Stefan

OK, on the 1950's machines with a shuttle. Different people like different things. No problem.

Mickey2, I was finally able to get my flaking green paint Free Westinghouse to work. It had a knock from a huge crankshaft end runout and made all sorts of noises. I was able to eliminate that with a creative Band-Aid part I made. Now, it runs at top speed without missing a stitch. I never would have guessed that it could be fixed. It was that bad sounding and shaking.
Basket cases 0 Stefan 10.

I was able to free up the motor shaft rubber pulley and move it over into the second drilled outer hole in the bobbin shaft extension on the motor. That also helped eliminate thumping. I discovered that you can tilt the motor slightly off vertical and get it engage unused rubber on my pulley. I reset the pulley at the other drilled set screw hole further out.

I found this model at needlebar.
http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.ph...allantyne1.jpg
Ballantyne labeled treadle machine with features like Jabatrom's LN.
It's a nice former gloss black machine and sort of a type LN model except it is a treadle machine. I wonder who made it and then made it without a treadle belt. It had to be New Home as a first guess.

The closest manual I could fine with Jabatrom's LN features was a Singer 127/128 manual on manualslib.com.
It's for a treadle machine again but it has those brown crinkle finished LN's features, I think.
Then there's this manual.
http://ismacs.net/free/manuals/freevs-c-e-ce-manual.pdf

I checked the top of the eye to hook timing gap at the hook timing point on the flaking green machine. It was like the other one. Instead of 3.0 to 3.5 mm, it was 2.9 to 3.3. That's outside the normal 1.8 to 2.4 mm range I read about all the time on web pages for suppliers. I ran it all out for at least two feet of tread total and it works with that larger timing gap setting. That 15X1 needle must be 30-40 years old and rust tarnished or stained. It worked.

It's hard to kill a 'heavy metal' and 'all metal' sewing machine. I think the Free Westinghouse LN will work.

HTH,

Stefan

OurWorkbench

Leon, Sorry to hear about the ice. I remember those when I lived in the SW part of KS. I also remember a few when I lived outside of DC in MD. We get some ice here, too, but for some reason it doesn't seem quite as bad.

Stefan, congrats on rubber pulley. Sew-classic I think has a couple sizes of them, but there were lot more sizes and shapes used over the years.
Also the links you gave were already mentioned, in posts # 4 & #6. I don't remember, did you post a picture of your machines over on the Crinkle finish and other ugly finish machine thread thread?

Jabatrom, How is it going? Have you gotten it oiled? (sorry this thread has kind of gotten side tracked) Is it possible you can get some help from the neighbor? (Nice gift, BTW) What are you planning on sewing with it?

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Jabatrom

I think I've found a new hobby! I love learning about these vintage machines. Thank you all for your comments. I'll try to answer some of them.

I'm not new to sewing. I used to make my own clothes when I was younger. Got into quilts and other projects. Now I'm trying serging to make grandkids clothes.

I haven't started working on this Free-Westinghouse machine yet. I have my mom's treadle Singer 115 (She passed away in 1994). This machine hasn't been sewn on for years before that. It's in pretty good shape, just some scratches on the machine. I've taken apart and oiled the machine. It needs a new belt which I just purchased. The cabinet had some delaminating that I'm researching how to repair. I'm not trying to get it in "new" condition. I kinda like the distressed character. I'll post before/after when I'm done. I think I'll try to sew a table runner with it.

The foot pedal is what what you thought (1945066) and the plug fits my machine.

In the accessories given with the machine, there is a note stating it takes 15-1 needles. There is a pkg of Elna needles witha couple of needles in it.

The underside of the case has a 1/16 in the cast iron. I didn't see any other marking (besides the already mentioned g63 and Type J).

I'm having problems attaching photos. Sorry about that. If I can get it working I'll attch them.

Mickey2

My interested increased when I leonf posted the picture of the balling gear, it looks like it's a particularly smooth running machine. You have to report back on how it turns out :- )

A 115 is quite a find, it's the rotating race and hook that stands out on this model. Other wise it's very close to a 15. I think it takes different type bobbins though. The Elna needles are 15x1, at least all the vintage Elnas took this needle.

OurWorkbench

Good news about using 15x1 needles. I actually did re-read the needlebar site about LN machines and it said it uses 15x1/

I haven't really "played" with my 115 yet.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Jabatrom

The bobbins for a Singer 115 are the same bobbins as a Singer 20U. I found info on an 115 owner's YouTube video. He mentioned you need size (class?) L bobbins that fit a Singer 20U as the original bobbins for the 115 are no longer made. This website sewingmachine221sale.bizland.com stated they fit both the 20U and 115. I couldn't get that site to add to cart so I ended up buying them at sewingpartsonline.com. Funny thing with my Singer. I'm ready to reassemble the cabinet and install a new treadle belt. My 17 month old granddaughter thought the spool looked pretty cool. She came out of the room holding it. Luckily I took pics on how it was threaded. Hope it sews for me.

OurWorkbench

Leon, does that mean one is missing parts? I thought the Rotoscillo was the one with ball bearings. John would really be interested in seeing. I'm still somewhat confused about the different movements. I found a neat article in http://digital.hagley.org/islandora/...m/PDF/download on pages 13 (lower right) and page 16.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

OurWorkbench

Actually, those bobbins fit many machines. I picked one up the other day, but haven't tried it in my 115.
You can find a manual for the 115 at http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...ine-manual.pdf If you try to find it on the singerco.com site the 115 manual is for a different machine.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Cari-in-Oly

Janey is right, those bobbins fit many machines. Class L bobbins are also known as rotary bobbins. My 50s Brother free arm machines use these bobbins, they're the only vintage domestic Brothers I know of that don't use a class 15 bobbin.

Cari

Jabatrom

I finally got my Singer 115 put back together. Just have to get the veneer on the lid redone. I was told I should try sewing using only the hand wheel to test the tension and stitching before attaching the belt. It moves freely with the feed dogs moving fabric. I'll let you know how that goes. Here's my before picture. Somehow I'm having trouble attaching the after pictures. I didn't want to have it look new, just cleaned it up as good as I could. Maybe it only allows 2 per post. I'll try another post and see if it attaches.
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