Purpleprint

I was at a yard sale and saw a older Viking machine. It said make offer but I turned away after the lady said she didn't know if it worked. So she grabbed my arm and said "if you can get it in your car, it is heavy, it's yours for free". Well I got it in the car and brought it home thinking it did not work but oddly it did work and it is in a shop getting tuned and cleaned and oiled.

I have the original manual and also the bill of sale that said it was sold in 1971. It is model 60-20 and the machine fixer man told me the reason it is so heavy is because it is made of cast iron and he also told me I got a good old machine.

So anyone else sewing on one of them? Looks like I am going to join the older sewing machine club.

miriam

I had one once - it was before I knew much about getting a machine unfrozen. I think I worked on it for a few weeks and finally gave up on it. I wish I had it to do over again. That was a work of art. I think you will love that machine but beware it may cause you to junk a plastic wonder....

nwm50

Picture please....I'm glad you got it free.

oldtnquiltinglady

I had one at one time, and had a repairman fix it for me because it would only sew backwards, but he fixed it, and I gave it to a cousin of mine because she had a fit over it. It was pretty and sewed nicely, but to me, it was noisy; and I am totally spoiled by Elna.

oldtnquiltinglady

And, Purpleprint, congratulations on joining us here on the vintage group. You'll soon love us, and be looking everywhere you go for another treasure.

Purpleprint

Just where do you all store all these machines, oddly without even realizing it I have 6 sewing machines now.

Cari-in-Oly

Only 6? Well it's a start. I have SMAD so bad I've gotten rid of furniture to make room for more machines. Couldn't wait for youngest to move out so I could take over her room. I've stashed them at other peoples house before. Right now there are two machines and a treadle cabinet/irons in my car. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Cari

oldsewnsew

I strongly suggest with old Vikings, keep em active and not just laying about. otherwise they'll go out searching for grog and seacoast villages to plunder!!

Rodney

They're starting to overrun my shop. It was crowded in there before. I think I have 6 machines out there in various states of repair and that I'm building cases for.
It's getting to the point I really have to think to give an accurate count but then there's worse ways to spend your time.
Rodney

Macybaby

During that time, Viking was using s different type of lubricant. And it was great for about 30 years and then started to harden up. Usually have have to heat it up to soften and clean every bit out, then oil it like regular.

it's not like cleaning up most machines, and there are a lot of non-metal parts so if they are stuck together and you try to force them - it goes "snap" and that is that -so Don't try to force anything, just keep cleaing and heating and cleaning and heating . . . and if you leave it sit and it hardens back up, then you didn't get it clean enough.

I'd also suggest not tackling one of these as your first vintage machine. They have a lot of moving parts that need to work together. Also join the vintage Viking yahoo group and read a lot before you start - or chances are you'll break something without even realizing you are doing it.

I've never been good at keeping count of my machines - I have quite a few that are fixable, but I already have ones like them so they will never be for the collection, and I have some I don't really want to keep for the collection - and those newer that I use but aren't to be part of the collection.

But it's easy now - I just say "over 100" and no one has ever asked me exactly how many over 100 I have LOL!!