Here’s my version of “Throwback Thursday” 😉 This is a post I made back in 2009 when I was still in charge of BanditAlley, as a blog post there. Recording it here on AA for posterity.
Seeing that I can do this, you’d think I could polish up a sewing machine like nobody’s business, wouldn’t you? Not so. Though a lot of the process is the same, I just can’t seem to bring up the shine on a sewing machine the way this truck finally shone. It’s probably because I can’t use a power polisher on the machine like I can with a car or a bike.
Sometimes people will find out that I service sewing machines and tell me that they do their own servicing.
I always ask them how involved they get, and at least 9 times out of 10 they’ll tell me they brush out (or blow out – and I usually tell them that’s not recommended) the lint, and oil where it says to in the owner’s manual.
Update 06-30-2016: The latest batch of Singer Lube I received from the supplier is no longer suitable for use in Singer motors. As such, I’m recommending the use of Petroleum jelly.
Over the last few months, I’ve been hearing that Singer Lube / Lubricant / Motor Lube (S2129) is getting really hard to find, especially here in Canada. This has been my experience as a consumer as well. Walmart used to carry it, but no longer. I believe that it may have been at Fabricland at one point. Also, no longer. With the loss of the Singer store in Edmonton, there were no longer any options I was aware of in my area. Continue reading Greased Lightning – Singer motor lube in Canada→
*Note: The photo above is of a mis-assembled power connector. This is an example of what not to do, or Love becoming Electric – which is the topic of this conversation today.
I received an email today that I just have to talk about. It’s not the particular email, but the type of email I get fairly regularly.
From time to time, I sell a fully serviced vintage sewing machine on the local buy and sell. Every time I post one of these machines, I will mention that I’m selling the machine for less than the price of a tune-up. Continue reading Vintage machines – What’s a servicing worth?→
Yet. We will test sew it, but not just yet. You see what I’m trying to do is get the machine to a point where it’s in the ballpark first, then the rest is just small tweaks. The goal is to help you rule out the big problems, the ones that require repair, or in drastic situations, possibly a trip to the sewing machine spa.
Consider this statement:
Tension too tight on the top can also be tension too loose on the bottom.
Top Tension too tight does not automatically mean bottom tension is too loose.
Tension too loose on the top can also be tension too tight on the bottom.
Top Tension too loose does not automatically mean bottom tension is too tight. Continue reading Bobbin’ Along – bobbin tension→
Possibly the most common reason a machine ends up on my bench is for tension. Usually bird’s nests. The thing is easily 80% of the time, there’s nothing really wrong with the machine that a repair person needs to look at it. Sometimes it’s basic maintenance, sometimes it’s because someone told you at some point “DON’T YOU TOUCH THAT! EVER!”
I had a lady contact me about a few machines she wanted to sell.
I wasn’t interested in all of them, but 2 piqued my interest, the Singer 185J, because I knew someone who wanted it, and the Pfaff 362, because I thought it would be interesting to play with. Continue reading “Machine works and is in good condition”… really?→
On Monday I was packing up my things to go to our Sewing Circle. I was in a hurry, and when I grabbed the case of the featherweight I found last month, I managed to rip a 1.5″ long gash in my left hand.
I had a 301 brought to me last month. I was told that it didn’t run. That’s all I’d been told. Strangely when I plugged it in, it ran just fine.  I told the owner I’d tune it up and get it back to them.
I did a basic clean up on it, then I started oiling. I started at the top the way I always do. I worked my way to the faceplate and cleaned and oiled in there. Then I turned the machine on its back and got ready to clean and oil the bottom of the machine.
As I rocked it on its back, I heard the sound of “pieces” moving around with the inertia I’d created.
