This is my suggestion, also. Nicotine is oily and can be removed. Wipe the outside of the machine down with mild soap and water and then place in a plastic bag with some type of deodorizer. Hope you find a solution.

You might also want to look up singer-featherweight.com. They are very helpful and they have a product for smelly machines and cases. The old featherweight cases were put together with animal glues and with old age they are very bad. It has made a major difference on my machine.

Wash the entire machine getting into every nook. Place into a black garbage bag and surround it with charcoal for a week. If there is a cover, do it separate. This works as I’ve done it many times.

Newspapers were what was recommended by Tupperware when we got an odor in it: as when making cucumber pickles. I noticed also that when the bowl smelled like pickles, the smell did not come through the bread I then kneaded and let rise in it. We were also advised to put stinky Tupperware into the freezer.

How about clean off the outside as much as you can, put the machine into a large tub, stuff it with newspapers, add a bowl of vinegar or charcoal and put it into the freezer? ? ? ? ?

I purchased a used embroidery machine a few years ago; got a super deal on it only to discover what you did; it reeked of cigarette smoke. SO - I used a BUNCH of paper towels and got a bottle of spray Febreeze and wiped it down and wiped it down; everything - machine every part i could get to; the removable tray in and out and everything in it; cord and foot petal; power cord; the embroidery unit; even the book; a very thick book; I did NOT spray onto anything but sprayed the paper towels and wiped away; it took a LOT; I sprayed and wiped til no more yellow came off. I sprayed the paper towels lightly and wiped EACH side of every single page of the manual. They were not so wet that they stuck. I took the carrying case and emptied it. I DID spray into it and then set it out in my garage for about a week but in summer I'd have put it outside and let the sun and heat do it's job. It was stink free. I used it for many years before I upgraded to a Dream Machine. Good luck with what every you try. I hope it is successful.

We moved into an apartment, the former person put meat into the freezer and turned it off! Talk about stink! You had to hold your breath when you opened the door!
I tried ever thing suggested. Then i took fish tank charcoal in a bowl and put it in the freezer. It is the only thing that worked.

Try Google. I bought an antique desk a few years ago and I needed to get the stale smell out of the drawers. I found a solution on Google and it's fine now.

Usually, if you get rid of the tobacco film, you also get rid of most of the tobacco smell. DH's hobby is collecting and refurbishing antique 45 record players and radios. He uses a product called Novis on the cabinets. He smooths the Novis on, then buffs it off. It is amazing how much better they look and smell when he's done! He says the tobacco film protects the surface of the radios and 45 players, so once the film is off, they cabinets look great. They definitely smell better.

Not such a bad idea if you think about it. The refrigerator is a closed box. Once the fire uses up the oxygen in the fridge, it goes out. Beats the heck out of burning the house down.

But, yes, the smell must have been horrible.

Have you asked in the Vintage Machine Tab here on the Board? There might be someone who has ran into this issue in the past with older machines. I know cat urine and cigarette smoke are difficult to get out, BUT it can be done. Try all of the suggestions and look for that smoker who wants the machine too.