Rodney

Yesterday I picked up 2 more machines from Goodwill. I had intended to do a side by side comparison on them but it would be like comparing apples and oranges now that I have the machines in hand. The first machine is a 1950s Singer Model 99 in need of a case. I'll by posting a build of the case in the Singer 99 thread I'm starting for anyone interested in building thier own. The second machine is a White Rotary model 77MG. I thought at first that it was a 3/4 size model like the 99. Wrong! It's a full size model but made from magnesium instead of iron so is relatively lightweight.

Here's some pictures:

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The First picture is the Singer model 99K. It appears to be in good shape with good decals and a spot where the topcoat is flaking off. The machine needs a good cleaning and oiling. It turns really hard at the moment. It also needs a new tire for the bobbin winder, The old briefcase is a thrift store find. It has a nice leather handle with brass latches and possibly some of the other hardware that will be used in building a case for the Singer. It's far less money this way than buying new hardware.
The White came complete with a case -it has some tape on the back corner and a bent latch but overall is in good shape. It also came with 2 complete buttonholers and some assorted feet. Overall the finish on the machine is good with only a few small chips in the paint. The machine turns freely but is full of dust and lint. It too will need a good cleaning before use.

The Singer weighs in at about 25 lbs as-is. The White weighs in at 32 lbs complete with case and all accessories. Not a featherweight but not terrible either considering it's a full size all metal machine. The 99 will probably weigh about the same in a case.

My family has gone from 1 to 4 machines in about a month. I'm done buying machines at the moment. Now it's a matter of fixing and using the ones we have. My daughter will probably end up with the Singer 99. It's a cute little machine so I think she'll like it when it's ready.

I'll start separate threads for both machines as I clean them and make them ready to use.
Rodney

tessagin

Saw a white the other day just like yours. It came with a cabinet. They said they couldn't plug it in an that's ok. They wanted $300.95 for it. I definitely walked.

J Miller

Rodney,

I thought that's what you would find when you compared the Singer 99 to the White. The White looks smaller than it is for some reason.

I'll be watching your case building progress. I need to make a special case for my 99K HC machine. With the HC on it's too long for a normal bentwood case.

Joe

Rodney

I'm not even going to attempt a bentwood. I'm not set up for bending veneers over a form. The case I'm building will be more in the style of the square cloth covered ones of the 50s. I'm very early in the design stages. For me that means I'm just kicking ideas around on how I want it to look when I'm done. Nothing is even on paper yet.
Rodney

ThayerRags

Hi Joe,
You can use a normal bentwood case for your 99K31 HC if you make a little extra room for the crank. I made one and then sold it to a lady back in 2008. A few days ago, a friend of mine said he’d come up with a hand crank machine that he wanted to sell that I may be interested in, so I went to look at it. I recognized it as soon as I walked in the room. Long story short, I bought the 99K31 back, nicknamed it “Boomerang” (Boomer for short), and plan to keep it in my collection this time.

To modify the top, I measured and marked where the center of the crank hub would hit the inside of the top. Then to make sure my measurement was correct, I turned the crank until the disengaged handle hung down in the accessory compartment, put a dab of grease on each of the two ears that the handle is mounted on, and carefully placed the top onto the base and leaned it toward the machine. The grease spots confirmed my center mark placement. I then used a 2” hole saw to drill/cut halfway through from the inside and stopped at halfway through. Then I cut the other half of the hole from the outside, running the drill slowly in reverse for the outer layer of laminate, then switching to forward once I got past the thin material. I used a reversible electric drill and a 2” hole saw.

I used a rusty old rear inspection plate from an unknown machine attached with a wood screw to cover the outside of the hole.

CD in Oklahoma

J Miller

CD,

That is an idea.

Joe

miriam

CD - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! I was thinking you had posted something about that a long time ago but I don't think you had pictures. I love it!

ThayerRags

Hi Miriam,

Thank you, it’s good to talk to you again. I took a long break from some of the boards that I was on because I wasn’t getting enough done, and then I got off into industrial machines a bit more. Now that I’m back, I have to catch up on everything new. I couldn’t remember if I’d mentioned that case modification or not, and when I saw Joe’s comment, I went ahead and dug out the photos to show it to him even if I’d posted them before.

I see that you’ve gotten serious about “recycling”.

CD in Oklahoma

miriam

CD it was one of those days when everything crashed down on us and we struck back... I think the moments of insanity pushed back to a bit of sanity. Kind of weird. It has been a LOT of fun. I think I need to get that ad off CL before they throw me off and I can't do some serious ads. Welcome back.