1917 Singer Red Eye | Cleaning and Servicing 

They made millions of those. There's not a whole lot of collector value. You'll have some people that collect them but they're really is not a collective value. I picked those up for $25 a piece all the time. $20 a piece. $30, I got several singer sewing machines and I've paid between 50 and less. I got several 66's. I got two red eyes that I paid $20 for both of them I got a singer 15.90 that I can converted over to a hand. Crank, I've got several 15.91s all of these still need to be refurbished on in the process of working on those, but I picked up a singer 99 which is a 3/4 size 66 for $30 they're out there. You can pick them up and even if the finish is not real good, the internals are real easy to get back working. I tear them all the way down, clean them up and put them back together. Clean the outside and stuff like that but you don't have to do that to get them to where they just function and function. Good. I go a little further and I bring them back to about 99% of what they were new

I've managed to get a 1917 red-eye here in NZ from an expat American who brought it over with her from the States when she settled here. Red-eyes a very rare here - most early 66s in NZ have "lotus" decals. My treadle table is identical to yours too. It came with a 1905 Singer 15, which oddly enough, came from the USA too. Most NZ imports were from the UK. Thanks for this video! It's most helpful.👍

Gojo is my go-to gentle cleaner for my vintage machines. 👏👏👏

Excellent find!👍 As a kid in the 50's, I'd watch my mother using a near identical machine. She made clothes for our whole family. In the early 60's my dad added an electric motor, and the tredel was backup. She used that same machine until 1975 when her hands began to fail her to operate it. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Thank you so much for "cleaning" info!

This is a beautiful machine! I have just recently become obsessed with antique and vintage sewing machines and refurbishing them That's how I found your channel. Thank you!

Beautiful piece of history there.

Beautiful machines.

My Grandma had a 1928 Model 66. I plan to restore it. I've read that the clear coat Singer used was shellac, so that's why water or alcohol should not be used for cleaning.

They're not delicate but age has made the lacquer rather delicate. So anything that's very aggressive at all can pull the lacer off and then that will damage the decals underneath. But you can buy the reproduction decals if that's what you want to do. What he's doing here is perfect light pressure. Small movements you've also there is a a cleaning wax that you can use and don't have it with me but will also work very well as well and that's what I use

thats a beauty richard

Beautiful machine and one that is still useful even though it's over 100 years old unlike most other technologies from that era!

Well that was different, fun and informative!

I have that exact same set in my basement both the machine and the base . Still in the same family and proudly displayed . Cheers .

I found it’s big brother to your machine, three drawers instead of two. My machine was bought new back in 1917 from a Singer traveling salesman. They were wheat farmers who lived seven miles from town. They paid $62 and was put on Singer credit. I had to convince the family I was going to actually use it. What’s amazing to me is how simple the machine is but at the same time complex. I don’t know if you noticed but there is no gears. You mentioned in your video you were interested in making shirts, exactly the reason I bought mine. It will be fun to see how you manage that with this machine. I do sew myself, on vintage Singer machines but it didn’t take me long to figure out this machine is going to take a different skill set to make something as intercut as a shirt. I wish you luck and look forward to seeing how you accomplish it. If you do make more videos using this machine please include any tidbits of info on your journey.

Love your hat

My In-laws have a very old one similar to that. They have promised it to my wife. Now I want to learn how to sew!

Should be interesting to see you get Isaac's baby running again. You have to appreciate the treadle machines.

Congrats on the sewing machine. About 3 years ago I bought my mom a singer Egyptian sphinx SN says made in 1911. Looks just like yours. Just the difference in decals. Now that my parents have passed, its mine. I hope to eventually learn how to use it. I have been thinking of fully restoring mine. Some of the decals are worn. I saw a company that makes new decals and there the water slide on just like the original. But i hate fully restoring things that old unless they a in really bad shape. mine is about the same as yours with just more wear on a few decals.

I have the same machine! If I remember right it was a 1916 per the serial number? All I have the head unit. Some day I want to make a box and get a motor for it.

Hi, I just bought a Red Eye and I'm starting to clean it up. What is the white product you are using to polish the metal parts?

Just picked this up to make tactical gear as well

My mom had one like that, after she passed away when I was 8, I thought myself how to sew on that machine.

A minha avó tinha uma dessa.

👍👍👌👌

I have one like that. How can you tell what year it is?

Externally mine looks identical to yours, but the inside of mine is full of a lot of dirt and crusted up oil.

Hey! Are the cabinets that small or you a big guy!😉