timing
 

hi!

what causes the timing to go out?

more generally-

how often should i expect to have to tune up a singer 401?

is there a point in an older mechanical sewing machine's life where it just ceases to work properly? i mean....if i use the machine well, take good care of it, have it tuned and serviced however often i am supposed to, i am wondering....do they wear out? slowly become less reliable and more prone to doing things like...sending their timing off?

thanks for your help, as always :)

aileen

There is some good information here http://possumjimandelizabeth.com/xht...g_sing401.html.

Are you certain this is a timing issue? Is the machine stitching? If it is stitching, do the stitches look off? This might be a tension issue.

These older machines are pretty tough and very reliable. The only time I've had a timing issue was my own fault. I used hand quilting thread which has a glaze. It didn't take long for the machine to be throw out of time.

Sewing over those big "quilting" pins will throw the timing off and damage the hook. I tell all of my students to throw those big things away and get the patchwork pins or extra-fine glass head pins.

On those 401's I've seen the motor wear out and slow down, but not have the timing off.

I have yet to see the timing off on a vintage machine like a 401 unless Igor or Bubba have been working on it before I got it. Too often timing is blamed when other things are actually the culprit. I've also never seen a worn out motor on one. Ones that need to be serviced, but not worn out.
I also sew over pins all the time. Occasionally break a needle or bend a pin but I've never thrown off the timing in a vintage machine. I am careful however when I sew over pins with a newer machine, knowing that it could happen.

Cari

I've seen hundreds of machines and timing being off isn't something I've seen unless it was caused by something other than timing. I've made a machine go out of time by doing stupid things but they don't just wear out and go out of timing for no reason that I have yet seen. I had a machine with a bent needle bar be out of timing but it was because it was a bent needle bar not because it was out of timing. I've had a loose shuttle because I loosened it. Sewing over a pin with an old black machine might make a nick in the hook from the needle being bent and forced but I doubt if it will go out of timing and even then I think it takes a lot of stupidity to get a burr. If you are trying to sew through heavy fabric you will need a needle made to do that. If the needle isn't enough you may need an industrial machine and even then some are not made for heavy fabrics. I have an old worn beater Singer 15-75 that sews through amazing amounts of fabric. The worst case I can imagine with that machine would more likely be a bent needlebar from weight or pulling stuck fabric than for that machine to go out of timing.