National VB-TT Type 5
 

I picked up this National VB-TT Type 5 vibrating shuttle machine about a month ago, for $10 in the table, and shortly thereafter found this site. I didn't know much about a VS machine but knew this was missing the shuttle and a bobbin; the machine was not in good cosmetic shape and the wiring was completely burned or melted.

With the help of Jared's detailed pictures on this thread
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...s-t309297.html
And questions I posed on a thread about a Boye #13 shuttle I was able to track down a shuttle that fit and the machine actually sewed some stitches!

For those interested, the machine was "motorized" but maybe by the factory, as the motor has a tag that says National Sewing Machine Co. (sorry for the fuzzy picture)? I am guessing it was originally designed for a treadle, based on the bobbin winder, but the motor has a drive wheel with two tires that turn the hand wheel and an outer pulley that lines up with the bobbin winder pulley. You can see a belt from the bobbin winder to the motor pulley, and I was able to wind a bobbin that way, applying just a little tension to the winder. I can't tell anything about the light, other than the machine was tapped to take a bolt to hold the L bracket holding the light.

Thanks for all the help, this is a great forum.

Great save and very nice stitches. Sometimes it takes a while to dial those in. Don't you love the simplicity of the leaf tension?

The dual tire friction wheels I have are on much new machines. The cogged belt gave me a giggle, but it should work fine.

I had no idea what the leaf tension was when I first saw it, and didn't even know what it was called, until I saw it on a thread here. I had seen pictures of machines with that system, but hurried over them. I stared at it for days before it started to make some sense.

The set up came with a Singer button style foot control, so for $10 I figured I'd be OK on the purchase. I have two other VS machines to work on now and am looking forward to them.