Sewing machine dilemma- help me choose.

[khanjar]

And so I became the proud owner of yet another sewing machine yesterday a Singer 99K of whatever vintage but I got it for the motor really and with it the foot switch and light assembly as I need those parts to make another machine ( a rotary jewellers saw for cutting chain mail rings). But this thing is in excellent condition, where I am starting to get those familiar warm fuzzy feelings about restoration and keeping the thing to use as it was intended; a sewing machine, but with this one, I have got three of them now.

So really one has to go so what goes the motor driven 99k or the earlier hand cranked 128k as I will not be moving on the later Singer 141 as that is a bit more useful. I suppose much of what I decide depends if the hand crank assembly off the 128k fits the 99k, if it does, sorted, the 128k goes as it is a pain to load that shuttle thing anyway and the machine is rather limited, although with a bit of effort it will sew heavier fabrics such as sail cloth and canvas.

So not having had a 99k before what's the verdict on them, a machine worth keeping or do I go with my original plan and strip it for the parts I need ?

 

[Darshiva]

Paging Zorba to this thread. Paging Zorba to this thread.

Zorba, this thread needs your attention.

 

[Zorba]

I own a 99K. I also own a VS2 - the immediate predecessor to the 128.

But I'm a sewing machine collector/addict. I own 7 machines right now, most of them quite old. I love all of them - my 99K is my "away" machine that I take to Stitch & Bitch sessions, etc. It is probably the smoothest running machine I own or have used. There is something very satisfying about well oiled reciprocating cast iron.

If ya need a motor, $10 gets you one on eBay.

The webpage for my addiction:

Zorba's Secret Sewing Machine Page!

 

[khanjar]

I own a 99K. I also own a VS2 - the immediate predecessor to the 128.

But I'm a sewing machine collector/addict. I own 7 machines right now, most of them quite old. I love all of them - my 99K is my "away" machine that I take to Stitch & Bitch sessions, etc. It is probably the smoothest running machine I own or have used. There is something very satisfying about well oiled reciprocating cast iron.

If ya need a motor, $10 gets you one on eBay.

The webpage for my addiction:

Zorba's Secret Sewing Machine Page!

Yes, I can see how one could become an addict with these machines and the temptation is there with myself but I can't, I can't because I don't have the space and I am in the process of de cluttering as it is, myself having accumulated a lot of well useful things to me but clutter to most others and begrudgingly myself really as my place is small, what in the UK is called a studio flat with a total floor area of 530 square feet and the place is filled with books and tools as it is where I need to make it more of a home not a workshop, as I did used to make jewellery in here, where I did have a 260lb Napoleonic anvil in the kitchen. But my place has been refurbished- new kitchen and bathroom, so no more hot metal working in here and I do need to think about making my place more inviting s no one is going to see my moroccan decor if the place resembles a workshop or a museum.

But my decision has been made, the 128k is going as well, the 99 is lovely, not quite so ornate as the 128 but decoration isn't everything and besides as said, the 99 is far more useful. The hand crank well it either fits directly or an adaptor will have to be made, but my motivation is hand and electric motivation, hand because I am a bit on the mad max side- electricity can fail or simply not be available.

Motors at $10 a go on ebay, not here they are not, hence my looking for an old machine myself where I do have a contact in the charity organisation and so where mine came from as an electrical failure at £20, not that the failure is major it is just a repair is needed, ( a rotted strain relief gland ), where charity organisations are not interested in repairing to sell, they need to just sell what is electrically safe. What is not heads for landfill sadly or at best metal recovery. But motors in ebay UK go for nigh on fifty quid a pop but that is rip off Britain for you, it's not called that for nothing.

But yes, you do have an interesting corner of the web on sewing machines and yes, I was interested to read of the 185k, yeah it is more or less the same as the 99, I can see that at more or less a glance, but interesting that you are using the correct sewing machine repair screw drivers~ Sandman? , Me, I have a torque hand that is I know the feel of torques per bolt diameter after many years of working carefully with the wrong tools for the job.

But my 99K, I think it has an original Singer case and base as it is typical Singer; well thought out and executed where mine has a fold down base extension still intact, but whence I have made the thing more presentable, I will upload a pic of my latest baby.

But age how can we date these things as for some reason I have the idea that mine is a 1950's model given the styling of the case. Where if it is fifties cool as much of other stuff I collect the fifties features greatly where my first ever antique machine was a 1955 eighty six inch wheel base Series One Land - Rover I rebuilt over a few years in my teens and my best friend was born in 1955.

Oh yeah and Zorba, nice nails.

 

[Zorba]

Getting those "correct screwdrivers" was the best thing I ever did. Has turned working on that VS2 from an almost impossibility to "quite easy".

You do know that you can go to Singer's site and look up your serial number to find the date?

Am I reading you right, 99K with folding bed extension? That is at least "fairly" rare - maybe considerably so. Is the machine cast iron or one of the also rare aluminum ones?

I know that people had adapted hand cranks to 99s (and others) by either replacing the hand wheel with spoked one - OR - machining an appropriate slot in the sold version. Google's your friend!

Yea, the nails are fun - but I manage to get myself into trouble with them every once in a while! I'm getting better at living with them though...

 

[khanjar]

Getting those "correct screwdrivers" was the best thing I ever did. Has turned working on that VS2 from an almost impossibility to "quite easy".

You do know that you can go to Singer's site and look up your serial number to find the date?

Am I reading you right, 99K with folding bed extension? That is at least "fairly" rare - maybe considerably so. Is the machine cast iron or one of the also rare aluminum ones?

I know that people had adapted hand cranks to 99s (and others) by either replacing the hand wheel with spoked one - OR - machining an appropriate slot in the sold version. Google's your friend!

Yea, the nails are fun - but I manage to get myself into trouble with them every once in a while! I'm getting better at living with them though...

Yeah, the case of the machine is a wood veneer with a fold down extension on the front which must be folded up for the case top to engage and lock, the case top being a brown leatherette type stuff with Singer written on it in the middle.

The machine itself is cast iron and the hand wheel is a spoked variety already, it having the circular section drive band to the motor.

One thing I like to do with tese old boxed machines is to tip the machine out of the base to see what is underneath where it is usually a newspaper sheet to catch the oil drips and although my new 99 hasn't got anything underneath my old 128 had a 1932 front page of The Daily Mail underneath, perhaps from a time when that newspaper had credible journalism as I understad it took a turn for the worst post 1935.


Nails yeah sometimes I go goth and paint 'em black, but I could never grow them given what I do and besides a nervous moment, I would chew them off. But I do have it in mind to make false extensions out of engraved and possibly bejewelled fine silver in talon like profiles.

 

[Zorba]

Nails yeah sometimes I go goth and paint 'em black, but I could never grow them given what I do and besides a nervous moment, I would chew them off. But I do have it in mind to make false extensions out of engraved and possibly bejewelled fine silver in talon like profiles.

These nails ain't real - like I tell people (mostly gals) who ask: They're gel over acrylic. I'm a guy - if these were real nails, I'd destroy them in a matter of hours - and I sometimes still manage to! As long nails go, they're still pretty short, and its been QUITE the learning experience dealing with them. A lifetime of habits has to be relearned.

 

[khanjar]

And yeah, my new machine works and it works well and the hand crank from the 128 K fitted so I have that left and the 128k has gone to pastures new where someone os converting it to electric. But my new machine in it's differing power forms;

 

[Zorba]

I can't get the picture to expand.

 

[khanjar]

I can't get the picture to expand.

Try this one then;




Is the best I can do as two image sizes here and neither will expand.