Sewnoma

I picked this machine up for $20 at a charity shop this afternoon, and I've done some Googling but I still don't really know what I have! It came with no manual and no accessories beyond the bobbin in the case and the (hardwired) cord. I'm not even sure if it's supposed to have a pedal because I can't see where one would plug in! I looked up the serial number and I think it's from 1925. I'm afraid to plug it in because I'm not sure what will happen if I do! It moves freely and seems in worn but not-terribly-broken shape - at least, I don't hear any grinding and nothing appears obviously broken or missing to me. (I did notice the thread spindle thingy is bent, but that and the chipped paint seems the worst of the damage so far as I can tell.) I bought it thinking I'd just clean it up a little and use it as a decoration but if I can get it to run again without a huge investment that would be really cool.

My internet research seems to indicate this is a Singer 15, but I'm not sure what type of Singer 15 as there seems to be a lot of variety in the model 15's. And then when I was taking pictures underneath I see a 13 stamped into it so now I'm not sure!

Sorry for the poor quality of some of these pictures, I have bad lighting in my living room and had to use the flash.

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Can you see the 13 in this pic? Not sure if that means anything!
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I'm also not sure...what should I use to clean this? The decals are already pretty worn, I really don't want to damage them any further. But it has a lot of grease and gunky buildup I'd like to clean off if I can learn how to do so safely!

(In the background you might spy some bits and pieces from another machine; that's my Pfaff 332-260, another vintage "project" machine. That one I think I paid too much for due to drinking wine and shopping on ebay! It's just like the one my Gran taught me how to sew on and my sentimental heart got the better of my wallet on that one, I'm afraid. That one needs to visit the shop and then I'll find out how badly I did!)

Thanks for looking!

Sewnoma

Hah, and now that I just posted all that, I see a sticky in this very forum about cleaning machines. I will look at that!

J Miller

It is a Model 15. Although I don't know what - model it would be. What I do know is that it is a treadle machine that was converted to electric and someone jury rigged the wiring. If it was wired in the most common way it would have a plug on the end of the wire from the motor, and a cord block. However some one hard wired it so it would have just the wires from the motor to the power cord and probably the foot controller.
That Delco motor is a good motor if not worn out, so I'd check it and rewire it as I said above. I'd also put a light on it.

Or, I'd put it back in a treadle cabinet if I had one.

Joe

mlmack

It is the original model 15.

Sewnoma

The wires that come off of the motor go straight to a plug end - no place for a foot control that I can find anywhere! What is a cord block? Sorry...I don't know ANYTHING about wiring! If rewiring is required I will have to find someone who knows what they're doing - definitely not something I want to try to play with in my own. Maybe some day I can find a treadle table and convert her back.

She might just end up getting cleaned up and put on a shelf to look pretty for awhile. I know she's not a true beauty but she looks good to me.

mlmack

A cord block is a device that has a foot/knee pedal on one end, and a plug on the other, and in the middle, is a block where you plug in a motor and a light.

The 15 came as either a treadle, hand crank, or with an electric motor.

Sewnoma

Thanks! This one doesn't seem to have anything like that. That's why I'm afraid to just plug it in, I don't see any way to control it. Yikes! I might take it in somewhere and have it looked at; maybe I'm missing something here but it seems like this is more of a Franken-machine than I thought! Ah well, I didn't really expect it to run from the start, it's just a nice thought. Seems kind of wrong not to try to get her functional again so maybe some day I'll have her checked out.

Thanks for the info!

Macybaby

I've had several wired just this way - The motor actually plugs into an outlet that is in the middle of a cord with a plug on one end and a foot pedal on the other. The outlet has two spots - one marked MOTOR and one marked LIGHT.

If you plug the motor directly into the wall it will take off full speed. You really don't want to do that . . .

Macybaby

Here is a picture - this one was sold as a "conversion kit" and the footpedal is not Singer. I took it off a Red Eye I put a hand crank on.

The second is showing a different type of electrical connection on some older machines.

Anyway, you can easily rewire this machine into a block like Joe mentioned and use a double lead cord - one end goes to the footpedal and the other to the outlet.



This is off a 1920's machine - actually I've got three machines that had this type wiring on them. So if you encounter a machine with two metal pegs - that is what they are for.

miriam

I think that is a Singer 115 rather than a 15. You will need to research.