Singer 66 hand crank for sale. AS SEEN ON TV!

 

 

I'm going to do something different on the blog for this Singer 66 and write two separate posts.  This one will be for the people who see the Raleigh CraigsList ad and are interested to know more about the machine.

The next blog post will be for my regular readers who are vintage sewing machine fanatics.  In that one I will go into excruciating detail about the restoration and repair of the machine, specifically how I dealt with the problematic finish, and how I adjusted and repaired the bobbin winder.   If you are a potential buyer, you can still read that story if you want to!

Up for sale now is a classic vintage Singer sewing machine, model 66.  It is all metal straight-stitch-only machine.  These were produced in the bazillions (technical term) over several decades as treadle machines, as hand cranks, and with electric motors.  I found this machine with no hand crank or motor on it.  I have added a modern reproduction hand crank.  

Sewing with a hand crank allows for incredible precision because the user has instantaneous control of the machine.  This makes it ideal for teaching beginners, both adults and children. No sudden take-off speed that you can get with the foot pedal of a motorized machine.  And it stops the instant you stop moving the hand crank.  

Even for accomplished seamsters there are techniques for which the control provided by a hand crank is ideal, such as paper piecing and heirloom sewing.  I think of it as "mechanized hand stitching".  No home studio is complete without one!  And if you think I am laying this down in a heavy handed way to promote a sale, read on.  You may have to re-think that assumption.  In the next paragraph, for instance.

 

The cosmetic condition of this machine is not that great.  What were once beautiful filigree gold decals have worn almost completely away on the bed of the machine where miles of fabric have flowed over it in the last 92 years.  Some people are looking for pristine antique machines, and those machines are few and far between.  Some people enjoy seeing the wear patterns and thinking about the people of the past who sewed on the machine.

In other places that didn't get wear you can still see how pretty they still are.  (You can see more of the decals on the other post.)

On the other hand, the mechanical functioning of this machine is, in a word, excellent.  

I used this machine as a demonstration model in my recent sewing machine maintenance workshop on Repair Cafe TV.  I don't remember when or where I acquired it, but it had been sitting underneath my desk for at least five years and probably much longer.  It was dusty, filthy, and had spider webs and even a couple of dead spiders on the bottom side.  The hand wheel barely moved, but the needle did go up and down with that movement.

I put a couple of drops of sewing machine oil in the oil holes and at each visible place where metal moves against metal.  In two minutes the mechanism was moving freely.  With a good spin the hand wheel kept spinning freely for several revolutions.  This is the most satisfying moment when restoring a vintage machine!  

I have cleaned the exterior of the machine thoroughly so that no dirt is left that would transfer on to any of your sewing projects.  The dead spiders are long gone too! 

The Singer model 66 was marketed as an all-pupose household and dressmaking machine in the era when every woman (and many men) were expected to know how to sew in order to keep that household functioning.  These machines were built to last for decades (if not centuries).  

I will send you a copy of the manual for this machine by email.  You may need to remind me though.

 The adjustable tensioner adjusts as it should.  

This is an early version and in my opinion every so-called "improvement" to tensioners made them worse and more prone to mechanical problems.  This one is simplicity itself.  Turn the screw nut to adjust the tension, righty tighty, lefty loosey. 

The stitch length knob adjusts as it should.  This feature is often frozen or rusted solid after decades and often is beyond my ability to repair.  So the fact that this works perfectly is kind of a big deal for a machine of this age.  (Btw the extreme closeups make the grunge look worse than it is.)

 Turn the knob all the way in for the longest stitch length.

 

As you turn it out the stitch will shorten.  The photo above shows you the approximate setting for the shortest stitch length.  I don't advise turning it any more than this.  You do NOT want to turn it far enough to remove it.  I have read that this can be very difficult to recover from.  I don't have a lot of experience with these, but my limited experience confirms that it is almost impossible to access the back of the mechanism to work on it.   

Below:  stitch length test, bobbin thread

Below:  stitch length test, top thread

 

Don't let this scare you though.  If you test the stitch length from time to time as you loosen the knob you won't go far enough to cause a problem.

One of the ways I test a machine is to see how well it will stitch through multiple layers.  I take a long length of fabric and fold it in half.  I stitch a few inches down the length through 2 layers.  I fold it in half and stitch through four layers.  Fold it in half again and stitch through eight layers.  For this machine I was able to fold it in half again and stitch through sixteen layers, with perfect stitches and no problems with the tension (perfect stitches top and bottom).  I used a size 14 needle and and a poly/cotton blend fabric for the test.  For denim or canvas I would use a larger size 16 or 18 needle. 

The only thing that wasn't working properly right from the beginning was the bobbin winder, and I was able to replace the rubber tire, adjust it, and tighten up a bolt and now it is working perfectly.  If you are interested in reading about the process, I have discussed it in detail on the other post.

It was not in a cabinet or case when I got it.  It does need to be sitting in the base part of a case in order for the mechanism underneath to move freely.  I have put it into the base of a vintage sewing machine case, although the top of the case is missing.  It's not the best looking base I've seen!  I'm running out of stuff as the pandemic progresses and I am no longer scouring the local thrift shops every week for vintage sewing machines and accessories.  However you could easily upgrade to a modern plastic sewing machine case, easily available in several places online.  

 Also included with this machine:  a small wooden box with some presser feet and accessories. 

 

Shown above:  top row:  ruffler, adjustable zipper foot.  Middle row:  narrow hemmer, shirring foot.  Bottom row:  Seam guide.  These would have been original equipment when this machine was new.  In my experience the straight stitch foot (on the machine) and the zipper foot will handle 99% of your needs.  But it is fun to have the vintage presser feet too.

Other accessories include:  a needle threader, class 66 bobbins, three metal and three plastic (one of the metal ones is in the machine), Tri-Flow sewing machine oil, and a Singer lint brush.

The ruffler is a nifty attachment with four settings.  Setting 1 makes a tiny pleat with every stitch.  6 makes a pleat every 6 stitches, 12 makes a pleat every 12 stitches, and the star sews with no pleats, allowing you to go back and forth between ruffling and regular sewing without removing the ruffler from the machine.

If you are interested in this machine, check out the Raleigh NC CraigsList ad.  Local sales only, I do not ship.

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The only way to REALLY tell if something is working properly is to sew a project on it.  So I sewed up 18 quilt blocks on this machine after I finished getting it ready and I am really impressed by the smooth sewing action.  I'm willing to sell it because I really do need to downsize the hoard and now, when people need sewing machines more than ever, is a good time to do that.  But I won't be heartbroken if it doesn't sell!  I could easily envision myself repainting it and designing some exciting decals for it.  And then keeping it for myself.  Hmmm.......