Look what I just inherited...
 

I just inherited this machine from my MIL. I know Nothing about it, I'm about to settle down with the manual and a cup (or 5!) of coffee.

Does anyone else have this machine? She bought it used in the early 80's, so I guess it counts as vintage? I'm going to do my next quilt on it, hopefully. We'll see what happens!

Wow, looks great! And very complete, too. Vikings are highly regarded by many so you probably got a good machine. Best of all, it's mechanical rather than computerized so you can maintain it yourself. It looks to have a fair number of stitches as well as a free arm and extension table, so it's very versatile.

Score!

I have a 990, which was the Viking top of the line around 1980. Been my main machine all these years and still is.
This one is an earlier version of mine, probably one of the earliest of the Electronic machines. Not really "computerized" but not quite "mechanical" it has step motors that run it - and that is why you can get the fancier stitching, including the alphabet. At least there is no cam stack to break LOL!!

I beleive teh 6570 was the last of the mechanical machines, and the 66XX series are electronic, then Viking switched number series and went to a three digit number. Have no idea what they did after that.

I had a 6570 before I went to this machine.

It looks like yours has the same Memory feature mine has, so I guess it does have a computer in it LOL! OK - so it's got a memory chip and is hard coded, mine has not been to the shop since it was out of warrenty (got one free checkup) and DH has only cleaned it up a time or too, and I've used mine a lot!

BTW - I love my Viking. It's one of my few non mechanical machines.

Here is mine (ok, so I could talk about this machine all night!) She doesn't get shown off much around this forum.

my cards go on the pillar, yours go up on the arm. Yours has the needle stop up/down switch, mine always stops up, and a tap on the pedal makes it cylce and stop down. That is a feature I really like.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps53b17677.jpg

My cards are double sided. There are three contact points on the machine, and the notches at the end of the card determine which contact points make contact, and then the buttons run a different memory program.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psa5440dd4.jpg

That is a nice machine! Congratulations.

So it is computerized? Wow, never saw that coming!

I'll be honest, I'm a bit overwhelmed with it! So many parts and options. And my little Brother is so easy to thread compared to this...

It's actually very simple. You can ignore most of the computer stuff (I rarely use it) and even though I have over 100 machines, I consider this to be one of the easiest to thread. Thread goes on the back, to the back loop then across to the front in the tension slot, loops over the big hook and through the uptake arm, then down the front to the needle. Needle threads front to back and if you put the foot down, the white spot on the foot shows through the eye and makes threading very, very easy.

Congratulations! It looks like a very complete set up which is always nice. I bet you will figure it out quickly. Just take it a stitch at a time.

I have a 6690 thats looks a lot like that , and i love it. it is my go to machine. I have all the feet , even the needle threader> good luck with it. I got mine for 35.00 at a good will. a few months ago. Cmaras1234

I had a Husqvarna as my first machine in the 70's. Just practice as they are user friendly machines. All of the older ones appear better made than the new high end ones in my opinion. Enjoy.

That is the sewing machine I learned to sew on! I've thought about trying to find one for nostalgia. I can't remember what year my mom got it for Christmas. I think it was second grade when I started sewing in 4-H and that would have been around 1986/1987. I think it just died one day when I was in high school.

Don't let it intimidate you...it is very easy to thread. Just a couple of up and downs with the thread. You have a wonderful machine and it will work very hard for you. Enjoy!

Hi. I can’t find where to download a free instructional manual for my inherited Viking 6690. Does anyone know where I can fine an online version?

Here you go:

https://pages.uoregon.edu/craigb/Vik...20brochure.pdf

There's proably one out there for free, but I couldn't find any. If you join the vintage viking groups.io they have all the manuals. There's lots of help and advice to be found, even expert repair guys are active there.

Cleaning and oiling one of the old machines are a bit more work than they originally were. The main thing is the lubrication free gears, which isnt lubriation free anymore. With regular service they were meant to be oiled with a very stable and slightly thicker oil. The gears are sintered and porous, and you can either start applying a regular machine oil more frequently, or track down a replacement for the original type oil. If you search for it, you will find everything on the group.io. You will get good help here too, but for the manuals and techniqual bit, this is a good supplement. https://groups.io/g/vikingsewingmachinespre1980/topics

Here you go:

https://pages.uoregon.edu/craigb/Vik...20brochure.pdf

Here's some instructional video also:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czQ3HekB5_I

I found out that there is a difference between computerized machines & electronic. Your machine is electronic.