Thank you all for your concern.
As soon as I get through some more tests and get off these darn antibiotics and their nasty side-effects, I'm sure I will be back to 'slinging', machines again.

Cathy

Hi everyone, I have a 185 Singer question. It is in rough shape, but I think it can be saved. Right now I'm trying to clear the bobbin. There seems to be some red wool or something caught in a small spring on the outside of the case. I don't think it is one of those felt wicks, but so far I've pulled out about a dime's worth of red and black "fabric". Didn't want to pull it all out if its supposed to be in there. Maybe someone who's worked on one can tell me what's what. Thanks, Bobbie

There is a little spring with a little red oil wick in the bobbin area.

The machines can wait until you feel a lot better - but you are allowed to go stroke a couple if you want to...

Miriam, do you think I should take the assembly out and clean or just use Q-tips and oil? It seemed to rubbing and causing the wheel not to turn smoothly is why I was cleaning out the red felt.

There is info how to take that all apart - I usually have to - they have a tendency to really clog full of lint - just about enough to knit a sweater... I don't know if this manual will help or not... http://www.tfsr.org/publications/tec...achine_manual/ Singer 66, 99 or 185 works - I'm thinking Tammi had some comments about taking those apart somewhere - maybe it was her blog - if you can find a mascara brush it gets down in there - Harbor Freight has a set of little brushes that get in there pretty good too - mostly they have to come apart. I guess that is why I like the 15s.

Thank you so much. I have a service manual, but it just hits the high spots. And it doesn't say anything about the felt wicks. Guess we're not supposed to do it ourselves, let the experts do it for us. This machine has been in storage for several years and has a lot of rust and crude to clear out.

Take your time and gather up your strength again before you start too much "slinging". This illness surely must have taken a lot out of you. We want you to be strong and ready to take on those old ladies again but only when you feel really good. Don't push yourself too much!
Donna

I cleaned up a 99 last week - it was so impacted I couldn't get the bobbin holder out - I kept at bit with Harbor Freight brushes I got out enough lint to get the BH out then found more lint in there - it's a wonder it turned - plenty of rust - I need a new throat plate and slide plate for it, too. The tension was pretty messed up. Makes me think the dumb thing was so full of lint it wouldn't sew so they figured it was a bad tension... motor is shot... BUT once I got the tension reworked and got it cleaned up it sews like new. I put a finger guard on it & let my DGKs sew on card paper with a HC - they were thrilled.

Yes, I am a lurked, I also own a few oldies but goodies. Actually betters. Why in the pic are the quilting done towards the inside of the machine and not the outside?