Looking for White 77 info and pictures
12-16-2013, 02:50 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 5
Looking for White 77 info and pictures
Good Afternoon.
I have a 1953 crinkle coat White 77 that I'm working on. I've replaced the tension assembly, it didn't have one when I bought it, and found bobbins for it, but I'm having some small issues that I hope you all will be willing to help me resolve.
It sews a very nice stitch, but it will frequently cut the top thread at the end of the seam. Typically it happens when I've managed to stop with the needle in the fabric, so I manipulate the wheel to raise the needle, sometimes I have to struggle with the wheel to get it to come up, and when I pull the threads it cuts it. The top thread will be wound through the race as though it's prepared to take another stitch and the thread is cut on the (if you're facing the bobbin case) right hand side as it is emerging from the plate. I know I have some more work to do on the tension assembly as it's stiff but it's not pulling so hard as to break the thread when it's not run through the race and it doesn't break while sewing. I've inspected everything for burrs and while I haven't seen anything that jumps out at me I will be smoothing things with some steel wool in a few minutes just in case.
When the thread breaks it's almost impossible to remove the remnant from the hook/race assembly without removing the whole shebang, it gets stuck along the bottom of the hook and removing the bobbin case doesn't help at all. I'm beginning to think that I may not have the race/hook perfectly inserted, but this is the only white sewing machine I've ever seen and I have nothing to compare it to. Does anyone know of a place where I can find pictures of the race/hook/bobbin case assembly and directions for assembling it?
The other issue I'm having is trying to figure out how to attach the 77's knee lever to my sewing cabinet genericus that I use for homeless machines. It's a pressed wood 70's/80's era looking thing that came with an old, non-vintage monkey wards machine that is now in the landfill. I can tell you that 550 cord didn't work at all, and zip ties are working as a temporary measure but it's not at all solid so I think I'm going to have to mount it permanently, unless someone has better temporary ideas. Again, I haven't seen a cabinet installed knee lever before and would appreciate some guidance for placement (and to figure out if my knee is supposed to push it away from me or pull it toward me, I'm more comfy with pulling it toward me but if that's not correct...) and how to place the screws. I suspect that there's a plate that is supposed to screw onto the cabinet but I don't have one.
Thank you
I hate to have my first post be all gimme gimme but I don't have much experience and don't really have much to offer by way of advice. As I have five other machines on my bench (singer 28, 128, 99, 201, 15-91, and an electric 66) I will probably have more questions before I have advice, sorry! I do have one treadle that I refurbished, a 1904 singer 66 lotus in it's original 4 drawer cabinet, named Miss Ruth after the lady who was her sewing partner for 80+ years, and a lovely soft green 60's era Kenmore also in her original cabinet named Miss Nina after her owner. Miss Nina bought her new, she came with everything including the test sample, the packages of free needles, manuals, everything all carefully packed away in her drawers, discovering that was like bumbling upon a time capsule. She sold her to me this summer in preparation to move to assisted living and had taken meticulous care of her machine, cleaning and oiling it twice a year even though she hadn't sewn in more than a decade. I didn't need to do anything to her except remove half a bobbin of thread her great granddaughter had knotted around the needle bar. That took about an hour then I loaded a bobbin, threaded her and we were off and sewing. My boss, Miss Nina's son, even pointed out the tiny chips along the edge of the bed where as a kid he was tasked with oiling it and he tried to pry the machine up with the tool Miss Nina used to lift the bobbin access plate, he said he still hears about that! LOL
I have a 1953 crinkle coat White 77 that I'm working on. I've replaced the tension assembly, it didn't have one when I bought it, and found bobbins for it, but I'm having some small issues that I hope you all will be willing to help me resolve.
It sews a very nice stitch, but it will frequently cut the top thread at the end of the seam. Typically it happens when I've managed to stop with the needle in the fabric, so I manipulate the wheel to raise the needle, sometimes I have to struggle with the wheel to get it to come up, and when I pull the threads it cuts it. The top thread will be wound through the race as though it's prepared to take another stitch and the thread is cut on the (if you're facing the bobbin case) right hand side as it is emerging from the plate. I know I have some more work to do on the tension assembly as it's stiff but it's not pulling so hard as to break the thread when it's not run through the race and it doesn't break while sewing. I've inspected everything for burrs and while I haven't seen anything that jumps out at me I will be smoothing things with some steel wool in a few minutes just in case.
When the thread breaks it's almost impossible to remove the remnant from the hook/race assembly without removing the whole shebang, it gets stuck along the bottom of the hook and removing the bobbin case doesn't help at all. I'm beginning to think that I may not have the race/hook perfectly inserted, but this is the only white sewing machine I've ever seen and I have nothing to compare it to. Does anyone know of a place where I can find pictures of the race/hook/bobbin case assembly and directions for assembling it?
The other issue I'm having is trying to figure out how to attach the 77's knee lever to my sewing cabinet genericus that I use for homeless machines. It's a pressed wood 70's/80's era looking thing that came with an old, non-vintage monkey wards machine that is now in the landfill. I can tell you that 550 cord didn't work at all, and zip ties are working as a temporary measure but it's not at all solid so I think I'm going to have to mount it permanently, unless someone has better temporary ideas. Again, I haven't seen a cabinet installed knee lever before and would appreciate some guidance for placement (and to figure out if my knee is supposed to push it away from me or pull it toward me, I'm more comfy with pulling it toward me but if that's not correct...) and how to place the screws. I suspect that there's a plate that is supposed to screw onto the cabinet but I don't have one.
Thank you
I hate to have my first post be all gimme gimme but I don't have much experience and don't really have much to offer by way of advice. As I have five other machines on my bench (singer 28, 128, 99, 201, 15-91, and an electric 66) I will probably have more questions before I have advice, sorry! I do have one treadle that I refurbished, a 1904 singer 66 lotus in it's original 4 drawer cabinet, named Miss Ruth after the lady who was her sewing partner for 80+ years, and a lovely soft green 60's era Kenmore also in her original cabinet named Miss Nina after her owner. Miss Nina bought her new, she came with everything including the test sample, the packages of free needles, manuals, everything all carefully packed away in her drawers, discovering that was like bumbling upon a time capsule. She sold her to me this summer in preparation to move to assisted living and had taken meticulous care of her machine, cleaning and oiling it twice a year even though she hadn't sewn in more than a decade. I didn't need to do anything to her except remove half a bobbin of thread her great granddaughter had knotted around the needle bar. That took about an hour then I loaded a bobbin, threaded her and we were off and sewing. My boss, Miss Nina's son, even pointed out the tiny chips along the edge of the bed where as a kid he was tasked with oiling it and he tried to pry the machine up with the tool Miss Nina used to lift the bobbin access plate, he said he still hears about that! LOL
12-16-2013, 03:05 PM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
enjay,
Welcome to the QB.
I don't have pics right now to post, but I will tell you this: The White made machines rotate opposite the Singers you have. In other words the hand wheel rotates away from you rather than towards you. If you rotate it wrong it will mess up the thread big time.
If someone doesn't beat me to some pics I'll try and scare up a couple.
I don't know what kind of knee controller you have, so I can't help there.
Joe
Welcome to the QB.
I don't have pics right now to post, but I will tell you this: The White made machines rotate opposite the Singers you have. In other words the hand wheel rotates away from you rather than towards you. If you rotate it wrong it will mess up the thread big time.
If someone doesn't beat me to some pics I'll try and scare up a couple.
I don't know what kind of knee controller you have, so I can't help there.
Joe
12-16-2013, 04:04 PM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 5
Joe, thanks.
I am aware that it turns away, I guess I should have mentioned that eh? The knee lever I have is a box with a lever on it, the lever will fold up out of the way. Not very helpful without pictures, I'll try and take some after the kids finish clearing supper dishes (it's currently zip tied to my kitchen table
)
I am aware that it turns away, I guess I should have mentioned that eh? The knee lever I have is a box with a lever on it, the lever will fold up out of the way. Not very helpful without pictures, I'll try and take some after the kids finish clearing supper dishes (it's currently zip tied to my kitchen table
)
12-16-2013, 05:30 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,137
There are so many different ways cabinet knee levers get installed. In all, it pushes away from you.
1920's era Singer
White (like yours)
this one is a foot lever - see the metal bar sticking out from the bottom of the drawer stack?
these are just what I already had in my photobucket library. I've got a few other types too.
1920's era Singer
White (like yours)
this one is a foot lever - see the metal bar sticking out from the bottom of the drawer stack?
these are just what I already had in my photobucket library. I've got a few other types too.
12-16-2013, 07:26 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 5
[ATTACH=CONFIG]452077[/ATTACH]this is what my knee lever looks like. The lever will only power the machine when it's moved towards the cords, and the "back" of the box has what appears to be some sort of bracket on it. Unfortunately I'm almost out of zip ties and I need to use it or I would have taken it off for a picture.
12-16-2013, 07:56 PM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: South Central Indiana
Posts: 1,931
enjay, I have a 77 in a cabinet but my knee lever does not look like yours
I tried to take pics (with a cell phone) but they didn't turn out well enough to even tell anything...
My lever mounts to the front of the cabinet skirt and you push to the right with the right knee
I tried to take pics (with a cell phone) but they didn't turn out well enough to even tell anything...
My lever mounts to the front of the cabinet skirt and you push to the right with the right knee
12-16-2013, 11:52 PM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Centralia, WA, USA
Posts: 4,890
I did find a free download for a Domestic 153 sewing machine. It's nearly identical to a White 77. I can pm a copy to you if you like. I'm sorry I don't remember the original source for the manual.
Rodney
Rodney
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