Singer 600 Auto-Reel
Updated: 2025.12.06
The Singer 600 Auto-Reel is the successor to the 500 Rocketeer, and was quickly followed by the Touch & Sew series of Singer sewing machines. The Rocketeer was all metal, but the Auto-Reel machines do have a few plastic parts, but the drive train including it’s gears are all metal except for the Textolite main gear, just like the one found on the models 201-2 and 15-91.
The Auto-Reel machines have a button in front of the main column that engages the bobbin winder (Auto-Reel), while the later “E” machines (ie 600E) have the button under the slide plate in the more traditional Touch & Sew fashion.
The name “Auto-Reel” refers to the wind in place bobbin, which became a major selling point for the Auto-Reel and later Touch & Sew machines. Notice that the bobbin winder button that showed up in the Touch & Sew machines is missing from the lower left corner of the bobbin area since the bobbin winder button on the Auto-Reel machines is found in front of the main column.
My understanding is that people always forgot to un-push the Auto-Reel button before they started sewing. The button for the Touch & Sew got reset when you closed the slide plate to start sewing. That said, you can find Auto-Reel machines that have been rebadged as Touch & Sew, but they lack the “E” designation, and they still have the button in front of the column. But that’s all hear say, and I don’t know if it’s true or not.
Name confusion
There are two different machine versions, but there are some crossovers in the names that can make it a bit confusing.
- 600 Auto-Reel (Printed name on the front cover, grey solid background)
- 600 Touch & Sew (Printed name on the front cover, grey pinstriped background)
- 600 Touch & Sew (Name plate riveted onto the front cover, grey pinstriped or solid background)
- 600E Touch & Sew
Long story short, the machines marked 600 and having the bobbin winder button in front of the machines pillar are actually Auto-Reel machines, even if they have “Touch & Sew” printed on them. The Machines marked 600E are actual Touch & Sew machines. Regardless, both the 600 and 600E machines have an all metal drivetrain.
The Auto-Reel name only lasted a little over a year before Singer started to change over to the better known Touch & Sew name. You can even find machines renamed during the transition having a small “Touch & Sew” nameplate riveted over the original “Auto-Reel” markings. Some machines have a full front plate with the Touch & Sew printed below the Singer medallion. Regardless, if the Auto-Reel or Touch & Sew has the bobbin wider button on the righthand side in front of the pillar, it’s an Auto-Reel.
Accessories
I don’t know what all accessories came with the 600 Auto-Reel, but these came with mine. Obviously the Singer Attachments 161818 is incomplete, and I’m not sure that either box has the correct “Special Discs” in it. Side note, These discs are often referred to as “Top Hat” discs due to their appearance.
Internal Cam Stack
The 600 Auto-Reel included an all metal cam stack and the ability to add the aforementioned external “Top Hat” style stitch pattern discs.
Specifications
| Brand | Singer |
| Model | 600 Auto-Reel 600 Touch & Sew (rebadged) |
| Made In | Elizabethport, New Jersey |
| Years Produced | 1962 – 64 |
| Hook Type | Rotary |
| Bobbin | Touch & Sew |
| Bobbin Case | Internal |
| Needle System | 15×1 |
| Foot Type | Slant Shank |
| Construction | Metal and plastic |
| Construction Drivetrain | All metal |
