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Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell

Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell

Old 10-24-2012, 05:24 AM
  #38831  
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Originally Posted by IamaHam View Post
Hello my name is Steve.
When searching the internet for information the Quilting Board keeps coming up so I decided to just join.

I recently got my Wife's Great Grandmother's model 66 treadle up and sewing again and have started working on another 66 that arrived from eBay yesterday. Both machines were completely frozen and I have been amazed at how well and quickly these old singers respond to a little WD 40 and kind persuasion. The first machine makes really nice stiches and being a treadle is nearly silent. I hope to use the one I am working on now on a machine quilting frame for my wife (it is an electrified model). As best as I have been able to tell you have to spend close to $1000 dollars to get a new machine with a harp as big as the old singer 66. Any thoughts on using a 66 on a machine quilting frame would be welcome. Ok, that is who I am and what I am up to, just having fun working on a couple of old sewing machines.

Looking forward to chatting with you all.

Steve
Steve,

Welcome to Quilting Board forum.

I love the Singer 66s, I have 8 of them. Three are treadle heads, a 66-1 and 2 66-4s. Two are actually up and running. The third is waiting for a cabinet. The other five are in cabinets or portables from the -4 model to the -18s.
I use each and every one of them off and on. As I get them refurbed I make what I've named a whacky bag. Here's a pic of it along with my ALDENS Magic ZZ machine:



The Whacky Bag consists of a minimum of 83 parts. Buy making one of these with each machine I can get the tensions adjusted and make sure it sewing properly. Not to mention we have them up for sale at the craft shows.

A couple suggestions: Don't use the WD-40. It's not a good lubricant and can and will gum up. Use either a quality sewing machine oil, or many of here are fond of Tri-Flow oil and grease.
In the electric machine do not oil the motor, or use Tri-Flow grease, use only Singer lube in that. You can get all three at Sew-Classic { http://www.shop.sew-classic.com/ }.

As for not telling your wife .... get her involved, it will be more fun. My wife has been sewing since she was 7. That's a lot of summers ago. I just started last year. I like tinkering with the machines, but to know if I've gotten them right I need to use them.
So I've been making my bags and some quilts while my wife makes other things.

Joe
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Old 10-24-2012, 05:28 AM
  #38832  
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Originally Posted by IamaHam View Post
Hello my name is Steve.
When searching the internet for information the Quilting Board keeps coming up so I decided to just join.

I recently got my Wife's Great Grandmother's model 66 treadle up and sewing again and have started working on another 66 that arrived from eBay yesterday. Both machines were completely frozen and I have been amazed at how well and quickly these old singers respond to a little WD 40 and kind persuasion. The first machine makes really nice stiches and being a treadle is nearly silent. I hope to use the one I am working on now on a machine quilting frame for my wife (it is an electrified model). As best as I have been able to tell you have to spend close to $1000 dollars to get a new machine with a harp as big as the old singer 66. Any thoughts on using a 66 on a machine quilting frame would be welcome. Ok, that is who I am and what I am up to, just having fun working on a couple of old sewing machines.

Looking forward to chatting with you all.

Steve
Steve that is so cool! There are lots of us here that use the vintage machines to free motion quilt, but I don't think anyone has a 66 or 15 or any of the really old machines on a quilting frame! If you are going to put the 66 on a quilting frame, how are you going to FM quilt? The 66 does not drop its feed dogs? I guess, you could cover up the feed dogs, but what about getting a Model 15? Those machine drop their feed dogs with a thumb screw under the needle plate. I FM with my 15 all the time! Please post photos of the 66 in the quilting frame - I just think that is such a cool idea! Yes, the old machines do have a really nice stitch!

Nancy
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Old 10-24-2012, 05:34 AM
  #38833  
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Originally Posted by nurseknitsLaura View Post
Nancy- not to worry- there is a piece of red felt under the machine to protect the table. Sorry the pics are so awful, but I figured I had to post something or it would all seem like a dream....next pictures will be more organized.

Had a frustrating evening- was sewing away on the pink quilt when a piece of the free motion foot broke off- didn't hit it or anything, just the spring sproinged. Well that little bit went down into the bobbin case and I marred the bobbin case and broke a needle, all in a matter of a minute! So now I am waiting for my industrial to have a new case and replacement foot to arrive before I can finish this hospice quilt. Good news is the bobbin case for an industrial is cheap. I guess the machine knew I was in a hurry! laura
Laura, couldn't you finish the quilt on a different machine? I always get in trouble when I am in a hurry - I think it is some kind of unwritten rule!

Nancy
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Old 10-24-2012, 08:54 AM
  #38834  
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Steve, The consensus is that machines with horizontal bobbins don't quilt as well as vertical bobbins, which is another vote for a 15 or 15 clone - or in my case, a 301. My 301 is doing her magic on a quilt right now. On second thought, I wouldn't put a 301 on a frame because the bobbin doesn't hold as much as a 15's does.
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Old 10-24-2012, 09:36 AM
  #38835  
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Steve, beware these old machines multiply. We started with one and now have over a 100. But who's counting. BTW welcome to the board. Very friendly and helpful people are on here.

Last edited by Crossstitcher; 10-24-2012 at 09:41 AM.
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Old 10-24-2012, 11:15 AM
  #38836  
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Originally Posted by BoJangles View Post
Well Dee, I do live in the perfect town for me - from rescuing sewing machines, to rescuing dogs and horses - it is a very appropriate town for me to live in!

It is always a problem to change anything on any machine, except the Singers, unless you have a donor machine. I don't have a National, so I am not familiar with that machine. I have a beautiful little New Home that I wanted to turn into a HC. It has a friction pulley motor. I wanted to get rid of that motor 2 years ago, but I have not found a New Home in bad shape with a HC I could steal. The HC's you can buy today work great on Singers, but they don't work on most of the other machine makes. If anyone can help you with the HC issue, it would be Mizkaki, Cathy!

Cathy, what can Dee do to turn her National into a HC?


Nancy
Is that that 3/4 size machine you posted? I think the place where the motor went might be sloped too much - Does it have two boss holes? I bet those holes are not original - someone might have converted it to electric. You might be able to HC with a knife sharpening crank or something. You might have to get creative on that one - put the machine in a box made of 2x4s or something then put a crank of some kind on the end of that. Nancy is right those HCs you buy won't assemble. They might go on a clone though - I've had one on a Japanese deluxe zzer so you never know - the place it goes on has to be flat enough for the HC to go flush and at the right angle.

Last edited by miriam; 10-24-2012 at 11:22 AM.
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Old 10-24-2012, 11:19 AM
  #38837  
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Yesterday I went looking for sewing machine belts - I need a handful of them. Charlee said you can get them at a car parts store. I tried 2. One said they might but she was waiting on 14 other people so I just left. The next one said nope sent me to an appliance place across the parking lot. They said nope sent me to another appliance place about a half mile from my house. Since I was on the way home... The owner didn't have anything like that but there was a nut case man in there said he might have some. So I am waiting for him to call.
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Old 10-24-2012, 11:35 AM
  #38838  
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The same companies that make automotive belts make the sewing machine belts. You need to catch the parts guy when he's not busy and have him dig out his master book that lists all the belts made. Then using measurements of the belt you want match he can probably order them for you.

If I was still working car parts I'd have all the belts I need.

Joe
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Old 10-24-2012, 11:38 AM
  #38839  
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Originally Posted by J Miller View Post
The same companies that make automotive belts make the sewing machine belts. You need to catch the parts guy when he's not busy and have him dig out his master book that lists all the belts made. Then using measurements of the belt you want match he can probably order them for you.

If I was still working car parts I'd have all the belts I need.

Joe
How much should those cost each???
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Old 10-24-2012, 11:40 AM
  #38840  
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Originally Posted by J Miller View Post

The Whacky Bag consists of a minimum of 83 parts. Buy making one of these with each machine I can get the tensions adjusted and make sure it sewing properly. Not to mention we have them up for sale at the craft shows.
I love these! Any chance the bag would be tough enough to carry the machines? Maybe some of the lighter ones anyway... Are they lined? Fully quilted? Inquiring minds....

As for not telling your wife .... get her involved, it will be more fun. My wife has been sewing since she was 7. That's a lot of summers ago. I just started last year. I like tinkering with the machines, but to know if I've gotten them right I need to use them.
So I've been making my bags and some quilts while my wife makes other things.

Joe
I'm still trying to figure out how to get DH involved.... he's clearly enamored with a couple of machines, from a strictly mechanical standpoint, of course.... The best I've managed so far is he helps me with the tighter bolts on the sewing machines, and he sewed his own button on his pants with the Rocketeer....
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