Wheeler & Wilson hand crank sewing machine
12-20-2023, 01:17 PM
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Wheeler & Wilson hand crank sewing machine
I found this sweet old thing on Facebook marketplace, a W&W W9 hand crank! Last patent stamp is March 25th 1990, and I was told it is probably a mid 1890s model. One of the earliest because of the support bracket for the hand crank. 130-ish years old!
I happen to already have this same model on a treadle so I can share bobbins and needles.
It has a sticky spot in the crank rotation, and I haven't dug into it yet to sort it out, but I hope a good cleaning and oiling will set it right.
I know I never see these so I was delighted that no one else had snagged it first. The lady I bought it from was sick though, so I didn't stick around to find out if she knew its history.
it needs a case key and more looking over, but I just wanted to share some pics of my lucky find. 😊
Did that work?
That didn't work, gotta figure out pictures...
I happen to already have this same model on a treadle so I can share bobbins and needles.
It has a sticky spot in the crank rotation, and I haven't dug into it yet to sort it out, but I hope a good cleaning and oiling will set it right.
I know I never see these so I was delighted that no one else had snagged it first. The lady I bought it from was sick though, so I didn't stick around to find out if she knew its history.
it needs a case key and more looking over, but I just wanted to share some pics of my lucky find. 😊
Did that work?
That didn't work, gotta figure out pictures...
Last edited by Bunker; 12-20-2023 at 01:20 PM.
12-20-2023, 06:40 PM
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Upon closer and more informed inspection, this is a 9 head, not a D9. I can't share bobbins or needles. 😒
However I did stumble on an article offering a bobbin replacement since the 9 uses the 8 bobbin and they are super scarce. SKC knitting accessory tatting shuttles have a removable bobbin that is slightly smaller than the 8/9 bobbin, but fits pretty well except a bit more rattly.
And also there is a stop built into this which allows it to use standard DBx1 needles.
So I'm off to outfit my new baby with bits and pieces and dig further into mild disassembly for cleaning because something is a bit sticky feeling.
However I did stumble on an article offering a bobbin replacement since the 9 uses the 8 bobbin and they are super scarce. SKC knitting accessory tatting shuttles have a removable bobbin that is slightly smaller than the 8/9 bobbin, but fits pretty well except a bit more rattly.
And also there is a stop built into this which allows it to use standard DBx1 needles.
So I'm off to outfit my new baby with bits and pieces and dig further into mild disassembly for cleaning because something is a bit sticky feeling.
12-21-2023, 06:09 AM
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,333
Oh, my! I'm so fond of hand crank machines, and yours is such a beauty! I do hope you can get her up and running! I'd love to see a video of her sewing, but don't think one could be posted here.
Congratulations on your find!
Congratulations on your find!
12-21-2023, 05:46 PM
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Originally Posted by JoeJr
What a great looking machine! and quite the interesting hand crank set up, haven't seen anything like that before.
Originally Posted by greaterexp
Oh, my! I'm so fond of hand crank machines, and yours is such a beauty! I do hope you can get her up and running! I'd love to see a video of her sewing, but don't think one could be posted here.
Congratulations on your find!
Congratulations on your find!
It must have been stored with the cover on a lot, there is considerable wear to the base bottom and the cover is dirty but not cracked, it's a miracle!
A very lucky find indeed.
12-22-2023, 08:16 AM
#8
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Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
10 second clip of the slightly sticky wheel turning.
https://i.imgur.com/xp7uyA7.mp4
It looks like I must undo 6 screws on the bottom to access the works where I think it is sticking. I can't simply lift the head out of the frame because the hand crank bracket is also screwed down and I don't want to misalign things if possible.
I looked into the inspection port and it looks clean, just could use more oil, so I hope to find what the sticky point is down below.
Amazing to see what 130 years of wear and tear looks like.
https://i.imgur.com/xp7uyA7.mp4
It looks like I must undo 6 screws on the bottom to access the works where I think it is sticking. I can't simply lift the head out of the frame because the hand crank bracket is also screwed down and I don't want to misalign things if possible.
I looked into the inspection port and it looks clean, just could use more oil, so I hope to find what the sticky point is down below.
Amazing to see what 130 years of wear and tear looks like.
12-22-2023, 10:13 AM
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,254
Originally Posted by Bunker
...It looks like I must undo 6 screws on the bottom to access the works where I think it is sticking. I can't simply lift the head out of the frame because the hand crank bracket is also screwed down and I don't want to misalign things if possible. ...
You should be able to get the machine to lift back out of the base with the silver lever on the front of the machine. You will probably have to undo the hand crank from the hand wheel. It looks like it you may have to adjust something that is in the hole in the front of the base, first. A horrible video, but it shows a machine like yours at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ofjg99-4PY and twisting it and moving something in the hole beneath it. It is about 25 seconds into the video. If you click on the settings icon at the bottom of the screen you can slow the video down to see a little better.
12-22-2023, 03:16 PM
#10
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Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Originally Posted by OurWorkbench
Welcome to Quilting Board. Congratulations on getting a neat machine.
You should be able to get the machine to lift back out of the base with the silver lever on the front of the machine. You will probably have to undo the hand crank from the hand wheel. It looks like it you may have to adjust something that is in the hole in the front of the base, first. A horrible video, but it shows a machine like yours at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ofjg99-4PY and twisting it and moving something in the hole beneath it. It is about 25 seconds into the video. If you click on the settings icon at the bottom of the screen you can slow the video down to see a little better.
You should be able to get the machine to lift back out of the base with the silver lever on the front of the machine. You will probably have to undo the hand crank from the hand wheel. It looks like it you may have to adjust something that is in the hole in the front of the base, first. A horrible video, but it shows a machine like yours at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ofjg99-4PY and twisting it and moving something in the hole beneath it. It is about 25 seconds into the video. If you click on the settings icon at the bottom of the screen you can slow the video down to see a little better.
I'll have to make some better videos, I have a tripod 🤣
