1919 Singer 66 with Red Eye decals and Rare No. 30 Library Table

  

 This post is going to be about something that I've become pretty obsessed with......the No. 30 Singer Library Table.  Usually I'm more interested in the machines than the cabinets but in this case it's the opposite situation.  

  It all started when I ran across a blog from fellow Pittsburgher and now friend Jim.  In one of the posts of his blog, he talks about the differences in the variations of the of the Singer Library Tables.  Below is a link to the post in his blog.

http://steelsewing.blogspot.com/2018/07/early-electric-singer-sewing-tables.html

UPDATE: Since this was originally written.  Jim, myself, and a few other members of the Victorian Sweatshop forum have been doing additional research on early Singer Library Tables.  As a result we've discovered that Singer assigned the No. 30 to this cabinet.  Also based on the documentation that we've found we're also pretty certain that the treadle wheel and pitman arm were an option!  This means that the No. 30 tables that I've seen without a treadle wheel and pitman arm may have come that way from the factory.  Also, we've discovered that all of the different versions of the #40 Library Table actually were all assigned different table numbers including 17, 18, 19, and possibly 20.  Our research continues...

As of a result of our research I've updated this post to reflect the No. 30 instead of the No. 40.

  In his post, he essentially numbers the different versions through the life span of the Singer Library Tables..  So when I say "Version 1" or "V1" that's where I'm getting version #'s from.  Ever since I read his post I've been intrigued with the library tables.  I love the styling of them, especially the fluted legs which was also used on some of the Singer combination tables (I'm kind of obsessed with them too). 

  First a little education on what this table is.  The No. 30 table was Singer's transition from treadle cabinets to electric cabinets.  Consider it a hybrid cabinet.  It could be both treadle and electric.  Understand that this table was being produced in the late teens (1917-1920ish).  This was a time when electricity in the US was in it's infancy.  During this time only about 40% of the homes in the US had electricity.  The table came with a treadle pedal that was concealed under a fold down shelf when not in use.  The treadle wheel was attached to the bottom of the fold down shelf.  When the shelf is locked in it's upright position the treadle wheel is vertical and connects to the pedal via a steel rod which serves as a pitman arm.  See pic below (not my cabinet).

  Also, on the top left corner of the treadle pedal is a rod that engages a forked arm that controls a rheostat for electrical operation.  This rod can be adjusted to engage the forked arm or not depending on mode of operation of the machine.  See pic below.  I'll get more into the electrical operation and the wiring of the machine in a little bit.

  Back to the acquisition of my cabinet.  In February of 2021, I ran across an ad on FB Marketplace and quickly saw that it was a V1 No. 30 table!  Understand that a this point Jim and I had never seen one in person and had only seen a few pics of the V1 table on the internet.  I quickly messaged the owner and made arrangements to come see the machine that next day.  Excited as I was, I couldn't go directly there as I had already made arrangements to buy a Singer 206 in a trapezoid table that same day.  Luckily, the two machines were generally in the same direction.  

  Long story short,  I made a deal on the machine/table.  The table was not complete as it was missing it's treadle wheel and pitman arm.  The machine did work electrically but not the way it was supposed to work.  The rheostat was shot and the lady who owned the machine was using the safety cutoff switch as the speed controller (which meant the machine was either on at full speed or off).  At that point, I didn't care.  I had the table in my possession and was happy as a lark.  The machine that came in the table was a 1919 Singer 66 with Red Eye decals.  Below is a pic after unloading the two cabinets when I got home.

Note: I've found that the treadle wheel is often missing.  I'm not sure if people just removed them over the years or if you could buy the table without it. 

     Once the table was in my garage I started studying it.  The engineering of this table is amazing.  Just the way Singer incorporated the treadle mechanism in with the electric controller is awesome.  Even the way the table is wired is incredible.  

      As mentioned before, the treadle pedal can engage with a forked rod that controls the rheostat which controls the speed of the machine.  Electricity comes into the table via the power cord and into (what I'm calling) a power distribution block.

     Below are pictures of the female plug and the male receptacle on the cabinet. Note the round two prong Chicago style plug. 

     The power then flows to a safety cutoff switch.  When the fold down shelf is in it's down position power is stopped at the safety switch and flows no further.  When the shelf is locked in it's upright position, the shelf presses on a lever that activates the switch allowing electricity to flow past the switch.  Below is a picture of the shelf locked in it's upright position pressing on the lever.

  Once power is allowed to flow through the safety switch, it runs across the back of the cabinet to the back left leg of the cabinet.  The power then runs down through the back left leg of the cabinet to the rheostat.  Yes, I said through the leg.  The leg was hollowed out so the electrical wires could pass through the leg (amazing).  Below are pics of the protective covering containing the wiring at the top of the leg and at the bottom of the leg.  

 Once the wires exit the bottom of the leg they enter the black box in the picture above.  This box holds the rheostat.  Full power flows into the rheostat and depending on the pedal position regulated power flows out of the rheostat.  This is how speed of the motor is controlled.  The pic below is of the black box from the other side.  You can see the white rheostat inside the box.  

  Regulated power then flows back up through the back left leg of the cabinet, back across the back of the cabinet, and into the power distribution block.  From there it goes to the sewing machine motor.  Below is a picture of the power distribution block.  The plug that is plugged into the top of the power distribution block is the plug from the sewing machine motor.

  As I mention earlier,  my rheostat was shot.  It was actually crumbling.  No wonder it didn't work.  As you can see in the picture below it was not salvageable.  The challenge was how was I going to fix it?  I started doing research on these types of rheostats.  I was able to determine that Singer used this type of rheostat through 1924 on some cabinets and in their knee controlled bentwood cases.  I was eventually able to source a working rheostat from ebay but now the issue was that Singer didn't use the type of rheostat arm very long and the rheostat I just bought had a different arm on it.  Unfortunately, the red phenolic material on my arm was also crumbling.  It was now time to get creative.  

  Here is a picture of the rheostat that I purchased with the arm removed.  

  I removed the arm from the old crumbling rheostat and test fit it on the replacement rheostat.  As you can see in the pic below the red phenolic material was essentially gone around where the post goes through it.  So what I did was file down the bad part of the phenolic material.  Then I went to Lowes and bought a plastic spacer to replace where the phenolic material was.  Then to keep the remaining phenolic material from continuing to crumble I mixed up some epoxy and coated the material with it so solidify/strengthen it.  The before and after pics are below.  Even better yet....it works!

  My table was also missing the return spring that returns the treadle pedal/rheostat to an off position when you lift your foot off of the pedal.  So, I bought some music wire and made my own spring.  Below is a video of me testing the spring's and rheostats operation before reassembling the entire thing.  

  Success!  Once I had this sorted out I checked over the rest of the wiring on the machine.  This included replacing some small bits of wiring and rebuilding the cutoff switch.  Pic of the cutoff switch is below.

  Below is a crude drawing of the current flow through the components of the table.

     The cabinet itself wasn't in bad shape.  I essentially just cleaned it with a mixture of mineral spirits, vinegar, and linseed oil.  Below are before and after pics of the table top.  

     Now onto the machine.  I won't go into detail here because I followed my normal routine....which entails disassembly, cleaning each part, polishing, etc, and then reassembly.  Below are pics of the final product.  

  The motor that was on my machine when I received it was a Singer B.T.7 motor.  I don't believe this is correct motor for the machine as the patent for the B.T.7 motor wasn't applied for until 1921.  I think the correct motor for this machine should be a Singer swing away motor which I believe was actually manufactured by the Hamilton Beach Co.  I have a few swing away motors but I've trying to find a Singer labeled motor before I make the switch.

  

  Since the the time I acquired my first V1 No. 30 library table, I've now acquired two more.  The second table I traveled to Cleveland to buy.  Unfortunately, some one had gutted all of the mechanical parts from the table and the made it a end table.  For some reason they actually screwed pieces of wood in to the top to make it about an inch longer on each side.  They had also painted it black.  I've now removed the wood top and the black paint trying to bring it back to it's former glory.  It will never function the same as it did because I'll never be able to find all of the mechanicals for it but I can get it to the point where it will accept a sewing machine.  Below are some before and after pics of the table.  I'm still not done with it but it looks much better now.  

  The third table was purchased in Flowery Branch, GA!  Luckily my son lives in Athens, GA and went to pick up the machine for me.  At this point, the machine still sits in his apartment and I'm waiting for the right opportunity to transport it up to Pittsburgh.  Below are a couple of pics of this machine/table.  I can't wait to see it in person!!!

  As of now, I currently know of only 12 of these V1 No. 30 Library tables.....and I own three of them.  Most of them are non-functional with only 3 or 4 being functional.  

  Lastly, I'll end this post with a quick video of the machine/table working electrically using the treadle pedal.  As you can see in the pic below it sews a beautiful stitch.