treadlep

I have a 1941 singer 99 that I cleaned up last summer. Love it. However, it has a few "issues" that I thought someone could help me with. The slide plate to access the bobbin is really stiff, even after cleaning, and I find myself using a screwdriver to get it open, but there must be a better way of making these slide a bit easier?

I'm also having trouble getting the needle action to disengage after releasing the knob on the handwheel when I want to wind a bobbin. I've flipped over the appropriate washer, all is clean inside, etc. Does anyone have more detailed advice?

My machine came with the older non-hinged straight stitch foot, and seems to shift out of tension adjustment when I used a hinged straight stitch or zipper foot. Is this common with the older machines?

Thanks.

vintagemotif

Cathy, I have The Eldredge stitching pretty stitches. I could leave the machine alone; I had to play with it this morning! Thanks for helping me at the TOGA getting her groans cleared away with all the special meds, Tri-Flow.
And thank you for the new tension for her. She runs pretty!! I'm go pick up that tubing for you as an exchange!

Now on to testing my Singer 15 with that darning spring.
-Monica

vintagemotif

Switch sewing machine heads from the Singer 328k to the Singer 15-90. I love that aquarium tubing to use for treadle belt over the leather belts. The tubing grips the machine and treadle wheel very well, no slipping occurs.

Okay, I still say FMQ on a 15 class machine is the best. I was surprised at how well the FMQ was on the Singer 201 and 328 (both in treadles), but I must say the best is the Singer 15 (mine is 15-90 in treadle). There are no issues in the thread appearance top or bottom, while there were lots of tweaking done for the 201 and 328 to make a pretty stitch.

Although I'm not the best FMQer (still need lots of practice) here is a sample of the work done today. Next test is darning spring with fabric in hoop. I love this spring!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]320273[/ATTACH]

purplefiend

Monica,
I can't FMQ with the 201, all I get are lots of skipped stitches and bad language. The Singer 15 and 237 no problems at all, they both do it without skipped stitches; no sewing machine language required. lol
Sharon W.

J Miller

Candace,
That is soooooooo true. I've been looking at the 201 and seriously considering taking it out of the cabinet and putting it in a bent wood case Mr. Crinkle is in. Mr. Crinkle is our dedicated felt bag machine so I was thinking of putting him in the cabinet. But I have no room for either of them in the cabinet. Sigh ......

Joe

J Miller

WOW! That looks like our front room is becoming. Take out the TV and entertainment things, toss the book case .... no we need that for the sewing books and put the Lazy Boy on the front porch and we could really make it happen.

What is that white Singer in the middle? It looks like you've converted it to treadle, am I seeing right?

Joe

J Miller

buslady,

Many of my machines have the original electrical wires and plugs. I watch them carefully for cracks, chemical breakdown of the insulation and in general deterioration.
Barring that I use them. I'll rewire a machine in a heart beat if it needs though.

I know what you mean about desks and tables collecting junk. In this house there seems to be an unwritten law that any open flat surface is instantly filled with a sleeping cat or junk ... sometimes both.

Our kids are in AZ, we are in IL. Ahhhhh the piece and quiet. Hehehehehe, that's mean I'll admit, but I really can live without the drama they produce.

Joe

jljack

LOL, Buslady!! Part of my house is beginning to look like that, too, and DH isn't really very excited about it!! LOL

J Miller

The slide plate is held in place by a curved spring attached with a tinsy screw. Remove the plate, remove the spring and screw. Use a fine wire brush or a very stiff fiber brush to clean out the angled edge where the plate slides. Then clean the area where the spring rests. A lot of gunk and crud can build up in these areas. When you have them sanitary, lightly oil them, put the spring, you clean that too back in and tighten the tinsy screw just enough to hold the spring from moving by itself.
Then scrub the plate especially at the angle where it slides into the grove.
Slide the plate in and work it over the spring. Since you didn't tighten the screw, the spring will center itself in the plate's grove. Carefully remove the plate and finish tightening the screw. Put the plate back in. It should slide easier now.

Pull off the hand wheel. Use solvent, kerosene or Hoppe's #9 to clean the inside of the wheel and the shaft. That is another place that sticky build up happens. After it's clean, lightly oil the shaft and put the hand wheel back on.
Spin it. It should free wheel without any resistance. Then put the washer and nut back on and you should be good to go.

I've had three Singers, all 66s come with the solid foot. Two of them I replaced with the hinged Singer straight stitch foot. Never had any changes in tension. Try removing the bobbin carrier and cleaning everything that moves. Lightly oil it. Then clean you upper tension too. Dental floss between the discs is said to clean them.
One other thing, when I put a foot of any kind on any machine I make sure to push the foot up against the thumb screw to remove any potential of play or shifting. Then I tighten the screw.

Hope some of this helps.

Joe

jljack

LOL, Joe!! I just spent a week with my 2 grown daughters, and believe me, there was plenty of drama!! They are like oil & water sometimes!! Whew....I just stay out of the arguments!