SINGER 185 OVERHAUL SERIES #2: Installing a Shuttle Bracket, Adjusting Feed Dogs & Install Oil Wick!

[@meritgamertsfelder1923]

Thank you for this!!!! I just brought my grandmas machine home and I had no clue how to clean it, this video is a lifesaver!!

[@fatherkeith]

Thank you for sharing this tip about the oil feeder. I made the mistake of thinking it was some cloth the machine had eaten so dug it out of my 185k before I realised it was meant to be there. I didn’t have any thick felt so I made the new wick out of a dremel buffing wheel and it’s working fine. The buffing wheel is very sturdy felt and meant to hold polish so it makes a good reservoir for the oil.

[@jdsenterprizes5335]

OH my Gosh! I did the same thing. I thought it was a piece of fabic stuck. I saw the wire and thought they even sewed over some wire and got it stuck near the bobbin. What is Dremel buffing wheel? does the wheel replace the spring?

[@fatherkeith]

@@jdsenterprizes5335 It doesn't have to be Dremel just look for a large rotary tool buffing wheel (around 1". It's just a tough felt circle (it will be white not red) which is perfect thickness for cutting into a V shape as shown in the video. I got 5 wheels for £2.45 www.ebay.co.uk/vod/FetchOrderDetails?itemid=292520149015&transid=1844349553019&qu=1&ul_noapp=true

[@annecain3301]

Thank you for such a clear in depth video. The oil wick is missing from my Singer 66K. As I have managed to get a couple of 100% wool felt pieces in different thicknesses I am hoping to make a wick that will be fit for purpose.

[@meganmills6545]

Someone may have already said so, but there is a downloadable (free) Parts List for the Singer 99-13 (Form 18116, Revised (1141)) at the Superior Sewing Machine & Supply LLS library site that includes the "Oscillating Hook Bobbin Case Position Bracket Oil Pad (felt)", Part 32598. It is listed on Page 9 by part number and also on about page 55, Plate 22678, where it shows a life size illustration. This doesn't give you an idea of how thick it is but I expect that given it was red felt like the spoon pin felts it was probably made from the same "sheets" of felt as the original spool pin felts. The one in the illustration isn't shaped like a Y. It is more like a blunt-tipped "wedge" (convex isosceles trapezium (convex isosceles trapezoid in US English) to be more specific!). I expect they simply cut a slit at the wide end and the felt would obligingly spread apart. I can't be sure they kept the same shape and size for all all 66, 99 and 185 models over the years but can't see why they'd change it when it worked so well. I hope that helps someone.

[@lenneawolfe5675]

I am also working on the bobbin assembly for a 66-1 Redeye and have finally found an assembly that fits! I am replacing the wick in that assembly as well. This is extremely helpful! Thank you.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Sounds great!

[@chrisfisichella6659]

Your overhaul works! My 185J is humming along. I still need to test its workhorse abilities, but it did my pants and socks just fine.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

So great to hear that Chris.

[@rafaelmunoz21]

I just put an oil wick in my 66-1 Treadle and I got a new project of a 185J. This is what I have done for my 66-1. I cut out a new wick from a red bobbin coaster and followed the template from a Singer 66 parts list manual, (it basically looks the same as yours) then screwed the wick into the cone shaped spring. Then screwed the wick and spring into the hole that goes into the bobbin lift assembly.

[@chrisfisichella7665]

I just disassembled my 185J. The oiler is a red felt like you show. It was held in the threaded hole with a conical spring. The conical spring was wrapped very tightly around the red felt.

[@philipnehri1773]

I cut a piece of felt furniture protector as my oiler piece...my original was down to a nub..it had a conical tapered wire that screws into the hole- seems to work fine!

[@monicakatunga5790]

I tried removing the felt too but left a small piece as it was too hard to pull off. I hope the little piece will still do the job

[@IngridRollema]

Oh my, that feed dog reinstallation looks tricky! I would definitely need an extra set of hands for that, or a third one at least!

[@edkeyman]

Thank you so much for the videos on the Singer 185 ! The only thing I have left to do is make and install the red felt wick in the bobbin case. Hoping you get a chance to do that video soon. 😉

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hello Mary. If you follow this series, I do show how the wick is installed.

[@edkeyman]

Yes, I see the installation. It’s the pattern to make the wick 😉

[@dukegill1885]

Thanks for your videos!!! I'm attempting to restore a Singer 66 "Red Eye" treadle machine which was stored in a shed for 50+ years. I wanted to share that the wick hole on the part you demonstrated cleaning is different on my machine. Mine has the red deteriorated felt BUT it is installed using a spring which is wound into the threads in the hole. I took a close up photo that I'd like to share with you (don't know how to do this here). I need a new wick as well--waiting on how you made yours (grin).

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Thank you Duke. Yes, you are correct. Many of the 66, 99, and 185 models came with this spring like funnel shape which helps to anchor the felt into the bracket. I showed how it is possible to install the wick without the spring only for those who might have it missing as mine did but would like to use the machine properly. The way I installed this one, it works and is stable, but ideally, you want the little funnel shaped holder. Thank you for reminding me about the wick video I need to make. I hope to have it made soon.

[@dukegill1885]

Thanks for your quick reply! I think I understand the principle of the wick's function and how it works (thanks to your careful explanation) so since I do have the spring, I think I can fashion a wick from felt to work with the spring. A side note: I have my mother's identical 185J Green Machine which you are demonstrating in this video. I'll tackle it next once I've gotten the Red Eye cleaned up and working (fingers crossed).@@VintageSewingMachineGarage

[@renebracken7655]

Thank so much for the 3 videos for this machine. Just bought one and started to clean it today and followed everything in the videos and it looks great. I would like to try it out but it needs a new belt and don’t know how to replace it. Do you have to take off the hand wheel? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@HeatherOrdover-CraftLit]

11:39 Anyone have a link to the wick-making video. KZbin’s search function really stinks

[@deenabailarina]

So cool! Someone definitely fished-out and threw away my wick! Sorry if I'm missing it, but do you have a video where you show how you made the DIY wick? Thank you!

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Not yet!

[@michaelgoodwin712]

Would you consider doing a complete disassembly/restoration video on the 185J? I am having a problem with mine that I can't figure out. If I put it in bobbin wind mode the hand wheel turns smoothly but if I tighten the "stop motion screw" to sew the hand wheel wobbles and vibrates badly. I don't have a clue how to fix it. I have removed the "stop motion screw" and checked the washer position but nothing I did made any difference. Any advice would be appreciated. I haven't found anything on KZbin yet that covers this issue. Fortunately my 401A restore was successful so I have a machine to use while I resolve the 185J issue. I love your site and it inspired me to rescue and restore a couple of old machines. Thanks again for getting me interested in these old machines.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hello Michael. What you describe is not common. A few things come to mind that you might check. First, focus on the Stop Washer and make sure you have it facing the right way. Next, be sure that it is "Seating" when you screw on the clutch knob. Those washers and loosen if you aren't careful and if they are not "seated" , it will cause the engagement of the drivetrain for sewing to not work. Another thing to inspect is to make sure there is not thread that has gotten caught and tangled around the driveshaft. This can happen and does happen when bobbins are wound and thread catches on the hand wheel drive shaft. (not saying you did that, but I have found this on machines I have gotten to restore. Lastly, if none of these appear to be an issue, look underneath the machine for any obstructions and also make sure your needle plate is properly installed. If it is not aligned properly, it could block the feed dog from moving properly.

[@michaelgoodwin712]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Other than the machine working how do I tell if the washer is "facing the right way"? I have tried it in all four possible positions and it doesn't seem to change anything. When I screw the clutch knob down all the way the set screw extends past the washer and hits the end of the drive train. I will check for the thread on the drive train but I didn't see any the last time I had the hand wheel off. I haven't done any sewing with this machine I just rescued it from a thrift store and was checking it out then I noticed the problem. I'm guessing it has something to do with the washer. When the clutch knob is tight the hand wheel wobbles. When it is loose for bobbin mode it doesn't wobble. The only thing I can think of is the washer but I've had it off a dozen times and nothing changes. I will try your suggestions and I really do appreciate your taking the time to help. It's probably something so simple I am going to be embarrassed when I find it.

[@michaelgoodwin712]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Ignore earlier reply. I took a closer look at the machine and the wobble is in the drive train. I move the drive shaft from the needle end of the machine and and the hand wheel wobbles. Even if I remove the washer and tightener the hand wheel still wobbles when I move the needle up and down. Since I can't find a service manual I am stuck for a solution. This one may be beyond economical repair. I don't know how you could bend a drive train but that's what it looks like at this point.

[@michaelgoodwin712]

Followup on previous post. My 187 is toast. After closer inspection the housing has two cracks where the drive shaft comes out of the housing. I don't know if the drive shaft is bent but it doesn't matter at this point. I guess this one will need to go to the dump and that is sad since it was in such great condition otherwise. Fortunately the new 401A works beautifully after a little TLC.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Sorry to hear about that Michael. What you described is so rare that I wonder if the machine was dropped at some point in the past. Not necessarily by you, but there are few things other than that which could cause something so severe. If the hand wheel had wobbled when you were putting the machine in winding mode, I might have thought it was just the hand wheel. I might suggest though that you keep lots of the other parts as spares or donate it to a sewing shop that might find the parts useful or you could always sell them yourself if you had the interest. On the other hand, congrats on your 401A!!

[@barbaramurphy6693]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage that red felt what do you do with it do you put oil on the relt

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

@@barbaramurphy6693 Yes Barbara. While you can still oil the race/bobbin case, the felt allows you to soak it with oil so that it will apply oil regularly. Various machines have used felts before although this model along with Singer 99s and Singer 66's are the primary ones I know that use it in the race/shuttle area.

[@bcaissie3411]

Cool. My machine has an oil wick. Hehe

[@eldersandim3008]

Excellent.

[@m.a.trenary7293]

Would you please show how to remove this race part??? Thanks for a great video!

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

See my recently posted video where I do this on a Singer 99. It has the same race/bobbin setup as the 185 and 66 models.

[@amysanders3553]

I have one which looks like it is nearly new from the factory. It still has the original? felt. Let me know if you need any details.

[@jdsenterprizes5335]

Did you make the next video on Red Felt yet? What is it called? I ripped my red felt and coil out :( I thought it was stuck lint and junk, OMG when I found out it was an actual part. It was just a nub so probably would have needed to be replaced anyway. What happens if I don't replace the spring and felt? Can't I just oil the machine regularly? And thank you for your videos. Much appreciate your thorough explanations. Can you do one on how to treadle?

[@monicakatunga5790]

I thought the same too 🤣

[@melodyb100]

Thank you for your videos on the 185. I picked one up at a garage sale and am working on it. I’ve got a replacement slide plate from someone as it was missing but it won’t go on the butterfly clip so I think I need to replace that as well. I don’t think the clip is original to the machine. Would you kindly suggest a good resource for vintage/original parts? Many thanks

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Sure Melody. Along with Etsy and Ebay, I have found bonanza.com to be a helpful place to find vintage/original parts. FYI, before giving up on the the current clip, see if you can adjust it with the screw in the center and even (gently) try bending on the ends just a little to see if that helps. Its no surprise that many of these machines (including the Singer 99s and 66s) are missing their bobbin plates is because of this plate/clip design. Also, a few drops of sewing machine oil might also help get it to slide and engage. Don't feel bad as I sometimes still have to show patience when reinstalling these but it will eventually get fixed. It can try your patience sometimes though!

[@melodyb100]

Thanks for suggestion. I’ll try it when I put it back together. In the meantime, I have got as far as taking out the bobbin bracket. I’m also working on a 99k. It’s handy because I can compare the machines and get extra practice. I’ve taken out the bobbin bracket because I want to put in a new oil wick. At first I thought the 185j had lost the oil wick funnel screw thingy...until I got it out. They have the same part number 32659. The one from the 99k says simanco. The one from the 185j says singercan (made in Canada I guess). Isn’t the oil pad essential to keep the race lightly oiled and running smoothly? The 99k is from 1956 and the 185j is from 1962. If you like, I could email you a picture since I’m not able to attach one here. thanks!

[@michaelgoodwin712]

I just bought one of the machines. It looks like it is all original and never been touched. The reason I mention this is the Oil Wick on my machine looks original. The wick is encased in a spring that is screwed into the threads on the Shuttle Bracket. Should I pull the old wick material out of the spring and replace it with one of your wicks?

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hi Michael. As long as your wick is in sound condition, there is not need to replace it. Many of these machines have either no wick or very little of it left due to use. I was fortunate to find one that was in the same state as yours sounds and that is how I made a template for my replacements. You might consider cleaning the area of yours as I have, but there might not be any need to replace yours at this time.

[@annabelcowey293]

Hi.....can you tell me how I find the videos where you overhaul this 185 please. I have just been given one that is filthy! Hope you can help.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Go to the 'Videos' tab and search under Singer 185 or Singer 99

[@jenniewren9351]

Please could you share with us a template to make the oil wick? Thanks.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hello Jennie. Sure, I have a list of video ideas and this is one I hope to make. I try to find video ideas that are not too common on youtube and this might just be one of those.

[@jenniewren9351]

Vintage Sewing Machine Garage it may be that some topics are covered elsewhere, but a lot of them seem to speed through, whereas you explain everything thoroughly - so much so that By following these first 2 tutorials I've taken apart, cleaned and (vitally)replaced the parts from the parts of the machine you covered. However, more importantly I've come to trust you and your methods on thorough yet gentle restoration as well as your clear communication. Thanks again.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

So kind of you to share Jennie. It is very rewarding to hear that the videos can help folks not be afraid to try something new like working on their machines. This is one reason my videos are not edited or embellished with Memes and other added entertainment, not that there is anything wrong with that. I prefer that they be unscripted and show when I make a goof here and there. If people make things look too easy and polished, others can feel less confident to try. Learning is iterative and I learn from the people I teach. Sounds ironic but its true. If people can see me struggle, but persist, maybe they will keep at it until they find success with their own projects. I remember the first time I was able to rescue a locked and pitiful machine that others had given up on. Its just the best feeling to know you have made something work again or extended its ability to continue working in the future. So grateful for your comments. Thank you!

[@philsullivan3679]

The comments below are a testament to your effectiveness as an educator and the explanation for your passion. Thank you. You have gained my trust as well.

[@anthonyiron4635]

Is there a fore and aft adjustment for the feed dog and if so would it need adjustment after the height adjustment?

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Great question Anthony, but no. It only adjusts up or down.

[@chrisfisichella6659]

Would you like me to mail the oiler coil so you can see how they did it?

[@luckycharm1668]

Where may I purchase that thick merino wool felt? Thank you.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hello. I found mine on Etsy. They were sold in squares which you can specify how many you want. The seller, Felt Planet, still has these. I chose one of the reds (either Fire or Cherry) as they are similar to Singer red, but they have many colors. I needed these because they are thick and dense unlike thin sheets which wont work. I believe these are sold for use as wool coasters but the size was just right. You can click on the color palette below the main image to see the colors. Here is the link: www.etsy.com/ca/listing/707528753/new-elegant-cut-square-wool-felt?ga_search_query=felt%2Bsquare&ref=shop_items_search_10

[@luckycharm1668]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply. Thanks for all your videos.