My Singer 401 Experience
#11
Thank Goodness. I have my mother's 401A and it sews like a dream. When I inherited it, it sewed nicely for my guy, and it probably had never been serviced. and my mother sewed up a storm at night. Well, after Gilda's day at the spa she is even better than I remember from using her more than 50 yrs ago. She's a keeper.
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,867
A repairman once told me to always sew with a machine after oiling it - to never put away a freshly oiled machine. Something about distributing the oil before it's stored. Makes sense when you see the clumpy dried up oil in some of our vintage beauties.
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Victorian Sweatshop Forum
Posts: 1,271
Noob here. Can someone explain to me exactly what the "cure" did for the machine? Was it just ungunking the oil that had hardened because of non-use? Thanks!
#14
Super Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,391
I know how you feel, I have a 500 that was my first machine and it has really worked hard for me. The last 2 yrs it has given me problems. I've had it looked at my so many shops, but no one can figure out why the thread catches on something and knots up...I keep working with it, as I don't want to give it up..shes a good old friend....
#15
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Round Rock,Texas
Posts: 6,135
I am so happy that my Pfaff repair man also knows what he is doing when I bring him one of my old Singers. He has fixed my (repainted) purple Featherweight, it wasn't put back together properly after it was painted. He is very good with the old machines, he even rewired the original plug that goes into the body of the machine.
Sharon in Texas
Sharon in Texas
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 442
HelenAnn
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Victorian Sweatshop Forum
Posts: 1,271
#18
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
On the Singer 500/401, often I pull the motor out if it is not turning at all. Then I drop in a bit of oil and turn the geared shaft back and forth until it seems to move easy. It does work in the oil. Some times those motors get dried up oil in there and they don't want to run - I've had a few that sounded like a Mack truck. If it isn't frozen up, put a drop of oil on the bearing on the motor shaft then run the motor with the clutch dis-engaged.
I've also seen that you will need to drop some oil under the bobbin carrier and run it pretty good. I even tilt the machine forward and back - some times lay it on it's side to work in the oil. Be careful nothing hits on the table, your lap or where ever you work.
I've also seen that you will need to drop some oil under the bobbin carrier and run it pretty good. I even tilt the machine forward and back - some times lay it on it's side to work in the oil. Be careful nothing hits on the table, your lap or where ever you work.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
AshleyO
For Vintage & Antique Machine Enthusiasts
19
04-06-2011 09:41 AM