Search and Rescue!!!!!!

Search, as in, JUNKIN’, and Rescue, as in, ‘OMG a sewing machine!!!! It has to go home with me so I can take care of it!!!’ My husband knows me SEW well, that when he came around the corner and saw me coiling up the cords on this machine, he said, ‘I see we’ll need a cart. I’ll go get one.’

Today, Louie and I went junkin’ in Cedar Rapids. The sun was shining and it was time for me to be OUT in it. It was too windy to go motorcycle riding, (although we saw HUNDREDS of them on the road, and parked at a famous motorcycle bar) so the next best thing was junkin’.  When we were at the very last thrift store, ‘what to my wandering eyes did appear???’  NO! Not a miniature sleigh and 8 tiny reindeer! A GREEN Vintage VIKING Automatic (Model 21) sewing machine!! Woo Hoo!! (Date handwritten on the bottom of machine is September 27, 1964)  I had one of these several years ago. It was a search and rescue machine too, and one day, it was adopted through the ‘Special adoption through eBay program’ (*wink*). I knew it would be a sweet machine.

              

I came home and immediately searched for a pdf manual, and found a free one! I printed the most important pages on machine parts descriptions, and where to oil it.

                       

I oiled all the necessary places, then searched my ‘spare parts’ box for a pressure foot, and learned that a low shank foot would work on it. I was thrilled, because otherwise, I would have had to order a foot before I could proceed. I also needed a needle and bobbin. The needle was no problem but I was not absolutely sure about what bobbin it took. I thought it might be the same as my Juki TL-98E, and sure enough, it was!!! Style L. All right! The stars are aligning! I threaded it, got my paper towel to test sew on, and it didn’t want to move. I oiled it some more, and turned the handwheel by hand, and it felt like it moved little bit better, so I hit the gas and  let it run. Pretty soon, it must have thought it was time for a cigarette, because it started smoking! The motor was gummed up.

Louie to the rescue!!! We tore the machine apart, and he removed the motor, took it out to his shop, cleaned the armature and brushes, and while he did that, I cleaned the body up as much as I could. We put it back together, and now it runs like a scared rabbit. Have I ever told you he’s my hero??? He is!

                            

                    

                     

It sews very pretty straight stitches. The zigzag is ok, but zigzag was pretty new to sewing machines in that era, so at the time, it was probably ‘all the rage’. The ZZ’s set for this machine are not wide AT ALL, and really not very precise.  ZZ’s are much better in today’s machines (or even Singer’s). This machine also has the capability of accepting round cams for decorative stitches, but this machine came with no accessories.

                               

Another vintage sewing machine is safe and happy tonight, and so am I.

Oh…$6.38.

Have a wonderful week. Tomorrow is Tuesday already!

Be blessed,

Michelle