Littledreamdevil

That is such a nice looking machine.
I have a Kenmore 8 Stitch Sewing Machine Model 158 13450,it looks a lot like you machine. When I want to do a decorative stitch I turn the knob to the stitch I want then how wide I want the stitch to be. for ziz zag be sure to have you ziz zag foot on or you could brake something. Does it have a feed dog lever to raise feed dog up and down like when you are doing free motion quilting? Mine just has a cove plate to cove feed dog.
Also I know mine does not fit in a cabinet (wish it would) just portable case. You are lucky someone gave you a nice machine like that.

path49

Actually Kenmore did make a cabinet for the 8 stitch machine....it's the same type of cabinet that's in the pictures. The machine has holes underneath & you bolt it to a shelf in the cabinet. And it would raise & lower into the cabinet I think there were 2 bolts.

I've got an Ultra Stitch 12 but since I always leave it sitting up, I didn't bother to buy the cabinet. I used a traditional sewing machine cabinet....put in a shelf so the machine bed was level with the workspace...then cut a wood insert to fill up the space around it...& finished it to match the cabinet.

Rodney

I'm working on a Kenmore a little newer than yours but still similar. The one I'm working on was pretty gummed up with old dry oil. I think you might have the same problem. I think Elnan said to take the top and bottom covers off and oil everything. I know that's what I did and it helped-a lot.
Rodney

NopahDesertRat

It is the same machine I have had for years. I have a manual. I could scan it if you still need it.
It is a free arm machine. They attach to the cabinet with two screws. There is a button to press to take off the plate in front to reach the bobbin area. The whole unit slides off to make it a free arm.
To service it completely, you have to remove the bottom to access the oil points.
To make it zig zag you lift up the top cover that covers the cam unit and the bobbin winder and there is a wheel with numbers on it, thumb it to the number of the width you want and it should zig zag. Turn the front knob to cam and the cams do decorative stitches.
I really like my machine even though it is left homing. You need to take the top off to oil the upper part too.
PM me if you still need the manual.

Ethel

elnan

Ethel, do you mean that every time you want to do a decorative or zig-zag stitch, you have to remove the screws and take off the top plate to manually turn the numbered wheel inside, or, is this what you did to unstick the controls?

Mornigstar

We found those 2 screws --look like a big silver button --before I saw in the manual. Yes, I had removed all I could to clean and oiled before I went to all this trouble . don't think cams are involved with this one. Seems I figured out all the buttons by the time I saw web manual. Thanks to all who sent that info. Button to release the free arm and another button to lower feed dogs . I was pressing everything trying to get machine off cabinet .

Now we have to confirm spring under shelf ---how it should be --before we put machine back on so it is able to be lowered and then lifted back up. We own a singer cabinet that one machine is sitting on but hubby is away then he can look under and compare. We don't want the machine to drop if spring is wrong.

Manual shows how these 2 screws hold machine to shelf if any of you want to see that. Have not taken off the bottom to oil which manual shows but I did free up the one dial. Don't have to take top off --I know that.

Today have to get back to important things like laundry/cleaning then be back on here. Anyone have any idea where to find cabinet info. Thanks to all.

Still want to know the year was manuf-says Made in Japan in harp area --shows Jaguar/Maruzen Co in web info

elnan

[QUOTE=Mornigstar;7225367] Yes, I had removed all I could to clean and oiled before I went to all this trouble . don't think cams are involved with this one.
This has a built-in cam stack under the hood, has to in order to make the decorative stitches.

Now we have to confirm spring under shelf ---how it should be --before we put machine back on so it is able to be lowered and then lifted back up. We own a singer cabinet that one machine is sitting on but hubby is away then he can look under and compare. We don't want the machine to drop if spring is wrong.
That spring assembly should be connected to the inside wall of the cabinet and to the bottom of the cabinet piece that the machine was bolted to. Unless you removed it in getting the machine out, I wouldn't worry about messing it up. If you did detach it, just put it back with screws in the same holes. I think this is where some vaseline rubbed onto the spring and shaft could help. I'm no good at cut & paste, so will type this in for an ebay link that has good photos of one of these spring assisted lift mechanisms, picture 12 shows it installed. http://www.ebay.com/itm/vintage-kenm...-/191587568069
They are different than the ones for the old Singer cabinets.

Have not taken off the bottom to oil which manual shows but I did free up the one dial
I would not even consider sewing a line of stitches until both top and bottom mechanisms had been well lubricated, they all work together.

As for what year the machine was made, I would guess in the 70s, but year of manufacture has never interested me as much as metal gears versus nylon/plastic. You can google Sears Archives and look for the year.

fktsewing

You have the same model I have--it is a 158.1941 Mine is low shank and was bought in 1976--They started making this model a year or so after I bought mine only with a high shank To get it to zig zag take top dial off red dot and put it on 4 for width--then move bottom dial to 10 or 12 --- the inside top dial should have the zig zag at the top-- it is a great machine!!! mine isalmost 40 years old and still works great

NopahDesertRat

No the stitch width is under a hinged cover. You can also turn the stitch selector to get various patterns without using cams at all. My machine was new when I got it, and I have oiled and serviced it many a time. When they are in a cabinet you have to remove it from the cabinet to get the bottom off to oil it well, a real pain. I bought a used one just like it and from the looks of it, no one had ever serviced underneath. I managed to get that one clean and sewing well too. By the way, they weigh a ton and must be laid out on the back to get the bottom off.
I hope I made myself more clear.
Ethel

retiredteacher09

[ATTACH=CONFIG]522242[/ATTACH]I have a 158.19410. I think I bought mine in the early 80's.

I wonder if your button that can be switched from the red dot to the white dot has the handle broken off. Here is a picture of my machine. It needs to be oiled and cleaned because it hasn't been used since 2001 when I got my new Kenmore. I also have another Kenmore that was given to us as a wedding gift by my parents in 1973. I have tried getting it out of the cabinet also but gave up. I need to see if I can get that one cleaned/oiled also. I will check the spring mechanism on that for you. The cabinet sits at the end of my sewing desk and is used to hold my small design board and helps with the weight/clumsiness of bigger quilts.