https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...e-t261967.html
This one was kind of epic. It still is around but not painted. I saw it the other day but forgot what all I went through to make it work. I’m thinking that one is going to be part of 4-H this year.

Yes, I remember reading that; definitely epic.

Cleaning cast iron patch on vintage Singer
 

Thank you so much Miriam, pennycandy, charley26, all, for showing me a good workable direction to move toward on this, what I believe is a 127 model. Such a relief to know help is out there. Your comments are so welcome to my search for what and how to do next step. Working one step at a time, next after flaking off the existing flakes, I will just clean entire topside of machine with naptha, then evaluate for whether to paint the bed only, or shellac 'as is' the entire topside. Three further questions: 1. I am wanting to take apart and clean the tension assembly. Is that too terribly difficult to get the parts back on in order? See photo of tension assembly condition. 2. I am also wanting to take off and clean thoroughly the parts of the bobbin winder. Is that possible for a newbie without having to call 911? I'm committed to doing the work, just don't want to get in over my head, worried about putting all parts back together in proper order. 3. I want to take off balance wheel to clean thoroughly around where it attaches. Any pitfalls to be aware of? Advice super welcome!!

I managed to get the bobbin winder of my machine but I did not take it apart. Just hours of cleaning, very fine steel wool, oil, toothpick, old tooth brush, metal polish, and elbow grease. It also worked at the end of all that, by was not shiny - I did not worry about it. The tension unit is a much easier animal to take apart, but I would suggest that you photograph each stage, and place each item safely somewhere as you remove it - so you can put it back together. Much easier to clean though. I did not remove the central pin, just all the pieces you can see. When you remove the face plate you can see the insides, again I used old tooth brush, dental floss, dental sticks, metal polish, steel wool, oil, many hours spent on it, but the sense of achievement was wonderful. My kitchen looked like a workshop for several days!
Some photos of the tension unit; after the face plate removal, the working bobbin winder. I think yours may come up better than mine.
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It is generally recommended taking pictures and labeling as you disassemble to clean sewing machines.

When I cleaned my tension assemblies on my 27s, which are an earlier version on your 127k, I used http://mysewingmachineobsession.blog...-assembly.html (Not affiliated with link)
to get it back together.

Here again take pictures. I believe there is at least one spring wire on the bobbin winder and getting it back together in the proper position can be a bit fiddly, but doable.

This shouldn't be too difficult unless Igor has been messing with it. There is Clamp Stop-Motion Clamp washer that can be fiddly to be put back on. There is a Clamp Stop-Motion Flanged bushing that I would recommend leaving that alone. Also don't use too much force, as sometimes if get too anxious things can break. And some are really stuck! It is a good idea to take the hand wheel and stop motion knob and washer off to clean and oil. I remember reading that some one had found a bunch of thread wrapped around the hand wheel. As a matter for fact, I, too, have found thread around the hand wheel, but usually not much.

Lizzie Lenard has some good youtube videos about cleaning these old sewing machines.

Good Luck.


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

Thank you Janey, I still find it difficult to believe - when I look at the photos - that I actually did that!!