Look what followed me home this weekend
 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]470587[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]470588[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]470589[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]470591[/ATTACH]
I just love these old treadles, it's like sewing through butter. Ahhhhh...it came with nice box of accessories, 2 new Singer leather belts, etc. I put the belt on all by myself....for the very first time. :)
she was born February 1941. Which brings a question. I know there was a thread here in 2012 but I still am not clear since ya'll were talking about motorized. I don't believe this one ever was, but I sure would believe it was refurbished because of the telltale overspray of the Godzilla finish on the serial plate.

this next picture shows where I bypassed the "offset loop" sorry true name escapes me. I did that because it didn't appear to be functioning correctly and I was impatient to try her out. There is a spring there, but there is no tension to it and I don't really know how it's supposed to work. Help? I have another one just like this but with a 15-89 in it but it's kinda buried right now so can't compare.

Your finish looks original to me. WWII was just starting and the Godzilla finish was just becoming popular around the time your machine was made. Both would have had an effect on your machine's finish.
The loop is to derail the belt to put the machine in the cabinet. It doesn't do anything while you're using the machine.
Very nice find.
Rodney

At least it won't take a lot of feeding although it may require many hours of caressing and comfort.
Beautiful.

Beautiful machine!

That is a nice machine. I don't think it's a refurb. I think it's a 66-18 treadle. It's way to nicely done to be a refurb.

The oval gadget you bypassed with the belt is the belt derailleur. You should have run the belt through it. There should be a spring under the derailleur holding it with the oval away from you. If the spring is not there, I don't know where to suggest getting one.

I have a 66-1 ( converted to low shank feet ) in a cabinet exactly like yours. My derailleur spring was missing too and I ended up having to go to a shop in Australia to get it.

Joe

Your machine never had a motor, keep in mind you live in an area where Amish still use treadle machines, and there are rural ares that didn't even get electricity until mid 40's. My home did not have electricity until about 1930 - it took that long for the Power company to get all the poles run . . .

That style treadle cabinet is quite late, not what I'd consider "early treadle" by a long shot. I have one out in the shed - the wood has very heavy water damage but the base is fine. It came with a slightly earlier model 15 (without crinkle finish) we put a motor on it and gave it to a 12 year old budding seamstress (in a small cabinet) and she is very happy with her machine.

I have a 66 just like yours in the electric model.

I think yours would be a 66-14

Here is mine - like yours but it's a 66-16 with the electric motor and solid flywheel.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps20cc8e05.jpg

Mine is almost all "blackside" and I have a large collection of "blackside" attachments. I do not have a "blackside" face plate, but I'm looking for one!

Another interesting note - Singer never made the 66 belt guard with the "crinkle" finish. So if you see a machine with the belt guard "crinkle" then it's a good clue that one is refurbished.

I went and checked my manual - I have a 66-18 and not the 66-16. The biggest difference between them is the type of motor and light, though I'm pretty sure I've seen 66-18's without the crinkle finish . . . but maybe someone put the different light and motor on them.

The neat thing - even the picture in the manual shows the "crinkle finish" machine.

I got curios and dug out some other manuals. The 66-18 is dated 1941, but I've got two 66-16 manuals, one from 1947 and the other from 1952, and they show slightly different machines. Gonna have to go look and see if I can find a treadle manual.