OurWorkbench

At least for this one, the needles are readily available.

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

jlamere

This one is rusted and will hardly move a 1/4 of an inch.

Mickey2

Don't worry; have the machine on a table in a heated room; detect all oil points and apply oil generously. Deliberately over oil a bit and expect excess to dribble down; it's a good idea to keep a few layers of kitchen towels under the base to catch the spill. Take the bobbin case out by lifting the lever up and towards you; apply oil. There several oil points on top of the machine, behind the faceplate and under the base of the machine. Turn the stitch length knob in and out a few times while you add some oil to the threading. Let it seep in over night, and repeat it all the next day. You might have to take the hand wheel off to clean and oil there. Here's a bit of help if you need to take it off.

jlamere

I got it to turn, now I only have the presser foot stuck. It won't move but the lever is loose and moves...I am not sure about that.

Mickey2

You have to work on the presser foot bar from behind the face plate. There is an oil point in the shaft (black part of the body) where it moves up and down that ofte get stuck. Unscrew the presser foot tension screw on top of the machine; be careful not to loose the small washer on top of the spring, work a bit of oil down there to and in the threadings. Any grime and rust that migth be down there will loosen and in the next few days all parts could benefit from a good cleaning.

tessagin

When you get this baby cleaned up and working your grandma will be so proud of you!!

jlamere

Is the serial number anywhere else on the machine? Thanks! My daughter helped me and we got it all loose now and we are pretty excited. I only have one presser foot and it is rusty, so now I will go look for a few or just one! I also have to figure out how to get the bobbin area opened up and cleaned! Thanks for the tips and help. I really thought it was beyond help. I am kinda bummed about the serial number being all rusted out.

Mickey2

Have you found The Archaic Arcaine blog? She has several great tutorials and lots of info on these old machines. Here's a post on how to clean model 66 case. I think the 66 and 99 are almost identical in this way, and it's not a good idea to loosen the screw in center there, unless you have read the service manual and are prepared to fuzz a lot with bobbin tension and adjustment of hook and race. If parts are very rusty I guess they have to come out to be treated and polished, but when the bobbin case is out there's usually enough space to clean out most rust and grime.

jlamere

No, I have not found that blog! Thanks!

Mickey2

Regarding dirty machines with a bit of rust here and there you have to make sure the machine get's oiled and used daily or as often as possible in the beginning. Grime and rust gradually dissolves, but it's an ongoing process the first week or so. The machine will only get smother and better, and model 66 is well worth it. In my experience it takes two weeks before I am happy with it; by then I have had several rounds of oiling and cleaning, scraping out grime and rust from all the nooks and crannies in the needle bar, joints, hinges, knobs,... They often shine up further with a resin based car polish. I use a metal polish on the needle and presser bar; they shine up like new. All this diligent oiling, turning the mechanism, wiping off, and more oil are to prevent the rust and grime to settle again; it easily does until it's finally flushed out.