Featured Singer 66K Treadle Sewing Machine w/Lotus Decals (1926)

My latest restoration project, dropped off at my place by a family-friend, who asked me to give it an overhaul for her...



The first step was to remove the electric motor and its attachments...



It took quite a bit of effort with a spanner to get that thing off! Someone clearly tried to clamp it on there for the long-run. But as you can see - now separated, and the machine is back to its original condition.


After cleaning and lubricating the entire machine, pulling the ORIGINAL leather belt back around the drive-wheel and over the balance-wheel...



The next step is to line up the belt, get it in position, and crimp it together. Once that's done, it's time to test it!

My friend's mother purchased this from a local antiques shop, and asked me to give it an overhaul, and most importantly - to restore it back to its original treadle-powered condition. At the moment, it's about 90% complete. It's in surprisingly good condition for its age.

 

I'm positive you'll do an AWESOME job!!!! I LOVE the designing on that machine!!!!

 

I've popped the belt on!! It runs perfectly!

 

Nice job, Shangas.
And beautiful yarra floor.

 

I love it too. An Egyptian Revival sewing machine.

 

This is a dumb question, but was it made to use the treadle separately from the electric motor? Kind of an either/or? So is there a foot pedal at the end of the electric cord? I just never knew there were treadle machines with motors, but I've lead a sheltered life.

 

Short answer is: NO.

Long answer is:

This machine is, and always was, a treadle machine. But somewhere along the way, it was converted to electric by clamping an electric motor on the side, adding in a drivebelt and removing the old belt, and adding in an electric foot-pedal.

Converting the machine back to treadle was just a process of removing the motor and swapping out the drive-belts.

 

The completed machine:

 

NICE! People have been junking these for a while and using the cabinets. I'm guessing the friend is a quilter who wants to use it. These old straight up treadles will go through just about anything and quilters tend to love them.

 

That is very interesting, and such a beauty with the lotus decals. I found this article about the Singer 66 machines and explaining how common it was in the 1950s to convert them to electricity: http://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/66/

 

That article reminds me of a joke about Britain in the 1950s. Still under heavy, postwar rationing, a lady goes into a Singer shop in London and says: "I'd like a new Singer, please!"

The shopkeeper wrings his hands, sighs, and says: "So would I, ma'am, so would I!"

The Kilbowie plant in Scotland was FLATTENED in a raid in...1941, I believe. And it was ages before Singer in the UK could start manufacturing machines again.

 

The final-final step is painting the signs on the frame back to their original gold...

BEFORE


AFTER

 

This is beautiful, @Shangas ! Thanks for sharing and discussing.

 

Thanks! Fixing it up was a lot of fun