Singer 66 Stiff Bobbin Winder
 

Of the three sewing machines I'm trying to fix, the lovely Singer 66 is my shining star. The only question I have is with the bobbin winder. I couldn't get it to work with the treadle - only by turning the wheel by hand and it was very hard to turn. I cleaned the bobbin winder with Liquid Wrench and a toothbrush several times, went around all the edges with a toothpick and then oiled it, but it still seems very stiff. Do I need to take the winder off the machine and take it apart to clean it more thoroughly? Or maybe the bobbin wheel could use some rosin? It does seem to be pretty slippery, although I tried not to get any oil on it. [ATTACH=CONFIG]457312[/ATTACH]
Thanks very much for your guidance!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]457313[/ATTACH]And isn't she a pretty little baby? Sews straight as can be - I don't even have to hold the fabric.

OH boy is that one purty!

The bobbin winder is probably gummed up due to old oil in the shaft driven by the bobbin tire. I use Tri-Flow oil and pump it full through the little oil hole. Then I let it soak and occasionally turn it. The Tri-Flow oil has a solvent property that will dissolve the old oil and free up the winder.
Taking it off and thoroughly cleaning it won't hurt either. But it's not really necessary.

joe

Thanks! I added Tri-Flow to the order. (We're not close to stores.)

Bookmark SEW-CLASSIC { http://www.shop.sew-classic.com/ }, she has much us sewists need.

Joe

I haven't tried it but kerosene is also recommended for cleaning out gummed up oil and it won't harm the finish either. I don't think I've welcomed you yet. Welcome to the forum.
Inspect your bobbin winder closely, I don't remember which machine it was but I had one with some old thread jamming up the bobbin winder too.
Sew Classic sell new bobbin winder tires and they're cheap. Probably under $1.00 to replace it if you think it's bad. Have you sewn with your 66 yet? I have a 66-16 and it's my favorite machine.
I've read here that you should buy your bobbins at Sew Classic too. I haven't yet but I can say the metal Singer branded ones I bought at Walmart have serious quality control issues. The plastic Singer ones seem to work better but I was at my LQS the other day and their metal bobbins looked better that either of the Singer branded bobbins I've tried. I'll buy theirs or Sew Classic's next time I buy any.
That is one pretty machine. Some of the best looking decals I've seen yet.
Rodney

Wow, what a stunning machine. You never see them looking like that in my neck of the woods. Ditto on the Tri-flow.

Thanks, everybody! You're all so helpful! I really appreciate it.

that's one nice treadle machine i wouldn't have second thought in owning. love it. have you tried soaking it with oil? and try to roll it manually and slowly. it really seems like there's some gunk inside.

WOW, and WOW again. What a beauty you have found. Those decals look to be in nearly perfect condition. I can't help you with your problem but just wanted to tell you what a beautiful machine you have. I have 3 red eyes but none are in as good a condition as this beauty.

Well, the proverbial virtue of patience (I was looking somewhere else when they passed it out, and have none) actually proved to be true. After it sat for a day, the oil must have had a chance to penetrate. I tried it this morning and it worked great - I could see the wheel moving! I still have to practice my treadling. I used to be able to do it, but it takes me a while to get the right rhythym going. Thanks for the kind comments on my new baby - I'm just so happy with her.