mtboze

My wife has a beat-up portable Singer in her sewing room, just for display. I recently decided I needed a new hobby and bought a 1928 Singer 66-6 to fix up, and then decided I should look more closely at my wife's machine, too.

The first thing I did was look at the serial number, and found it had 7 digits, but I have not been able to find any reference to Singer numbers that long. The last digit looks like it might have been struck more lightly than the others and I'm wondering if it is just a double-strike. That would make identifying the machine easier, except that the resulting model for that serial number using the ISMACS database would be a Model 15 made in 1910. Using the Sandman-Collectables machine identification guide, it identifies the machine as a 66-16.

Even if I keep the last digit and delete the leading zero, the database still identifies it as a Model 15. Have there been any other known occurrences of 7-digit serial numbers?

mtboze

[ATTACH=CONFIG]609021[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]609022[/ATTACH]

oldmanquilts

Go to the bottom of the list- after (G9s) and you'll find the number you're looking for. It says Model 66, April 1924 and 50,000 units.

mtboze

Thank you! I think part of my problem in finding the number (aside from Singer's odd numbering scheme) it that I still cannot wrap my head around just how many machine's they made. And, that list was just for one prefix letter!

Mickey2

Some models were made in million numbers. The machine in the picture has an interesting wooden base, I have never seen a version with a wooden lid like that for the side compartment. It look like it came with electrical motor from day one. Does it have a pedal? A 66 is relatively easy to get running again; you probably need to rewire the motor, sort out the grease wicks and lubrication for the bearings. A new presser foot or even box of accessories are relatively easy to find for the low shank straight stitchers. It looks like it's in nice, clean codition, the shiny metal parts needs a good polishing. I found a polish called Quick-Glo, it's a paste in a small tub. It cleaned the needle and presser bar on my 201 like nothing else. Paste polishes are probably more effective than the liquids, there are lots of brands to choose from though.

mtboze

That "interesting wooden base" is clearly not the original host for this machine. The hinges on this 66 (9 5/8") do not match the hinge inletting on the base (9 3/8"), and someone who should never have been allowed to touch a saw enlarged the opening in the base by about 1/2 inch on each end to about 15 inches. Also, for some unknown reason they also very roughly cut away the ledges on the front and back that the machine is supposed to sit on. Who knows what used to reside there.

The machine does have a motor attached, but there is no sign that there has ever been a three-pin connector on it. In fact, there is no wiring at all, from the motor or the lamp. And, the storage compartment is just an empty space with no sign that it has ever held a controller or a pedal.

Up until I bought the 66-6 I'm working on now, I had just considered my wife's machine as a decoration. It has now been offered to me as a parts-donor if needed.

Goneridin2

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...al_number.html

themadpatter

Lol! It's funny how fast it went from a dust catcher to an organ donor. The old girl came up in the world pretty fast!