Singer 29-4 question

[froginthefog]

Just got my old Singer 29-4 out and cleaned up. I have a partial instruction manual for it. It mentions when treading it that you raise the wire on the oil cup and pass the thread under it and press the wire back in place. There is a piece of felt located in the bottom of the cup. What purpose does the cup serve and what type/kind of oil and how much is put in it? Also where can parts and needles be had. I have the seriel nimber off it. Is there somewhere on the web to look for the date of manufacture?

Thanks,

kelly

Edited November 4, 2008 by froginthefog

[Bree]

Just got my old Singer 29-4 out and cleaned up. I have a partial instruction manual for it. It mentions when treading it that you raise the wire on the oil cup and pass the thread under it and press the wire back in place. There is a piece of felt located in the bottom of the cup. What purpose does the cup serve and what type/kind of oil and how much is put in it? Also where can parts and needles be had. I have the seriel nimber off it. Is there somewhere on the web to look for the date of manufacture?

Thanks,

kelly

It is a thread lubricating cup. You could put liquid wax or silicone thread lubricant in there. I often put some Silicone Thread Lube from Weaver in mine. You don't need a lot. Just enough to add a little lube to the thread. To be honest you probably don't even need it with the high quality threads and needles we have today.

Serial Number Dates

http://www.ismacs.net/singer/singerdates.html

[froginthefog]

thanks Bree

the machine has no letter in the serial number so it must be before 1900..It works like a new one.. Also I did read when neatfoot oil was also placed in the cup. Have never used it and like you mentioned it seems to work well without any type of lube.

kelly

It is a thread lubricating cup. You could put liquid wax or silicone thread lubricant in there. I often put some Silicone Thread Lube from Weaver in mine. You don't need a lot. Just enough to add a little lube to the thread. To be honest you probably don't even need it with the high quality threads and needles we have today.

Serial Number Dates

http://www.ismacs.net/singer/singerdates.html

[Bree]

thanks Bree

the machine has no letter in the serial number so it must be before 1900..It works like a new one.. Also I did read when neatfoot oil was also placed in the cup. Have never used it and like you mentioned it seems to work well without any type of lube.

kelly

Be careful about putting anything in there that can gum up the needle bar. If you freeze the needle bar in its cylinder, the machine is dead. I have one where that happened. The needle bar is totally seized in the cylinder. I don't know how it got that way but it wasn't rust as there is no evidence of rust anywhere on that component.

I bought it for the stand so it made no difference to me that the machine head was non-functional. I just broke it down and stored the parts in case one of my other 29's needs a part.

Also be careful about putting anything in the cup that can stain or discolor your leather.