Vintage Singer 66k 1935 treadle sewing machine restoration and repair
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- Опубліковано 15 січ 2022
- Restoration of a vintage 1935 Singer 66k treadle sewing machine. I used Singer sewing machine oil to clean the machine, Pink stuff to clean the chrome, WD40 for the base and I finished the woodwork with Osmo hard wax oil and then Gilboy's beeswax.
This restored machine will be for sale at Strichen Antiques
StrichenAntiques/ - Навчання та стиль
My dad was a few months old when this sewing machine was made.
How beautiful and useful. I've just purchased a 66 from 1917 with its table that's in beautiful condition. The machine needs a thorough cleaning and adjustment. I've been enquiring and there are several in the area who still do that work -- so gratifying!
Love it, not over restored just a nice gentle restoration. You kept it’s history & made it shine again.
As a sewer I just love anything antique to do with sewing. Well done yet again
Thank you Julie - very much appreciated!
Another lovely job Bruce.
We’re looking forward to our newly restored Singer arriving at Strichen.
Lots more exciting projects coming up. Thanks again Bruce👍
Thanks guys it has been great to work on! See you all soon
To remove the machine from the table, tip the machine to the back and loosen the set screws from underneath. It is a mistake to remove it using the large screws approached from above. Enjoyed the work you did. Thank you for making the video.
Thanks Roger - a top tip! Much appreciated, and glad you enjoyed the work!
Another really interesting video … 👍
There is a fascinating social history around these machines …
Gave a lot of housewives financial freedom and was also the very start of HP ( hire purchase ) for the masses.
Thanks Doug! I think the first of these models were made in Scotland in 1907 and the engineering quality of this 1935 model is fantastic. I hadn't heard the social history side - will be reading up for sure. Thanks again
Excelente trabajo!!! Saludos desde Apodaca Nuevo Leon Mexico.
Muchas gracias
As a young boy, many of my clothes were made on a machine just like this. It wasn't till we moved to Hawaii in 1966 that my mother got rid of this machine. She never liked anything she had after that as much as she loved her old Singer.
The quality and engineering detail in this nearly ninety-year-old machine is incredible. In doing a bit of research there are several sources that claim this was the machine that made the first 'perfect' stitch. I also hadn't realised the social impact these Singer sewing machines made on people's lives and your story of childhood clothes really resonates with this. Thanks for commenting James!
Looks fantastic Bruce. Great decisions made through the process!
Thanks Glen - as always some more lucky than others! Cheers
Well you certainly worked your magic there and breathed some new life into it. Fingers crossed that it does well at auction.
Thank you! I hope it finds a happy home
Great work
Thanks!
Great job! It really came out lovely!
Thank you!
I would have liked more detail on how you restored the wood. I have a treadle sit at the house. It is in Fair, more shape and I think it's a lot older. Definitely from turn of the century I would like to restore the table but I have very limited woodworking knowledge or skills
Bonjours très bonne vidéo , je suis de passage sur votre chaine , ma grand-mère avais la même machine a coudre Singer , le coffre était en bois de rose , ma grand-mère l'avais acquis en 1910 chez une chatelaine , la machine fonctionne toujours et s'est ma cousine qui l'utilise , ma grand-mère était couturière et a fait vivre sa famille grâce a cette machine , votre restauration ma bien plus , donc je m'est un pouce bleu et m'abonne .Bonne continuation .
Vous êtes très gentil, merci beaucoup!
My Great Grandma had one, probably ended up in a skip. Shame when you show how they can be beautifully brought back to life. Love the films.
The engineering and quality in these machines is fantastic - glad you are enjoying the films! Thanks
Wow! This Singer machine is exactly like my Grandmother's machine, here in Brazil. Can you believe that? Thank you for this memories 💚. And you restored it so gentle, respecting the machine's history, I imagine.
That is brilliant. I believe the first versions of this machine were made in my home country of Scotland and it is great to hear that they went all around the world! Thanks for taking the time to comment - it is very interesting to hear the stories behind these projects ...and hopefully another ninety years of history to come!
I just got a exact machine and cabinet like the one you have pictured . The machine is 1935 and the cabinet is interesting. Mine is in excellent shape . Was kept indoors. It looks like a art deco design and yours was the only one I saw . Only has 2 drawers and wooden legs . I have to order a belt for tredell. Any invo you have on the cabinet would be appreciated. I have several machines that do need work so appreciate the video.
Hi Peggy - I'm glad you enjoyed the video. The machines are easier to trace with the serial number, but the cabinets perhaps a bit trickier. There are some real experts out there in web forums and collectors sites for all things Singer. I find some of the cabinets just need a good clean and others a bit more work. On those of this age the veneer is quite generous so you can sand a bit more confidently but still have to be careful. If the machines has been used a lot then oil will have dripped down on the inside and hence a bit more cleaning required. Good luck with the restorations!
I just wanted to let you know that, using your video as a guide, I was perfectly able to restore my grandma's vintage Singer that had remained in my mom's storage room, unused, for nearly two decades. I even felt bold enough to completely disassemble it and fully re-stain it. This project really made me want to get more into restoring the old furniture that's in other rooms around the house. I truly can't thank you enough for putting this video up for us to follow.
One question I do have, however! I used wood wax and buffed it to the best of my ability; in my case it left a very nice shine for a couple of days but for some reason it now sits looking a little matte. Is that normal? Can it be re-finished even after using wax already? Thank you in advance!
Did you put any finish onto the wood after the stain? Any kind of varnish or oil? I would recommend Osmo hard wax oil, very thinly applied and wiped off. You can choose the shine level you want ...satin, gloss etc. I would go for satin. Yes you can re-do it after the wax but I would recommend you use a liquid wax remover first. This is a lot more gentle than a paint stripper or varnish remover but you follow similar instructions. Taking the wax back would help with adding the hard wax oil (Osmo) ...and then wax it again. This sounds like a lot of work but it is relatively quick and will make a big difference. Hope this helps.
O loved what you did, just a question why you chose to wax instead of cover it with varnish or putting shellac again? Thank you
Great question. What we call “finishing” or choice of what to put on the final layers after stain or seal is a huge question. For me it’s about heritage, what would have been used at the time balanced with what does modern science and understanding bring. Polyurethane varnish is great on boats and yachts but has no place on vintage pieces - it forms a surface layer of plastic and is difficult in the future. Shellac is vintage and great for areas not likely to get impact or have coffee cups or pot plants placed on top. So time and time again a “hard wax oil” is heritage enough combined with modern understanding of blend and quality to give a great surface finish and long lasting protection. Hope this helps. Happy to make a video on this topic?
Thank you, now I understand better the logic for this since I'm adventuring to clean and restore a sewing machine that I found beautiful and amazing, your video has helped me a lot to visualize the adventure ahead
Thank you for the tips! My mom just gave me a 1891 singer that’s been in the family, and I didn’t know where to start. The wood on top is warped from water damage so I was wondering what I do with that problem?
Hi Mara - an 1891 singer? Wow. Lovely. If the top is badly warped you may have to remove the veneer. There are some very detailed youtube videos on removing and then reapplying veneer to singer cabinets. I can recommend a few and probably the most detailed is from Lost Mountain Restoration. I hope this helps
I have one serial G9367723, what year do you think it is ? love u video very helpful.thanks
According to: ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-g-series-serial-numbers.html
This would be a 66 model with 50,000 serial numbers issued on May 16th 1922
I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Cool
Thank you!
Beautiful woodwork, although the original presumably had a lacquer? I love the way you left the original finish on the machine, but you never did the interior. Replacement of the original grease would be the minimum. Also, I never saw it sew, and cannot see if it is timed correctly.
Thanks Les. Yes you are correct on all fronts. I like the open grain look of the wax finish over a lacquer. I checked the interior but beyond a cosmetic clean I now leave these to expert and dedicated singer restorers. Indeed my last client asked for me to do the woodwork (water stains) and a machine specialist to work only on the machine. They are beautiful items and the engineering is incredible. I am sure I will work on more!
Bruce, sweet project. Thank you for posting your work. I have a model 66 from 1927 waiting in the restoration queue at my shop and this is very helpful. In future, I wonder if you might provide a little more information in the video regarding the products you use and the reason you selected them. Generic product names help, because we don't always have the same ones in the US (e.g., Pink Stuff). Also, do you know or have and idea of which species this machine was made? Regards.
Hi Elaine - thank you so much for your comment and feedback. I put some of the products into the description text and will add more - great call! I very much enjoy Thomas Johnson's channel and saw that on his most recent video he added a shot at the end with products he had used - great idea! A substitute for the Pink Stuff cleaner would likely be found in the automotive section of a store or online - chrome cleaner / automotive polish. A lot of online motorbike restorations really specialize in restoring chrome. The chrome on the Singer machine I restored cleaned up very easily as it was not pitted or damaged. As to the species of the veneer used on my machine? So hard to tell. It didn't smell like oak when I sanded it but might be brown oak. I stained it cherry and it could be cherry. I can rule out several species for a start but I will take another looks and see if I can narrow it down.
Great work. Just got a treadle cabinet with missing belt bar and cradle where the machine is stored. How can I make the cradle .?
Hi Carmen - good luck with the project! The cradle is a laminated piece made up of a few layers of thinner wood. If possible, I would try and get access to a similar machine / borrow someone else's and then try and make a replica. It may require a 'form' to bend heated and steamed sheets over (e.g. with an iron) ...something like a small barrel with the same radius of curve. If you can't get one to copy then getting the dimension would be the next best step and then looking carefully at videos and photos to see how it attaches. Thanks for watching!
Fantastic job, we are looking for one of these. What did it sell for after the restoration?
Hi Rob - many thanks! It is for sale at Strichen Antiques, currently listed at £395
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What are you cleaning The sewing machine with Was it a little bit of oil
Singer oil only yes
Why didn't you show how you cleaned the frame and metalwork of the machine?.
To be honest Eileen I think it was literally a quick dusting with a cloth - it was all in good condition.
What did you use to clean the treadle metal pieces on bottom?
Hi Tina, I believe I used a soft cloth to clean off the dust, a little soap and water with a toothbrush for any tougher bits and then singer oil on the same soft cloth - wipe on / wipe off. Hope this helps.
Show each and every step at normal speed. Show how to oil, etc.
Hi Rain, if you've not seen I'd suggest Lost Mountain Restoration and the extensive series on a similar machine: ua-cam.com/video/D6cq19pq7Xk/v-deo.html
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Leave it in its vintage patima
Hi Eric - certainly an option I always consider, however the quantity and depth of scratches coupled with the amount of water damage which was recent rather than vintage led me down the refinishing route.