Redeye that won't budge
 

I bought the locked up Redeye 2 weeks ago, I've gotten everything to come lose by getting the rust out/off and oiling like heck. The only thing that doesn't move is the needle bar to sew (which this part is INSIDE the head of the machine)!! When I turn the wheel it won't move. I've taken everything else apart to clean & oil per Muv's instruction video, BTW, thanks so much Muv!

How do I get the guts out/exposed so I can get to it to break loose? I know that's all it needs, cause the foot lever wouldn't move either and I oiled & cleaned and kept oiling. Finally I pushed really hard on the top of it and it popped loose. Any HELP will be welcomed...:(

Janie,

When you remove the face plate on the left end of a 66 you expose everything that moves as far as the needle bar and presser foot. It will look like this, more or less. (This is a 99, but they are almost identical.)
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...footpieces.jpg
The main shaft is oil-able via oil holes all across the top.
You can access the connecting rods through the big inspection hole under the big round plate on the back of the pillar.
That is about all you can open up on a 66.

Flood the parts in the left end with oil and or Liquid Wrench Penetrating Oil, let it soak and wiggle it every so often.

Also flood the bobbin parts too. If they are jammed up it will mess up everything else.

Joe

TX, Joe. I'll open it up again and load it up with oil. I used WD-40 and sewing machine oil. I'll do the same on the bobbin area. This makes me sick. Rust is a really BAD thing I guess. I "thought" that if I just cleaned it real good and oiled it would start to move. I also oiled all the holes along the top and thru the back hole. I cleaned a 127 up that works great using Muv's video.

If I can't get it to move, I'm stuck with a pretty machine, but useless, huh? I started to order a treadle belt for it, but won't until things improve.

I love reading all your comments, cause you know so much about all these things. :)

Janie,

Skip the WD-40 it doesn't really do that much good for rusted up parts. That's why I suggested the penetrating oil. I had a 99 that was rusted up very badly and it took me almost a month of soaking and coaxing to get it freed up. It's sewing now. You can do it, just have patience. Sometimes it takes time for the oils to soak into the cracks and crevices. You might also try heat from a hair dryer, sometimes the heat along with the oils helps free up rusted parts.

Joe

I brush all those parts with kerosene. Let it stand a bit, than try to move the wheel, even just a little bit. Then brush it again with the kerosene. Let it stand a while, then repeat. Worked on the most stubborn of the machines that I restored. Just have patience and work in a ventilated area. Remember, kerosene is flammable! After you get it freed up, you can oil it with sewing machine oil. Pretty machine!

Don't forget, Liquid Wrench will destroy the outside finish.

my lotus treadle was completely froze up when I got it...according to Billy, I used kerosene and kept wiggling the wheel til it broke loose...is yours a treadle? take the plate off like next post and you should be able to see where it is hanging up

OK guys & gals, I'm going to get some kerosene and try it first, then go to Liquid Wrench or TriFlow oil.

Linda R, it is a treadle & I don't see the next post you mentioned. But, I started the other day with the face plate off as well as the round cover plate in the back & oiling & brushing with a toothbrush to no avail. I have another treadle and looked at it and where parts should be moving ( the big joint of the connecting rod inside the round back plate, the bars under the bed, bobbin area, and nothing moves.

Thanks for the encouragement! Will keep at it.

Is it not moving because it is rusted or because of dried up oil? If it is rust you need to paint on some evap-o-rust if it is dried on oil the Triflow will do the job - be patient - I've seen it work instantly and I've see it take a week or two.

I agree with Miriam! If you do go with kerosene, make sure not to get it on the exterior of the machine! It will eat decals!

Basically, don't be timid about the oil, Evapo-Rust, kerosene, or what ever. Be careful of getting any of it on the exterior, but flood the seized up parts and make sure they are soaked.

If you haven't already pull the hand wheel off and float the shaft at the machine with oil too.

As for "painting" on the Evapo-Rust I've tried that with rusted hand wheels. My experience was it just ran off and dried up. For that stuff to work you need to immerse the part and let it soak.

Joe

My local repair man suggested I use Triflow when I asked about my "frozen" FW I'd asked how I could save $$ before bringing it to him. He told me Triflow would be safe for the paint. It was and I had sprayed quite a bit all over. I let it stand overnight and sprayed again with out touching anything. Less than 36 hours after starting I was plugged in and ready to sew. A small spray can only cost me $ 6.29 (6 oz) and it'll last me a long time (unless my DH takes it)

One drop goes a long ways with Triflow then you don't have it all over the place - I buy the kind you drop on and it works great.

First bottle of T-F oil came from Sew-Classic. Second, much bigger bottle came from the bicycle shop that's right next door to my LSMG. Very convenient that is. :D

Joe

If you look around on line you can find some deals on Triflow.

There is something on the market called Blaster. DH uses it every now and then on car parts that are supposed to move and don't. Or screws that won't be removed by any screwdriver. Lets it set 24 hours. That's the hardest part, we all know, the waiting. Actually, one time he did it three days in a row, it FINALLY let loose.

Careful with anything that strong unless you already plan to repaint the machine. Also it is a chemical and you need to be cautious to use it outside - take care of yourself, too - ask me how I know this...

I got some kerosene yesterday, my local ACE Hardware has TriFlow (4 oz) for $8. I did pull the hand wheel off at the beginning, just like taking the face plate off, oiling off the bobbin plate, etc. I got all moving except for the needle bar which is hung up I believe inside the back round cover at that big joint. Also, the bobbin won't move due to slight rust. It's rusty all through, but not terrible rust. Should I paint the bobbin case with the kerosene too?? I know it won't hurt the inside of the black major joint that's stuck. Will kerosene eat up the chrome? Just the outside is where I need to be careful? I DO NOT plan on painting this machine, I bought it cause its pretty.

"Float the shaft" - do you mean just saturate the part up inside next to the wheel? Also, I think the whole problem lies in the inside upper right big joint that won't move, so once it comes loose, I hope that takes care of the bobbin rotating. Tonite I'm taking it outside to paint the parts with kerosene. The smell is awful!

Yes, I mean saturate it. If you have the back plate and face plate off you can access everything there is on a 66.
Lay it on it's front and saturate that rod connection and the fork next to it.
The same with the bobbin area. If it's that rusty it will take time.

Start wiggling everything from the needle bar back. If it wiggles it's most likely not stuck so move on till you find something that doesn't wiggle.
My 99K was rusted up tight, but 99% of the problem was in the bobbin area. You'll have to take everything that comes out, out so you can clean, so take it out now.
The hook has a big shaft that can rust tight. Attached to it is an arm that pivots on a BIG bolt. That can rust up tight. That arm was what hung my 99K up for so long.

Get the Tri-Flow, Liquid Wrench, kerosene, or what ever you are using in there and keep the area wet until you get it free.

Joe

I had a machine that was locked up. By process of elimination, I figured out which piece it was. I removed that piece and soaked it in PB Blaster...bit by bit, I was able to finally move and then remove the bushings that were causing the trouble. I was warned it would remove varnish, so I was careful with it...I sprayed some in a narrow little jar and just let it soak.

I found both the PB Blaster and Tri-flo at Fleet Farm to my surprise. Very inexpensive.

Just curious............what do you mean by the term 'red eye'?

Red Eye is just the type of design/decals on the machine.

"Red Eye" is the nick name given to this decal design on the Singer Model 66 machines:

Joe

It didn't hurt my lotus decals, in fact it revealed some that were completely covered over with grime...I think it probably was close to a coal furnace? Billy in "vintage machines" on the board recommends soaking the whole machine in a tub of kerosene, didn't have anything big enough. it works great now and I really dosed the poor thing with kerosene LOL

thought I would show a picture of lotus after being soaked in kerosene, decals on top were completely under a black oily substance that literally had to be scubbed off...it is gorgeous now

the lotus on the left side of the "singer" was completely hidden...it was alot of work but worth it...she gets used now

Kerosene is basically a light fuel oil. It is not a solvent per sea but will clean away other dried oils and residue rather quickly.
I used it to clean the 100 years of varnished oil off the bottom of my Minnesota A and to give my rusted up 99K his final flush out bath before reassembly.
Neither machine's finish was damaged. I did not leave the kerosene on the finish any longer than necessary and I didn't completely immerse the machine in it.

I have also used Hoppe's #9 gun cleaning solvent to clean really badly gunked up parts and there was no finish damage. Hoppe's #9 uses kerosene as a base with a few other ingredients added.

I suspect that long time immersion in kerosene would not be good for decals, shellack or some paints, but a light cleaning shouldn't hurt. After all, it's oil, just not as refined as sewing machine oil.

Joe

Machine won't budge
 

I've read with interest the ways to loosen a seized machine and thought I'd share what I did. I had an inherited morse 200 completely seized, locked up tight. I read online to use a hair dryer and I turned the machine on the side, blew the hot air into the head and continued to "wiggle" and that did the trick! It's now been oiled, cleaned and runs great. I cleaned the exterior with Murphy's oil soap with no ill effects. It didn't have decals to worry about per se, but I didn't want to mar the beautiful blue finish it has.

Achy

So, if I have an opportunity to get a 'red eye' in a cabinet - not sure if it is working - for fifty bucks, i should take it?

Is it just the decal that makes it special?

thanks!
Lara

Lara122,

If the machine is in good working order, and the cabinet is also in good condition $50.00 isn't too much. The more accessories and attachments that come with it the better.

The red eye model 66 is no different mechanically than any other model 66 of similar vintage. But it is a well liked design and it was only made up until 1927 I think. So although it's not super rare, it's not super common either.

I have two, both treadles. I'd gladly adopt another if it comes along.

Joe

Joe, you are such a smarticulous! ;0)

Being treadle only, is that practical to use to actually sew on? Would it be better to look for an electrified version? I do like the idea of being able to learn how to take care of it myself. My five or six year old kenmore from sears has begun to slip stitches occasionally. I use my seventies era Kenmore for piecing. I wouldn't know how in the world to 'work' on my plastic lightie!

I like the idea of having something so old and classic, but I would need to be able to *use* it. Clearly, our grandmothers did fine with a treadle, but . . . .

btw, the guy hasn't answered back about letting me come look at it.

I saw a red eye that seems to have sold for $650! of course, it looked deliciously perfect . . . . . lol!!

hmmm.

I believe that the model 66 was Singer's Semicentennial (50 years - Golden Anniversary) machine, even though it didn't start production on the 50th year, but a year later instead. (That's ok. I've missed a deadline or two myself over the years.)

I've had several model 66 machines, but I'm still waiting to stumble onto my first Lotus.

CD in Oklahoma

"Smarticulous" Wow! Wait till I show my wife. She'll never get over that. I might not either :)

Treadles are very practical to use. They are just people powered rather than electric. I have 4 currently in their cabinets and functional. I have one other Singer waiting while I fix it's cabinet and a Minnesota A that has no home.

I use them all from time to time.

The only thing is you have to master treadling with your feet as you manipulate the machines controls with your hands. Once you get the "feel" to the machine you can stitch right along.

Oh and most treadles when properly adjusted and lubed are quieter than e-machines.

Well, about all you can do with the plastic one is take the needle plate and bobbin carrier out and clean it. More than likely it's filled up with lint and crap and that will cause trouble.
That needs to be done with all machines from time to time actually. Just ask Miriam. ;)

Joe