Just now seeing this video but as they say better late than never. I love the 127 model. My grandmother had one that I learned to sew on. I got it years after my mom passed. Had to do lots of cleaning on it and had to replace some parts but I loved it. I have since given it to my cousin because her dad was who actually bought the machine for my grandmother. That model will forever have a special place in my heart.
Hi Bob - thank you for these videos. My parents were given a 127 back in1970 and they never used it but stored it quite nicely. My son who sews but dislikes modern machines started looking for a peddle machine in which I told him about his grand parents machine. He is now cleaning and preparing this machine with his Grandfather for its new life. Your videos are making this a very fun multigenerational project between a grand father, son and grand son. Thanks again for the education.
Love your videos (just subscribed)! Very good teaching style (I'm a retired teacher), and love your "if it ain't broke don't fix it" attitude. I have a 1947 crinkle finish 128 and you have answered many questions I've had about it, including that little bounce in the stitching. Thank you so much and please continue sharing your knowledge.
I have a 128 and it goes thru leather . These were built to last a thousand years . Easy to repair and fine tune and fun ! todays plastic machines are what causing ladies depression .
Thank you Bob, nice video. We admire the stitch these old machines make, but the more you show us of the internals, the more respect we have for the engineers that designed them, poetry in motion. Just a note on my 127 bobbin winder, the arm on the winder that moves back, and forth to place the thread on the bobbin seems to almost stop when it gets to the far right, placing more thread than needed, when the bobbin is full, and placed back in the shuttle, the thread gets caught in all that extra thread to one end of the bobbin. I've over come this by laying the thread on the bobbin by hand to get it spaced out even. Maybe the heart shaped wheel that guides the arm is worn? Cheers, Steve
I have 7 long bobbin machines, 127's and 128's. All of them can be a pain to get an evenly wound bobbin. One may wind perfectly now, but then next time I have to wind a bobbin, it's a hot mess.The secret to success has always been to go slow and watch it like a hawk...
Very happy to say I scored one of these (an older 27 model instead of the newer 127) and although the decals are a little damaged if I can get it running it will see daily use for as long as I can keep it running
This was great - and everything was so easy to see. Thank you! I love your new set up. Would I like to see a tear down on one of these bobbin winders? Well, of course I would... as long as you show me how to put it together again too. ;-)
Thanks for the great video with all the information. You sure do give everyone a lot of caution on the various stages of repairs. Especially about the removal of the mail horizontal shaft and the vertical rock arm shaft. I agree with you that it is not something that should done by a beginner, but it has been done. Thank you, Ralph (AKA Gluten for Punishment)
Hi Bob, I'm so glad I found this video! I have a 1908 Singer machine with a shuttle that I believe to be a 27 (the winder is in a lower position). I got it for $5, completely rusted. I have no intentions of getting it in working order, but I have been trying to clean it up as best I can. However, there seems to be an issue with the shuttle mechanism and inner workings- everything is stuck, no movement. The wheel turns, but doesn't move anything. My hypothesis is that the bottom mechanism needs to be loosened. I've tried WD40, sewing machine oil, etc... but no luck. And I can't manage to get the screws/bolts undone. Do you have any advice on what tools to use to loosen that bottom mechanism/ the screws? Or what to look for to diagnose the issue? I wouldn't bother with it... but the shuttle is stuck, and I can't get it out to clean it :( Sorry for the long comment! Let me know if you have any advice or if there's someone else you suggest I reach out to. Thanks!
I recently made a video where I show how I loosen stubborn fasteners. You can find it here: th-cam.com/video/VEa5eJ4Dzmk/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=BobFowler
I would like a copy of the shuttle carrier's adjustments please! I have a 127 treadle model that isn't catching the bobbin loop, not making stitches. I love your videos, need the manual though!
Hi Bob, You have great knowledge and you have a good way of sharing that with us the viewers. Very well explained and straight to the point. I started to clean and take apart my 27 and i wish i would have seen these two videos 3 days ago before i took some parts off. I will be emailing you soon sir. Keep up the great work.....
Thank you for this explanation and the previous one. I have a 27 which is working great, but I was given a Franklin (27 clone). The tension disengaging mechanism isn’t working properly, I’m not sure if it’s broken or missing something, but I have to remove the presser bar to even see in there what’s going on. I’ll look for your video where you align presser bar back up, but I’m thinking I’ll put some mark on the bar to find home base again. It’s also got a compromised bar in that front plate where the rod fits into the cylinder with the wonky channel. I may have to get that welded back together to make it go. But, your description has helped me to understand all this. I’m new to bar removal so that’s a little scary!
That set up is very nice. I'm glad I watched this again, I missed a few things the first time, and I've definitely been over oiling. Good to know what to remove and what not to remove. My 127 from 1927 was the first investment to my collection. Thank you for everything! So much knowledge!
Hi Bob, thank you so much for this video. I wish I came across you r channel before completely disassembling my 128k Singer. I mean I took it apart, literally everything. I am from South Africa, and I can tell you these machines are far more valuable over here. So I decided to attempt restoring a machine that was left outside at the seaside for a few months. I now know why you caution against taking everything apart. Please can you advise your email address for the adjuster manual. Meanwhile, stay safe and keep on posting your work.
Thanks for the info. I have a 99 with a bend main shaft. Now I know what I can do with it. lol I have one of these 127 as well and love the shuttle. I have a hand crank on it. Love the sound as well.
I'm cleaning the 127 I mentioned the other day... The stitch regulator works beautifully now and I've done my best to clean off all the schmoo from the vertical shaft and that "bendy horizontal bit" at the top that makes it swing back and forth... But both before and after cleaning there are two "sticky" bits as I rotate the wheel through one revolution. You don't feel it if you're cycling it a bit quicker but as soon as you go slowly you definitely feel two points of slightly resistant hesitation. I haven't been able to figure out what it is. (By as clean as I can get them I mean, of course, while leaving them in the machine. Cleaning the bendy horizontal bit (a crank?) isn't too hard but cleaning the inside surface of the vertical shaft that rub against it, fiendishly difficult! I've been using Kroil and deodorised kerosene as my solvents and a toothbrush, cotton buds and cotton balls.) Also, in this machine, no matter what I do with the eccentric screw the feed dogs want to ride more fore than aft in their slot - I've tried rotating the eccentric by increments of about 1/16th of a full turn until I'm blue in the face. Maybe that's the root of the problem? What do you think, Bob? Any suggestions on how to make her purr again? She still sews just fine and she's 118 or so years old so maybe she just needs to be "run in" a helluva lot after being left to sit varnishing up inside for decades! I'm not experienced enough yet to know but she's still much too good to part out. Ta heaps for any hints or suggestions you've got. :-)
Wow Megan, that's an amazing story! I think I have a possible solution to your "two sticky bits" issue.I suspect that you may have cleaned the main shaft and the "cage" formed in the vertical rock shaft a bit too much. Get some lightweight grease in there on the cam portion of the main shaft (I use Tri Flow clear synthetic grease for this). Use a small brush and get it on the bent portion of the main shaft so it lubricates the shaft and the inside portion of the cage that follows the bend. You also may need to adjust that screw on the vertical shaft that controls the clearance of the cage to the bend in the main shaft. If you DO adjust that screw, go VERY slowly and in TINY increments. It's very easy to over do that and possibly damage the vertical shaft. BE CAREFUL! As for your feed dogs... Make sure your stitch length is set to maximum and set your feed dogs all the way up (you can put them back at the correct height later). Throw your eccentric bolt adjustment way out, walk away for a half an hour, then come back to it. Seriously, throw the adjustment out and go do something else for a bit, then when you come back, you're REALLY starting from scratch. Turn the hand wheel and try to center the travel as best you can. The name of the game isn't necessarily to get the dogs dead in the middle, it's to get the longest dog travel without having the feed dogs hit the needle plate. Speaking of needle plates, I've seen aftermarket plates that were punched wrong! Those will NEVER let you get a good adjustment. Keep me posted on how you make out. EDIT: I owe you a bobbin winder video...
@@BobFowlerWorkshop What an awesome reply - you've given me a whole suite of things to try. I'll only do anything with that clearance adjusting screw as the very last resort if nothing else fixes the problem and I can't live with it. (Actually, I'm giving this machine to someone when I'm done so of course I want it to be as good as I can get it, within reason.) Thank you!
Timing is everything. Sigh. I removed all the parts (except main horizontal shaft) last night. It desperately needed a clean. Tx for your offer on the manuals. Could I use the adjustment manual of the 127 for my 27-4? I hope so. They look very very similar. Please advise. And thank you for helpful videos. I wish I had seen/watched them before I began. ps: do you recommend only using sewing machine oil for the cams/ bearings and not a modern day grease? (I noticed a new Singer HD4452 uses grease/ oil for gears/ shafts.
Bob can you help me with my vs3 , its seems the shutle hits the back cover and when i move it slowly to watch whats happening , it looks like when the shuttle is moving toward the back of the machine , as the shuttle passes the feed dogs and the needle is coming down it seems to make the shuttle jump up at the end you slide the bobbin into and push the hook part downwards , is this a feed dog issue or a shuttle clearance issue , the machine still sews but is way more noisy then any of my other vs machines . i can post a video if you like if your not understanding my issue , any addvice for a newbie collector and restoreing guy . Love your videos and find your info very informative, thank you for sharing with us ......
It sounds to me like it's a shuttle clearance issue, but I'd really like to see a video of that. If you can put one up on your TH-cam channel and link it here, I'd appreciate it!
I have a singer 127 and it seems hard to turn the wheel with the longest thread length and when the needle is in the top and bottom position. Any advice on my issue?
Just now seeing this video but as they say better late than never.
I love the 127 model. My grandmother had one that I learned to sew on. I got it years after my mom passed. Had to do lots of cleaning on it and had to replace some parts but I loved it. I have since given it to my cousin because her dad was who actually bought the machine for my grandmother.
That model will forever have a special place in my heart.
I love the sound of a vibrating shuttle machine!
Hi Bob - thank you for these videos. My parents were given a 127 back in1970 and they never used it but stored it quite nicely. My son who sews but dislikes modern machines started looking for a peddle machine in which I told him about his grand parents machine. He is now cleaning and preparing this machine with his Grandfather for its new life. Your videos are making this a very fun multigenerational project between a grand father, son and grand son. Thanks again for the education.
That's awesome! Keep me posted on your progress!
Love your videos (just subscribed)! Very good teaching style (I'm a retired teacher), and love your "if it ain't broke don't fix it" attitude. I have a 1947 crinkle finish 128 and you have answered many questions I've had about it, including that little bounce in the stitching. Thank you so much and please continue sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for all the INFO on how it works.
Glad it helped!
My 127 will definitely be a winter project. She's in good condition but now I see the shiny metal, my OCD is kicking in. 🤩
I's actually a whole LOT of fun tearing them down...
I have a 128 and it goes thru leather . These were built to last a thousand years . Easy to repair and fine tune and fun ! todays plastic machines are what causing ladies depression .
My first experience with a 128 made me a believer... 12 layers of awning fabric, not a problem...
Those were amazing visuals. Great video. That you.
Thank you Bob, nice video. We admire the stitch these old machines make, but the more you show us of the internals, the more respect we have for the engineers that designed them, poetry in motion. Just a note on my 127 bobbin winder, the arm on the winder that moves back, and forth to place the thread on the bobbin seems to almost stop when it gets to the far right, placing more thread than needed, when the bobbin is full, and placed back in the shuttle, the thread gets caught in all that extra thread to one end of the bobbin. I've over come this by laying the thread on the bobbin by hand to get it spaced out even. Maybe the heart shaped wheel that guides the arm is worn? Cheers, Steve
I have 7 long bobbin machines, 127's and 128's. All of them can be a pain to get an evenly wound bobbin. One may wind perfectly now, but then next time I have to wind a bobbin, it's a hot mess.The secret to success has always been to go slow and watch it like a hawk...
Such a wonderful mechanism...
Very happy to say I scored one of these (an older 27 model instead of the newer 127) and although the decals are a little damaged if I can get it running it will see daily use for as long as I can keep it running
you make everything look so simple and you explain things so very good. i have learned a lot. thank you and keep up the excellent videos
So nice of you, you're very welcome!
Yes--please do a tear-down on the bobbin winder!
That's this week!
This was great - and everything was so easy to see. Thank you! I love your new set up. Would I like to see a tear down on one of these bobbin winders? Well, of course I would... as long as you show me how to put it together again too. ;-)
OK, Bobbin winder... Only because you're so nice :-)
Love learning how these machines work!
More to come!
Thanks for the great video with all the information. You sure do give everyone a lot of caution on the various stages of repairs. Especially about the removal of the mail horizontal shaft and the vertical rock arm shaft. I agree with you that it is not something that should done by a beginner, but it has been done. Thank you, Ralph (AKA Gluten for Punishment)
Well, I think I made my position very clear! :-)
Hi Bob, I'm so glad I found this video! I have a 1908 Singer machine with a shuttle that I believe to be a 27 (the winder is in a lower position). I got it for $5, completely rusted. I have no intentions of getting it in working order, but I have been trying to clean it up as best I can. However, there seems to be an issue with the shuttle mechanism and inner workings- everything is stuck, no movement. The wheel turns, but doesn't move anything. My hypothesis is that the bottom mechanism needs to be loosened. I've tried WD40, sewing machine oil, etc... but no luck. And I can't manage to get the screws/bolts undone. Do you have any advice on what tools to use to loosen that bottom mechanism/ the screws? Or what to look for to diagnose the issue? I wouldn't bother with it... but the shuttle is stuck, and I can't get it out to clean it :( Sorry for the long comment! Let me know if you have any advice or if there's someone else you suggest I reach out to. Thanks!
I recently made a video where I show how I loosen stubborn fasteners. You can find it here:
th-cam.com/video/VEa5eJ4Dzmk/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=BobFowler
@@BobFowlerWorkshop thank you!
I would like a copy of the shuttle carrier's adjustments please! I have a 127 treadle model that isn't catching the bobbin loop, not making stitches. I love your videos, need the manual though!
The manual is here: bobsvsmservice.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Singer-127-and-128-Adjuster-Manual.pdf
@@BobFowlerWorkshop Thank you very much!
Hi Bob, You have great knowledge and you have a good way of sharing that with us the viewers. Very well explained and straight to the point. I started to clean and take apart my 27 and i wish i would have seen these two videos 3 days ago before i took some parts off. I will be emailing you soon sir. Keep up the great work.....
Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching!
Thank you for this explanation and the previous one. I have a 27 which is working great, but I was given a Franklin (27 clone). The tension disengaging mechanism isn’t working properly, I’m not sure if it’s broken or missing something, but I have to remove the presser bar to even see in there what’s going on. I’ll look for your video where you align presser bar back up, but I’m thinking I’ll put some mark on the bar to find home base again. It’s also got a compromised bar in that front plate where the rod fits into the cylinder with the wonky channel. I may have to get that welded back together to make it go. But, your description has helped me to understand all this. I’m new to bar removal so that’s a little scary!
That set up is very nice. I'm glad I watched this again, I missed a few things the first time, and I've definitely been over oiling. Good to know what to remove and what not to remove. My 127 from 1927 was the first investment to my collection. Thank you for everything! So much knowledge!
Hi Alyssa, I'm glad you liked it. The 127 is an awesome machine, and such great stitchers. Send up a flare if you need help!
Hi Bob, thank you so much for this video. I wish I came across you r channel before completely disassembling my 128k Singer. I mean I took it apart, literally everything. I am from South Africa, and I can tell you these machines are far more valuable over here. So I decided to attempt restoring a machine that was left outside at the seaside for a few months. I now know why you caution against taking everything apart. Please can you advise your email address for the adjuster manual. Meanwhile, stay safe and keep on posting your work.
Thanks for the info. I have a 99 with a bend main shaft. Now I know what I can do with it. lol I have one of these 127 as well and love the shuttle. I have a hand crank on it. Love the sound as well.
I have 99's coming out of the woodwork around here! How did the main shaft manage to get bent?
I'm cleaning the 127 I mentioned the other day... The stitch regulator works beautifully now and I've done my best to clean off all the schmoo from the vertical shaft and that "bendy horizontal bit" at the top that makes it swing back and forth... But both before and after cleaning there are two "sticky" bits as I rotate the wheel through one revolution. You don't feel it if you're cycling it a bit quicker but as soon as you go slowly you definitely feel two points of slightly resistant hesitation. I haven't been able to figure out what it is. (By as clean as I can get them I mean, of course, while leaving them in the machine. Cleaning the bendy horizontal bit (a crank?) isn't too hard but cleaning the inside surface of the vertical shaft that rub against it, fiendishly difficult! I've been using Kroil and deodorised kerosene as my solvents and a toothbrush, cotton buds and cotton balls.)
Also, in this machine, no matter what I do with the eccentric screw the feed dogs want to ride more fore than aft in their slot - I've tried rotating the eccentric by increments of about 1/16th of a full turn until I'm blue in the face. Maybe that's the root of the problem?
What do you think, Bob? Any suggestions on how to make her purr again? She still sews just fine and she's 118 or so years old so maybe she just needs to be "run in" a helluva lot after being left to sit varnishing up inside for decades! I'm not experienced enough yet to know but she's still much too good to part out. Ta heaps for any hints or suggestions you've got. :-)
Wow Megan, that's an amazing story! I think I have a possible solution to your "two sticky bits" issue.I suspect that you may have cleaned the main shaft and the "cage" formed in the vertical rock shaft a bit too much. Get some lightweight grease in there on the cam portion of the main shaft (I use Tri Flow clear synthetic grease for this). Use a small brush and get it on the bent portion of the main shaft so it lubricates the shaft and the inside portion of the cage that follows the bend. You also may need to adjust that screw on the vertical shaft that controls the clearance of the cage to the bend in the main shaft. If you DO adjust that screw, go VERY slowly and in TINY increments. It's very easy to over do that and possibly damage the vertical shaft. BE CAREFUL!
As for your feed dogs... Make sure your stitch length is set to maximum and set your feed dogs all the way up (you can put them back at the correct height later). Throw your eccentric bolt adjustment way out, walk away for a half an hour, then come back to it. Seriously, throw the adjustment out and go do something else for a bit, then when you come back, you're REALLY starting from scratch. Turn the hand wheel and try to center the travel as best you can. The name of the game isn't necessarily to get the dogs dead in the middle, it's to get the longest dog travel without having the feed dogs hit the needle plate. Speaking of needle plates, I've seen aftermarket plates that were punched wrong! Those will NEVER let you get a good adjustment.
Keep me posted on how you make out.
EDIT: I owe you a bobbin winder video...
@@BobFowlerWorkshop What an awesome reply - you've given me a whole suite of things to try. I'll only do anything with that clearance adjusting screw as the very last resort if nothing else fixes the problem and I can't live with it. (Actually, I'm giving this machine to someone when I'm done so of course I want it to be as good as I can get it, within reason.) Thank you!
Hi Bob, so interesting this video!!! Can you do one video about 48k sewing machine, i don't know how remove feedogs. Thanks ❤️
Timing is everything. Sigh. I removed all the parts (except main horizontal shaft) last night. It desperately needed a clean. Tx for your offer on the manuals. Could I use the adjustment manual of the 127 for my 27-4? I hope so. They look very very similar. Please advise. And thank you for helpful videos. I wish I had seen/watched them before I began. ps: do you recommend only using sewing machine oil for the cams/ bearings and not a modern day grease? (I noticed a new Singer HD4452 uses grease/ oil for gears/ shafts.
Bob can you help me with my vs3 , its seems the shutle hits the back cover and when i move it slowly to watch whats happening , it looks like when the shuttle is moving toward the back of the machine , as the shuttle passes the feed dogs and the needle is coming down it seems to make the shuttle jump up at the end you slide the bobbin into and push the hook part downwards , is this a feed dog issue or a shuttle clearance issue , the machine still sews but is way more noisy then any of my other vs machines . i can post a video if you like if your not understanding my issue , any addvice for a newbie collector and restoreing guy . Love your videos and find your info very informative, thank you for sharing with us ......
It sounds to me like it's a shuttle clearance issue, but I'd really like to see a video of that. If you can put one up on your TH-cam channel and link it here, I'd appreciate it!
@@BobFowlerWorkshop i posted a video called My vibrating shuttle 28 is noisy, can i fix it ......dont know how to link lol
@@4486xxdawson I commented...
i have a #128-23 ,in excellent condition, however the neepklate is slightly rough, would it hurt to drilll it out slightly? excellenttvideo
I wouldn't drill out the needle plate, rather I would deburr it or replace it. They are readily available.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop 😀
thanks for your reply ct hanse
Is there a way to lower the feed dogs so I can use this for machine quilting?
All the things you said NOT to do? Well.... I did most of them. Whoops. >.>
OMG - If you only knew how many of them I am very guilty of in my past...
I have a singer 127 and it seems hard to turn the wheel with the longest thread length and when the needle is in the top and bottom position. Any advice on my issue?
Did your 127 come out of a treadle machine? Does it have a hand crank or motor
Don't you diss the Dumpster 15 like that! It's a great learning tool!
I'm glad you like it! It was a real pain in the posterior region to cut that machine up with a die grinder and a cut-off wheel...