The Beginning of a New Project (1910 Singer 66 hand crank conversion)
 

So about a month or so ago i attended a Treadle On gathering (or as they call it a TOGA, Treadle On Gathering & Academy) were there is lots of fun and learning and raffles! <3 my boyfriend graciously tagged along and i gave him one of my raffle tickets and asked him to pick a machine and put my ticket in. To my surprise and glee he had won me a 1910 Singer 66 Red Eye. She is worn, beat up a bit... BUT with a little gentle cleaning, she moves super smoothly.

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(still need to polish up her shiny bits. :) )

I had also purchased a Singer 99 at the event and thought about converting it to a hand crank.

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(she's on her hand made custom table! she also has a suitcase!)

bought a hand crank assembly and went home. After that i thought... "Huh the 99 has its own motor and custom built table stand... but the 66 needs a treadle cabinet, to which i neither can afford nor have room for at the moment." So i decided to convert the 66 to a hand crank instead. Ironically i had already left the event where i could also have purchased the wooden box for my 66 to sit in, but the lady selling them kindly sold me one online and the box arrived today! Her father of 84 years hand builds the boxes! This one needs to be finished, but is cherry wood. its beautiful and will make my Singer 66 a happy machine! <3

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So this is the beginning of my first extensive sewing machine project outside of cleaning and maintaining. I was curious to know if anyone would be interested in me photographing my progress as a tutorial of sorts? I'm new to this sort of thing, but ive heard it isn't too difficult So let me know! if not enjoy my story and i will update with pics as they come along!

Yes, please do!

I did this a couple of months ago- and I wish I had photo'd all the process. You have a nice new machine to make comfortable in your home, which is always fun. Or most always...

momto5, Will do then! and i'll be sure to do it with my good camera so i dont have these quick cellphone pics. :)

makitmama, i hate when i think after a project (i should have taken photos!) I hope she sews as well as she now turns after a nice bath of sewing machine oil. Oh ive been meaning to ask, are you a fan of Totoro? or just find the pic cute. :3

on a random note, i am debating on whether i want to draw something on the side of the box or not? hmm

I'm looking forward to the pictures and story.

Thanks lynncat! :)

Most of the real old 66s that I have seen don't have a machine boss. They had motors but were attached by some other creative means than the little raised notch on the end of the machine. If you do not have that notch the HC won't fit. The 99 does have a motor boss so the HC will fit it.

Would you be able to share the link to the handmade boxes. I really want one for my 201-3 machine - the cabinet is toast. Not sure if that model fits into a box? But the box is a great idea.

Love your machines by the way!

I'm looking forward to following your progress Kittywolf.

I hope that's not the case Miriam. I want my singer to work! Lol I have set out everything in the same area to see how. I think I'm missing a screw too but I have to find some information. I just really didn't want convert the 99 after seeing how smoothly she runs with her motor and she has her custom table and suitcase and everything. She's perfect that way. I'll see or I'll get inventive.

Vannginney, I can send your email or you can join Treadle On and look for it in the marketplace. I'll private message you her email. :)

Thank you little quilting bear!i can't wait to start!

So this project kind of ended before it started! :( sad to say...

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Everyone was right no motor boss = no hand crank. So she will be put aside untill i get a treadle cabinet for her. I am however trying to replace her presser foot lever but i couldnt get the screw out to replace the pieces. Advice?

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The screw on the far left wont fit between the wall on the machine and the bar that holds the entire presser foot mechanisim. advice on how i can replace that part? im hoping that it also doesnt mess with the tension spring to remove a good chunk of whats in there which is what seems like i will have to do? Advice??

When you want to take that pressure foot thing apart oil it with Tri-flow - wait - then use a little heat to turn it. BUT be very careful of that presser foot spring - that sucker will fly out of there clean into the ceiling as hopefully it bypasses your eyes (HINT: it was called a pressure foot by my mom for years...) There might be some kind of a set screw somewhere.

I wish someone made a HC that attached to the box or table or the little hole in the back of the machine where the round hole cover goes or something. I have a mess of machines that could use something, too. Not enough treadle irons to go around - too many people use them to make tables or what ever they do with old treadles. There is someone out there making 2 or 3 dollar window cranks into hand cranks and selling them for $40. You might be happy with one of them on there. Better still figure out how they did it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/FEATHERWEIGH...item2574d9564e

Thanks Miriam! Putting a knob in the balance wheel would be easy enough. I just wanted the 3:1 ratio vs the 1:1 that I think that one provides. Even though I started a decent debate over ratios over at TReadle On and I guess some of the ratios and stuff are wrong. I put the hand crank on a 128 I just rescued and it has the 3:1 ratio. So I dunno where folks get these crazy ideas sometimes. Hehe.

I wish there was a way to just put a knob in it and be done.

I wonder.... You're starting with a new box so there's no reason not to modify it some, right? I wonder if you could mount a pulley 1/3rd the size of the machines belt track on the base and have that driven by the window opener? It would have to either sit further to the right and drive a longer shaft or maybe forward enough to clear the balance wheel, in which case it could be nearer the machine. Any machinist out there?

I do too, pink castle! Where's Joe? Haha he hasn't made a comment yet. :P

I would want it so I could reach it easy

Yeah, I'm thinking forward would work better. You'd need a shaft supported by a bearing in the middle - attach the pulley to the left side and the crank arm to the right. Mount the whole thing high enough that you don't hit your knuckles on the base and with the pulley in-line with the sewing machine's pulley track - some arrangement to fine tune the position would be important. The mount I'm envisioning would look something like a fixture used to mount a handrail to a wall, though it probably wouldn't need to stick out that far in front. The mounting bracket would need to be fairly sturdy and to attach to the base very securely since it will need to resist the tension of the belt and the moment the user would impart if they're not moving their hand in perfect circles.

and it needs to be able to wind a bobbin, too

It just struck me that I have this backwards. OOPS! The drive wheel will need to be three times the size of the machine's belt track or it will have to be geared up. Gearing it up is possible but a PITA. Looks like a treadle base is the best bet.

Kittywolf13,

I haven't commented yet cos I've been playing with Rusty and his new hand crank.

Here is what I would try were I in your situation.

Since you have the new box get a piece of solid steel, "L" shaped, and cut it wide enough to be a strong support, but not wide enough to get in the way. Bolt it to the bottom and to the divider for stability. Bend it so that it runs right up next to the pillar of the machine with a tab at the top bent to keep it from bending inwards. Put a rubber cushion on that.

Drill a hole where the HC mounting bolt needs to be, then drill a smaller one above and below the mounting bolt hole to mount a small bolt or screw in to prevent the HC from pivoting. This is a substitute for the boss that's missing on your machine. Bolt the HC on and crank away.

Harder to describe than to do it.

Joe

That makes sense. If the table I'm eyeing falls through then I will give this a try. :P

Could you send me the link to the "Toga" too please? Thanks!!
And your new machines are pretty!!!

Ok, I'm up for the challenge! Let's think through what would be the most useful and do-able design for a hand crank for Machines without motor bosses, that will work with the most amount of machines out there

Requirements:
Should have 3:1 gearing
Should mount to a portable case (or be able to be used WITH a portable case.
Should be SOLID
Should be reasonably priced

Possibilities:
Might be able to be made to work with solid hand wheels
Adjustable/changeable gearing would be a plus
Possibly reuse some existing crank (orig or modern) with adapter

antique knife sharpener