Rodney

Miriam, we posted at the same time. The person who rebuilt that New Home wasn't very kind to it. That looks like the kind of work a trainee at a small shop might have done 10 minutes before quitting time on a Friday night.
Rodney

J Miller

Rodney,

Like this rebuilt Singer 66-1 that I have:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]480547[/ATTACH]
Front view, you can the Revco Reverser, aftermarket presser foot adjuster, Mercury Electric type foot controller, Aftermarket electric motor hand wheel. Also the replacement side clamp presser foot shaft and aftermarket Singer placard. This machine has a second rate paint job and still retains its original Singer badge.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]480548[/ATTACH]
Back view, you can see the aftermarket AC DELCO motor, and Leviathan aftermarket light.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]480549[/ATTACH]
Rebuilders tag on right side base of the pillar.

Not shown in these pics is the reproduction slide plate installed to replace the missing original.

Joe

ThayerRags

I would say that the coming of electrification played a big role in rebuild activities. Many of the rebuilds that we see are machines that have been converted from treadle to electric. Singer was on the cutting edge of the design and manufacture of electric-powered sewing machines, but not everyone wanted to or could afford to buy a new machine. But I’d say that the majority of sewing machine owners COULD NOT WAIT!! to get rid of the foot-powered drive and take advantage of the new electrical driven power source. I’d say that once electricity became available to them, they wanted to use it.

Many had probably become very proficient with their old machines, and may have wanted to avoid learning how to use a new machine, but changing how the machine was driven may not have intimidated them as much. I think that some of the paint jobs may have simply been an attempt to pretty the machine up after new shiny parts had been added (motor, disc balance wheel, bobbin winder on the belt guard, etc.) that didn’t match the old finish. There were probably as many old machines rebuilt by owner request as rebuilt to sell to a new owner.

Again, I think it was all about money, or rather the lack of it.

CD in Oklahoma

J Miller

CD,
Isn't it strange that after our ancestors converted treadles to electric, we are now converting them back to treadles?

I did that with my #2 Singer 66 treadle machine. At least the person that converted it to electrical power did not paint it and left it in the original cabinet. It's now back to treadling it's little heart away.


Joe

Mrs. SewNSew

I have a couple machine with this.. is this an "aftermarket Singer placard"? nd then does this mean that the machine has been re-built or refurbed at some time?

ThayerRags

Yes, that was one of the metal name plates that were used for rebuilt machines.

It is no doubt a rebuilt machine, having the new name plate on it. What is the serial number of the machine? It appears that it could possibly be a Singer 28 that was “electrified” into a Singer 128. If so, the numbered tension outer ring, belt guard with BW attachment arm, and the disc wheel may be replacements/upgrades as well.

CD in Oklahoma

ThayerRags

Someday, I'd like to find that backroom where they threw all of those worthless old hand attachments into a bunch of big ol' boxes to get them out of the way when they electrified machines....

CD in Oklahoma

Rodney

Joe that machine of yours is a perfect example of the rebuilds I was thinking about. I like them as a good bit of sewing machine history.
Rodney

J Miller

Rodney,

I like it too. I need to get the Revco Reverser to work right though. It's out of adjustment and so far has resisted all my attempts to adjust it.

I've got exploded drawings for it, but some actual installation instructions would help a bunch. Haven't found those yet.


Joe

Mrs. SewNSew

The serial number is AC728781 dates it back to 1929