Mrs. SewNSew

I am working on a Singer 5808C. I realize this is not exactly a "vintage" machine. It's a plastic fantastic. I picked it up this weekend at a yard sale hoping to clean it up and find it a good home but I am having a problem adjusting the needle.

I can't find where to adjust it. It needs to come forward just a hair to keep the hook from touching as it goes by. I've done this adjustment on a Pfaff where it was a tiny screw towards the front of the insides that you turned one way or the other to adjust. I've done this adjustment on the Singer 400 and 500 series where it involves loosening some things and turning a eccentric behind the face plate. I cannot figure out anything with this machine.

Perhaps someone has ideas of another place to look? Is this ever an adjustment that is made to the hook instead of the needle? *I don't want to go messing with the hook if I don't have to!

Would pictures help?

J Miller

That machine is very similar to my 4622a. Behind the stamped junk, the light mount, and such is a needle bar and it will have at least one set screw somewhere that when loosened will allow the needle bar to move. You've just got to get through the other stuff to get to it. Before you do that make sure the needle bar is out of adjustment. There should be two timing marks to check on the needle bar.

Be advised though most of the parts inside that area are cast from metal just a bit better but not much from pot metal.
Be careful how you work with it.

Joe

Mrs. SewNSew

Joe, This silly needlebar has THREE timing marks and they are at the top instead of the bottom. I feel good about the height and have double and triple checked it. The adjustment screw on the needlebar only allows me to twist it or to raise or lower it. I need something to allow me to move it a touch forward so the hook doesn't touch against the back as it goes by.

J Miller

Christy,

I've read your comments several times now and "think" I understand. But I have no idea of how to adjust the needle bar front to back.
Are you sure the hook timing isn't off? Just asking.

Joe

Monroe

Maybe double check with a new needle in case the current one is slightly bent?

Mrs. SewNSew

OK I think I have it. It WAS a new needle but I changed from a Singer needle and went with a Schmetz and it seems better now. The timing is good. I have all the stitches working now except the buttonhole isn't lovely. That could be the machine or me.

I never did find a service manual or a place to adjust that needle Joe. I did see in another Singer service manual where you could adjust for a tiny space between the needle and hook through a eccentric under the bobbin area, but mine didn't have anything like that either.

I won't fret as long as I can get it up and running, but I really do like it best when I can adjust things just exactly the way I want them.

ArchaicArcane

Just a bit of trivia - I don't know if there are any Singers this way (if there are, I haven't serviced one yet), but some of the other machines - longarms most notably - and some industrials - where the needle does touch the hook by design. It's less a "snick" than a rub, and it's the tip of the hook rubbing the scarf on the way by.

It's weird because it seems wrong AND you can hear it when using the machines. At first, it caused a bit of a nervous tick for the repair person in me, but when you get beautiful stitches out of a machine and are told that the hook and the needle kiss by design.... you learn to tune it out or turn the tunes up.

Mrs. SewNSew

Yes just hearing it was setting my teeth on edge and I could but barely hear it. Those kinds of things make me crazy!