Anyone injecting thread with one of these

**lugnut** · 02-19-2016, 11:08

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My mother-in-law gave me a couple of machines, just wondering if this big fella would be good for making gear?

**Mtn hanger** · 02-19-2016, 11:12

I've never used on but my mom has (not on gear) and she says it's hard to keep your stitches uniform and tight and she has sewed her whole life and is good but just because it was harder to use for her doesn't mean it will be for you.

**Ramblinrev** · 02-19-2016, 11:59

Treadles work fine for gear IF you can deal with the quirks. For example.. the is no reverse. That's not a major issue. Here's the work around. Stitch a few stitches and stop. Raise the presser foot and pull the fabric back to the beginning of the line. Restitch over the few stitches already there and continue. At the end of the line repeat the lift, pull and restitch trick to lock off the end. My wife made a living on a treadle for a while. I used it as well. There is a significant learning curve to the handling of the machine, but nothing that can't be dealt with. One note of caution. Some of the parts may be virtually impossible to get, especially if it uses a "torpedo" shuttle for the bobbin. And sometimes the needles are not the standard needles readily found today. But speciality chops can hook you up with the needles and bobbins you would need. If it's a rotary bobbin you shouldn't have difficulty getting parts, but probably not at Joann's or Wally World.

**xxl_hanger** · 02-19-2016, 13:29

I'm sure this big fella would do it and make also nice stitches. Most likely you can sew with the hand wheel only. Better solution would be a hand crank. Such an effective toy is still available for old Singer machines . A leather strap for the treadle is also no problem. It looks like that you can add even a rucksack motor. As far as I can see it on the picture some parts are missing. One half of the needle plate, a bobbin case and the top tension assembly looks incomplete. All this parts are still available. However, they are often a bit expensive and for the price you get already a similar machine which is complete then.

If I had such a nice machine I would repair it and have a lot of fun. I'm sure you would get even the Singer service manual for this machine somewhere and you could learn as a side benefit a lot with it. I would try to get all the missing parts without any hurry. Take your time and think about it.

**lugnut** · 02-19-2016, 13:37

I spoke to a local shop that does servicing. they are going to clean it up for me. I have a husky star 219 that i'm currently using, and i have no plans to use this singer on gear. I would like to get it up and running again because i suspect they don't make them like this anymore. It should be a fun project restoring it though...

**FLScouthanger** · 02-19-2016, 14:16

It appears to be a Singer 66 "Redeye".

There is a little bit of info on it at this link:

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...g-machine.html

**FLScouthanger** · 02-19-2016, 14:23

As an aside, I've never used this particular model, nor have I used a treadle for gear making. However, I HAVE used a 1930's-vintage Singer 201 and a 70's-vintage Singer 237 which are both electric motor-driven models. The 201 (straight stitch only but does have reverse) looks quite similar to the 66. I can tell you the 201 I have puts down a very nice straight stitch regardless of the type of material I have under the presser foot.

**lugnut** · 02-19-2016, 14:33

Thanks for the link, that willl come in handy once i start restoring it.

My family thinks it is funny that I am getting all the old sewing machines from all of my older family members. I guess they always thought my sister would be the one to get them.

I have another singer that looks similar to this one only it's electric, I also have two 198? model singers that were my grandmothers and my moms. My mother-in-law has a quilting machine and embroidery machine that runs off of computers…fansy stuff. I'm going to try and get that one once she no longer uses it anymore. I may start my own "sweat shop" lol

**xxl_hanger** · 02-19-2016, 14:48

Try to find the serial-number on the machine. Then you can identify exactly what model this is and when and where it was produced.

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...-database.html

or here:
http://www.sewalot.com/dating_singer...ial_number.htm
http://www.singer.ag/service-fabriksnummern.html

If you know that then you will find a lot of further information and also spare parts.