Singer Model 99 control/power confusion
 

Just picked up a model 99 at a thrift store today for $40 (woo!) and it's in great condition and is in the wood base. However, it didn't come with a cord/control of any sort. I've found plenty of foot pedals that claim they'll work, but it has a separate "sewing motor controller" inside the box that it's wired to and seems to have a car-auxiliary esqe plug on the outside of the box. The manual for a model 99 on singers website also shows pictures of a machine that look a bit different?

So unless I have the model wrong, but according to these sheets it seems to be a 99. Serial number is AB154822 if anyone wants to double check me on that.

Anyway, another idea - could I fit this machine with a different turn wheel to turn it into a hand crank machine? Just a thought.

Welcome. Did your machine come with a bentwood cover? I'm guessing you need a knee bar to go into the hole in the front. There were two or maybe three different kinds of knee bars for these machines. One looks kind of like a question mark, the other is rather "L" shaped. One has kind of tubular end and the other has a flat end that goes into the base.

Perhaps a few pictures would help (you can only use five pictures per post). I'm pretty sure if you can get a spoked hand wheel, you could make it into a hand crank machine. However, the cover may not fit if you did that. If your machine has a three pin plug like is shown on page 15 of that manual then you should be able to find a modern foot controller with plug that will work.

We like pictures. In order to post pictures on Quilting Board, you will probably need to reduce or compress the picture to a file size that is smaller than 2MB. How to post images can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...020-01-17-.pdf
Don't forget to scroll over to the far right to find and click on the "Upload" button.

I have found that only the big red "Reply" button or "Quote" work to give me the paper clip icon to work for adding pictures.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...p-location.jpg

Some additional info regarding reducing images at post #4 and images for the scroll and upload button can be found at #5 of https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f...d-t312607.html

Or simply - Make sure pictures are smaller than 2MB
Click on red "Reply" button
Click on the paper clip icon
Click browse - choose picture/s. (only 5 allowed per post)
Once they show up as being loaded, Scroll over to the right side and click on "Upload"
After the pictures show up as being attached, you can close that window and go back to the screen to finish posting your post.

A few threads here on QB that may help -
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...t304332-2.html
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...a-t177484.html
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...d-t286009.html
Actually, the last one is for a 128 - not a 99

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

There's no top cover, just the wood base. It's got the three pronged socket, I was just worried that with it being wired to the controller in the base it wouldn't work/bypass properly?

Here's some pictures:
Attachment 634682
All I got with the machine.

Attachment 634683
The "sewing motor controller"
Attachment 634684
The power cord plug
Attachment 634685
The port connected to the controller I was attempting to describe.

Hopefully someone has one similar, as I look at the controller further, I'm not positive if the information below is completely accurate.

It looks like yours has been converted to use a plug and foot controller like https://www.amazon.com/Control-Feath.../dp/B01KINEQTO I'm thinking you have no plug to plug into the house electrical outlet.

My 99 has two plugs in the back of the side compartment. I have a picture of the plugs, too, but since you have the Singer three pin plug, you don't need that. Attachment 634686

It looks like you need a slide plate like https://www.amazon.com/SINGER-Slide-.../dp/B074L1318X
which would be installed as page 29 of the manual you linked to. There is another manual from singer.com for a machine like mine at https://res.cloudinary.com/singer-se...ng_Machine.pdf and has instructions on installing the slide plate on page 14 of this manual.

Okay, so you have a combination machine. Your machine has the older, non-numbered, tension and the screw stitch length regulator, rather than the lever type. However, you have a more modern plug.

Thank you for the picture. There are lots of places and prices for the items needed, I just gave links to the first ones that popped up so you know what you are looking for.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)

That's so strange... What I'm wondering is if at some point the original motor went out, and, unable to source the correct one, it was fitted with a motor from a "newer" machine as, upon further inspection - the wires aren't even connected to the controller in the box. I'm not fully sure what I'd need to connect them to, though I saw some versions of model 99 cords with a pronged connector. Although, the plate on mine doesn't even have that two pronged slot on the top. The belt on it is definitely a newer replacement belt. The wires are in a pretty delicate state, which is sort of to be expected..
Attachment 634687Attachment 634688



And yes, the plate is missing haha. It's also missing a foot; from this parts website I'm seeing it as a low shank machine, is that correct?

Yes, the 99 is a low shank machine

Hmmm, now I'm not so sure. But, with the three pin plug it should work. I'm just not sure what is up with the two loose wires.
Some wiring diagrams can be found at
http://www.doubleveil.net/zssmp/resources.htm
https://oldsingersewingmachineblog.c...ntage-singers/
http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...g_machine.html

I have a Singer 319 that had the foot controller directly wired to the motor, but it had a three pin plug. I was able to plug another foot controller with the three pin plug. We joked we had dueling controllers.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)

It's possibly that it had the motor wiring disconnected due to the visible unsafe condition of the light cord (maybe by the thrift store?). Other than that, looks like it's missing the knee-bar and a power cord (once the wiring has been redone) to get it going?

ps: yes, an older style balance wheel and a repro hand crank can be fitted and would most likely be the most cost efficient way to go. Could also get a replacement foot controller/motor package (many available).

I have one like this. The cord is only for the power, just a plug, not the plug/foot pedal. You can convert to that type put you need to rewire under that plug on the back of the machine. Basically it only uses the two outer outlet pins. A cord with plug and foot pedal uses all three so you have to change the wiring behind the connector so that it uses the middle pin instead of the control box. This is not hard to do, but it won't work until you connect that "connection" up. I

With this one, the power goes through to the machine and then down to the controller in the box. The controller replaces the foot pedal and is run by a knee bar that goes into that hole on the case. That is why you see the two wires going from the three prong plug to the controller.