First vintage for me

[Bogwoppit]

Last week I did a speculative £10 bid on an old singer. Basic pictures and little information - "light works, sold as seen".
I forgot about it and had an email yesterday saying I'd won. Picked it up on way back from taking kids out to splash park.

Here's the first picture and now I'm off to look up the serial number and source a bobbin case and spare needles.

Turns lovely and smoothly by hand.

Hmmm, no add picture bit. Will post without and try again

[Bogwoppit]

Here we go! My subscription ran out 2 days ago so that's why I couldn't add a picture.

Found out so far:
99k-13 made in 1925 (kids excited that it's older than all grannies and grandaddy)
Decal is filigree
Singer motor - not looked that up yet

[Acorn]

Very pretty!  It looks as though the decals are in very good condition, and that end plate is gorgeous.

[b15erk]

Lucky you, you have a knee controller too.  What a bargain!

Jessie

[arrow]

It's a model 99K, and it's the early type knee lever, I have a 99K dating to 1934 and it has the later type. You have the shiny metal lamp and it's the early type too. The later ones are in bakelite. I would guess late 1920s to very early 30s. Have you looked up the serial number? There's lots of oil ponts to be detected. Take out the bobbin case by sliding the bobbin plate completely off, then the lever lifts slighly up and towards you, and it comes out. The manual for it is available several places on the web. 

[Roger]

That is a cutie! Nice decals, and the wood looks great too...

Does it turn and is it full of a the fluff of ages?

Really hope you enjoy it!

[Roger]

When you clean it look out for red felt around the bobbin area as that can be oil wicking and shouldn’t be removed... some 99s have it others don’t.

[Bogwoppit]

I've had to pack it away as we are having a delayed Sunday roast, was too warm before today to even contemplate putting the oven on.

Looks to be really well looked after, no fluff, well oiled (smells like my grandads shed, he was a toolmaker and oiled everything religiously). Not even any gunk/muck underneath.

No bobbin so no testing yet. Hubby wants to check over the electrics and use a thingy that I can't remember it's name to stop me blowing up the fuse box. He's an electronic engineer and is happily playing with his new toy that came today - an occilloscope.

I'm looking forward to lovely straight stitches as I'm sometimes left a little wanting with my computerised janome.

[Sewingsue]

She looks a beauty.
I love that Singer oil smell.

[Addiscomber]

Lovely, and a nice lot of attachments too.

[wrenkins]

Looks like my mum's that she bought second hand in the late fifties. I really must see if I can find it. It had the knee thing too.
Health to enjoy!

[Bogwoppit]

Found some metal bobbins in a tin that belonged to my gran, too tall. Adjustable zipper foot in there is the right size though, so much more dainty (but stronger) than the one on my modern machine. My mum was annoyed that grans old singer was nowhere to be seen when we cleared out her flat, it was probably junked on an earlier move, but she kept the sewing box and passed it to me.

Had a read through a manual online, threaded top thread and  it seems to work as expected. I can see red felt where it's supposed to be.  Must put it away and get these tired kids to bed.

[BrendaP]

It looks lovely and for only £10.  Lucky you!

You need class 66 bobbins, which are easy to find although Helen Howes is generally the first place to look for all things 
http://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/bobbins.html

[arrow]

Bobbins are the most common type, the best might be metal class 66, slightly curved sides, but you can use plastic Apollo (aka 66) if you happen to have another machine taking this bobbin type.

I have never seen a 1930s or older machine with original wiring in good conditon, it can be shockingly bad, twisted or two core woven outer insulation; the woven part can be fine, but the inner rubber part is often stiff and crumbling to bits. Some 1950s and 60s machines can be in good condition but it has to be checked.

[Roger]

I have a quite a few metal class 66 bobbins of various ages. If you want a few pm me your address and I’ll pop some in the post to get you started or I’d you want a few more.

Glad the felt is there, sometimes it gets removed because it looks like lint.