I saw it on Shopgoodwill and put a bid in that was 1 penny higher than the opening bid. I won it. $7.99 and 12 bucks shipping for a total price that's less than 20. I probably overpaid since the date wasn't given. If I had known it was a 1904 machine I probably would have went another 50 cents on it.
The more I looked at it, the worse it appeared. Not a single decal is intact. I think it was probably dug up by someone looking for Jimmy Hoffa in some waste dump in New Jersey or something.
Until I found out the year on it I thought the biggest score from the purchase was going to be the drop hinges I could use when I start making treadle tops. Of course this one is going to go into a treadle as well since it has not motor boss.
Besides the motor mount, it's also missing some things it should have come with. Like the belt guard and the stitch regulator lever. It was also missing the bobbin cover plate. Hyman's 15-30 is still in pieces so I had borrowed his cover to put on this one. It's not correct though. The 1904 should still have a cover with the patent dates on it. I'll have to hit up Norm to see if he has some replacements laying around.
They didn't come out in the photos, but there are an impressive number of dead things dangling off of the machine. After bringing it in and turning it over for a few photographs I had to go get the vacuum to suck up all the bug corpses that fell out of it.
It's impossible to make out the serial number in any photo I took. In person it's barely legible. The number is B22458, allocated on March 24, 1904.
While turning it over and looking at it I began to notice some weirdness. The tension assembly was the first thing that caught my eye.
It sent me running to the parts list. I thought I was going to find some unknown Singer mod. But no, sure enough it was right there. Even listed as the standard tension release for 15-30s. I verified both the 1915 and 1927 machines had the center rod tension release. They do. I guess my parts list is from earlier than 1915 because the center rod isn't even listed as an option.
Of course once I started messing around with it, it became time to start taking it apart.
And once the tension assembly was in pieces the rest just kind of started happening.
Gross, but, hmm... interesting. Those definitely aren't 15-30 feed dogs. I broke out the wire brush and scrubbed them down until I could get the part numbers and dive back into the books.
No luck so far. The closest in appearance are feed dogs and throat plate listed for 16s. But that parts list is later and the part numbers a much higher. I'll just guess that someone swapped them out, unless I can find a parts list for some of the early 15K industrial machines (other than the 41 and 43) that might show them.
Then the hook. Just as gunked up.
The balance wheel was next. It was really frozen in place. I had to break out the jaw pullers. Well 'had to' is a little strong. I probably could have worked it off, but any excuse to break out the jaw pullers makes me smile. Jaw Pullers!
The needle bar and presser bar were pretty junked up and locked in place. Time was short before we had to go to Scouts so I skipped them and went to rip out the bottom end.
On the way out I turned the heater on up in the sewing room and hosed down the needle bar and presser bar with BlasterPB. I did it up in the sewing room so it wouldn't stink up the house. When we returned they were loosened up enough that they came out with just a bit of effort.
So what started out as just a quick update for a new machine has turned into another break down and cleaning that is going to push the 103 rebuild back again.
I'm going to split this into multiple posts. I want to try a different type of cleaning, other than straight dremeling and the baking soda bath. In the morning I'm going to run down to the auto parts store to buy some Gojo to give it a try as a cleaner. Should be fun.
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ReplyDeletefor the face plate, the whole thing comes apart? even the thread tension guide? I'm trying to clean up a 15-30 and I can't get the thread tension guide spring to come out & I am afraid to force it. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteThe thread guide post is a pressure fit. So if you pull it out it's going to be loose when you push it back in. I never take them off just clean around them. The spring for the tension assembly comes out with the rest of the assembly. Just make sure you get both retaining screws out before trying to remove the assembly.
DeleteHey! I just bought a singer 15-30 from a local flea market. It still sews and is in great condition. I was able to read the serial number on mine and it's also a 1904! Mine also has the sphinx decals on it that are also in good condition. I just bought a few replacement parts to fix the treadle, but am a bit lost when it comes to restoring it. Since it still sews well and the tension is perfect, I am afraid to take it apart to clean it. My bobbin winder is seized up, and the stitch length knob won't move at all. Do you have any recommendations? I think that the one I bought is still in the original table as well. Any help or suggestions are appreciated!
ReplyDeleteHey Grace. At far as stuck parts, BlasterPB soaking. A give it a few healthy spritzes a day over the coarse of about a week should get them loosened up. You can get to the stitch length regulator from the bottom.
DeleteHi David! Thank you for the fast response! Do you think I should risk taking it apart and cleaning the whole thing? What did you end up using to protect the decals on yours? In one video I watched someone put shellac on the exterior and in another someone put sewing machine oil and then a wax over the exterior.
DeleteHi Grace, sorry I didn't get notified of your comment. Weird. If you have never taken a machine apart I would recommend just focusing on the exterior parts that are easy to remove. Balance Wheel, Throat Plate, etc... There are lots of ways to protect the decals. The fastest, easiest way it to just clean the machine using sewing machine oil with a soft cotton, like and old tshirt. If you want more permanent protection there are lots of videos on how to replace the shellac. The process is a bit involved for working through in the comments. But I would say, if you have nice decals right now, practice on a machine with bad decals first to get your procedure down first.
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