kelseashanty

I bought this machine, and my quarantine project has been restoring it. I've never had an antique machine before, so I'm not super well-informed on how everything is supposed to work.

The bobbin wheel is not in contact with the hand cranked wheel. In order to wind the bobbin, you have to tip the wheel up using your hand. I have tried tightening and loosening the screw for this to adjust the angle and I cannot get the bobbin to stay in the position where the wheels contact, it just drops back down.

The machine is a Singer 187K from 1901.

Do these two wheels always need to be in contact with each other when sewing, or just when winding the bobbin? And, if so, is there a way to fix it?

kelseashanty

A photo of the machine in question:

WIChix

Oh, it's gorgeous! The bobbin winder tire only needs to contact the handwheel during winding mode. As to why it won't stay up to wind, I'm not familiar with this model...

kelseashanty

Oh thank goodness, I was worried I wasn't going to be able to fix it. I already had to make a new wooden base with my non-existent woodworking skills because the original got completely smashed in transit from the ebay seller.

OurWorkbench

I agree that is a gorgeous machine and that the winder tire only needs against the hand wheel when winding the bobbin. I'm glad you were able to post a picture. I believe your machine may be a 28, with Victorian decals, made in 1899. The serial number looks like it may have had a strike over so that it looks like an "F", but I think it may be a "1."

You did a good job on the base. It looks nice. I'm wondering if your knuckles will hit as you hand crank. I think the hand crank bases may have had a cutout on that side. I found http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...victorian.html I can't tell for sure, but I think so.

There are several manuals out there. Many of the manuals have the bobbin winder in a different position than your machine.
http://needlebar.org/manuals/Singer28.pdf https://res.cloudinary.com/singer-se.../268_27_28.pdf

Have fun with your "new" machine.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)

Becky Schneider

A couple of mine do that...including my fav- my 201. I just lightly press between the bobbin and the bobbin wheel with my finger so it touches while I wind the bobbin. This machine looks like the ones my parents bought for us kids in 1965 at an estate sale. Looked like it had never been used. Had a broken needle. My mother thought the lady used it until the needle broke and never again. Anyway- the gear goes around that sort of heart-shaped disc to wind up and down the bobbin. You can still press to the right of that to push the wheel so it touches. (And I bought a centennial 66-18 on eBay with a bentwood case and she put plastic wrap all around the case and shipped it...the machine was like an anvil inside the case, smashed to smithereens. Just about made me sick. The machine, though, was unharmed, thank goodness, and my SMG (sewing machine guy) was able to sell me a bentwood case with base AND KEY for $30.)

patricej

i wonder if the tire on the winder is the right one.
i had a vintage machine repaired (made the mistake of not asking that it be restored.)
the guy just put a new tire on the winder but it never really worked unless i manually made it contact.
i read somewhere that the tires come in different sizes.

that might be the case with your machine.

Farmhousesewer

I believe the bobbin winder tire is correct. It may need a new hinge screw. I think it is part umber 50101. For now, I would just handle it manually, holding it to the handwheel while filling the bobbins.