did with the 1803) click link
Twin needle embroidery with 1703 or 1803, also rolled hemmer

Tank top of ribbed spandex, with sheer crepe bias binding, I sewed part of this with the Kenmore 1803 using a size 12 knit needle, with coverstitches with Babylock Evolve serger & coverstitch sewing machine. 

One special feature of the 1803, as well as several similar models, was the bobbin winding clutch release button, located on the top of the machine, to make it easier than turning the center handwheel knob, to engage the machine to sew again. If your Kenmore sewing machine has this button, remember the button must be pushed DOWN, to sew. If you sew with the button up, your bobbin winder is partially engaged, still, and will often shred itself, while you sew, leaving a mess inside your machine, as well as your machine won't engage properly, to sew. The bobbin winder releases itself, automatically, when the bobbin is full, then you push the clutch button down, and can begin sewing again.

TWIN NEEDLE CAPABLE-  To see my blog with instructions for using twin needles in the 1703 and 1803 click this link-

Twin needle sewing with the 1803 and 1703





A wonderful individual, David Goboff, created a Kenmore sewing machine Model Chart which helps tell what each model can do, and what accessories originally came with them. Here is a link to his chart.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13fGnnr7oYXjzC1OQRsq2AaNGUUmtqNbC9BfyAOpxdFo/edit?fbclid=IwAR1m3f5VcCye3cTdDDL86Rxz_3Tt1FF07di0dDdaObytCmAKSwgL-6_UiKk#gid=0