My 'New' Treadle
 

It's not really new, but I haven't used it yet. I had someone come to the house to clean and oil it a couple of years ago but never took the time to learn to use it. Do you think I should try to figure out how to oil it before I try to use it? It's just been sitting since he cleaned it. It's been in climate controlled home, and not too much humidity or not too dry. It was my grandmother's and great aunt's machine. I want to piece on it. I haven't tried to find a manual yet and don't know the age. I think it looks like it's in pretty good shape.

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What is that little metal 'ring' around the belt (just below my hand) for?

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My camera wouldn't focus on the right place so I held up the thread to help it focus. I think the groove for the belt looks clean enough.

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Any guesses on it's age (until I have time to research a bit)?
Thanks for comments!

It's a 66 for sure, a -4 I think. Mid to late 20s perhaps newer. It's got the side clamp feet, those were introduced on the 66s in 23 or 24 IIRC.

There is no reason for you to pay money to have that machine cleaned and oiled. It's very easy to do yourself.

The amber coating on the plated parts is old oil that's solidified. It won't hurt anything except the top tension and it can really mess up the tension there.
To clean, fix and adjust the tensions go to TSFR: { http://www.tfsr.org/publications/tec...machine_manual }

Manuals can be had at the Singer site: { http://www.singerco.com/accessories/instruction-manuals } Download that and it will tell you all you need to know about cleaning and oiling.

The metal ring under your hand is the belt derailer. You use it to move the belt off the big wheel when you put the machine head down.

That machine would sew pretty good as is, but I'd do a thorough cleaning just to make it look nicer. Oh, use only sewing machine oil and cotton balls on the painted parts.

To date the machine use the serial # at the base of the pillar, letter and all, and go here:
{ http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_...-database.html }

Joe

Nice looking machine. Oiling is simple. If you see a hole in the body or floor of your machine put a drop or two of oil in it. I would also put a little oil on the bobbin housing and open the front cover on the arm. Oil every joint you see for the mechanism in there and put a couple drops of oil on the vertical shafts as well. Oil any exposed moving parts on the bottom of the machine too. It only takes a few minutes and really makes a difference in how smoothly the machine runs when it's freshly oiled. Over-oiling won't hurt the machine, it will just make a mess.

J Miller thanks for the link to TFSR. Very good info in there on how to fix and adjust the tension on these machines. It really helped me with the late model 66-16 I purchased this week.
Rodney

Beautiful machine - hope you enjoy it, it looks like it will be a lot of fun. When i oil my treadle I put newspaper under it so I don't get spots on the carpet.

I love it when a family heirloom machine makes three or more generations in a family and is used and loved. Probably because I can never have that, my grandmothers treadle went to someone else in the family and my mother hated sewing and anything 'old' she went modern when she left the old ranch..LOL Enjoy your wonderful sewing machine and the memories.

Thanks, everyone! I really am looking forward to using it.

Sorry, Sunflowerzz, that really is a shame you don't have your family machine.

My 99k from 1916 has the side clamp feet. Where did you find out about the date the 66 went to side in the 20's?
Just curious.

Cindy here's a link for a free manual http://www.a1sewingmachine.com/manuals/66.pdf . It's for the older back clamp but you should be able to find the information you are looking for.

Beautiful machine! I'm glad you have your grandmother's machine! Those that have come down through the generations are really something special! Your machine is in wonderful condition! Just a little cleaning and oiling will work wonders! I know you will take care of it!

Jeanette Frantz

Red Squirrel, I have a 66 Red Eye with a back clamp that is around 1923, and a Red Eye Side clamp that is a year newer. I'm not sure if they are 23/24 or a year earlier or later, and I'm too far away from home to look it up right now LOL! I have seen manuals for the correct year showing the back clamp and side clamp, I've not seen any manuals for earlier 66's in the US showing the back clamp, so I'd assume any earlier Red Eyes with side clamps are converted.

The Red Eye decal was only put on US made machines, and it appears Singer went to the more basic decals way sooner for the K machines than the US made ones. I do not thing the 99 ever came with back clamp. The side clamp is what Singer used on machines predating the 66 such as the 15 and 27/28. The back clamp appears to be a hold over from the Wheeler Wilson machines when Singer bought them out. I've read that the 66 was a modified version of the 9W and that machine had a back clamp foot design, though a bit different than the early 66.