Just got a 185J and it is clear the loose screw was messed with by the previous owner who couldn't get it working and apparently doesn't watch your videos. Thank you.
My repair person told me not to mess with the bobbin housing but my stitches were troublesome and i knew it had to be done. This video saved me. Thank you!
I'm so glad this helped! Sometimes, I put out a video and second guess myself if it's really going to be something that people can use. It feels good when I read that it was just what someone needed...
You are a wonderful teacher........... I have had a treadle 66 Singer for forty years that was used as a lamp table........ Friday night i decided i was going to make that old gal work again......... Not only did i turn the "the screw of death", I had totally removed it............ I have never worked on a sewing machine before; but sewn my entire life............. by Saturday afternoon, the machine was humming and sewing a perfect straight stitch because of your videos......... Thank you so much, Bob....... The machine has been cleaned up and works wonderfully.......... You made my weekend. :) BTW, a previous "fixer" had bent the spring controlled by the screw of death to a flat strip with pliers....... Using a screwdriver, I arched the spring back to the correct gap........ I used sticky notes to measure the gap......... a stack of 3-4 sticky notes thick was the perfect gap for my machine....... Happy Holidays
I have been working on several 66 Singers lately and to my surprise found the bobbin cases are also not the same, and the difference can be very slight. I had two identical 66's side by side and the only way to make the target machine work was to put back the bobbin case with a broken right ear. Both my assistant and I figured that worked because something else was out of adjustment. The thread made its way pass everything else but not around a replacement case that wasn't broken in time. Maybe because it was running late in the first place? So the broken ear made up for lost time? But the second thing we noticed was the cases were slightly different on 66's slightly older/younger; the distance (and therefore angle) was different between the thread gateway and where it should "seat in" to lay across the bobbin. And how deep that "seat" is, it's only slightly noticeable. So swapping 66 parts isn't as simple as I thought. I did find an identical case though. Question: Could the broken right "ear" (therefore shortening the route) work, because it moved too slowly past the bottlenecks you explained, and having a slight short-cut made up for it? I feel like I need to watch the thread go past that "bottleneck/tension" more closely and see how it compares to your video. (unfortunately it went back to its home. ) Thank you.
This was so helpful! I was just gifted a 1920 66-1 and have been struggling to figure out whether I was missing the bobbin case tension spring that's shown in all the photos I've found online. Your video pointed out that my older machine doesn't have one! Now to figure out how to take out the bobbin case so I can clean 100 years of dust and lint away....
Thanks for the video . I had to clean the bobbin case of a newly-acquired singer 66 that had some rust on it. But for the life of me I cannot get the bobbin case back into position. It is the new style bobbin positioning system. A video on how to do that would be appreciated.
Odd. I just took that screw and bracket out of my '48 66 today to get the slide cover back on and it sewed just fine after. I took it off the clean all the lint out of the bobbin well the other day. Didn't even know it was an issue. I should look into this, and on my '26 66 as well.
Hi! I might have missed the answer in the video, but does that mean that for the older models its okay to take the screw off the retainer bracket and it wont need an adjustment after? I just got a red eye and i've been so confused as to how to get the bobbin casing out for cleaning since most of the videos I found had the more modern retainer bracket. Also for the life of me couldn't figure out what they were called. Thanks so much for your amazing videos!
That is correct. The older models do not have an adjustment screw on top, the screw that they have secures the bracket to the machine. The newer versions with the so-called "screw of death" have a retaining screw on the end of the machine underneath the deck to secure the bracket.
My bobbin lever doesn't always work and I have to take the bobbin out manually. I disassembled and reassembled the bracket for cleaning (very gross), and now it won't push up the bobbin at all. Thoughts, Wide One? Im not being sarcastic btw, I've learned more from you in a week of binging videos than I have in a year of random videos/pages.
Without seeing it, my guess is that the spring for the lever isn't correctly installed. Getting the spring in proper position, so the screw is inside the barrel of the spring, can be a real pain in the posterior. The lever should have a good, snappy spring action when the positioning bracket is not installed. Email me if you're having a lot of problems... argosybob@gmail.com
Hello, Could I please ask Where can I purchase a gage for this? I've been having issues with my singer 99-13 for a long time now. My tension is off, so I'm not sure if this screw has anything to do with that? The top stitching will be perfect almost 100% of the time, then the bottom will either be a bit off or extremely too tight. And then sometimes they're both perfect top and bottom so I don't know really what is going on.
Hi Bob, my husband and I have watched your video and a few others as well, I bought a 1910 vintage red eye. I was told it was in good condition. Hmmm... first order of business, it was missing the belt. We got a belt. The treadle release was not on..I put it on with another screw... that works. The top thread looks like it makes stitches...underneath.. its a big mess. No bobbin thread. The spool thread is broken in many places underneath even tho it looks good on top. The top tightens and breaks. The thread winds around the post underneath the spool. I kind of think the bobbin thread isn't catching the upper thread. I actually thought it was the newer bobbins that were a problem.... I got a vintage bobbin. Same problem. There are marks on the screw" of death" i don'tknow if the bobbintensiongot messed up. Can you help? Thank you.
When you get a rats nest under the work, that usually indicates an upper thread tension issue. The "screw of death" controls thread clearance, but a 66 from 1910 shouldn't have that screw. My suggestion in cases like this is always the same: Go back to basics. Start over and carefully re-thread the entire machine, step by step. Make sure the bobbin is correctly threaded in the case, then thread the machine making sure the presser foot is in the up position to ensure the tension disks are released during threading. Follow the manual, just to be sure. If that doesn't work, feel free to email me for more help. argosybob@gmail.com
Mine is a AL458820. I don't have the bobbin case, nor the screw. I just purchased a Chinese plastic pack with 5 bobbin cases. Is there a way to replace the screw? (That's what you get, when you live in Brasil. Buying from eBay is very costly.)
Thanks so much for this series Bob - invaluable. I have managed to disassemble, clean and reassemble my 66 but I have one part missing - the tiny spring behind the bobbin removal lever (that has red/white fabric sticking out of it). Will it matter if I don’t replace this spring and can is just wedge a bit of fabric in the remaining hole. Or can I stop worrying about it altogether. Many thanks!
The purpose of the spring is to act as a retainer and positioner for the felt that is used as an oiling wick for the hook/bobbin case. I guess you can get away without it, but if it were my machine, I'd either try to wind up a new one, or find a part from a donor bobbin case positioning bracket.
Bob, You are my hero. I have been stopped in the restoration of my 1919 Series 66 Redeye. After some cleaning and oiling it sews using treadle real nicely. I have been stymied at getting the bobbin case out until I watched this video. My adjuster's manual is made for the later model 66s with the Screw E of Death. Bobbin is now out and I can proceed with disassembly of the lower shafts and the hook system. Will not be removing, just cleaning the exposed portion of the main shaft and the two vertical shafts that run from top to bottom. Do you think it would be acceptable to attach a motor to this machine and run it in for a while after cleaning and oiling. Thanks again.
Sure, as long as the machine has a motor boss, it's fine to put a motor on it. As I don't keep a treadle base in my shop, I regularly mount motors on machine destined to go back in their treadle cabinets to conduct test sewing. You can also run the mechanism in with a motor on, just raise the presser foot so you don't damage the foot or your feed dogs.
@@BobFowlerWorkshopHead end and now bottom end all cleaned, oiled and adjusted thanks to your help. Sews beautifully with its treadle. Will look to find a suitable motor and bracket to run it in. I think I saw somewhere that AlphaSew makes a motor that can be fitted to these. Dear wife loves the clicking sounds it makes with the treadle. Little too slow for run in compared to my 201-2.
Hey Bob, great video. I was wondering if you have ever lapped the gears on a 201. I bought a machine and found out that the gear, that drives the hook, had surface rust. I cleaned and oiled them but they are still noisy under operation.
Never had to lap a set as most I see are so covered in schmoo, rust would run and hide! I guess you 'could' lap them in, but it would be a pretty major operation. Having said that, if I were to undertake that job, I would remove everything from the machine except the mainshaft and vertical shaft, and the lower shaft that drives the hook, and of course the hook shaft would still be in place. Then I would put the motor back on, oil the "good" gears lightly, and put some appropriate lapping compound on the noisy gears and let her run in at full tilt for a while. After an appropriate time, I would clean off the compound, lightly oil the newly lapped gears, and run her again at a 'normal' speed to see how she sounds. Lather, rinse, repeat until she quiets down. Like I said, I never had to do it, but that's my S.W.A.G. as to the way to tackle the issue.
Bob I have a Singer 66 newer model with the 'screw of death'. I have removed the bobbin case retaining screw from below the machine and cannot discover how to remove the retaining bracket from the pin at the opposite end of the bracket latch. Do you have a solution? Thanks
I have been watching this video and the one on timing for a singer 66...I FEEL like I have followed your instruction on timing and the hook seems to be in right place but bobbin thread will not catch. Nor do I see the hook grab the top thread unless I move hand wheel super slow, could you please advise me on what to try next. I have been messing w this same issue for HOURS over 2 days.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop wow, if it ends up being that simple I may possibly just scream!!!! I have gone through all the timing steps several times....thank you for replying.
Do you know where (online) to buy a new bobbin case tension screw to a 66? I have searched Ebay and Amazon but haven’t been lucky. Or is the only way to get hold of one, to buy a whole machine?
Bob I have the older model 66 without the dreaded screw. The thread gets hung up between the spring and the bobbin case. being that there is no adjustment do i need a need bobbin case
Hi Cheslawa, Most likely your bobbin case is fine. You may need to make some adjustments to the spring. Can you email me some pics of the problem? argosybob@gmail.com
It's felt. It belongs there, and is used as an oil wick to lubricate the bobbin case as it rides on the hook (shuttle). A lot of folks mistakenly think it's lint and yank it out, only to have to put in new.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop I just made this very mistake, accidentally bending the spring that held the felt. Any tips on best method for replacing it? Does one use any old felt for this?
Thank you so much, I made that newbie mistake with my 66 which had the newer bracket. I just checked my gap, it's definitely too big rather than small. If my understanding is correct between inches and mm (my feeler gauge is metric) then 0.015 inches is 0.381mm, so that would be the maximum gap? What are the implications, if the gap is too big?
That sounds about right, my gauges are in SAE sizes, not metric. Also, I should mention... It's really best to use wire type feeler gauges rather than flat, automotive style ones. Wire gauges are a bit harder to find, but worth the search. Many of the automotive wire feeler gauges are way too large, so it's really necessary to look at industrial suppliers and the prices for those can be high.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop Thanks for your speedy reply! Unfortunately, I only have a gauge that I normally use on my motorbike. I guess it will have to do for the time being but I will definitely look into getting an appropriate set. Am I correct that too large a gap might be a little noisier?
@@BobFowlerWorkshop @Bob Fowler I've got this problem! And yes the machine was noisy although I didn't realize it wasn't a normal noise. I just thought it was the nice relaxing clicky sound of an old machine! Anyway, while teaching my 6 year old granddaughter to sew on this machine, I could feel the wheel slightly bind (this is an older 66, the one with the thistle design) but didn't initially investigate, as the stitching on top was OK, and if I pushed the handle on it would get going again. Later I saw that the stitching was bad underneath and then watched the mechanism when I turned the handle until I had worked out what was wrong, which was that that gap was indeed too big and the thread was catching on the heel of the bobbin case and not completing its journey all the way round. If I carried on turning the handle then the next circuit of the thread would usually bring off that first loop of thread, but that caused the looping. I have removed the positioning bracket and the bobbin case and have successfully got them back in - and back out! -again. I am now trying to work out how to get that spring to stay out further in order to make the gap smaller. I have got as far as stuffing a tiny piece of blu-tack under the end of the spring to try to get it to stay further out. Steep learning curve..... Great video - thank you!
![โรงเรียนห้ามรัก โดนจับได้ตาย...!! [เอิร์นไดเม่]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4u02Sbr556Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Just got a 185J and it is clear the loose screw was messed with by the previous owner who couldn't get it working and apparently doesn't watch your videos. Thank you.
My repair person told me not to mess with the bobbin housing but my stitches were troublesome and i knew it had to be done. This video saved me. Thank you!
I'm so glad this helped! Sometimes, I put out a video and second guess myself if it's really going to be something that people can use. It feels good when I read that it was just what someone needed...
You are a wonderful teacher........... I have had a treadle 66 Singer for forty years that was used as a lamp table........ Friday night i decided i was going to make that old gal work again......... Not only did i turn the "the screw of death", I had totally removed it............ I have never worked on a sewing machine before; but sewn my entire life............. by Saturday afternoon, the machine was humming and sewing a perfect straight stitch because of your videos......... Thank you so much, Bob....... The machine has been cleaned up and works wonderfully.......... You made my weekend. :) BTW, a previous "fixer" had bent the spring controlled by the screw of death to a flat strip with pliers....... Using a screwdriver, I arched the spring back to the correct gap........ I used sticky notes to measure the gap......... a stack of 3-4 sticky notes thick was the perfect gap for my machine....... Happy Holidays
It's comments like this that make it all worthwhile, glad to help keeping them stitching!
I have been working on several 66 Singers lately and to my surprise found the bobbin cases are also not the same, and the difference can be very slight.
I had two identical 66's side by side and the only way to make the target machine work was to put back the bobbin case with a broken right ear. Both my assistant and I figured that worked because something else was out of adjustment. The thread made its way pass everything else but not around a replacement case that wasn't broken in time. Maybe because it was running late in the first place? So the broken ear made up for lost time? But the second thing we noticed was the cases were slightly different on 66's slightly older/younger; the distance (and therefore angle) was different between the thread gateway and where it should "seat in" to lay across the bobbin. And how deep that "seat" is, it's only slightly noticeable. So swapping 66 parts isn't as simple as I thought. I did find an identical case though.
Question: Could the broken right "ear" (therefore shortening the route) work, because it moved too slowly past the bottlenecks you explained, and having a slight short-cut made up for it? I feel like I need to watch the thread go past that "bottleneck/tension" more closely and see how it compares to your video. (unfortunately it went back to its home. ) Thank you.
Thanks for the comparison it makes things real clear!❤
Great video!
This was so helpful! I was just gifted a 1920 66-1 and have been struggling to figure out whether I was missing the bobbin case tension spring that's shown in all the photos I've found online. Your video pointed out that my older machine doesn't have one! Now to figure out how to take out the bobbin case so I can clean 100 years of dust and lint away....
Try this...
th-cam.com/video/F9ddwqNNld0/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=BobFowler
Thanks for the video . I had to clean the bobbin case of a newly-acquired singer 66 that had some rust on it. But for the life of me I cannot get the bobbin case back into position. It is the new style bobbin positioning system. A video on how to do that would be appreciated.
Here ya go! th-cam.com/video/F9ddwqNNld0/w-d-xo.html
Odd. I just took that screw and bracket out of my '48 66 today to get the slide cover back on and it sewed just fine after. I took it off the clean all the lint out of the bobbin well the other day. Didn't even know it was an issue. I should look into this, and on my '26 66 as well.
Pretty darn good video this is… . ❤
Thank you for another educational video Bob.
Glad you liked it Lisa.
I think you should get a T shirt made for your merch... 'I get my kicks from a Singer '66' ... Just a thought.... you're welcome🤣
could you make a video of how to begin adjusting thread tension on a model 66 which is out of adjustment. thank you
Hi! I might have missed the answer in the video, but does that mean that for the older models its okay to take the screw off the retainer bracket and it wont need an adjustment after? I just got a red eye and i've been so confused as to how to get the bobbin casing out for cleaning since most of the videos I found had the more modern retainer bracket. Also for the life of me couldn't figure out what they were called. Thanks so much for your amazing videos!
That is correct. The older models do not have an adjustment screw on top, the screw that they have secures the bracket to the machine. The newer versions with the so-called "screw of death" have a retaining screw on the end of the machine underneath the deck to secure the bracket.
Thank you so much!! You’ve saved me so much confusion and anxiety.
just saved taking mine in to shop. got from junk shop.
My bobbin lever doesn't always work and I have to take the bobbin out manually. I disassembled and reassembled the bracket for cleaning (very gross), and now it won't push up the bobbin at all. Thoughts, Wide One? Im not being sarcastic btw, I've learned more from you in a week of binging videos than I have in a year of random videos/pages.
Without seeing it, my guess is that the spring for the lever isn't correctly installed. Getting the spring in proper position, so the screw is inside the barrel of the spring, can be a real pain in the posterior. The lever should have a good, snappy spring action when the positioning bracket is not installed. Email me if you're having a lot of problems... argosybob@gmail.com
Hello, Could I please ask Where can I purchase a gage for this? I've been having issues with my singer 99-13 for a long time now. My tension is off, so I'm not sure if this screw has anything to do with that? The top stitching will be perfect almost 100% of the time, then the bottom will either be a bit off or extremely too tight. And then sometimes they're both perfect top and bottom so I don't know really what is going on.
Hi Bob,
my husband and I have watched your video and a few others as well, I bought a 1910 vintage red eye. I was told it was in good condition. Hmmm... first order of business, it was missing the belt. We got a belt. The treadle release was not on..I put it on with another screw... that works. The top thread looks like it makes stitches...underneath.. its a big mess. No bobbin thread. The spool thread is broken in many places underneath even tho it looks good on top. The top tightens and breaks. The thread winds around the post underneath the spool. I kind of think the bobbin thread isn't catching the upper thread. I actually thought it was the newer bobbins that were a problem.... I got a vintage bobbin. Same problem. There are marks on the screw" of death" i don'tknow if the bobbintensiongot messed up. Can you help? Thank you.
When you get a rats nest under the work, that usually indicates an upper thread tension issue. The "screw of death" controls thread clearance, but a 66 from 1910 shouldn't have that screw. My suggestion in cases like this is always the same: Go back to basics. Start over and carefully re-thread the entire machine, step by step. Make sure the bobbin is correctly threaded in the case, then thread the machine making sure the presser foot is in the up position to ensure the tension disks are released during threading. Follow the manual, just to be sure. If that doesn't work, feel free to email me for more help. argosybob@gmail.com
Out of curiosity, what do those other three notches on the hook (the ones between four-thirty and six o'clock in the last shot) do?
Thanks for this! Would this be the same for a Singer 99 from 1954?
Yes, pretty much exactly the same.
Mine is a AL458820. I don't have the bobbin case, nor the screw. I just purchased a Chinese plastic pack with 5 bobbin cases. Is there a way to replace the screw? (That's what you get, when you live in Brasil. Buying from eBay is very costly.)
Email me at argosybob@gmail.com. I can help...
Thanks so much for this series Bob - invaluable. I have managed to disassemble, clean and reassemble my 66 but I have one part missing - the tiny spring behind the bobbin removal lever (that has red/white fabric sticking out of it). Will it matter if I don’t replace this spring and can is just wedge a bit of fabric in the remaining hole. Or can I stop worrying about it altogether. Many thanks!
The purpose of the spring is to act as a retainer and positioner for the felt that is used as an oiling wick for the hook/bobbin case. I guess you can get away without it, but if it were my machine, I'd either try to wind up a new one, or find a part from a donor bobbin case positioning bracket.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop great, many thanks indeed. Now to go on a hunt for one!
Bob,
You are my hero. I have been stopped in the restoration of my 1919 Series 66 Redeye. After some cleaning and oiling it sews using treadle real nicely. I have been stymied at getting the bobbin case out until I watched this video. My adjuster's manual is made for the later model 66s with the Screw E of Death. Bobbin is now out and I can proceed with disassembly of the lower shafts and the hook system. Will not be removing, just cleaning the exposed portion of the main shaft and the two vertical shafts that run from top to bottom. Do you think it would be acceptable to attach a motor to this machine and run it in for a while after cleaning and oiling.
Thanks again.
Sure, as long as the machine has a motor boss, it's fine to put a motor on it. As I don't keep a treadle base in my shop, I regularly mount motors on machine destined to go back in their treadle cabinets to conduct test sewing. You can also run the mechanism in with a motor on, just raise the presser foot so you don't damage the foot or your feed dogs.
@@BobFowlerWorkshopHead end and now bottom end all cleaned, oiled and adjusted thanks to your help. Sews beautifully with its treadle. Will look to find a suitable motor and bracket to run it in. I think I saw somewhere that AlphaSew makes a motor that can be fitted to these. Dear wife loves the clicking sounds it makes with the treadle. Little too slow for run in compared to my 201-2.
@@tedrobbins1299 This is my afterma5rket motor of choice:
tinyurl.com/39xypxry
and my aftermarket foot controller of choice:
tinyurl.com/xfw9tse8
@@BobFowlerWorkshop Great. Thanks for sharing your information. Ordered them tonight. Do you have a favored belt that fits the 66?
@@tedrobbins1299 you're going to have to measure when you get your motor. A lot depends on which handwheel you have.
Hey Bob, great video. I was wondering if you have ever lapped the gears on a 201. I bought a machine and found out that the gear, that drives the hook, had surface rust. I cleaned and oiled them but they are still noisy under operation.
Never had to lap a set as most I see are so covered in schmoo, rust would run and hide! I guess you 'could' lap them in, but it would be a pretty major operation. Having said that, if I were to undertake that job, I would remove everything from the machine except the mainshaft and vertical shaft, and the lower shaft that drives the hook, and of course the hook shaft would still be in place. Then I would put the motor back on, oil the "good" gears lightly, and put some appropriate lapping compound on the noisy gears and let her run in at full tilt for a while. After an appropriate time, I would clean off the compound, lightly oil the newly lapped gears, and run her again at a 'normal' speed to see how she sounds. Lather, rinse, repeat until she quiets down. Like I said, I never had to do it, but that's my S.W.A.G. as to the way to tackle the issue.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop that is pretty much the same sequence I had in my head. Thanks for the reply.
Bob
I have a Singer 66 newer model with the 'screw of death'. I have removed the bobbin case retaining screw from below the machine and cannot discover how to remove the retaining bracket from the pin at the opposite end of the bracket latch. Do you have a solution?
Thanks
Hopefully this video will answer your question...
th-cam.com/video/3ULYp1KDPoQ/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=BobFowler
Thank you Bob, that was helpful.......
My pleasure! Glad it helps.
I have been watching this video and the one on timing for a singer 66...I FEEL like I have followed your instruction on timing and the hook seems to be in right place but bobbin thread will not catch. Nor do I see the hook grab the top thread unless I move hand wheel super slow, could you please advise me on what to try next. I have been messing w this same issue for HOURS over 2 days.
Make sure your needle isn't bent and is oriented correctly.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop wow, if it ends up being that simple I may possibly just scream!!!! I have gone through all the timing steps several times....thank you for replying.
Do you know where (online) to buy a new bobbin case tension screw to a 66? I have searched Ebay and Amazon but haven’t been lucky. Or is the only way to get hold of one, to buy a whole machine?
It would be easier just to get a new bobbin case. There are a lot of people parting out 66's on eBay.
Bob I have the older model 66 without the dreaded screw. The thread gets hung up between the spring and the bobbin case. being that there is no adjustment do i need a need bobbin case
Hi Cheslawa, Most likely your bobbin case is fine. You may need to make some adjustments to the spring. Can you email me some pics of the problem? argosybob@gmail.com
Will do tomorrow afternoon
Whats the red stuff and why?
It's felt. It belongs there, and is used as an oil wick to lubricate the bobbin case as it rides on the hook (shuttle). A lot of folks mistakenly think it's lint and yank it out, only to have to put in new.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop I just made this very mistake, accidentally bending the spring that held the felt. Any tips on best method for replacing it? Does one use any old felt for this?
@@christiepatterson3359 it's a relatively easy process. I shot a segment for the upcoming June 19th 2022 Sunday Morning Quickies.
Thank you so much, I made that newbie mistake with my 66 which had the newer bracket. I just checked my gap, it's definitely too big rather than small. If my understanding is correct between inches and mm (my feeler gauge is metric) then 0.015 inches is 0.381mm, so that would be the maximum gap? What are the implications, if the gap is too big?
That sounds about right, my gauges are in SAE sizes, not metric. Also, I should mention... It's really best to use wire type feeler gauges rather than flat, automotive style ones. Wire gauges are a bit harder to find, but worth the search. Many of the automotive wire feeler gauges are way too large, so it's really necessary to look at industrial suppliers and the prices for those can be high.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop Thanks for your speedy reply! Unfortunately, I only have a gauge that I normally use on my motorbike. I guess it will have to do for the time being but I will definitely look into getting an appropriate set. Am I correct that too large a gap might be a little noisier?
@@tinkeringforfun yes, but it would have to be pretty big to be a problem.
@@BobFowlerWorkshop @Bob Fowler I've got this problem! And yes the machine was noisy although I didn't realize it wasn't a normal noise. I just thought it was the nice relaxing clicky sound of an old machine! Anyway, while teaching my 6 year old granddaughter to sew on this machine, I could feel the wheel slightly bind (this is an older 66, the one with the thistle design) but didn't initially investigate, as the stitching on top was OK, and if I pushed the handle on it would get going again. Later I saw that the stitching was bad underneath and then watched the mechanism when I turned the handle until I had worked out what was wrong, which was that that gap was indeed too big and the thread was catching on the heel of the bobbin case and not completing its journey all the way round. If I carried on turning the handle then the next circuit of the thread would usually bring off that first loop of thread, but that caused the looping. I have removed the positioning bracket and the bobbin case and have successfully got them back in - and back out! -again. I am now trying to work out how to get that spring to stay out further in order to make the gap smaller. I have got as far as stuffing a tiny piece of blu-tack under the end of the spring to try to get it to stay further out. Steep learning curve..... Great video - thank you!
I have discovered, as suspected, that the pin must be driven out from below.