Rodney

If you didn't show us the repair we would never know.

I've been messing with my daughter's Singer 99k again-the one I bent the needlebar and broke the linkage on. I have an older 99 here that I robbed the needlebar parts from to finish her machine. It turns out that needlebar was very slightly bent too, just enough to cause some binding in the bore. I took it out again, hit it with a hammer gently to try to straighten it some then chucked it in my daughter's wood lathe and sanded the bar a bit with some 400 grit sandpaper, not a lot, just enough to polish it a bit. I put it back in and while not perfect, the fit is much better than before. It seems either I got lucky or the timing just falls into place on these machines. It's stitching pretty well with no adjustments.
There are one or two things left to do but the machine is pretty much finished. I lost the screw for the bobbin winder guide on the machine's bed and my older machine uses a different setup so I couldn't rob that one. I also need to pop a new bobbin winder tire on. I have one, I just need to find it.
The daughter is at camp this week so she hasn't seen the machine yet.
Here's the (nearly) completed machine:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]488312[/ATTACH]
It's the machine I made the mahogany case for. I also did some work replacing the badly damaged clear coat. That repair shows. It's not perfectly smooth like the original but at least the decals are protected.
Rodney

ThayerRags

Sounds like the 99 is coming along for you. That’s good.

I’ve been fiddling with two different projects the past couple of weeks.
1. Get a foot pedal presser bar lift set up on my Adler 205-64.
2. Get my Singer 95-40 fired up to hem jeans.

The big Adler machine that I mounted on top of a tool box needs a foot-activated presser bar lift. Since it’s not mounted on a stand designed for it, I’m going to have to improvise. I have a pedal that I finally found in one of my stash areas. I looked in one of my old refrigerators where I thought it would be, and couldn’t find it. I finally went back and looked in the upper freezer compartment and found it. I had the right fridge, but it was behind door #2. I plan to run a piece of pipe under the tool box to mount the pedal on, so I’ve got to come up with the pipe and something to attach it to the bottom of the tool box. I’ve also got to figure out the routing for the chain over the side of the tool box. I may use cable instead of chain, then a small roller would provide smoother operation.

I’ve had the Singer 95-40 since 2009, trying to decide what it could best be used for. I’ve decided to see if it will make a good jeans hemming machine. We’re using our Singer 20U33 for that task currently, but it has the capability to do a nice wide zigzag if I put the feed dog and zz needle plate back on it. It seems like we’re wasting good equipment having it dedicated to jeans hemming. My wife’s not too hot on the idea, and gave me “that look” when I told her what I was going to do. She likes her 20U33 and is afraid that I’m going to rig up something that won’t be as good. So, I’ll have to make sure it’s “a keeper” before I can swap them out.

I’ve got the machine serviced, and my size 18 needles have arrived. We use Tex 80 Jeans Thread for our hemming, so I’ve yet to wind a bobbin and test-sew to make sure the bobbin case and needles can handle the thread size. I’ve been rounding up a needle plate, feed dog, and presser foot that looks like they will work well for hemming jeans. I’ve also been digging out an old Atlas Clutch to power it, and I’ve got to dig out an old butcher-block industrial old-style H-leg power stand that I’ve had since 2006. I used it for a sewing machine mechanic’s bench for a year or so, and then switched to a similar stand for a serger, and have been using it ever since. It has a nearly solid top, without the cutout for a machine. I took a look at the Atlas Clutch that came with my basket-case 31-15 a while back, but it’s in too rough of shape to use for this project. I have a better one that I got in 2009 with my Singer 96-40 that I’m not using, so I will see how it works for this project.

I don’t move very fast, so it may take me a while to get these projects put together.

CD in Oklahoma

Rodney

I like the look of those clutch motors. I wonder if it's the same Atlas that made wood and metal working machinery.
The Atlas stuff was smaller but was well designed and built.
Rodney

quilt938

I actually fiddled with a machine today! (and I've also decided I'm buying stuff I know works - no more fixer uppers for this girl...at least I don't think so...just don't have the time or patience so this machine will be my project)

I bought a Kenmore 1030 off goodwill and it arrived looking much worse than the pics IMO. I knew (too late) that it was missing the accessory box. the good thing is that it does turn on and I sewed a few stitches with it then it started making a noise like it was trying to move but couldn't. I had to get to sleep (night shift) so finally unplugged it - was tired but LUCKILY I stopped before oiling- was trying to see how it opened up and was gonna squirt oil them remembered I should clean it first so the oil doesn't gum up the dirt...sigh...like I'd need more of a mess.

I did have fun fiddling with it though - just 12 hour rotating shifts and overtime don't leave a lot of time for that and I'd rather spend that time quilting.

miriam

If you want a machine that works don't buy from shopgoodwill... for sure you can't test them. I buy them so I can learn things.... Most of the time they need something whether parts or labor... some times they are only good for parts. Usually no accessories.

quilt938

Thanks Miriam luckily it only cost me $42 to learn this lol. Oh and the problem was in my fiddling I accidentally moved the bobbin winding doohickey...still needs cleaning bad and of course in accessory box ..but at least it sews so up I'm optimist it can be cleaned and used.

Mrs. SewNSew

This morning I fiddled around adjusting the tension on my Singer 500A. This was more of a mercy buy than a benefit for me -it was missing so many things. I wasn't able to shimmy-shammy a tension device that worked so I ended up getting one off eBay. It got here yesterday and I was able to adjust it pretty quickly this morning. Then I finished up on a quilted cover for it since it is missing the top lid.

I had to go into town for some things and stopped in at the thrift store and they had a plastic Singer accessory box with some odds and ends that looked interesting for 2.00. It had a Singer walking foot. It was pretty gunked up but I cleaned it up and tried it and it's made for slant shank Yippee! I have to figure out a couple of the other parts. One is a hopping foot, but is all clear plastic with a curved steel spring for the hop. I've never seen one like that.

Rodney

Yesterday evening I messed with my $5 White machine. It's a basic Japanese made 15 class zigzag model in a two tone white and blue. Basically an impulse buy, I liked the colors and the price was right. It was frozen solid at first along with the feed dogs being stuck. I took the top off and oiled everything that looked like it might move and a few things that didn't then flipped it over and started doing the same underneath. I found that the bobbin case/hook assembly area was rusted together pretty firmly when I took it apart. Turns out that was what had the machine stuck. I spent about 15 minutes with some oil and steel wool scrubbing the rust off the parts in the hook assembly. It's turning pretty freely now. I haven't had a chance to thread it yet but I suspect it will sew just fine, I'll test it tomorrow. The tapered pin for dropping the feed dogs was also stuck. All it took was a little oil and a couple gentle taps to drive the pin out of it's hole. It's working perfectly now.
I still need to round up a foot controller and a few cosmetic parts for it as well.
From what I've seen it takes a lot to kill these old machines. All it took to free this one up was no more than basic maintenance really.
Rodney

oldsewnsew

I had one I was going to donate, just to free up some room. It was in the back of my truck and there are a lot of detours. I went over a couple bumps and around a corner a little fast. I heard some loud crashing, looked back to see tailgate down snd bits and pices flying as it hit the road. I eent back after work and picked it up, Still in pretty good condition sctually, but I decided to mske a parts machine out of it anyway....yep they're tough"

miriam

ROTFLMBO - I can just picture it. I saw the Amish guy load up a pick up truck full of 60 or so machines - I think a few fell off. I have them... Well I have the parts... LOL