Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell
04-28-2010, 06:26 PM
#191
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Hopewell, VA (for the moment anyway)
Posts: 1,692
I love this shop! I ordered a belt for my Redeye today and it will be here Friday.......wooohoooooo!
A tutorial would be great, Billy, when you get the time. Then I know I'll be doing it right!
A tutorial would be great, Billy, when you get the time. Then I know I'll be doing it right!
04-28-2010, 06:28 PM
#192
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 254
"quote=Ladybugnana]Ok, you got me curious. I have had this out on my front porch (ok I know I was bad). I bought it at a yard sale for $50. It's a Free machine. The numbers I could find were 880883. The top says "The Free Sewing Machine Co. Chicago" Anybody have any ideas? I have never heard of them before"
"Me likey!!!!!!
Surprisingly enough the decals on the arm and upright look to be in really good condition. It will clean up nicely if you take your time and do it right. And you will have an Heirloom to pass down for generations.
The Free Sewing Machine Company was located in Rockford, IL and was in an area known for cabinet makers. Your sewing machine is an early model and was probably made before 1910. These machines were known for (or advertised) as the smoothest running Vibrating Shuttle machine out at the time. According to information I read on the NeedleBar the machine had a "Rotoscillo movement" which was a lot smoother that the swinging motion of the the vibrating shuttle.
All in all this is a very nice example of a very early version of a machine made during the Sewing Machine Wars. And this is the reason I like the Non-Singers so much!!
I would clean it up being very careful of the remaining decals and repair what needs to be repaired on the cabinet and preserve the machine. Not many of these left......
Billy"
Wow, thank you. I would never have guessed. As I was looking through the three drawers on the cabinet, I found the accessory box with all the extra feet in it. I promise I will take better care of her now. Now I need to come up with a name...hmmm
"Me likey!!!!!!
Surprisingly enough the decals on the arm and upright look to be in really good condition. It will clean up nicely if you take your time and do it right. And you will have an Heirloom to pass down for generations.
The Free Sewing Machine Company was located in Rockford, IL and was in an area known for cabinet makers. Your sewing machine is an early model and was probably made before 1910. These machines were known for (or advertised) as the smoothest running Vibrating Shuttle machine out at the time. According to information I read on the NeedleBar the machine had a "Rotoscillo movement" which was a lot smoother that the swinging motion of the the vibrating shuttle.
All in all this is a very nice example of a very early version of a machine made during the Sewing Machine Wars. And this is the reason I like the Non-Singers so much!!
I would clean it up being very careful of the remaining decals and repair what needs to be repaired on the cabinet and preserve the machine. Not many of these left......
Billy"
Wow, thank you. I would never have guessed. As I was looking through the three drawers on the cabinet, I found the accessory box with all the extra feet in it. I promise I will take better care of her now. Now I need to come up with a name...hmmm
04-28-2010, 06:52 PM
#193
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 208
Originally Posted by Lostn51
Originally Posted by kygirl
Ok, here's a pic of my oldest, Prissy. She is a model 99, I think that she is from the late 40's or 50's, not sure. I got her in a barter, 3 twin quilts for her and $100cash from a co-worker.
She's missing a bobbin cover plate, other than that she is a smooth, quiet, well running machine.
She's missing a bobbin cover plate, other than that she is a smooth, quiet, well running machine.
If you can submit the serial number for her we can date her for you and tell you how many brothers and sisters she has on that allotment. The Bobbin plate for your machine is the same one for the 66 and the 185J. You can find it at any sewing machine repair shop or even the Singer dealer.
Billy
04-28-2010, 07:00 PM
#194
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bikini Bottom
Posts: 5,652
Originally Posted by kygirl
Billy, her # is AM523993 and a sm retangle has 99-. Her booklet has 99-23 on front cover
Yours was the 20,892 machine off of the line!
Billy
04-28-2010, 07:01 PM
#195
Super Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 7,741
I am going to try to upload pictures again. I haven't ever done this before. I will just try one picture to see if it works.
Then, I will have my cup of Bengel Spice with a tiny bit of Splenda and a splash of cream. MMMM... the aroma is so sweet.
HELP, I need help! What am I doing wrong with trying to upload pictures????? :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
Then, I will have my cup of Bengel Spice with a tiny bit of Splenda and a splash of cream. MMMM... the aroma is so sweet.
HELP, I need help! What am I doing wrong with trying to upload pictures????? :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
White Rotary Electric 1931
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21356[/ATTACH]
White Rotary Electric 1931
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21357[/ATTACH]
White Rotary Electric 1931
[ATTACH=CONFIG]22037[/ATTACH]
04-28-2010, 08:20 PM
#196
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 6,442
Linda, I think the photos are too big...do you have a program to resize them?
Linda's White
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21365[/ATTACH]
Linda's machine cabinet
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21446[/ATTACH]
Linda's machine
[ATTACH=CONFIG]21447[/ATTACH]
04-28-2010, 08:53 PM
#197
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 208
Thank you, Billy,for the info on 'Prissy', she was born only 2mts. after me. And from a family of 8, It seem as if I was about #20,000 on the list in line for the bathroom each morning. So we're a good match.
04-28-2010, 09:03 PM
#198
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 6,442
Keep in mind Kygirl, that the allotment date is not the machine's "birthdate". The allotment date is the day that someone from the Singer plant decided that X number of X type of machines would be made, and said machines would have serial numbers from (this number) to (this number).
From what I understand, you can call Singer's customer service and they can tell you the actual date your machine was made. I'm probably going to try that tomorrow with this 201, since it's my first "real" Singer...(I have the 9W treadle machine, but it was made at the old Wheeler & Wilson plant, using a Wheeler & Wilson design, and a Wheeler & Wilson serial number...it's really a W&W with Singer decals!)
From what I understand, you can call Singer's customer service and they can tell you the actual date your machine was made. I'm probably going to try that tomorrow with this 201, since it's my first "real" Singer...(I have the 9W treadle machine, but it was made at the old Wheeler & Wilson plant, using a Wheeler & Wilson design, and a Wheeler & Wilson serial number...it's really a W&W with Singer decals!)
04-28-2010, 09:05 PM
#199
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina - But otherwise, NOTW
Posts: 7,940
Well, I won my 1952 Elna Supermatic. Now all I need is the knee controller. Billy, could you ask your friends if they have one and how much they want? I am excited to get it. I think it's gonna be a little gem!!!
04-28-2010, 09:17 PM
#200
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 6,442
For those of you with cabinets that have finishes that are less than pristine, but not bad enough to justify a total strip/stain/shellac or varnish, this is what I do with my cabinets:
I went and bought "Howard's Restore-A-Finish", and a bottle of "Howard's Bees Wax and Orange Oil". It's very easy to use, you'll need some 0000 steel wool, and some soft rags. When you apply the R-A-F, use the steel wool and make sure to follow the grain of the wood...rub gently. Wipe the wood down, and I let it sit for a bit...just to make sure it's dry. Take a soft rag, put some of the beeswax on it and rub it onto/into the wood. You're going to leave a pretty good "film" of it on the wood and allow it to sit and soak in for at least 20 minutes...I let it sit overnight. Take clean, soft rags and wipe the excess wax off, and another clean rag to buff the wood to a beautiful glow.
It's not going to take out mildew (those dark stains from using the cabinet as a plant stand) but it will help the finish, and even if you need to strip it the wax/oil will help to preserve the wood until you can get to it.
Needlebar has an excellent tutorial on refurbishing wood done by Fenman...I don't know if you have to be a member to access it or not, but here's the link:
http://needlebar.org/main~nb/restoration/index.html
I went and bought "Howard's Restore-A-Finish", and a bottle of "Howard's Bees Wax and Orange Oil". It's very easy to use, you'll need some 0000 steel wool, and some soft rags. When you apply the R-A-F, use the steel wool and make sure to follow the grain of the wood...rub gently. Wipe the wood down, and I let it sit for a bit...just to make sure it's dry. Take a soft rag, put some of the beeswax on it and rub it onto/into the wood. You're going to leave a pretty good "film" of it on the wood and allow it to sit and soak in for at least 20 minutes...I let it sit overnight. Take clean, soft rags and wipe the excess wax off, and another clean rag to buff the wood to a beautiful glow.
It's not going to take out mildew (those dark stains from using the cabinet as a plant stand) but it will help the finish, and even if you need to strip it the wax/oil will help to preserve the wood until you can get to it.
Needlebar has an excellent tutorial on refurbishing wood done by Fenman...I don't know if you have to be a member to access it or not, but here's the link:
http://needlebar.org/main~nb/restoration/index.html
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