crisis with a 66 back mount machine
 

I disassembled a 66-1 several months ago... got the parts clean, but hadn't gotten around to reassembly. Now, I have a friend that wants it, and since I have FIVE red-eyes I said sure.
I cannot get the presser foot bar to slide freely. I have tried heat, fresh oil, everything is clean... it is like the metal expanded in the baggie! I do remember that this machine was a terrible pain to get apart... I had to pound on it after the set screw was out to loosen it.
Any ideas? it will lift normally, but when I lower it the foot takes about 3 minutes to sliiiide down. The tiny screw is the back has been taken out with no change. :(

CIL,

Pounding on those shafts can bend them. Try to avoid that.
Since the shaft will move down on it's own slowly there is still some gummed up oil or something in the shaft bore and or on the shaft. You'll really need to use some form of solvent to remove it. I've used denatured alcohol and Hoppe's #9 gun cleaning solvent. A bronze bore cleaning brush down in the shaft's holes will help too.
You might want to carefully take that shaft out again and make sure it's not bent and while it's out thoroughly clean it and the holes it rides in.

Joe

Makitmama mentions a 66-1. What do those last numbers mean? Is it like the 15's where it tells you treadle/ ext. motor/potted motor? I have a 66 with no motor mount and a treadle bobbin winder. What model number would that be if I tried to find a manual?

mendymom,

To a certain point yes. The 66-1 is the updated machine that has a motor boss on the pillar. The 66 does not have that.
The back clamp feet were used up till the 20s I believe when they switched to the side clamp ( low shank ) style. That model number I believe was the 66-4.

From what I've seen many if not most of the 66-1s have been updated to the side clamp presser foot shafts. I have two like that. A treadle and a rebuild.

There is a list on ISMACS, here is the page the 66s are on. Much of this information is there.
{ http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_...sses-1-99.html }

Joe

Thanks Joe. That link explained things. I was sure the numbers must define the features that the sewing machine had. thanks again.

well, Joe was right. I pulled out the shaft and it had a barely perceptible gentle bend. Replaced it with a side mount bar assembly, so now my baby can use modern feet.

Excellent!

And I found out I have a 66-4. :-)

CIL,
Sorry to hear about the bent shaft. But I'm glad you got it fixed.

mendymom,
A 66-4 is nice.

I have ( I think ) 3 66-1s, two updated to side clamp, 1 66-4, 3- 66-18s. I think that equals 7 doesn't it? And I've recently traded off a 66-4 and a 66-16.
What I've learned is the actual stitching is no different between them. They're all great. It's just the ones with reverse are a wee bit handier.

Joe

Hi, I just got a 66-1 red-eye TM and that is my next big decision should I change to the side mount? I do have a few feet with it.

Windblown,

Were it me, I'd leave the machine original. Granted there are many more types of feet available for the low shank style, but there are so many low shank machines the back clamp machines are a bit unique. The feet are available for them, you just have to be on the look out.

Of course I did it backwards, I got my set of feet from the LSMG first, then found a 66-1 redeye.

Joe