Mix and Match

At the beginning of the week I got in touch with someone selling a Singer 15 for a low price but I already have several and wasn't looking for another one but (and there's always a but) this one has a trapezoid case:

Singer trapezoid carrying case

Singer 15's did not come in trapezoid cases, only Singer 301's as far as my experience tells me. I wanted that case! It's not too far out of my way to stop on my way home to check it out. It's a really cold day so when I drive up and find it on the back step I know this is going to be quick. When the case is opened I see the 15 neatly tucked away in a nice wood base so it does fit but when the hand wheel is turned.. it gets stuck. I look it over and see the finish on the sewing machine is not in very good shape but still looks functional and comes with two boxes of accessories. The motor looks very dirty but not unsafe and the hand wheel is spoked and very shiny. This appears to be some kind of conglomeration of models and parts: Singer 15 with donated spoked hand wheel in a 301 trapezoid case with enough accessories for two sewing machines. I go ahead and buy it anyway because of the case that is in very good condition. Before I can drive away he runs out to the front of the house and flags me down: they have another one.

During our conversation he has already told me he has a black sewing machine with one of the "wood covers that is curved" but it was at another house and would I be interested? I said sure just call me when you have it. So what was this arm waving all about? It wasn't at another house? No, when he goes back into the house his father mentioned a sewing machine they had and maybe I would be interested. We go out to the garage and find a Singer bentwood case in very good condition but it's locked onto the base with no key. Easy, I tell them, just get a small screwdriver with maybe a star or square tip. One is finally found and it's opened to find a pristine Singer 99. We were all surprised because the case hadn't been opened for three years and they weren't sure what was inside at this point. It get plugged in: it runs fine so it goes home with me. It's a two for Tuesday Monday and I go home happy.

Singer 99 (and I haven't even cleaned it up yet)

Once I take a good look at the Singer 15 I can see the hand wheel doesn't want to turn because it needs to be in a taller base. Once I put it in one of my new wood bases it runs fine. Just as I had suspected, it was taken from somewhere else and put into the trapezoid carrying case. Since it has a spoked hand wheel already, I pop a hand crank on it and take some stitches to find it's going to be a great sewing machine:

Singer 15 with spoke hand wheel

Take a look at the finish on the bed: what is going on there? Is it some kind of mold? Do I need to clean it?  Hate to tell you but it is clean and that looks to me like it's the clear coat coming off. Oh dear, this isn't good but with the Singer name worn off and the bed in this kind of shape it might be a candidate for a new paint job. Now what color would you suggest? It's a contest! I will go with the color that is suggested the most so vote now (and vote often).