Restoring my Grandmother's Singer Sewing Machine

[Shangas]

*Retype*

I got the buttonholer working!

Stupid idiot that I am! I had the needle in the wrong way around! I never noticed it until now. Reorientated the needle, screwed it back in and I've made my first successful buttonhole!
Happy to post photos if anyone wants to see!

 

[TackCollector]

Nice job on the sewing machine, Shangas. http://www.sewmuse.co.uk/singeraccessories.htm site says that buttonholer is from the late '50s. I've never seen one like it before. I'm in the USA.

The manual you downloaded works. But it's for the later '50s version of 99k that has the reverse. Since you don't have a reverse, you can use the "drag" method instead of back-tacking with the reverse. To do that, you just pull on the fabric a little to slow it's progress. That has the effect of making number of shorter stitches.

The 66 and the 99 are essentially the same mechanism. The 99 is just 3/4 scale size. The same attachments fit both machines. You might enjoy perusing this old treadle 66 manual: http://www.a1sewingmachine.com/manuals/66.pdf

My mother is a retired home economics teacher. When she was in college, they had to learn how to use all of those little attachments that come with the Singer machines. She says they all actually do work.

some manuals for Singer machines and the attachments and buttonholers are here: http://www.ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/singer-sewing-machine-manuals.html

 

[Shangas]

Hi Tack, thanks for the posting. I realise that the manual I have isn't PERFECT, but it was the closest that I could get. And it does the trick for the majority of the machine. And besides, the machine isn't that intricate.

I mostly downloaded it for the sake of completeness. I also referred to it a lot while I was cleaning the machine, to find out how everything fits together.

The buttonholer which I purchased, I did some research on. Apparently, it was more commonly found in Australia (where I live) and in Europe. But was not available (or was harder to find) in America/Canada.

I realise the machine only goes in one direction. To do the other direction, I simply swivel the cloth around so it's facing the other way, and run it through the machine again.

There is a stitch-length regulator (the little silver knob near the brass plaque), but it's not as effective as those later ones with levers and marked dials and whatever.

So far, I'm STILL chasing after the attachments, and an oil-can.

The guy I've tasked with tracking that stuff down hasn't found it yet, but he assures me he has it...SOMEWHERE...in his shop.

 

[TackCollector]

I got interested in that buttonholer's history, too. We had those in the USA, but they had a black hood on them, with white Singer letters. First there was the "Famous" buttonholer, then Singer apparetnly contracted them to make the first Singer buttonholer (offered in 1938 or so) then there was a black hooded version of that, and afterward came the ones that used the metal templates. The old ones were all adjustable like yours.

I found this blog, have you seen it? It should be interesting to you since you get the European Singer variants where you are. http://oldsingersewingmachineblog.com/tag/singer-buttonholers/ and them go forward and back through it. They show some lovely old treadle cabinets, too.

 

[Shangas]

I'm actually very familiar with that blog. I contacted its owner several times during my restoration project, to ask advice and such. It's chock-full of information!

 

[Shangas]

I'd like to enlighten everyone as to the progress of this little project of mine.

Since I last posted...

My aunt in Malaysia has confirmed that she has my grandmother's old SINGER treadle sewing-machine in storage at her house. This is likely to be the oldest heirloom we have in our family. Dad and I are hoping to bring it back to Australia in stages. If it's in complete, and working condition, we'll most likely break it up and ship it to Singapore, and then ship it back to Australia, a few pieces at a time. My mother's based in Singapore on contract-work so every time she comes back home, or every time my dad goes to Singapore to visit her, she, or he, can bring back a piece or two. It may take a while to do it, but that's our plan. Others (including my cousin) have suggested that it'd just be cheaper to haul it back in one piece by sea-freight, but dad's unwilling to spend the money to to do that.

I got my hands on an original 1930s manual for a Singer BRK machine-motor. The BRK-motor was the one used on almost all Singer sewing machines, including mine! Here's the manual:

I also got an original green Singer attachments box, with *some* of the original attachments. Mostly feet, but also a seam-guide.

Seam-guide:

Hemmer:

Adjustable hemmer:

Screwdriver:

Binder:

And...these things, whatever the hell they are:

They're marked "SIMANCO" and have part-numbers on them, but they don't correspond to any part-number lists that I've been able to find. If anyone knows what they are, pipe up!!

And some good news! I ripped the house apart today. Looking in drawers, under books, old papers, in boxes, everywhere...and I found these!:

I cannot say for *certain*, but I am pretty damn sure that these are my grandmother's original dressmaker's shears! They're by the WISS Company of Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A. They're 8-1/8th inches long, with a cutting-length of 3-7/8th inches. I just finished sharpening them. Hopefully they'll continue to do the job admirably! I love these, not just because they're my gran's, but because, just like the machine, they're 100% made of steel! There's nothing that can break off from these things!

Just like the machine they went with, they're tough, unbreakable and will last forever. I can't say for absolute certain that they were gran's, but they're the only pair in the house, and gran never had any others. They look somewhat smaller than I remember them, but then I remember them as a 7-year-old boy...

Still to come:

More attachments, and an oil-can, whenever I find one.

EDIT

If anyone has any tips and tricks on a quick, dirty and effective way to sharpen tailor's shears, let me know! I've done a pretty decent job on them, but I'd like to get them really sharp.

EDIT

I've sharpened the shears using a honing-steel and it seems to have done a pretty damn good job. I'm very pleased with the results.

The shears were very jerky and squeaky. I squirted some oil on the pivot-point, but that didn't solve the issue. I put the shears into my ultrasonic cleaner with some hot water and let it run for two minutes. The cleaner vibrated all the gunk and dust and oil out of the joint, and now the shears swing and shut smoothly, silently, without squeaking, and with a nice, sharp "Shink!" each time.

Research of old WISS catalogues dates this pair of shears (Model 28) to the 1950s. While they were made as far back as the 1940s, this particular pair, with the markings on the blades as they are, appear to have only shown up in postwar models.

Gran opened her shop in the 1950s, so that seems consistent. She wouldn't have been able to buy a pair of shears during the War, and she was unlikely to have owned a pair before then. Or if she did, they were probably lost in all the fighting and bombing of Singapore.

 

[Shangas]

A little artsy photo I took, showing my progress thus far:

 

[Shangas]

More Singer Stuff!

An oil-can:

It's empty, but I didn't buy it for the oil. I bought it because it's Singer, and because it's the original can for the slot inside my bentwood case! Behold:

The machine-motor manual which I purchased last week said:

"DO NOT OIL MOTOR - Use Singer Motor Lubricant".

Following 70+year old advice, I went out and bought this:

It's still got paste inside it!

Does anyone know if something this old is still safe to use? The tube is intact, mostly full, has no leaks or cracks, and has an intact cap with a tight seal. Should I use it on the machine, or just have it as an ornamental doohickey like with the oil-can up above?

I also bought another foot-attachment, and for $2, about a million miles of thread of different colours!

The machine is now essentially restored.

It's been polished, cleaned, oiled, cleaned, oiled, cleaned and oiled ad nauseum. It's running nice and quiet, fast, and smooth with no issues

I am now, as you might gather, moving onto restoring the accessories and the bentwood case.

Originally, when the machine was new, it looked like this:

Here, you can see the...

Oil-can (which I have, and it's back in it's bracket, as you can see in the photos above).

Knee-lever (which I have, and which fits snugly into the brackets provided).

Box of attachments (on the right). I have that too, but I don't have the black wire bracket that the box slots into. I'm hoping to make one out of wire. It shouldn't be that difficult.

extension-table (top). I don't have one, and finding one is probably gonna be pretty difficult. My resolution is that I'm gonna make one. I have the necessary stuff at home to do it, and I think I'd rather do that than waste my time trying to find an original online.

My case:

...Half-full:

 

[Methuselah]

And...these things, whatever the hell they are:

They're marked "SIMANCO" and have part-numbers on them, but they don't correspond to any part-number lists that I've been able to find. If anyone knows what they are, pipe up!!

I think the one on the right is a "Braider" - i.e. something for sewing braid onto fabric. The one on the left may be a corder - does it have a groove underneath, running front to back? (to run the cord through)

I'm no expert, but I do have an illustrated Frister & Rossman instruction booklet with similar accessories. Do you want scans of it?

 

[LizzieMaine]

I use NOS Singer Lubricant on my 66 with no problems -- it should be a white vaseline-like jelly, not runny or chunky or dark-colored, so if it's like that it should still be usable. There are two grease fittings on the opposite ends of the motor -- just squeeze a tiny bit of grease into the openings and that should hold you for quite a while.

 

[Methuselah]

Here's a link to an old sewing machine manual - the braider looks like your right-hand mystery accessory to me:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/91283828/Frister-Rossmann-Manual-16MB

 

[Shangas]

I use NOS Singer Lubricant on my 66 with no problems -- it should be a white vaseline-like jelly, not runny or chunky or dark-colored, so if it's like that it should still be usable. There are two grease fittings on the opposite ends of the motor -- just squeeze a tiny bit of grease into the openings and that should hold you for quite a while.

Hi Lizzie,

Much thanks! Yes, I've examined the grease and it's still in good condition. I've lubricated the motor as instructed. Probably the first time it's been done since the machine left the factory back in 1950!!

I'm very pleased with my progress so far, in this little project. But I require some help, if anyone can give it to me...

By searching online, looking at photographs and making extensive use of my grandmother's 5ft-long measuring-tape, I have certified that the extension-table for my Singer is 8-1/8th inches wide, and 8-1/4 inches long.

But I still require this information:

1. What does the CATCH or HOOK on the end of the table (that hooks onto the machine-base) look like?
2. How THICK is the wood that makes up the body of the table?

I haven't been able to find that information online anywhere to my absolute satisfaction.

I ask this because I'm desirous of making my OWN extension-table. I have the wood, the glue, screws, sheet-metal and all the other stuff that's required...but I don't have all the measurements. From what I've seen online, these things are quite rare, so I don't hold out hopes of being able to realistically buy one. And it'd be easier to make one at home.

--- --- ---

Lizzie, just asking: When/if I run out of the original Singer lubricant/grease...what kind of modern grease can I use to replace it with? What might be suitable as a substitute? And how often should I grease the motor?

Methy, I've looked at the link you gave me. It may be the one, it may not be...I'll need to look closer to be sure.

This is my Singer case:

It's the original for the machine. This is what it looks like now:

It's got the oil-can, and the knee-lever in-place. THIS is what it should have looked like originally. It's what I'm hoping to restore it to:

I have the BOX on the right, but I don't have the wire rack that holds it in place. I'm gonna try and make one. It shouldn't be that hard.

Then I need the extension-table as well.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Singer lubricant is basically a white lithium grease, so you should be able to substitute that if necessary. Actual Singer Motor Lubricant is still made -- it's not easy to find in stores, but you ought to be able to track it down online, and given how little you have to use at a time, one tube should last for many years.

I add grease when it looks like all the grease has been wicked out of the fittings into the motor. This might be once or twice a year depending on how heavily the machine is used -- it isn't something you have to do often.

 

[Shangas]

Thanks Lizzie.

I'm still trying to find more photos of the extension-table for my Singer...I'm doing my best to go by diagrams and pictures and such, but it'd be easier if I had some clear photos of exactly what one looked like. I've got a rough idea of how thick it is, how long and how wide...but still, nothing will beat the original.

The biggest puzzlement to ME is how the catch at the end interacts/locks with the lock-hole on the machine-base. I haven't been able to find a good picture of that. assume it's something like a backwards 'G' and it just hooks in and under the plate like that.

 

[Shangas]

BEHOLD...

Singer Automatic Zig-Zagger.

Comes with:

Zaggyziggler...
Box.
Instructions.
Dog-plate.
Fastening-bolt.
8 of the original 10 cams. (Hey, 8 out of 10 ain't bad!)

Cost was $8.

The Collection Thusfar:

Top: Buttonholer + Motor-manual.
Next Down: Attachments + oil-can + motor-grease + Needles.
Next Down: Automatic zigzagger + Dressmaking Shears.
Next Down: Needles + newer Singer round bobbins + Needles.
Next Down: Older-style Singer round bobbins.
Next Down: Bentwood case key + 5ft measuring tape.

 

[Shangas]

[video=youtube;SNgfjvD0L9o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNgfjvD0L9o&feature=g-upl[/video]

 

[59Lark]

shangas; the bed extensions were common with european machines not north american, I have a 128k handcrank on my website and its came with a base and a suitcase and it has the bed extension that hooks onto the end. I see these mostly with european machines , motor lube is available in singer shops, you dont really need to use, most of that stuff goes hard in the tubes to the bearings, if i feel a motor bearings are dry I WILL put a drop on the end of the bearings, machine oil but just a tad. machine oil should be clear if its yellow it gone rancid. mike ie 59LARK

 

[Shangas]

My machine's a Singer, but it was made in Scotland. Would that count as a 'European' machine? I don't think it's possible to BUY the extension-bed, so I'm hoping that I'll actually be able to *make* it instead.

I have measurements, and I've seen photographs. I don't think it'll be that tricky to knock one together. Or at least, a close-enough approximation.

 

[59Lark]

shangas; let me rephrase that, machines intended to sell in the european market, lots of kilbowie singers were sold inthe empire. However the machines made for the north american market did not have the bed extensions, machines that i have found brought from europe such as holland and england did have this extension, new south wales would qualify as europe. Find someone in new south wales to lend you one and have a woodworker make you one 59LARK

 

[Shangas]

I have photos and measurements, I reckon I could make one myself.