The Sewing Place

Machine Talk => Vintage Machines => Topic started by: LeilaMay on August 03, 2019, 17:54:24 PM

Title: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: LeilaMay on August 03, 2019, 17:54:24 PM
Bought from one of my local charity shops, untested and therefore a low price. A nice 99K dated 1935 with a knee lift. I've no idea yet whether the motor works or the knee lift mechanism is in good condition, but it will be a great winter project.

Anyone worked on one of these before?

Leila
Title: Re: Sinnger 99K with knee lever
Post by: KayK on August 03, 2019, 21:42:42 PM
I think the knee lever might be the machines driver instead of a foot pedal?  My Singer 201K is operated this way.  I could be wrong though!
Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: LeilaMay on August 04, 2019, 12:01:06 PM
I think the knee lever might be the machines driver instead of a foot pedal?  My Singer 201K is operated this way.  I could be wrong though!

Indeed it does  :)
I meant has anyone done any restoration work on a knee-lift machine? I've checked out a couple of internet resources, but it's always great to know the ins-and-outs of things from someone who has actually looked inside  :)

Thanks for the interest
Leila
Title: Re: Sinnger 99K with knee lever
Post by: Manuela on August 05, 2019, 14:33:37 PM
My Singer 201 has both options, a knee lever as well as a foot pedal. Having been trained on industrial machines, a knee lever automatically means to my brain “presser foot up”. Thus, I usually use the foot pedal, an option which must have ben added by one of the previous owners.
Title: Re: Sinnger 99K with knee lever
Post by: rubywishes on August 07, 2019, 12:14:47 PM
I have a little herd of 99's and one of them is a knee lever. I didn't have to do anything to the knee lever mechanism...worked fine; all I had to do with the machine was take the tension assembly apart for a clean, and then did a general clean and oil over. I may have replaced the tension spring...I can't remember as it was quite a few years back and I didn't keep a log of what I replaced with each machine...wish I had.  I'm sure there are still plenty of you tubes that would go into detail for you.
Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: LeilaMay on August 08, 2019, 16:47:39 PM
At last, pictures  :)
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Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: rubywishes on August 08, 2019, 21:01:22 PM
Sweet little machine. :)
Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: HenriettaMaria on August 09, 2019, 12:19:57 PM
My mum had one just like that.  It was a heavy, temperamental beast that had to be coaxed to produce decent stitching without a rat's nest of thread at the back of the work.  After multiple visits to the mechanic we all lost patience and Dad traded in for a brand-new 522, without mother's knowledge, as a Xmas surprise.  I now have the 522 because Ma doesn't sew any more.
Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: Roger on August 17, 2019, 22:51:13 PM
Thats a cutie!

my Grasshopper is knee lever, and its a nice way to control a machine. the mechanism on the grasshopper is very simplistic so very easy to control/maintain, I reckon the Singer one is a bit more sophisticated.

Cant wait to see it polished up.
Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: LeilaMay on November 08, 2019, 13:24:00 PM
Mr Electric has decided as it's a nice sunny day in the conservatory, he'll start working on this machine.
 :vintage:
So the electrical parts are now separated from the mechanical parts, and taken out of the case.
We think the black 'slime' is the remains of the rubber grommet that was around the wire as it ran through the hole in the metal plate (tool box lid)

Apparently the carbon brushes are in good condition (missed that with the camera) but whether the motor runs, or the knee mechanism is safe are as yet unknown. I leave all that magic to Mr  :) but I'll let you know . . .

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Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: b15erk on November 08, 2019, 15:09:52 PM
@LeilaMay I'm sure mine has a knee lift, so if you need to check anything just yell, and I'll take a picture.  Mine worked fine when I got it, so no repairs necessary.

Good luck!

Jessie
Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: LeilaMay on November 09, 2019, 11:40:37 AM
Thank you  :)
I think it's all there and so on, it's just that the electrics are currently unsound, and so it's not possible to test things fully. OH has had his magic electric box out, and says there's good resistance on the motor and the lever mechanism, so I'm hopeful it will just be rewiring certain bits.

I'll report back as we go along  :)
Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: LeilaMay on November 20, 2019, 17:17:12 PM
 :vintage:
Just to update - the electrics are now cleaned, and rewired, and it goes :)
We ran it with the lead from my other 99K, so I am still waiting for the rewiring on the mains plug, apparently we have run out of the right kind of cable, but it will get done next week I hope.
The mechanics are all moving nicely, and once it's got it's own power source sorted I'll be making sure the tensions are re-set and it stitches nicely.
The case turns out to be a rather nice blue colour!

Leila   :toast:
Title: Re: Singer 99K with knee lever
Post by: LeilaMay on December 19, 2019, 12:24:41 PM
Last update  ;)
the machine is finally all sorted. I have no idea what to do with it now - I don't need it, just didn't ant to see it go for scrap, and fancied the chance to see how the knee operator worked.

Anyone need to expand their collection?   :ninja:

Happy Holidays to all