Thirty-three and Counting

A few posts ago I wrote about the 32 presser feet and what they can do. This post is about 33, that is model 33-10, a Viking sewing machine that I got my hands on. Every once in awhile a model comes along that I think would be cool to use and it's usually an older model Elna, Bernina, Singer, or Viking. I had been eyeing a Viking 33-10 but thought the price was too high and apparently everyone else did , too, because it did not sell quickly. Finally breaking down, I sent a text and it came up with someone's name: Blake from Duluth who sold a Bernina 530 several months ago to me. Since we already had a working relationship he was more than willing to come down in price and even arranged to deliver it since he was swinging down through the Twin Cities from Duluth. He said it was running slow and showed me the huge globs of grease on the works through the back of the machine. Oh, yuck! The rest of it looked pretty complete with an extension table for the carrying case and all of the parts lying around in the case.

Original Viking case is in good shape

Back of the machine: opening where all the grease was packed in (note that extension table on the case)

Couldn't wait to get my hands on it, to get all of that grease wiped out of there and to get it running again. As it usually turns out, it just needed some TLC. Cleaning, oiling with Triflow, and a generous application of heat with a hairblower got everything moving again. When I went to test the stitches out I discovered there was no bobbin case or bobbin. Mistake? Blake isn't answering texts so I surmise I'm out of luck . I have to be patient in hopes of one coming up on eBay someday or to find another supplier. But it runs! It has zigzag! Now if it would only stitch.

Viking 33-10, heavy duty but not industrial

In the meantime I'm working on the timing of a Pfaff 130. I change needles and bobbin cases (this one also came without a bobbin case but they are not hard to find). In my search for a slightly different bobbin case I pull out a Viking Husqvarna 21 to see what kind of a bobbin case it has and notice it is a zigzag model. I had a text on Memorial Day asking if I had a Husqvarna with zigzag and I had replied no but I had a Singer 237 and 190 with basic zigzag. It was a holiday and interest was waning and there was no follow-up by the requester. Now I remembered this series of texts and my newly retrieved Viking 21 so I text the Memorial Day shopper, Alex, to see if he still was interested in a Viking zigzag. Yes, he certainly was and would be right over.

Viking 19, a very similar model (sorry no photo of the 21)

He loved it! Alex was going over seas in July as part of his military active duty and wanted to take a good strong sewing machine with him along with new sewing skills he hoped to acquire. He was a quick study, having sewn a tiny bit before but never had his own sewing machine. He did confess that on Memorial Day he went to a fabric store and looked at their models and knew he was not going to be able to sew too long on such flimsy models. For the same cost he got a terrific sewing machine that would handle those heavier fabrics without jamming.

Alex walked away with a great sewing machine for his purposes. I reminded him he could call and come back with questions but that YouTube was a great resource. He laughed and said he worked at a large hardware store and always preferred when people took a short video of their problem to show when they came in for help. Maybe I will get that video clip from Alex when he is in another country and needs a bit of assistance. That would be cool, to go international again! Let's see, my sewing machines are presently being enjoyed in Haiti and Scotland so maybe another country is going to be added. Just let me know, Alex!