Repair and adjust old Style Tensioner for Vintage Singer 66 and 99 Sewing Machines

The old style tensioners for the Singer sewing machines, without a dial on them is somewhat different, and this video is about how to check and assemble them. These tensioners provide a very stable thread tension and are very reliable. Unfortunately the later Singer tensioners with a dial do not perform that well.
List of contents
0:00 Intro
0:33 Disassemble tensioner
2:10 Check of tension release mechanism
2:51 Cleaning parts and no lubrication
3:18 A few checks of the parts
3:55 Assemble tensioner
6:46 Check of check spring (or take-up spring) operation
8:50 Tensioner quality and specification
10:11 End
I hope you find this video useful and therefore you may "like" it. Your questions and comments are welcome.

[@diannemh2250]

I have watched a LOT of videos to clean & service my 1950 Singer 99K… this video was the BEST one to help me figure out how to remove, clean & reinstall the tensioner. Working fine & sewing well now, thank you for your great video, clear explanation & great close up filming !

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I am glad, that the video helped you.

[@deansawich6250]

Thanks, this is just what I needed as mine came apart accidentally. But now I know how to clean and set it up properly. ❤❤❤

[@AmyGardnerCreate]

Thank you so much for this video. I just got my first singer 99 and I could see the tensioner on the machine was out of whack. This was such an easy video to follow and I did it myself, having not touched a vintage machine before. 🙌❤️

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I am glad to know, that the video helped you. 😀

[@meerasabeka1177]

Thanks for the video. I was having trouble and one of my colleagues said that it’s the tension. I searched and this wonderful video caught my attention. Excellent indeed.

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I am glad it helped :)

[@JebbAdams]

Awesome video. Great close-up photography! Thanks!

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Thank you Jebb :)

[@Lisa-zt9jr]

Thank you, so much! My machine is 1910 and I was struggling to change the spring. This video has been so helpful to allow me to continue keeping my loved machine in top order. Very best wishes to you.

[@colinml2]

Thank you!

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

You are welcome.

[@Chuzini]

Thank you for such clear explanations.

[@lisalu910]

This is VERY HELPFUL! Thank you for making such a clear step by step video.

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Thanks for feed-back. I am glad that it helped you.

[@lauraroberts2250]

Thank you. This was exactly what I needed.

[@tonygravestock9323]

Thank you, I am now confident in looking to do maintenance on the rest of my 99. By the way, once the Barrell was out, the inside pressure foot bar was not a 9 o'clock like yours but seems to push from the back. However, appears to work OK. Thank you again for your very informative video and clear explanations

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Thanks for information. I am glad that the video helped you.

[@annevesterinen6706]

Excellent video! 😊

[@lisamoon4740]

Thank you so much for this video! I just got a Singer 66k that had a tensioner that was completely gummed up with old oil. This video gave me the confidence to fix it myself. Great filming and instruction throughout. 👍

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Thanks for the feed-back. I am glad, that you got the tensioner fixed.

[@NinaKiruto]

I learned so much, thank you!!

[@amplify3735]

wow amazing thanks this has helped

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Thanks. I am glad, that the video was helpful to you.

[@danielatello9946]

This is an awesome video! I've always had trouble with this and now know the issue.. My barrel is stuck in the wrong position. And unfortunately I don't know how to get it out without dismantling so much more. But I am so thankful for videos like this that have good explanation and video

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I am glad you like the video. I hope you noticed how to loosen the barrel by the lock screw to the right of the tensioner. You should use a screw driver of right size to loosen this lock screw. The video show it. I am sure you will get it fixed.

[@dahleeeng]

Thank you sooo much for this video!

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Glad it was helpful!

[@susand.sillence8888]

Great video and explanation!! Thank you!!

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Glad it was helpful!

[@teriadams7398]

This was amazing, it helped so much. Thanks

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Glad it helped!

[@frankobrien9124]

just what i was looking for thank you so much best wishes .

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Thanks, I am glad that the video helped you.

[@sallythomas7886]

Thank you this was so helpful

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Glad it helped!

[@amybrady1048]

Thank you so much!

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

You're welcome!

[@jeffersonmp7846]

great video ! I will try to do it myself with my 66 singer machine .

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Go for it!

[@jeffersonmp7846]

I did fix my machine today thanks to your video . it is now working perfect !!! happy new year .

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

@@jeffersonmp7846 Thanks. I am glad to have helped. Happy New Year!

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

Thanks for the amazing video. Most videos don’t have the details yours does. I wanted to get the tension assembly corrected. I know the spring that stabilizes the slack in the thread was incorrectly assembled. I just couldn’t remember how it went. I am also missing the tension pin you mentioned. My machines does sew quite well despite the missing part. I even sew thinner leather on it. I made new visors for my Mercedes on it. It sewed beautifully. I really appreciate your help. I’ve subscribed to your channel.

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Thanks. You may be able to get a new tensioner with the pin. Many are still making parts for these machines. The pin can also be made of a steel spike or thread. I agree, that these machines are quite capable, but I sometimes miss full reverse stitch length.

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

@@sewingmachinesindetail thank you for your suggestions. I will look for the replacement part. My machine sews in reverse. Not my White brand machine though. To do that I keep the needle in the work and rotate it to get a reversed stitch.

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

@@LilyoftheValeyrising Yes, you can work around having no reverse or only half stich length reverse.

[@deborahdorner7826]

You mentioned using washing soda- I didn't find a description of how to use it on google. Could you elaborate a little please? Excellent video!

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

If you are able to read a bit of German, you can find information here: www.naehmaschinentechnik-forum.de/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4650 This is what I know. Do only use washing soda with painted surfaces for short time or don't. And do not use it for aluminum parts or in aluminum pot. I have used 30 g in 1 liter of water, but it may be OK with less. Then heat to 60 C for one hour. Use glasses and gloves. It takes away fat or hardened remains of oil or smoke as a chemical reaction, and the remains is dissolved in the water. You got no environmental problems.

[@jameswagner3685]

Very good video. I found it extremely useful. You mentioned a heavy beehive spring near the end of the video. I would like to try a heavy spring on my Singer 66-1. Where can I get a heavy beehive spring?

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I am glad, that it was helpful. I made a video about the beehive spring, at I got a suggestion there to look for a spring for a Singer 132K6. Look video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3SmhoWQeNuGf5Y

[@jameswagner3685]

@@sewingmachinesindetail Thank you for your quick reply. There is much to consider. This is all very helpful and will take some time.

[@nena5437]

Thank you for this video. I have a 1906 Singer Treadle long bobbin machine. My mum did sew on this machine. I replaced the leather belt and cleaned and oiled the machine. I wound a bobbin with new thread. THEN to my dismay, I noticed that I am missing the (washer nut? )that screws on to hold the tension spring...and subsequent parts for the needle thread. I can't imagine what happened to it. Do you know what I can use for a replacement nut, since I doubt that I can find an original nut.

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

Hi Nena. Singer made several different types of long shuttle sewing machines. You need to find out which type it is. Singer 128 was produced in highest numbers. I am not that familiar with them. I do not think, that you can get spare parts except from old machines being parted. I suggest to ask in Victorian Sweatshop Forum. Try also to look at singersewinginfo.co.uk

[@nena5437]

@@sewingmachinesindetail Thank you for your timely reply and will look into the sources you referenced. I have now subscribed to your channel (you're so knowledgeable) and my husband is enjoying your videos (especially the one on how to measure shaft torque..) We also hit the like button on each video! God bless you kind Sir!

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

@@nena5437 Thanks. I hope, that you find a solution to your machine. If you intend to sew more things on it, you may like to look for a newer vintage machine.

[@Ms.Mel.Creates]

What if the presser bar doesn’t release any tension? What should I look at fixing? I have a singer 185K so very similar but I don’t have that third disk with the bar, just the two convex disks. Any help would be appreciated!!😊

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

A precondition for release of tension, when the presser foot is up is, that you have got something with the bar and the center pin to put pressure on the bar. I think the 185k got a dialed tensioner, so the bar should be on the part with the -/+ mark on it. It may look like the tensioner of the Singer 237 - and I made a video about this too. If you are from UK, then I think Helen Howes or others should have spare parts for it.

[@mada658]

Thankyou.my singer is similar

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I am glad it helped.

[@lucasfelipesouza6543]

Sou do brasil gostaria de aprender mais ate breve

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I hope my videos can help you. Please ask if you need something clarified.

[@jeffersonmp7846]

me too! I am also from Brasil !!

[@diannebishop9384]

I have unscrewed the screw holding the barrel in place. I have tried and tried to take it out. I have used superior lubricant and wd-40 and it still won't budge. Also I believe the arm which moves when the foot is put up or down is not moving correctly. Can you help?

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

So you have been able to remove the post and check spring?

[@diannebishop9384]

@@sewingmachinesindetail yes I did. I have since but it all together again. It works but the thread is too tight to pull through the needle when the pressure foot is up. Any ideas?

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

@@diannebishop9384 Good. So the center pin, tension release pin is there too and can move freely? It can be good to get the barrel out to access the area better. If you have 12 mm bolt or some other steel rod you can put it in the barrel and wiggle it to free it. You can use wd-40 into the set screw hole, when you have it removed. It can also be the mechanism with the lever inside the needle bar house. You can dismantle it and clean the error. This house can be quite dirty below. The lever can also have been bended, so you need to bend it back.

[@diannebishop9384]

@@sewingmachinesindetail I have not gotten the barrel out yet but on looking at the service manual, I am missing the spring that fits on the Tension releasing lever. This could be the reason my thread is so tight when the pressure foot is up?? Is there anywhere I can find a replacement? I have pictures of my machine head but don't know how to attach them here. Thank you for all your help.

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

@@diannebishop9384 There is a FB-group for Singer 66 and 99, and I suggest you join there. My 66 got a small beehive spring to the right of the tension release lever to push back the lever from the tension release pin. So missing this spring cannot remove the possibility to release the tension. I guess you have got a too short tension release pin (if it have been replaced) or your tension release lever have been bended or dirt is blocking its movement. You can remove the screw holding the lever and clean the parts and the area. If the barrel is not sufficient inside the hole, it can also prevent the tension to be released.

[@aaronmelchior4349]

holy moly! please update this, you have put the washer that engages in the slot the wrong way round, thats why the tensioner hardly moves when you lift the foot up and down,and thats why you have to screw the spring in so far to get some tension!! otherwise very good post' but i've wasted a couple hours discovering this mistake!

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I know, that washer fits this way on my two Singer 66k. 6:20 in the video, you can see a check of the foot lift release, and it works on my machines, and with thick thread as well. I have seen machines with other reasons that cause no foot lift tension release. There is an inside bracket, that put pressure on the tension release pin. If the inside screw, that holds this bracket is loose, you can have problem with pressure release. You can have a lot of old dirt at the bottom of the machine head, that prevents the bracket to move as it should. Furthermore the bracket can have been bended for some reason. This other KZbinr do it the same way as I do: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIu3g5Zsfd2CZtE

[@aaronmelchior4349]

@@sewingmachinesindetail Hi, thanks for replying, i have watched the other video you linked, he has it wrong too, both of you show the rings barely moving when you lift the food and neither give a demonstration of the needle tension with the foot up and then down, please just try it, it takes 15 seconds and tell me which way releases better, it makes sense because the middle of that ring is then closer to the rod that pushes it. If i have it your way round it barely moves and i still have drag, my way it moves over 2mm and completely releases and such a joy to use. neither of you show the machine actually working, stitching and then coming to the end, lifting the foot and drawing the material out smoothly, like i say, just try it and tell me which way works better.

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

@@aaronmelchior4349 Well, I know, that my two machines work like I did it. I just tried to turn this washer on one of my my 66k. A turned washer causes the tension to be released all the time no matter that the foot is down. I think, that some other issue have caused your machine to work like this. Another reason can be, that a previous owner replaced the pressure release pin, but to a pin with a shorter length. How many machines have you tried this on?

[@aaronmelchior4349]

@@sewingmachinesindetail 'Hi! i have only got one of these machines, and all the others i have looked at on line since show it your way round, so without measuring it can only conclude as you have suggested that the pin is shorter than normal as mine works perfectly this way round and wont work your way round, i have always put up with it but knew it wasnt right which is why i was on your post, thanks for taking the time to answer my rant, all the best, aaron,

[@ZuniMountainNM]

You can't believe what I'm dealing with. This machine had worked fine. Somebody messed up the spring. Some psycho I guess. When I was moving or a nut case that was in my apartment. I went to take the screw out on the side and it's so deep inside that I can even see the threads, and where it's gone beyond the threads. Someone put the wrong screw into it, apparently. It won't budge to come out.

[@sewingmachinesindetail]

I am sorry to hear that. I hope, that you can get the problem fixed. The Singer 66 and Singer 99 were produced in huge numbers, so you are likely to find another used machine for almost nothing near you on the second hand market.