Singer 15-90

It got too hot in the sewing loft today.  I finished up the tote bag and then the dogs and I headed to the shop.  It was a bit cooler there, but not by much.  I am not complaining.  We need the heat and the sun to dry up the fields.

I want to treadle a Singer Class 15 machine.  I have a lovely Class 15 clone that I could likely pop right in the treadle stand now.  But after sewing with the 15-91 a few weeks ago, I want to see how a Singer 15 treadles.

I understand that the 15-91, with its potted motor, has that extra gear driven gift of power.  I think, however, that the class 15, with its vertical hook, is supposed to be better for FMQ.  I want to see if I can FMQ with a treadle.   I saw a You Tube video about it.  Here are two for you to watch.  I think that top video is on a Singer 31-15.  The bottom one is on a 15-30. 

I did have a hopping foot.  I think it is lost.  I hope it will surface.  But until then I do have some later model darning feet that I can use.

I like this machine.  It's a beauty.

It has an AE serial number which places it at 1936.  The motor is new and the wiring is likely not as old as the machine.  The decals are lovely and the machine bed is not terribly scratched up.  The chrome on the hand wheel needs work.  The spool pins have some surface rust as does the bobbin winder.  Other then that. the machine is in good shape.

I used my new toy to clean up the parts.  Rain gave me an ultra sonic cleaner when I went to visit him a couple of weeks ago.  I think he was quite generous. He showed me how to use it by cleaning a back plate from a 201 (I think).  I was impressed.

It did a decent job on the back plate from this machine as well.  I think I need to use a stronger concentration of soap (Simple Green).  Next time.

The water sure was dirty at the end of the 20 minute cycle.  This photo is at the beginning of the cycle.  At the end, you couldn't see anything through the brown water.  You will just have to trust me on this.  Why take a photo of dirty, brown water?

I rinsed all the parts in denatured alcohol so that they would dry without adding more rust.

I found it interesting that the beehive spring for the tension assembly turned a pretty shade of blue.

It doesn't take rust off.   But it sure does get the parts clean.  I worked on the rest of the machine as these parts were getting buzzed in the cleaner.

Now, tomorrow, I can reassemble the tension, put the hook assembly back together. and try it out.  No motor to service.  Woo Hoo.