This One is Going to Take Some Work. 1883 Improved Family

So I saw this guy sitting on Craigslist about three weeks ago.

It's not in the greatest of shape.  Very dirty.  Very.  That's the big reason why it took me three weeks of hemming and hawing to finally decide to get it.  That and the previous owner had taken it out of the treadle.  Grrrr.

There's quite a bit of rust.  One screw is missing from the throat plate.  The other screw is pretty well stripped.  The stitch regulator was wicked bound up (I bought it in Massachusetts, a 'wicked' is required).  All the motions were very tight.  And the presser bar was seized.  I'm not sure when the last time it was oiled was, but the layer on it is so old that it crumbles to dust when working it off.  It was also missing the tension discs, spring and nut.  Luckily I had spares.

On the good side, other than the treadle, nothing major is missing.  The needle bar isn't bound in it's motion, but I'll need to work the solidified oil off to remove it.  And it has the groovy New Family style belt guard and bobbin winder.

Another neat difference from the later IF is the leaf spring presser foot tension instead of the coil spring.  You can see it in the below photo.  The adjustment screw in the one about 1/3 back on top of the arm.

Also on the inside of the side cover the last five digits of the serial number is hand written, same as the New Family had its factory ID number.  Even the same color pencil.

Also the japanning is extensive on this one.  Pretty much anything that wasn't machined was japanned.

Wonder what it was like in the factory that day.

Worker:  "Sir I have this part-"
Foreman: "Japan it!"

Worker: "Sir I have the latest shipping manifest-"
Foreman: "Japan it!"

Worker:  "Sir your wife is in the office-"
Foreman:  "Japan it!"

Singer humor is awesome isn't it.

I had originally thought it as an 1879 because of the NF style belt guard.  Serial number was definite though.  It's an early 1883 commission.

I have it partially broken down now.  The bottom end, needle bar and hand wheel still are left to pull off.  I drenched it with Singer oil to start.  If they are still sticky on Monday afternoon (I'm working on a vest for sewing class so need to focus on that tomorrow) I'll break out the BlasterPB and give it a good hosing down.

Hopefully the 'after' entry will be up before too long.