Originally Posted by missgigglewings
Originally Posted by miriam
Originally Posted by missgigglewings
Originally Posted by miriam
Originally Posted by missgigglewings
I received free, an older metal, Montgomery Ward sewing machine. It looks great but the gears are frozen. A repair man has had it soaking in something for over a month and is giving it back to me. It is still frozen but he said it would cost over 200.00 to take apart the gears and fix it to run. The motor hums along, so I know it is ok. Anyone have any ides about this little problem! I like the machine because you can drop the feed dogs, it is nice and clean and there is no rust.
parts machine?
What model is it?
Some are pretty easy to find.
That would mean I have to find another old Montgomery Ward sewing machine that needs everything but the gears??? That is so pitiful...'cause I would probably star looking for one!
I will let you know when I get it back!
You know, I have a Singer 401G that was totally locked up when I got it. I soaked it good then took a jar opener king of thing and turned the balance wheel. Jiggle a bit then oil, jiggle a bit then oil.... but I could feel that the gears below the bobbin were the ones stuck. So DH got an old leather belt and used it as a grip and turned them - rocked back and forth - added oil, heat, rocked.... I think maybe we hit it with a hammer - gently - don't do it with one you have much hope for.... It did eventually work. Unfortunately I got it out of time and had to find a manual and then work up the nerve to try it.... It wasn't very hard after all....
On the other hand your repair man is right. Changing the gears would be a bad job. You not only have to get it all apart and back together but you have to get the timing to work and who knows what else. For $200 you might be able to get several machines that are in working order and need minimum repairs or parts. Or you might get several in non-working order that are similar and use parts off the donor to fix the others. I have a Singer 500 that has donated her throat plate, her bobbin plate, her needle bar, her stitch selector, the spring that holds the bobbin holder in place, her stitch length knob, the motor, the nose cover, the tension, the light, the feet, the disks, the cord, the foot control and so on. Those parts went on various Singers 401A, 401G, 404, 403, a Singer 411G, a different Singer 500, & a Singer 503. So far, I haven't needed the same part for anything. I have only had to mail order one thumb screw. There were times when I was good and glad to find a thread guide that wasn't rusted out and put it on a different machine. So would you say I wasted that Singer 500 machine?