A Singer 66 Overhaul for Cheryl, Part 1 - The Teardown

This is a benchside chat of me tearing down Cheryl's 1928 Singer 66. The machine arrived in a very gummed up condition. We're tearing her down for cleaning and refurbishment. As this is a benchside chat, no chaptering.
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[@katerinataylor7183]

Your videos are brilliant for a novice VSM restorer - they gave me the confidence to take apart and now almost put together my first 66K - and I now have a 99K and two 201Ks waiting in the wings for their spa day 😄. Thank you!!!

[@meganmills6545]

The surgeon and his assistant... This was like watching a drama doco, I was on the edge of my seat every minute, Huge fun to watch, just wonderful. And Liz, you have got very steady hands!

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

Megan, you should see Liz work on an oboe...

[@meganmills6545]

@@BobFowlerWorkshop I would love to! From what little I've seen so far I'm betting she's pretty darned impressive. And from what I've gathered she was so darned impressive she bowled you right over. Way to go, Liz!! :-)

[@silverfox-59]

Thanks Bob For giving me the app for serial number. I have a 99k made in 1955. I always wanted to know how old she was. I have watched others do restoration on hear but really enjoy watching you and hearing your explanations about everything. What a great restoration you do. So glad I found you and can't wait to clean mine up.

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

Glad to help!

[@alexlopez8922]

My aunt loves to watch your videos and she wants to thank you because in this video there are CC and she can read what you say for her is difficult to understand all because of her hearing problems however she really tries I try to summarize what your say but I’m not that good 😂, thank you for your videos

[@sigmacinnamon4506]

I have an old 66 with those same decals. I call her Clara. Shes a butter smooth machine. As a quilter, theres nothing like an old straight stitch iron body Clara! You gotta love sewing machine rescuers!! -among which, you are a leader😊 ~God bless you & yours😊🧵

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

The 66 is an excellent machine. There are those who say negative things about them, but they are solid, strong stitchers.

[@KathrynRose-schultz-qs6qw]

Yay another 66 on its way to freedom! ❤❤

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

I feel the same way!

[@luiscevascodelasota347]

Great machine! I have a couple of them. I've learned a lot here. Thankyou very much!😊

[@andrewmandywilsontatham49]

NO. WON'T. DON'T WANNA! I see you got the big guns out, not often you need a third hand! But she's done, and now you can see she's going to be a pretty machine when she's all clean and put back together again. Great job whizzing through that like a cyclone!

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

I can pretty much dismember (?) a 66 with my eyes closed by now. Kinda like when I was in the Army and had to field strip and reassemble my M-16A1 blindfolded.

[@131dyana]

This is so nice to watch. I love your work there. God bless.

[@TheWoodburningWarrior]

You should have somebody make a t-shirt for you that says I like crusty and crunchy ladies with a whole bunch of sewing machines on your shirt 😂

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

OMG - That's another good idea!

[@mrupholsteryman]

😅🤣😂

[@bobandmaryw4336]

I have a son who makes custom art work tee’s . He went to fashion institute and design and lives in Arkansas. I could put in a request for a Bob Custom Tee. With that saying….LOL. Just tell me when…LOL He could probably even do it as a Singer ❤66 Tee….LOL

[@CarolBrett]

Loved this video!

[@engelbob8402]

Terrific Bob. You whipped through that as if you could do it blindfolded. Thanks to you, I got my 1917 Redeye 66 sewing for the first time today. Now that I know it will sew, I plan to take it all apart and do the desmooing thing. It is a bit gummy in a couple of places. I'll need to watch this video again when that happens. You mentioned you were going to improve the Schlaack (sp) so I look forward to seeing how that goes. The decals on the bed of mine are badly worn but the upper ones look much better. Do people replace bed decals only and just live with the upper ones? Maybe that would look odd. Anyway, thanks so much for the tutorial

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

Thanks, I've done more than my fair share of 66's. They are a personal fav of mine.

[@pamelalandrum82]

WOW❤

[@pwhite2579]

I've got a 66 and could you show all of the screws and bolts as they are going back into the machine when being reassembled? for further reference! keep on keeping on!

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

That's the plan!

[@RKParK1]

This video makes me think you can take one of these apart in your sleep.

[@bobandmaryw4336]

I have a son who makes custom art work tee’s . He went to fashion institute and design and lives in Arkansas. I could put in a request for a Bob Custom Tee. With that saying….LOL. Just tell me when…LOL He could probably even do it as a Singer ❤66 Tee….LOL

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

OMG!

[@monicaho8993]

Thank yo for the video, may I ask, what kind of screw driver did you use? I don't even have the right tool to restore the singer 66

[@mrupholsteryman]

Was that the famous harbor freight screwdriver you were using? i have multiples of those! I am acquiring a "few" of these machines (not all Singer). I am hoping to be able to get these things working good as new again and redo the cabinets as the majority of the ones I pick up for the cost of 50 bucks or so are in bad shape. Am looking forward to learning more about these machines. Thanks for sharing this tear down...I have a couple that were lower than 20 dollars that I was told they would be better for parts than to try spend more time and money trying to restore the ones that have things missing. Thanks again for sharing some of this information! 😊

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

The blue handled one? Yes, it is from Harbor Freight!

[@silverfox-59]

Bob I have searched every hardware store in my town and as much as an hour away. For the Kroil oil. I'm having no luck finding it. Where is the best place to get this please?

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

You can get it on Amazon.

[@rickeybradshaw6892]

Will the stripped down machine head seperate from metal base ?

[@jill552]

I was wondering if your were going to chuck her. Good video.

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

Nah, she's all good!

[@jill552]

@@BobFowlerWorkshop No, I meant with the drill. 😂

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

@@jill552 Oh... Gotcha! LOL

[@mele4827]

This is the first time dissembling my 66, and the inside looks like this one. Can I clean the main and vertical shafts without removing them? I'm afraid of breaking the vertical one.

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

I'm glad you asked that... You can certainly clean them enough so that the machine will operate smoothly without removal! You can even get the main shaft bearings to run smoothly without removing the stop motion bushing. Instead of removing the bushing and running it with a drill as I did, you can just attach the balance wheel and a motor and let her run at full tilt while flushing her oil ports with oil. You do NOT have to remove those parts to make her run well...

[@mele4827]

@@BobFowlerWorkshop thank you, as always! My weekend project is cleaning the gal.

[@vickysuther3320]

I am curious why you do noe use marine grade heat shrink tubing with the adhesive on the interior?

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

Because there is no need. This is not something that is going to be used in a wet or damp environment.

[@852Bigdog]

Where can you get the bobbin slide plate

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

Several companies sell them, Sewing Parts Online and Central Michigan Sewing Supplies immediately come to mind.

[@jessiebohnert1634]

Great video. I have a 99 that I am trying to restore. I would like to attack the stitch regulator assembly but I don't have the opening on the back by the wheel, so think I may have problems trying to reinstall. Do you have any suggestions.

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

I presume you have a 99 then, not a 66. It's not a big deal to get the regulator back in without a hole in the back. A magnet on a stick is a BIG help though...

[@jessiebohnert1634]

@@BobFowlerWorkshop Thank you for your quick response. It is a 99. I do have a stick magnet. Do you have a video on how to do this? Thank you

[@teresafenner2190]

Tensionassembly 66 singer redeye

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

I covered that in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWrOeGuPYrycoqc

[@user-zx9cf6xb4q]

Crudmouse 😅

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

She'll clean up nice!

[@debraclogston9379]

Bob is not having fun today. I hate it when; the busted piece of junk I agreed to fix when I was in a really good mood, decides to not cooperate.

[@BobFowlerWorkshop]

Nah, she's fine... Not a bad time at all. She just needs a little love and she'll be all better!