My machine is a Singer 66 Red Eye that I am restoring. I bought it a week ago. The hubby says it’s a boat anchor since it needs a lot of work but has helped me with a couple of things- like getting screws out cause he is good at that as well as opening jars. This machine was frozen up and the cabinet is damaged. I’ve cleaning the machine head and now it’s waiting for parts. I tore the cabinet apart and am working on getting the finished cleaned up. I can’t wait to see how well it sews. I plan on using them both so they are not going to be decor.
They are both beautiful machines, and you should use them. These machines were designed to be repaired and are always fixable, with a bit of time and patience. The secret, apparently, is plenty of oil.
I use a 66 on a treadle cabinet. Mine is a Lotus pattern, built in Scotland in 1917.
Yes, I'm sad enough to have researched it's history...
I find sewing with it is a kind of Zen experience, calming and quiet.
No electric motor whizzing, no buttons to press or fancy stitch patterns to try to find uses for.
It just does the one thing, and does it very well.
Please, keep us posted with the restoration.