Looks like you've found another jewel, Skip. How do you do it?

I keep looking but don't find such lovely machines most of the time.

I do have a question for you though. The machine I'm working on is in a cabinet and there is a crack in the wood behind the machine. It looks like someone put the machine down too hard and caused the crack. Have you ever seen this? Is there something I should do to stabilize it? I don't want it to crack any more and it's rough there.... I may need to put some filler in to make it smooth for fabric.

This machine is the 15-91 I got a few weeks ago. I cleaned out all the drawers and found 3 bobbins.... all with multiple layers of thread. When I got all the thread off, I could tell that there is a little rust. I can use metal polish to remove that, can't I?

Also, I thought I'd put new motor lube in the caps like it says in the manual. It says to clean them out. Well, I cleaned it out and pulled out the brushes on one side. It was bent so I tried to straighten in up and put it back in. I hope that's okay.

It works..... haven't threaded it or anything yet. The needle that was in it was bent so I hope when I put in a new needle everything will line up like it's supposed to.

I'm sure I'm going to have some questions...... I'm pretty novice at this still.

Here is a little cream and tan Riccar 15 clone - her name is Sandy - she has traveled the country from California - she hasn't had a whole lot of use but a lot of love.

We moved about 2 shelves full of machines to the new show and I moved one bench and some of the junk..........[ATTACH=CONFIG]435257[/ATTACH]

She sure is a clean one, Miriam.

It is a chore to move that much stuff. I spent quite a bit of time trying to sort out small bits here and there. It is going to take some more sorting before this is over. Then I have to sort machines. I'd say we have about 1/8 of the machines hauled out of the old shop. DH is building shelves as we move things. Lots more to do.

Hi Nanna-up-north, I just found this machine and I guess it was my lucky day. Now for the crack in the wood. Is the crack all the way thru the wood or is it just in the surface. If it is all the way thru you need to spread it apart enough to get some wood glue in there and then clamp it closed. Filling it without this repair will only cause it to crack the filler over time and it will not do anything to stablize the problem. If you lubed according to the manual you will be okay. I use evaporust to clean the rust off the bobbins about a 30min soak is all that is needed then polish. Yes you can use metal polish if there is not much rust. Ask all the questions you want if I can't help I know members like Miriam and Cathy can help. You will like the 15-91. the potted motor as lots of power.
Skip

Yes that is one of the better machines I've seen. The lady (Sandy) had one daughter. She said she sewed a few baby dresses on it. She moved around the country and couldn't bear to part with it. Now she has downsized a lot. I think it looks like saddle shoes or a two tone car.

The only good part about moving the shop is I'm finding things I lost. I found a bunch of cords to Singer 401s. :D They were in a 'safe' place.

The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.
My sister just called from AZ. She has been working on a Singer 15 or a clone - anyway she was trying to figure out the tension. The end wouldn't stay on. I talked her through a tension rebuild: 1) Enlarge the info in the TFSR manual page 200% and read out loud as you go. 2) Clean the dried up oil off everything including the springs, the pin and the pin's hole - she was lucky - no rust. 3) Make sure everything goes back on in the right order and in the right direction. 4) Check to see how it works. After fooling with it a while, she figured out the threads on the post had been stripped. She's digging through her donor machines to find a post that might remotely work & starting all over. She should be good at it pretty soon.

Thanks Glen and Miriam. Your help is always invaluable.

Glen, the crack isn't all the way through. I'll try to take a picture tomorrow. DH and I used to repair furniture years ago so we still have some clamps. I'm sure we have some wood glue here at the cabin... just have to go look in the garage.

I think the rust on the bobbins is from the thread.... Why do people put so many different threads on a bobbin? I don't get it. I think I'll be able to buff the rust off with my dremel.

This machine is really pretty clean..... just needs the metal polish to spiff up the rods, etc. I'm hoping I won't need to take the tension off and work on it. I'm still too scared to fool with that. I did put triflow on the screws to try and get them to loosen up a bit. ... another trip to the garage for a longer handled screw driver for more leverage.

Miriam, if I were in Indy, I'd sure try and help you with your move. My family calls me the moving queen because I move back and forth from our son's house to our cabin every 6 months..... yes, we load up a trailer .... pack and unpack. The packing will start in a few weeks..... yet again. This year we have to take a lot of our carpentry tools to help my SIL finish remodeling her house...... never a dull moment!