The Sewing Place
Machine Talk => Vintage Machines => Topic started by: Efemera on October 07, 2018, 15:55:44 PM
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And along comes another one...
This one was more expensive (£19) but came complete
There will be one for sale shortly...
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Nice condition, but I see the base cover can use an improvement. Is it the lighter aluminium cast version or the cast iron?
You have to let us know how it runs and stitches, and I may force a bottle of Finish Line Ceramic Wet Lube on you, I swear it makes a difference, even if it's only a bit of extra smoothness.
Oil points; oil well from the holes on top, remember to oil where the needle and presser bar shaft enters the body, all hinges and joints every where. There is a roller part, like a wheel turning in a cam sort of movement under the feed dogs, this part needs to roll, and theres' several tiny holes and jonts that need oil on end of rods and moving parts under there. You might have to take the hand wheel of to get oil all the way out ot the stop motion screw, or; tilt the machine to the right, add drop, after drop, after drop,...of oil while you run the machine. Take out the bobbin case, it might need cleaning and two drops of oil on the race.
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OMG, that looks just like my first machine. <3 <3 <3
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It’s cast iron...DH has it all in bits at the moment. I’ve not touched the case as yet, a job for another day.
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The first 185 is a 1958 model and had the foot pedal and plug permantly wired into the motor. The second one is 1962 and has a separate plug in three pin socket, the foot pedal says made in France so I don’t think it’s original. What’s the best set up? I’m thinking of swapping the motors.
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Pedals often get replaced, they can often be repaired though. I think I prefere a detachable pedal, but I guess it's a minor difference? They don't look like they have seen too much use, motor should be fine on both of them.
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There was a French factory (machines were labelled with a B) they did move parts and machines around a lot.
You’re lucky to stumble on 2 of these little beauties :) in quick succession.
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These 185k threads are making me want to get mine out for an airing!
They really are very pretty.
Jessie
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I had my 99K out yesterday, just a bit of jeans mending, but it reminded me how solid and capable these 3/4 size machines are. It stitched over layers of denim, those straps you run the belt through didn't bother it at all, and they are thick and folded at the ends.
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Well the first machine turn out to be not such a bargain.. there’s a bit broken off the bobbin case. I may fix or not.. I might just sell it for spares.
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Oh, that's a shame! If you are listing it for spares, make sure you take anything you need for the other machine. The second one looks in good nick.
Jessie
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They’re both in really good condition...I think a new case from Helen is about £7 so I may fix it and sell it on...or I may shove it in the loft! Selling is a bit of a nightmare as I wouldn’t post it.
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Local pick-up is usually safer than courier, bumps, dents, broken off parts are reported all the time on sewing machine purchases, particularly used machines.
The first one is probably a still well within bargain category, nice conditon machine, case is easily replaced, and the basic cleaning and oiling should be easy on both of them. The advantage with two, is fix up and test sewing, if one turns out better than the other you know it is down to further adjustments and fine tuning. Selling a clean machine with stitch sample is often easier.
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The saga continues... the second machine is complete and is the better machine, it’s been thoroughly cleaned and oiled but.... the balance wheel is free but between 5 o’clock and 9 o’clock it’s really stiff, if the machine stops between these points it really doesn’t start again... just revs the motor, any ideas?
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It's not always easy to detect exactly where, but from experience, it's usually about more oiling. Have you had the plate behind the stitch length lever off? you can detect a squarish part moving up and down a groove there. You can reach this spot by the oil points on top of the machine, but if it's dry or sticky, you need to overoil to speed up things. Place a rag or good layer of kitchen paper in the bottom case before you start.
Have you had the hand wheel off? I'm sure it has something to do with a joint, hinge or moving part some where.
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Hand wheel has been off, cleaned and oiled.
..is there anywhere with instructions on how to take everything apart?.... more importantly put it back together! When the chrome knob is disengaged the wheel runs really free but when it’s tightened up the stiffness returns.
It’s stiff when the pivot point moves from A to B
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You can be sure it's something in the mechanism. You don't need to take these models fully appart, and the closest I know to a full disassembly is a tutorial for model 66.
Poke down the oil points on top of the machine, there are at least four holes there and check if they are clogged up. The upper shaft turning in there might need more oil. Oil in excess and turn the hand wheel.
Have you double and tripple checked oil points, you have detected them all? I wouldn't even bother thinking about further disassembly until day 4 of oiling and test sewing. Hardened, sticky oil any where can cause this. Grime and much stuck where the needle bar moves up and down cuases this. This is spot on what we get when we take out a machine that's been in storage, and we always start worrying it's something more serious. I have used spray can oil to flush out sticky machines, but you quickly have to turn to regular oil, and keep on oiling a bit the next few days.
(https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a4ab3761f318dd63987e66d/t/5a4bf03d7de075894b62e407/1515199945573/How_to_oil_your_singer.png)
(https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a4ab3761f318dd63987e66d/t/5a4bf03d7de075894b62e409/1515199952775/How_to_oil_your_Singer_001.png?format=750w)
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I didn't see your picture until now. I would still have a bit of patient and keep up oiling. In sticky cases it takes time for oil to seep all the way to the inners of joints and hinges, and it takes further repeated oilings for the sticky part to dissolve and flush out. Since it's hard to know exactly which joint sticks you have to keep oiling every where.
There's tiny holes in the hinged parts behind the face plate, they can be clogged up, I oil these as well as the joints in them to be sure oil seeps in there. Don't forget the part were the needle bar moves up and down in the cast iron part (head of the body).
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I'd try tri-flow and heat from a hair dryer as well, as Arrow says there's very likely some point that's clogged.
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How are you doing? It's been a couple of days now.
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It’s still the same..I’ve got a sewing machine guy coming to see it
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You are oiling and turning?