Ah that makes sense and I figured it wa the case. If its not broken why change it? :)

It's fun watching you collect all these machines. I'm right with you...have a Singer 28 hand crank with the shuttle bobbin but don't have time to clean her up and learn to use her.

Lynn. I can't help myself! I enjoy cleaning them up and tinkering with them. But also feel I'm saving them from scalpers who see something "old" and think they can put a Hugh price on it. Then they go and dupe some poor soul who just wants to enjoy the machine out of their money. It's like a rescue mission!

Kitty, I don't see myself as saving them from scalpers, more like saving them from fates like that of he 15 clone that got smeared with paint in a pseudo-camouflage pattern. That and saving them from landfills.

True. I hope none of the ones I've seen on Craigslist hvnt found their way to the dump. Hadn't thought of that. :< poor machines!!

All 128s use the long bobbin. The user manual is available from Singer, free for download. One of the first things in the manual is how to convert to electric motor. They take 15x1 needles, so you can use the modern 130/705 needles that are readily available. The thing is the box is the innard parts of a controller.

Thank you k9 dancer for the advice on the needles and stuff. :)

Glad to help!

Kittywolf, what you see under that metal plate in your pic is the knee controller. It looks different than the one that I have, it looks like it -might- be missing parts, but your dad might be able to rig it. It might also just be incorrectly assembled. Meaning, there's a chance that knee lever could work, it could be a convertible. :) The only "cable" you'd need to make her work, assuming the wiring is in good shape, is a regular single lead cord. Similar to tucci's, just not with a pedal attached, that's taken care of by the knee lever. If you can post a clearer pic of the inside of that box, where the controller is, I might be able to figure out what's there and what's not. I'll try to post a pic of mine tomorrow too, so you can compare.

I have boxes here that started out looking as bad as yours. In most cases, I wiped them down with a damp cloth, or in extreme situations, with murphys oil soap, and then applied Howards "Feed'n'Wax" - http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/in...kgu/R-I4548388
Oh I just had to post that link! It's canadian, and at a hardware store, instead of just at the antique stores where I usually find it. :)

That work though is after a little love with some clamps (I think the ones we have are "Irwin") and either wood glue (regular old elmer's etc) or Hide glue (it might be the Titebond brand that PCDH mentions). I have some here, so I use it. It's a modern version of the animal glues they used to make the cases in the first place.

Thanks for all the wonderful in put, Arcaine! I kind of thought the metal but might be a knee press but the controller in the box doesn't appear to come out? So I didn't know that would work. Could I attach a foot pedal to see if it works? Or would that blow the controller?