ArchaicArcane

OK,.. let’s start from the beginning.

Disconnect the power, or if you’re working on a treadle, throw the belt or keep your feet away from the pedal.

To remove the slide plate the singer 99k owner’s manual says:
This assumes that the machine is facing the operator, as if to sew.

I like to remove the needle and presser foot at this point, for clearance, and because I try to limit my stab wounds to one a day. Make sure you note which way the flat of the needle sits in the needle clamp.

Next, remove the needle plate. (This is not required for cleaning the bobbin area, but you're here anyway, and it's simple to do. It also lets you see the junk further back in the machine that should be removed.) This is also a good time to inspect the needle plate for burrs or other damage where the needle passes through the plate. Some burrs can be smoothed out with a bit of abrasive cord.

Since you're here, you might as well clean the lint around the feed dogs.

To remove the bobbin case, the manual says:[ATTACH=CONFIG]351682[/ATTACH]

In practice, I find that the next step tends to read easier than it’s done. It does work, eventually, but it’s worth trying this a different way if you have trouble with their method.

• My method:

1. Turn the machine so that the hand wheel faces away from you, this puts the business end toward you, and gives you better leverage.
2. Put your left finger in the left center of the bobbin case.[ATTACH=CONFIG]351683[/ATTACH]
3. Put your right finger in the right side of the bobbin case. Though crowded, you should be able to fit both in here.[ATTACH=CONFIG]351684[/ATTACH]
4. While pulling to the left with your left finger, wiggle a little and pull up with your right finger. [ATTACH=CONFIG]351685[/ATTACH]
5. The case will come up and out. [ATTACH=CONFIG]351686[/ATTACH]
6. Now that the hook area is exposed, clean everything that you see. Make sure you don’t miss this area, it’s easy to mistake the fuzz for something that belongs there. This is also where you’ll find that errant thread that may be causing your machine to not stitch correctly. Don’t be afraid to move the positioning finger around to get to everything. Note: Leave the red felt in the top corner of the hook in place.
   [ATTACH=CONFIG]351687[/ATTACH]
7. Put a drop of oil where the bobbin case mates to the hook
8. Place a drop of oil on the red felt, maybe 2 if it looks really dry
9. To reinstall the bobbin case:

• Singer says:
  Quote:

  Hold the bobbin case between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand. Insert the forked end of the bobbin case under the throat plate so that the fork straddles the end of the bobbin case position bracket. Then, with a slight twisting motion of the bobbin case to the left and to the back, lightly press it downward until the edge of the sewing hook engages in the groove under the rim of the bobbin case.
• In practice, I find it easier to do this in reverse. I push the bobbin case to the back, but don’t try to seat it at the positioning pin. Then I align the left side, so that it’s flush with the hook, meaning that the hook is sitting in between the groove on the bobbin case, then give it a gentle push downward while pulling back, which seats the bobbin case around the finger (currently hidden under the feed dogs.)[ATTACH=CONFIG]351688[/ATTACH]

• Once the bobbin case is seated, move the bobbin case positioning finger (bracket) back into place [ATTACH=CONFIG]351682[/ATTACH]
• turn the hand wheel a couple of times, to make sure everything works like it should.

• Once everything is turning the way it should, reinstall the needle plate and the slide plate (make sure that the two ends of the spring enter the grooves on the underside of the slide plate) by reversing the steps you did to remove them.
  
  
  That’s it. Once you’ve done it once, it will seem easy.

miriam

Thank you - I know there are some Singer 66s, 99s, Spartans, 185s - I forget what the 201 is like and there are others that need to be cleaned!!! I don't need to see any more machines at the thrift store just because nobody cleaned them out! The Singer 401, 403, 404, 500 and 503 all clean just about like that too. With them there is no positioning finger. There is a holder on a spring next to the bobbin holder. It gets pulled up and to the right, the bobbin case comes right out. Re-assembly - see owners manual. It is a little tricky the first time but not very hard to do if you persist. I managed it with no manual.

Janis

I also want to thank you for showing the 99's. Now I know just what to do to give both of mine a good cleaning out. I printed it out and will keep it with my printed copy of the instruction book. The pictures are great!!! Thanks again!

ArchaicArcane

My pleasure gals.

My parts books show the 66, 99, 185, 192 (spartan), 285, and 292s all have the same system.
I'm sure I've seen a 201 in passing, but haven't been in a position to inspect the underbits. If that changes, I'll post a few pics.

I need to get in and clean the 503J again (was using up some my grandma's old thread and it's really dusty in there already), I'll post a pic of the release mechanism when I do, if someone else hasn't already gotten to it.

blueheavenfla

Thank you. It is so much nicer to hear/read another version of how to do a particular procedure that all too often gets put off because the owner's manual seems unclear. Your photos and directions are great!

miriam

oof. I was going to re-post this yesterday. It's been a year - clean out your bobbin area... do not pass go... do not collect $200... do it NOW... yep clean it out please...

A friend of mine is not so technical called and said her SM was squealing and she had a boat load of sewing to finish in a couple days. I asked her when she last cleaned out the bobbin area. UH how do you do that. Well, I walked her through it over the phone. It mysteriously quit squealing. Her idea of a squeal may be different from mine. My machine usually clacks and clatters.

Cecilia S.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]424536[/ATTACH]
Miriam, I don't know why you are on about cleaning your bobbin area. Mine here seems perfectly fine, don't you think?

For some reason, though, this machine doesn't stitch well. Any hints? ;-)

miriam

my condolences... Is that an old Elna?
Hint #1 find a manual
Hint #2 make a pot of Tension Tamer Tea
Hint #3 remove what ever the manual tells how to take out
Hint #4 drink some Tension Tamer Tea
Hint #5 clean in usual way
Hint #6 pour some more tea
Hint #7 put all the bits back together per manual
Hint #8 run the machine to see if it didn't quite down just a little
Hint #9 if it didn't go well get something stronger than Tension Tamer Tea
Hint #10 quit storing it in the chicken house

Caroline S

Thanks for the update post Miriam. I am religious about cleaning the bobbin areas of the machines that are in use. It always amazes me when I acquire a vintage machine that appears to have never been serviced or cleaned that works.

miriam

I get them like that, too. It amazes me how full of lint a machine can get and still run - well sort of. My mom is like that, too. She never taught me how to clean out the lint - she never cleans it. I had to learn that the hard way on my own. I'm a fanatic about it with my DGKs though. They come over and I hand them Q tips and brushes and let them have at an old linty machine. They love it. One time Wilbur looked in one of the machines and laughed. He said, "Grandma, that sewing machine has hair growing on it!" I told him his job was to get the hair out of it. He did. Then he wanted to oil it. Maybe THAT should be a different topic. He likes to baptize machines...