Thanks for sharing! I just bought a 185k and was skeptical about its performance. I will receive my "little tractor" soon and I am already watching your videos to get the most out of it.
Thanks for sharing all you do, I appreciate you and enjoy your beautiful voice. I have like 20 vintage machines and thanks I have been able to care for them. 😊
I've been doing a project on my 15-91, while not a 99/185, is the same bulletproof time. I've had her sew 3 layers of nylon webbing with a thin layer of plastic in between. She did care. Didn't slow down or break a needle. These vintage machines are workhorses! So glad I took a chance on my 128. I'm hoping to pick up an 185 this weekend.
I'm not surprised Shellie. If a Singer 15-91 will not sew something, that normally means it calls for an industrial machine. I've never come across a machine as strong as the 15-91 although I feel the Kenmore 158.1941 is a 'best runner up' given its double belt system.
I have my mother's and it is a wonderful machine! She made seat covers for a station wagon, recovered the kitchen chairs in vinyl, made faux fur coats, copied Chanel suits, etc., etc. on one of these. Everyone hopped on the zigzag wagon so she got another machine in the 1980s. But through all her other machines - and mine (I would run home to Mother long enough to use it!) - we kept this one because it made such a beautiful straight stitch. Now my last plastic zigzag has bit the dust, and I'm not replacing that thing. This is the only one for me, and it's going down to other generations. Thanks for the great video!
Hands down, best RUclips machine maintenance video I have seen. Bought my186J at a Goodwill back in early 1980's or 70's. I really needed to learn how to restore/clean it after all the years of erratic use. Thank you for the very through lessons.
I bought this a few days ago. It was not running.. I pd 20$ and I’m thrilled I watched your videos and the bobbin wasn’t working right, nothing was. I did it all exactly what you did the same time. Finally after half the night working on it. I got it running so smooth. I am so proud of myself. I really didn’t think after seeing how someone used the belt motor turning filled with black, was all thread. Have no clue how someone did that unless someone thought it was a bobbin. It’s like brand new now and wow, it feels wonderful to accomplish. This is great! Thx for your help on this. The last thing I did wrong... would not hold a stitch I knew I redid all of the bobbin case. I turned the needle so you put the thread through the left to right , not front to back on the needle! I was used to my 3 slant needles front to back needles. I have a 403A & a 401.. 404 about to start going over. This 185J is a sweet little sewing machine. I love it! Thanks for the help!
So great to hear you have yours back up and running June. Don't feel badly as we all have had those "Oops" moments when we realize that most of the time, machines are waiting for us to troubleshoot things like needle threading etc. Yes, the 185's are little power houses for sure!!
I really enjoy seeing your videos because I can trust the sound they make. My 185 is really noisy so I didn’t like it, but I must need to keep cleaning and oiling. Thanks for these videos. I think they are just fabulous! I learn so much from you.
Thank you Laura. Yes, machines can communicate to us when they are unhappy depending on the sounds they produce. Yours is not necessarily broken but might be off balance due to any number of things. If you have checked and the sound is not a spool of thread bouncing on the spool pin, you might look around the machine for threads and thread remnants that can get caught in the strangest of places. The bobbin case/hook/shuttle area is often an area where something is caught and creating the disturbance. I have also had threads find their way to the hand wheel. (often happens during bobbin winding). Also, check to see that your belt is taught enough to have friction on the pulleys but not overtight. When belts get too tight, the machine will run, but the motor will groan/whine due to too much strain on motor bearings/bushings. I hope that helps. Hang in there as these little powerhouse machines are really tough!
Looking for a reliable resource for a replacement belt for 185J. Bought one from Amazon claimed to be compatible but was too small.. Loved the videos on overhall. Also any video on basic maintenance/ oiling
Maybe try some of the sellers on Ebay. Be sure that your Singer 185J is listed as one of the compatible models. Also, purchase from a seller that will refund you if they send a belt that does not fit.
Thank you very much for making this series for "us". Your guideline in the 3 vids here is very informative, helpful and I couldn't agree with anyone more in your opinion on both the reliability and just plain U.S. greatness of all these (1x - 6xx Singer models). I just purchased an exact J model myself and am certainly following your demo procedures herein to the dime (pun intended from v#2). Next task is to find more vids to chain 100% dis & reassembly of mine and hopefully many more to come (we have a 500a waiting as well). LOVE, LOVE the 185J and (again) all your great videos...very much appreciated. Kudos & Best Regards!
Just got a 185j at a goodwill for $45 in cabinet. Followed your excellent video and was thrilled to find a vintage bobin still inside and a unworn oil wick. My only concern is some small sparking from the motor. And a strain when the bobbin winder is engaged. Any chance on a video for motor restoration?
Great demo; I stumbled into one (185k w/ cabinet) like yours that was practically given to me. So neat to sew with them, but I have one small issue with it. It dose not have a gradual speed from slow to fast when pressing on foot pad as my vintage Columbia, it has just one speed it's either ON or OFF,. The motor seems to be ok but I just can't figure where the problem is at. Any tips? You're right, they are a workhorse.
how can one back stick with the singer16k and alike...when i manually turn the hand wheel backwards its tangling up... The machine is truly a beast, ours it survived the literally bombings and house fires, ofcorse when I found it again, it had no wood and no paint( well most of it) I have repainted, bought a complete table... now I wait for decals and a needle bar.
There are a few techniques for "Backtacking" on a machine without built in reverse capability. I will be making a video soon of one of my treadle machines and I should demonstrate these techniques then. But you cannot sew backwards by changing the direction of the hand wheel. Singer hand wheels, like on most sewing machines, (White brand machines move in the opposite direction) move towards you. If you move the handwheel backwards, it will create just what you described, a mess of tangled thread jams since the machine is not designed to sew any direction when the hand wheel does not move in the right direction.
I have a 185j. It sews like a dream....mine came in an case that resembles the featherweight case but is green and beige not black......others I have seen are in plastic green cases...any information as to why?
Hi Linda. Singer was once a VERY large company and they maintained so many factories that they could produce the same model in multiple locations for many markets. Its possible that the market where your machine was sold was one that Singer chose to try out alternative case designs. But more likely, it was the need to have something "New and Improved" for their dealers to publicize in order to drive sales. I have another 185 that is sitting in one of the plastic cases right now. Yours was likely offered earlier and the plastic one may have replaced it to reduce costs. But rest assured that your 185 has the same strong mechanicals that made the Singer 99 that it is based on such an iconic piece of engineering!
I have my moms singer 338. It rana for a few seconds even tho its been stored since 1967. Can u give me an idea about what it would cost to overhaul it? Its missing the bobbin plate too.
Hello. You can get vintage or new replacement bobbin plates for very little. As for overhauling, I would check with your local Sew-Vac centers and see if they have someone that might work on it. Some of those models use a belt underneath which is part of the machine's timing. If it has sat that long, the belt might be weak or dry rotted, but replacement belts are available too. Parts for your machine are not that expensive. As for labor costs, it would depend on the shop. Good luck with your machine.
Thank you Ingrid. Oh, that spinning wheel is waiting for me to restore its leather strip that holds it together at the bottom. It was a gift from a friend and so I have adopted it!! I have never used a spinning wheel, but as you can see, I have a soft spot for orphaned devices and machines!!
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Oh very cool. I've never used one either, but I think spinning and weaving (and fabric production as a whole) to be fairly interesting. Even if you never use that spinning wheel other than to repair it, it's not being tossed into a landfill somewhere and its potential wasted, and I find that and the work you do repairing and restoring sewing machines commendable.
I also am curious about the spinning wheel. I had a hand made one that looked very much like it! From what I can see. It also had leather parts as did the carders that went with it. May I ask if it has a name and date burned into the bottom? Don't have any idea if there are alot of wheels like that around.
I hope to have a video coming up in the near future of a Singer 66 that has the same plate and install procedure. I will try to remember to demonstrate this. Its not that hard once you have done it.
The 185J is both a beauty and a beast. But I have to ask your opinion after seeing this demo. Singer 99 vs 301. I have restored both and both sew beautifully. But my wife thinks that the 99 is stronger than the 301. What is your opinion?
Well Anthony, this is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. Both of these machines are very powerful, but it really depends on what your end goal is when sewing a project. This is due to how each machine applies its power differently. Think of the 99/185/66 models as having the blunt power of a tractor. The 301 is more like a sports car. It sews faster, smoother, and produces a stitch that Quilters really love. There will always be exceptions as I know Quilters that use the 66 and people who use 301's to sew drapery weight material. Both have strong motors, but they are engineered differently and so their strong suits vary. For example, the stitch from a 301 is made with surgical precision. But its slant needle design would not be best for sewing things like the layers of Cordura you see me sewing in the video. Its not that it won't sew this kind of material, but it won't be happy doing so. It's because a slanted needle will break before a vertical one will. So, the 301 is a Ferrari and the 99/185 is an pick up truck! Both are incredible machines when applied to what each does best. Does this help?
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage That was a great answer and explains what was going on. My wife tried both machines on the same project and noticed that the 99 would plow through while the 301 would bog on doubled up seams. The slant needle vs the vertical needle makes sense. I never thought about that. She loves both machines so I guess they are both keepers. Thanks and keep up the excellent videos. As an aside, any videos on shuttle bobbins?
Thanks for sharing! I just bought a 185k and was skeptical about its performance. I will receive my "little tractor" soon and I am already watching your videos to get the most out of it.
Good choice!
Thanks for sharing all you do, I appreciate you and enjoy your beautiful voice. I have like 20 vintage machines and thanks I have been able to care for them. 😊
I've been doing a project on my 15-91, while not a 99/185, is the same bulletproof time. I've had her sew 3 layers of nylon webbing with a thin layer of plastic in between. She did care. Didn't slow down or break a needle. These vintage machines are workhorses! So glad I took a chance on my 128. I'm hoping to pick up an 185 this weekend.
I'm not surprised Shellie. If a Singer 15-91 will not sew something, that normally means it calls for an industrial machine. I've never come across a machine as strong as the 15-91 although I feel the Kenmore 158.1941 is a 'best runner up' given its double belt system.
I have my mother's and it is a wonderful machine! She made seat covers for a station wagon, recovered the kitchen chairs in vinyl, made faux fur coats, copied Chanel suits, etc., etc. on one of these. Everyone hopped on the zigzag wagon so she got another machine in the 1980s. But through all her other machines - and mine (I would run home to Mother long enough to use it!) - we kept this one because it made such a beautiful straight stitch. Now my last plastic zigzag has bit the dust, and I'm not replacing that thing. This is the only one for me, and it's going down to other generations. Thanks for the great video!
I picked up a 15-30 from the great granddaughter of the original owner last weekend. She's a beaut. Hope to have her stitching soon.
@@shelliecarlson7015 Oh joy! Sounds great. Hope you really enjoy it! 🧵
Hands down, best RUclips machine maintenance video I have seen. Bought my186J at a Goodwill back in early 1980's or 70's. I really needed to learn how to restore/clean it after all the years of erratic use. Thank you for the very through lessons.
Glad to help
OMG this 185J machine I have is jealous at how clean its sister is. Now, it wants to be cleaned. Thank you for the extremely clear video.
You are so welcome!
I bought this a few days ago. It was not running.. I pd 20$ and I’m thrilled I watched your videos and the bobbin wasn’t working right, nothing was. I did it all exactly what you did the same time. Finally after half the night working on it. I got it running so smooth. I am so proud of myself. I really didn’t think after seeing how someone used the belt motor turning filled with black, was all thread. Have no clue how someone did that unless someone thought it was a bobbin. It’s like brand new now and wow, it feels wonderful to accomplish. This is great! Thx for your help on this. The last thing I did wrong... would not hold a stitch I knew I redid all of the bobbin case. I turned the needle so you put the thread through the left to right , not front to back on the needle! I was used to my 3 slant needles front to back needles. I have a 403A & a 401.. 404 about to start going over.
This 185J is a sweet little sewing machine. I love it! Thanks for the help!
So great to hear you have yours back up and running June. Don't feel badly as we all have had those "Oops" moments when we realize that most of the time, machines are waiting for us to troubleshoot things like needle threading etc. Yes, the 185's are little power houses for sure!!
Thank you, have watched all 3 as I just bought a 185K at an auction, and cleaned it
Fantastic!
I just bought one of these again. I have 2 ,99k's. Good little powerhouse machines
Very nice!
Pretty machine! Love the sound of it, too.
I really enjoy seeing your videos because I can trust the sound they make. My 185 is really noisy so I didn’t like it, but I must need to keep cleaning and oiling. Thanks for these videos. I think they are just fabulous! I learn so much from you.
Thank you Laura. Yes, machines can communicate to us when they are unhappy depending on the sounds they produce. Yours is not necessarily broken but might be off balance due to any number of things. If you have checked and the sound is not a spool of thread bouncing on the spool pin, you might look around the machine for threads and thread remnants that can get caught in the strangest of places. The bobbin case/hook/shuttle area is often an area where something is caught and creating the disturbance. I have also had threads find their way to the hand wheel. (often happens during bobbin winding). Also, check to see that your belt is taught enough to have friction on the pulleys but not overtight. When belts get too tight, the machine will run, but the motor will groan/whine due to too much strain on motor bearings/bushings. I hope that helps. Hang in there as these little powerhouse machines are really tough!
Thank you! very interesting review now I m more confident to buy this model now!
Glad to hear that!
Looking for a reliable resource for a replacement belt for 185J. Bought one from Amazon claimed to be compatible but was too small.. Loved the videos on overhall. Also any video on basic maintenance/ oiling
Maybe try some of the sellers on Ebay. Be sure that your Singer 185J is listed as one of the compatible models. Also, purchase from a seller that will refund you if they send a belt that does not fit.
Thank you very much for making this series for "us". Your guideline in the 3 vids here is very informative, helpful and I couldn't agree with anyone more in your opinion on both the reliability and just plain U.S. greatness of all these (1x - 6xx Singer models). I just purchased an exact J model myself and am certainly following your demo procedures herein to the dime (pun intended from v#2). Next task is to find more vids to chain 100% dis & reassembly of mine and hopefully many more to come (we have a 500a waiting as well). LOVE, LOVE the 185J and (again) all your great videos...very much appreciated. Kudos & Best Regards!
Cute little machine.
I think so too!
Just got a 185j at a goodwill for $45 in cabinet.
Followed your excellent video and was thrilled to find a vintage bobin still inside and a unworn oil wick.
My only concern is some small sparking from the motor. And a strain when the bobbin winder is engaged. Any chance on a video for motor restoration?
Great demo; I stumbled into one (185k w/ cabinet) like yours that was practically given to me. So neat to sew with them, but I have one small issue with it. It dose not have a gradual speed from slow to fast when pressing on foot pad as my vintage Columbia, it has just one speed it's either ON or OFF,. The motor seems to be ok but I just can't figure where the problem is at. Any tips?
You're right, they are a workhorse.
Mine looks similar, I have the Singer 185k. Can you do a video on replacig the belt? Please!
I just bought one!
how can one back stick with the singer16k and alike...when i manually turn the hand wheel backwards its tangling up... The machine is truly a beast, ours it survived the literally bombings and house fires, ofcorse when I found it again, it had no wood and no paint( well most of it) I have repainted, bought a complete table... now I wait for decals and a needle bar.
There are a few techniques for "Backtacking" on a machine without built in reverse capability. I will be making a video soon of one of my treadle machines and I should demonstrate these techniques then. But you cannot sew backwards by changing the direction of the hand wheel. Singer hand wheels, like on most sewing machines, (White brand machines move in the opposite direction) move towards you. If you move the handwheel backwards, it will create just what you described, a mess of tangled thread jams since the machine is not designed to sew any direction when the hand wheel does not move in the right direction.
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Thank you for your time
I have a 185j. It sews like a dream....mine came in an case that resembles the featherweight case but is green and beige not black......others I have seen are in plastic green cases...any information as to why?
Hi Linda. Singer was once a VERY large company and they maintained so many factories that they could produce the same model in multiple locations for many markets. Its possible that the market where your machine was sold was one that Singer chose to try out alternative case designs. But more likely, it was the need to have something "New and Improved" for their dealers to publicize in order to drive sales. I have another 185 that is sitting in one of the plastic cases right now. Yours was likely offered earlier and the plastic one may have replaced it to reduce costs. But rest assured that your 185 has the same strong mechanicals that made the Singer 99 that it is based on such an iconic piece of engineering!
I have my moms singer 338. It rana for a few seconds even tho its been stored since 1967. Can u give me an idea about what it would cost to overhaul it? Its missing the bobbin plate too.
Hello. You can get vintage or new replacement bobbin plates for very little. As for overhauling, I would check with your local Sew-Vac centers and see if they have someone that might work on it. Some of those models use a belt underneath which is part of the machine's timing. If it has sat that long, the belt might be weak or dry rotted, but replacement belts are available too. Parts for your machine are not that expensive. As for labor costs, it would depend on the shop. Good luck with your machine.
Oh she is beautiful.
What are your plans for that spinning wheel in the background, if you don't mind my asking?
Thank you Ingrid. Oh, that spinning wheel is waiting for me to restore its leather strip that holds it together at the bottom. It was a gift from a friend and so I have adopted it!! I have never used a spinning wheel, but as you can see, I have a soft spot for orphaned devices and machines!!
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Oh very cool. I've never used one either, but I think spinning and weaving (and fabric production as a whole) to be fairly interesting.
Even if you never use that spinning wheel other than to repair it, it's not being tossed into a landfill somewhere and its potential wasted, and I find that and the work you do repairing and restoring sewing machines commendable.
I also am curious about the spinning wheel. I had a hand made one that looked very much like it! From what I can see. It also had leather parts as did the carders that went with it. May I ask if it has a name and date burned into the bottom? Don't have any idea if there are alot of wheels like that around.
Hi! I. Clean like you say in the video, but on the machine singer 185k the feed dog doesn’t move. Please can you help me,
Thank you
how do you put the bobbin plate back on
I hope to have a video coming up in the near future of a Singer 66 that has the same plate and install procedure. I will try to remember to demonstrate this. Its not that hard once you have done it.
The 185J is both a beauty and a beast. But I have to ask your opinion after seeing this demo. Singer 99 vs 301. I have restored both and both sew beautifully. But my wife thinks that the 99 is stronger than the 301. What is your opinion?
Well Anthony, this is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. Both of these machines are very powerful, but it really depends on what your end goal is when sewing a project. This is due to how each machine applies its power differently. Think of the 99/185/66 models as having the blunt power of a tractor. The 301 is more like a sports car. It sews faster, smoother, and produces a stitch that Quilters really love. There will always be exceptions as I know Quilters that use the 66 and people who use 301's to sew drapery weight material. Both have strong motors, but they are engineered differently and so their strong suits vary. For example, the stitch from a 301 is made with surgical precision. But its slant needle design would not be best for sewing things like the layers of Cordura you see me sewing in the video. Its not that it won't sew this kind of material, but it won't be happy doing so. It's because a slanted needle will break before a vertical one will. So, the 301 is a Ferrari and the 99/185 is an pick up truck! Both are incredible machines when applied to what each does best. Does this help?
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage That was a great answer and explains what was going on. My wife tried both machines on the same project and noticed that the 99 would plow through while the 301 would bog on doubled up seams. The slant needle vs the vertical needle makes sense. I never thought about that. She loves both machines so I guess they are both keepers. Thanks and keep up the excellent videos. As an aside, any videos on shuttle bobbins?
@@VintageSewingMachineGarageamazing analogy. Love your channel