jimi Report post Posted January 1, 2017 First of all Happy New year to everyone here at the LW. this is another 29k restoration if anyone is interested. iam sure some of us are saying " Oh no ANOTHER 29K!!! " but they seem to be about the most popular machine on this forum??. this machine was bought for €130 with the stand and is in need of some care. one of the previous owners was more than likely a cobbler who probably used this everyday due to the wear on the parts. unfortunately somewhere along the line the paint brush was taken out and this 29k171 was the victim. so the initial idea is to hopefully be able to get the top coat of paint off without ripping through to the original finish ( if there is anything there?) as this machine is one of the newer ones it should have a lot of original finish left, but who knows???. so next was to try out a light stripping (just universal solvent) to see if this was enough or maybe i would need a stronger paint stripper? so as you can see, the solvent was enough and the original finish is BACK! more to come.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Constabulary Report post Posted January 1, 2017 (edited) WOW - how cool is that: A large hook short arm machine - my personal holy grale of patchers . Jimi, can you check if the the gear box has a parts number on it? What a great deal! The original baby blue color is for sure something you have to like but at least its the original paint and it seems to be in good condition! Edited January 1, 2017 by Constabulary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted January 1, 2017 Here's my 29k172. It is the same as the 171, but with a long arm. Note that my machine has a darning attachment on top. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 1, 2017 Nice Machine there Wiz, whats the darning attachment? that sort of tube wrench thing you got there?? wiz how long does your gearbox measure from end to end?? Folker, you must be thinking of another Holy machine. this is the small bobbin, unless someone has swapped over gearboxes?? but i wouldnt think they would be interchagable. it does have a big looking gap at the back. it seems the gearbox is a little short?? but maybe it was like that? no part number i can see folker, i cant get the 2 screws out! the pin came out but the screws wont budge! the number is inside i bet... more pictures..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Constabulary Report post Posted January 1, 2017 Really small hook? The 29K171 usually is a large bobbin machine. But your gear box really looks not as "beefy" as the one form a large hook machine. Strange! Maybe wrong badge on the machine? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted January 1, 2017 Jimi; I will try to remember to measure the length of the gearbox on my 29k172 when I go to work on Monday. Mine has a large bobbin. The T-bar on top is called a darning attachment because it causes the foot to stay up over the leather as you sew. The knuckle where the needle bar is mounted to the moving take-up barrel hits the T-bar if the arm is rotated so it faces the knuckle. This lets you move the work for whatever stitch length of pattern you want. I use it to criss-cross over torn seams on leather goods in for repairs. Sewing across to mend a tear in something is/was called "darning." In the old days, during the depression, Moms would darn holes in socks rather than buying new ones. The modern equivalent would be a wide zig-zag stitch. Note that my darning attachment has two positions. The half cut section just clears the leather, while the full bar lifts the foot all the way up. In fact, it releases the thread tension at the top of the stroke. So, I prefer the half lift position. Rotating it away from the mechanism restores normal operation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 1, 2017 Ok Wiz thanks.Neat gadget! i bet you dont buy a lot of socks then. Folker, according to the singer 29k171,172,173 manual the 172 is the large bobbin machine. when it refers to putting the spool in the shuttle the first example says "for 171 and 173 machines and the second example is for the 172 large bobbin. do the gears from college sewing fit well in these newer 29s?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dikman Report post Posted January 1, 2017 Nice find! Beats me how you guys find these things (easier to find rocking horse teeth here). Jimi, you were pretty lucky with that paint coming off like that. Just curious, what does the "universal solvent" consist of? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Uwe Report post Posted January 2, 2017 1 hour ago, dikman said: Just curious, what does the "universal solvent" consist of? http://www.mpl.es/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/300795.pdf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Evo160K Report post Posted January 2, 2017 Happy New Year all! Hi Jimi, nice looking machine. It's amazing the original paint wasn't damaged by the solvent....well done! darning video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfHJ6Fr43Ys Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dikman Report post Posted January 2, 2017 Thanks Uwe, but it's all Greek to me . Looks like toluene and methanol. I was just curious as it took off the outer layer of paint without damaging the original. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Constabulary Report post Posted January 2, 2017 (edited) What trip was I on - seems someone put weed in my x-mass cookies? Sure - the large bobbin usually is the the one with the 72 subclass I once have replaced some gears on a 29K73 I bought from CS but used and new gears did not play well together but it depends on the over all condition I think. Worked better when I replaced the small rack too. Dikman - usually the original (!) paint job on sewing machine is very resistant so when they are overpainted with some standard paint the chances are good the original paint survives when you use some sort of paint thinner. Edited January 2, 2017 by Constabulary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 2, 2017 Hi dikman, there are a lot of these machines floating around this side, and prices are usually higher, 400 upwards and in abandoned condition. the solvent is just a cheap thinner for paint and varnish etc.. not really very strong compared to some paint strippers. Uwe has uploaded the spec sheet for this solvent, thanks uwe. when restoring antiques a while back i remember that the paint came off easier if the undercoat had sealed the wood. if it was paint on top varnish not sanded or paint on paint it would come off pretty good. the problem was paint on wood with no sealer underneath. in this case there is paint then finish or top coat so thats what has helped the paint to come off i reckon. it was not sanded underneath and it was on top of a thick clear coat. even then you have to go lightly otherwise you will take off the decals. thanks for the video Al, i have seen the darning machines before, it was just Wizs contraption that looked odd?? haha. well i will give the CS a try on this one folker. i have to get the feed motion bell crank the both piñons and large and small racks as these are shot! i did get a feed motion ring from them for the other 29 i have but it was just a little too thick, so when the head was screwed on it jammed! (if this happens to anyone else just put a piece of paper in between, its only about a decimal or two?) i will put up a couple of more pictures. most parts have been cleaned and some very lightly sanded with a very worn piece of fine sand paper, then(not sanded to death!) greased or oiled. the patch on the head which has a little light rust will get some steel wool to it then maybe a little clear coat or something to protect it. no shellac here Al because shellac is brown and will show up brown on the light blue paint. the goal on this one is to get it going again and not leaving it as a show piece. in some cases little is more?.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 2, 2017 so here are the parts for changing so far. as you can see the rack and piñons are very worn. the lifting lever shaft in the next picture is also worn but will see how that goes, i think it was loose when it came. the foot is worn also and the needle screw has the head broken in half. one half of the needle plate has been drilled also, as there is a very fine hole then on the other end a larger one. nothing too serious but will need cleaned up a little...... this little screw is still stuck as well as the two screws that hold the gearbox in..... not made in japan if anyone wanted to know... next will be the stand while waiting for the parts to come..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Constabulary Report post Posted January 2, 2017 (edited) gears are definitely worn off . Yeah - patchers can be a money pit - I invested more money in restoring mine than in any other machine I have! But on the long view its good to have one of the later 29K models since parts are most likely available for ever due to the Chinese clones. Edited January 2, 2017 by Constabulary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 2, 2017 (edited) Also forgot to mention the feed motion bell crank lever in the first picture has a flat spot top and bottom...... the gearbox has lost some plating and will probably get a fine rub with some steel wool... or not??? now you can see the normal wear it has. until now two days of work, 3 rags, about that small bottle you saw before with solvent and a little grease and oil. parts will be about €90 foot not included as i think i have one somewhere. you could probably save a little if you got the bell crank lever welded.. so i might try that out while the new one comes to see if it could work if anyone is interested. the foot could also be filed or filled in whatever. i might try something like that to see?? Edited January 2, 2017 by jimi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 2, 2017 Yeah, well lets see what the new parts are like and hopefully they will fit well. i think they would make more money selling the older style piñons and racks because there is a lot more of them out there compared the newer ones! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Constabulary Report post Posted January 2, 2017 The tip of the bell crank lever has approx a 5mm diameter when new. Maybe the newer 29K´s are still in use and pop up later on the market - who knows. Meanwhile my 29K71 produces approx 4.8 - 4.9 mm long stitches - can´t be much better. I figured when I put the stich lenght adjuster too deep (when the gib touches the foot) the stitches become slightly shorter again. So the longest stitch really is when the adjuster is just below the 5 mark on the BCL and have set it to the highest foot lift. That maybe be different on other machines - patchers sometimes can be tricky. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yetibelle Report post Posted January 3, 2017 Must be 29k restore time, I just restored a 29k51 over the weekend. I was putting the head back together and noticed that side thumb screw. Any idea what that is for? I see it missing on Wiz's machine so I'm sure its not that important. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 3, 2017 Hi, the screw is for blocking the rotation of the foot. you can fix it in one position without it moving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted January 4, 2017 I got the missing Singer lock screw and installed it a long time ago. It is a thumb screw, similar to the ones used to screw on edge guides onto flat bed machines. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AngieNZ Report post Posted January 6, 2017 I agree lol I have 2 29 k 53 and my mum has a 29k 13 That stops the revolving head from turning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted January 6, 2017 Jimi; I finally remembered to measure the length of my gearboxes on my 29k71 and 29k172. The small bobbin k71 gearbox measures 190mm, while the 172 large bobbin model measures 200mm. The large gearbox is about 28mm wide at the widest part of the shuttle hole, while the k71 is just 25mm wide. I hope this helps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 7, 2017 Wiz, thanks for the info. have you tried the large gearbox in the 171?? this one here measures 197mm long and has about a 4mm gap at the end. has anyone actually tried fitting a large bobbin gearbox in a 171??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
