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Hans Zimmer and his Moog modular in 1980

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vincentbriggs

Ok! More photos of the thrifted Singer 185J!

It was made in Canada in 1964, and it's nearly identical to the 99k, just with a more modern aesthetic. I called it pistachio green after seeing it in the thrift store, but in the light of my sewing room it feels more like a sage green. Either way, lovely colour!

The condition is looking better than I initially thought. It's hard to judge when it's on the floor and you're crouched down in a winter overcoat and other shoppers are walking nearby.

Bobbin plate cover: Missing. Easy to replace.

Bobbins: None, but also easy to buy new. (And I should get some more for the 99k anyways.)

Drive belt: Crustiest one I've ever seen. It will not change shape at all when I remove it. Also easy to replace.

Motor: Working! But I will open it up and see if there's Stuff to clean off, as there was some black buildup that Papa sanded off part of the 99k motor.

Pedal: Also working, but once it's warm outdoors I'd like to try replacing the asbestos sheet. (Very very carefully, wetting it down and following instructions from a professional!)

Wiring: Filthy but intact!

Light: Missing the lens and the little spring that holds it in, and there's no lightbulb so I don't know if it works yet. Not super important though.

Bobbin winder: Seems alright but I haven't tested it. I thought it was weird that it doesn't have that little lever that pushes down on the thread, but apparently this make doesn't have it.

Case: Awful. The plastic is badly cracked and the whole thing rocks back and fourth terribly. I'll keep the lid but throw out the bottom. With help from someone with a table saw I ought to be able to make a nice new wooden case for it this summer, but I will need to find a pair of Singer hinges for it.

There's something small rattling around in the case (too small to be the bobbin plate cover) but I've told myself I'm not allowed to free the machine from the case until I've finished and posted the sewing year in review video I'm working on. Just like how I didn't let myself go back to the thrift store and buy this machine until I'd fixed the snag on my treadle and gotten the 99k back together and stitching again.

This makes 6 machines total, but I do not intend to go on harding them! I already have a friend lined up to take my 99k once it's ready!

vincentbriggs

Update: I was right about the crusty drive belt. Stiff as a board all around! It wouldn't come off until I removed the hand wheel.

It's such a perfect teardrop shape (and fairly clean) that I couldn't bear to throw it out, so it's on my cork board at the moment.

I removed the one large screw from the bottom of the machine and freed it from the horrible plastic case.

The mysterious small object rattling around inside turned out to be just a couple of broken plastic nubs from the case, which is very boring. I threw out this bottom part (after removing the screws) but am keeping the lid.

I spent quite a while scrubbing the wires with a soapy rag, and they look so so nice and clean.

I've taken off and cleaned all the external bits of the machine, and removed the nose plate and cleaned in there. The dirt wasn't too bad, so I didn't have to take the needle or presser foot bars or any of that other stuff out. I swapped out the old bobbin winder tire with a spare I already had.

The poor dear was absolutely parched!! I don't think the previous owner had oiled it in a long long time! I oiled every moving part, and rubbed an oily cotton swab on every bare metal surface I could reach.

The bobbin area was quite yucky, so I did take all that stuff out to clean it, and to polish a few small rust spots.

I reassembled it, and since I'd recently watched that video on fixing the 99k timing, I remembered how and was able to easily set it back to the right time!

I haven't put the motor and light back on yet, or the bobbin winder, but just with the hand wheel it's stitching perfectly well.

The new drive belt and bobbin cover plate are in the mail, and the vintage case hinges just arrived today. (I do feel justified in complaining about the price, because I've now spent considerably more on parts + shipping than I did on the machine.)

I really want to make a new wooden case for it, but I'll have to wait for warm weather and help from somebody with a table saw. I took one (1) woodworking class in high school and I did pretty well in that, and there are a lot of tutorials online so I think with the proper tools it should be fine. The set screws were already there in the machine, which is wonderful because the hinges didn't come with any!