Who doesn't love a before and after?
#11
So, I still had my work cut out for me.
I made sure I hadn't missed anything while cleaning, used more oil and let it soak. I kept turning it over by hand and sometimes with the motor. It wasn't improving that much.
Okay, time to dig into the motor. I decided first to see if the motor was lubricated. Opened up the area where the grease wicks are located and found hardened grease and wicks that were like rocks.
I carefully removed them from the springs and put new wicks in. Then filled it back up with vaseline.
Tried it again and it was still lugging but it was getting better. So I ran it for a few minutes to get the motor warmed up and the vaseline to melt.
And then she woke up from her quarter century (or more per the previous owner) slumber.
https://vimeo.com/153419383
I made sure I hadn't missed anything while cleaning, used more oil and let it soak. I kept turning it over by hand and sometimes with the motor. It wasn't improving that much.
Okay, time to dig into the motor. I decided first to see if the motor was lubricated. Opened up the area where the grease wicks are located and found hardened grease and wicks that were like rocks.
I carefully removed them from the springs and put new wicks in. Then filled it back up with vaseline.
Tried it again and it was still lugging but it was getting better. So I ran it for a few minutes to get the motor warmed up and the vaseline to melt.
And then she woke up from her quarter century (or more per the previous owner) slumber.
https://vimeo.com/153419383
#13
So then we come to why this thing isn't the typical 201-2.
It's a blackside machine from 1941. The black head plate isn't painted. When I first looked at it, I thought perhaps it was tarnished, but it isn't. Best I can tell is because of WWII, Singer couldn't chrome metal because of shortages. So, they went with black. And they used up their current stock which is why some pieces aren't black.
In the pictures, you can see all of the black items that are normally chrome or nickel. Pictures don't do this machine justice. I've included a better shot of the black headplate because it's difficult to show in pictures while on the machine.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541375[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541376[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541377[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541378[/ATTACH]
And she's keeping up with the times. Got her new LED bulb.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541379[/ATTACH]
It's a blackside machine from 1941. The black head plate isn't painted. When I first looked at it, I thought perhaps it was tarnished, but it isn't. Best I can tell is because of WWII, Singer couldn't chrome metal because of shortages. So, they went with black. And they used up their current stock which is why some pieces aren't black.
In the pictures, you can see all of the black items that are normally chrome or nickel. Pictures don't do this machine justice. I've included a better shot of the black headplate because it's difficult to show in pictures while on the machine.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541375[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541376[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541377[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541378[/ATTACH]
And she's keeping up with the times. Got her new LED bulb.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]541379[/ATTACH]
#15
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Victorian Sweatshop Forum
Posts: 4,096
Beautiful, nice going! A word of caution about using Simple Green though. You were lucky, your clear coat must be in good condition. You could have very well destroyed the decals. Any water based cleaner is generally a no-no on the black Japanned machines.
Cari
Cari
#19
As always YMMV.
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