# my new singer, show off & help



## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

After wanting one for a long time, I found one :banana:

I think it is a model 15. 15 what I don't know. It has been converted to electric, but I'm going to put it back to a treadle. The serial number on Singer's site said it is a 1951. AK487845 That's about all I know about it.

Any Singer historians out there want to help? It needs a bath real bad. Dust all under it and dirt stuck to the body. I've read stuff online about a tune-up, but I can't find the cap, rotor, wires, plugs, or the air filter. :hysterical: Can someone give me some details on how to perform a tune up? Any other info I should know?

It came with a few different feet, as well. I know what a couple are but the others, a mystery. 

Any and all help with what I just bought would be appreciated.














































Thank you for looking, and thank you for any help you can give.

I just got it home, so I'm starting my research here, thanks again.

Buck


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

It looks like a 15-90 (because it has the belt driven motor, rather than gear driven like a 15-91). 
That was a VERY popular machine. Which means you can find needles, bobbins and basically any parts you might need very easily.
IF you're going to run it as electric at all, make sure to inspect all of your wire and wire connections. These old machines are cast iron and will live forever, but the _cords_ rot. 
Then get some sewing machine oil and drip it into all of the small holes that are scattered about your machine. Run it, or spin the wheel to work the mechanisms.

This one is the in-depth "service manual" for model 15 machines:
http://www.parts.singerco.com/IPinstManuals/15-91.pdf

This one is the basic user's manual that would have shipped with the machine:
http://parts.singerco.com/IPinstManuals/15.pdf

Have fun!


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## Shadow (Jan 11, 2006)

How does it sew? If it needs a tune up you would probably have to carry it to a repair shop. Our local shop charges $75 to tell you what it needs If it works good, its a good heavy duty machine, will out last any of the new machines. If you can keep it oiled and cleaned your self you will enjoy it. If it needs repairs and or cleaning and oiling and you have to pay a sewing machine repair shop to do it it will cost more than you can buy another. Not working they make good boat anchors. I collect sewing machines and the wife has learned to clean adjust and oil most all the old machines. See if you can locate the operators manuel for your machine that is a great starting point. Enjoy


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

I only ran one run of stitching and it seemed to do fine. Of course one never knows until really sewing, if you know what I mean.

I am pretty sure I can oil it myself. Can't be that hard to put a drop of oil in the different places.

It will take many many hours to get it all new looking, but I worked on cleaning a small section on the base.










ErinP, Thanks for the links. I'll have to save them for future reference.

Any way to know for sure on the 15-90 vs 15-91? It was a treadle then "upgraded" to electric.


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

buck_1one,
What did you use to clean the base with to make it sooooo shiney?
I need the same thing for our 66 model.
Kats


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Katskitten said:


> buck_1one,
> What did you use to clean the base with to make it sooooo shiney?
> I need the same thing for our 66 model.
> Kats


I'm a car guy at heart, so I have all kinds of paint cleaners, polishes, and waxes.

I'm getting ready for work so I don't have time to go into detail.


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Any more info anyone can give? I only have the internet until Wed, then it gets turned off. So I could use all the help I can get in a very short time.

Thanks,
Buck


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

1. bias binder foot - http://www.thesewbox.com/f/Binder.pdf

2. Ruffler/Pleater - https://www.youcanmakethis.com/products/featured-products/Free-The-Ruffler-Unruffled.htm
http://www.thesewbox.com/f/Ruffler1.pdf

3. adjustable hemmer - http://www.thesewbox.com/f/Adjustable_hemmer.pdf

4. after searching everywhere - http://bw.org/end/

5. hemmer - http://www.thesewbox.com/f/Foot_Hemmer.pdf

hope this helps


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

buck_1one said:


> Any way to know for sure on the 15-90 vs 15-91? It was a treadle then "upgraded" to electric.


Oooh. Look at her shine!! :goodjob:
So far as -90 vs. -91, it can't be a -91. They weren't belt driven. You can't convert them to treadle even if you wanted. 

By 1951, a -90 was actually, _probably_ electric when it was made. 

Someone might have had an old treadle cabinet that they put it in so they'd have a sewing table. Or, maybe someone wanted to convert it to treadle. OR maybe they did but de-converted it to sell... Who knows. 
It _is_ possible that it was made as a treadle (that is a later-era treadle base, afterall) but it's more likely that it was electric to begin with.

So far as further info, there are three sites that are the gold standard:
TreadleOn 
ISMACS and 
Needle Bar
It's a safe bet that anything you could want to know about your machine is there at one of those sites. 
I usually hit ISMACS first...


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

#4 is a gathering/shirring foot.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

The holes are there for a treadle. Singer made the same machine as treadle or electric, just popping on the motor, like yours. Later, the motor was incorporated right into the machine. I have one of those and It cannot be converted, as Erin wrote. I took the motor off of an old Singer and put a belt on it, worked fine. The treadle machine I have now I put a poly cord on when the leather belt broke. I really like it with the poly cord.


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

Maura said:


> The holes are there for a treadle. Singer made the same machine as treadle or electric, just popping on the motor, like yours. Later, the motor was incorporated right into the machine. I have one of those and It cannot be converted, as Erin wrote. I took the motor off of an old Singer and put a belt on it, worked fine. The treadle machine I have now I put a poly cord on when the leather belt broke. I really like it with the poly cord.


Maura,
Where do you get a "poly cord"? Never heard of this and am curious as to how it would work.


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

From Treadle on


> The 15-88/89/90 are all the same machine. The only difference is the motive power. The *88* was the designation for *treadles*, *89* was for *hand cranks*, and *90* was for *electrics*. The *88* and *89* had the *spoked wheel*. These are frequently encountered *converted to electric*, but with the s*poked wheel still in place*. The 90 had the *solid wheel*. This machine is more common than the other two.


Sounds to me like I have a 15-88.

Lots of interesting info on these sites, thanks.

And thanks to all who posted, I had faith you "guys" would get me in the right direction.

I'm still online through Wednesday if anyone has more to add.


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Now I think I'm starting to get somewhere :drum:










It's starting to have a nice shine to it where I'm working.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

buck_1one said:


> Sounds to me like I have a 15-88.


Oh! You're probably right. 
I kept seeing a solid wheel. Completely missed that it was spoked!


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

That looks identical to mine. Mine also has the belt driven motor. If it is it's a 15-89.

Here's a picture of mine. It was also converted to an electric. All I did was buy a leather belt and took off the elect. belt. I kept the motor on mine so I can use it either way just by changing the belt.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

I bet yours is an 88 because it has a different front cover on it than mine. But that's the only difference that I can see. Even your cabinet looks the same.


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## Reb (Dec 29, 2006)

What a great thread, no pun..... My Grandma taught me how to sew on a Singer Treadle. She'd say "you sew with a burning needle and flaming thread"! I went on to sew my whole wardrobe in high school, homecoming dresses etc. She left me the Singer when she passed.

ErinP, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for those links. I have been searching for ways to bring the cabinet back to good shape and now know how to do it. Thank you so much. Reb


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Ruby said:


> I bet yours is an 88 because it has a different front cover on it than mine. But that's the only difference that I can see. Even your cabinet looks the same.


Keep in mind Ruby, the faceplate changed by years, (possibly even within years) within the same models. For example, my 15-91 has a faceplate identical to yours. In fact, the decals and everything else are identical too. But a friend of mine has a 15-91 that's a little newer (?) than mine with a faceplate like buck's.


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

I was doing a little digging online, and it seems the only difference between the 88 and 89 was and hand crank that mounts where the motor mounts and somehow engages the wheel. Kinda neat looking, and I could see it being helpful even on a treadle. Times when you want to go very slow, or need some more torque.


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Another question. If you look at the pic of the back of the machine, in the area of the needle and pressure foot, you will see a hole. Is there supposed to be a plug or cap in that hole?

I have a reproduction 15 (China POS) that was given to me and it has a cap in that hole, but I don't know if the real Singers did or not.


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Well, I spent almost the entire day taking her apart and cleaning off 60 years worth of crud. Oiled her up real good, cleaned and oiled up the treadle, put the old belt back on and treadled away. After I got the needle in the proper way and the thread tensions set right, she sewed beautifully!!

Probably the first time in a very long time it has been used as/with the treadle. I think she's happy, all clean and shiny, sewing like she was meant to.

Again, thanks for everyone's help.


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## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Well, don't we get to see a picture of her all gussied up?


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Dandish said:


> Well, don't we get to see a picture of her all gussied up?


I'll see what I can do. Internet gets turned off tomorrow, so my access will be limited.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Congratulations, she's beautiful!


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

For some reason the phone company still has not turned things off. So I thought I'd get this done before they do shut it off.



Dandish said:


> Well, don't we get to see a picture of her all gussied up?


So here she is, clean and put back to a treadle. Notice the chrome is silver again and not yellow like the first pics.


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Of all the luck, my 60 year old belt broke!!! Cheap cow!!

Guess I'm going to need to find a new belt. I ran a piece of cotton line around it and taped the ends together. Seems to be working, for now.


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## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Oh wow, she's gorgeous! Nice job. Belt shouldn't be too hard to find.


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Dandish said:


> Oh wow, she's gorgeous! Nice job. Belt shouldn't be too hard to find.


Thank you.

Just got off the phone, new belt and some bobbins are on the way.

My cotton belt and tape didn't last long. Tape would not hold. So I took a hand needle and thread and sewed the cotton together. LOL Where there's a will there's a way.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Now, remember, before you lift the machine to drop it, you need to disengage the belt!


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

buck_1one,

That's a gorgeous machine. I'm going to try to get mine to look like that, but I think the paint and decals are way to worn to ever be brought back. But I'm gonna try.

I see your machine has a reverse, mine doesn't. That is the hardest part to me, locking the stitches without a reverse. Ah well, I'll get it down pat some day.

Joe


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

If you can adjust the stitch length, just make them smaller towards the end of the seam. If another seam is going to cross it, then you don't need to use a locking stitch.


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try.

Joe


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## buck_1one (Nov 26, 2004)

Katskitten said:


> buck_1one,
> 
> That's a gorgeous machine. I'm going to try to get mine to look like that, but I think the paint and decals are way to worn to ever be brought back. But I'm gonna try.


This is what I found out while cleaning mine up. The machines were coated in something black (I'm not sure it's paint), then the gold leaf stuff is put on top of the black, then the entire machine is covered in a lacquer (I'm guessing it's lacquer). If the gold leaf is wearing off, the the lacquer coating is gone. If this is the case, trying to get it to shine like mine did might remove more of the gold leaf, as it has no protection now, and make it worse.

Please, please...be very careful, once it's gone...that's it...can't put it back.

My lacquer coating was gone on the back of the machine where the motor used to sit. If you are looking at the back of the machine you can see a circle where the coating is gone and it's just the unprotected black (can't tell in pic). No gold leaf in this area, so I knew I would be safe to polish and wax.

Again, please be careful.

Buck


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

This gal posts on one of the sewing forums I belong to. She specializes in vintage Singers http://www.shop.sew-classic.com/. She has parts for sale and a blog with tips on maintaining the vintage machines.


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