Electro Grand My first fixer upper:/ need a coach.
 

Hi every one! I an a total newby, first post; although I have been lurking for months and just love to read the threads. I have an Electro Grand that has been just sitting in my house for atleast 10 years. It was my husbands grandmother. It runs so quiet but I just cant seem to adjust the tension. It doesn't seem to be fit right. I cant find a specific repair for it. Not a whole lot of info on it to be found. I want to take it completely apart and clean it but I am so chicken. It is not as old as some on this board, I am thinking it is from the 50's or early 60's. I have the manual but all it has is oiling instructions. It came to me with a box of greist attachments with a manual dated 1957. I will post a pic as soon as I figure out how. It has a wonderful cabinet that it pops right down into. Any advise on its care would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Melissa in Ky.

I think i may have the top tension straitened out. I took it all apart and cleaned it. The odd thing is I could not find an exact example of it to go by, It doesnt have the 2 tension plates that I see on most of the older machines. Now if I could just get the bobbin tension right. Back to the old drawing board.

welcome on your journey out of the shadows!!!

I'm looking forward to the pictures. I am mostly up to speed on the really old machines (Pre-1885) but i'd love to help you troubleshoot your machine..

There is a really good repair manual tells how to trouble shoot and if needed take the tension apart and put it back together. I have given up just adjusting. I just take the tension apart and put it back together. If all the parts are there and the spring is right it adjusts in a VERY short time. Here is a copy of the manual. http://www.tfsr.org/pub/technical_in...echanism_2.pdf
You will have to figure out what instructions apply to your machine.

I posted the manual - you may need to watch a video. Muv may have one in the sticky notes. Could it be that someone took your tension apart and lost one of the disks?

Thank you so much for the help. I did go through the link and although the parts in the tensions are similar none match exactly. I am going to get the pic taken and I will take some specific ones of the tension as it looks on my machine, I will also try to get one of it dismantled. Like I said before it sews so quiet and smooth when it is well, I want to get it going again for piecing. I can drop the feed dogs on it and my newer darning foot fits it but I am afraid it being a good FMQ machine would be to good to be true.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]411330[/ATTACH]Well I have been trying for an hour and this is the only pic I can get to upload I will keep trying to get the ones of the tension.

Hi Sambra, your attachment is a very large size which might be the problem. Can you use program Paint to reduce its size to less than its current +1meg size? Let us know if you would like instructions to do that.
Judy

that is exactly what I did and it froze up my laptop twice I will keep trying. Thanks.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]411428[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]411429[/ATTACH]Ok here is the tension configuration. The little part marked with an arrow I found in the accessories box, thought it might be part of the tensioner.

Can anyone tell me if I am missing tension disks or if this machine doesn't use them?

What does the inside of the thingy next to the spring look like? Is there something to squeeze the thread in there? I've not seen one without disks.

I believe you mean the cover part that the tension spring pokes out of...? It is smooth metal on the inside. LOL I guess I need to learn the terms. Or is thingy official. haha

Thingy is official. Is there anything in the thingy that would hold the thread? It is an odd tension.

Not a thing. It just wraps into the grove and comes out the other side. It is very awkward I think.

usually there is something to tighten/loosen/hold the thread - it's why it is called tension. I don't know if disks are missing or if it was an experimental tension. Understanding how a tension works might help you. There may be some video on line for that. Muv might even have one... if she doesn't she probably will read this and make a video showing how a tension works. You could just buy a new tension/find-an-old-one and put it on.

I would not be apposed to replacing it after all I really want to use it not just have it hold a vase of flowers. So any tensioner would work?

The tension has to fit the hole and be the right length. If you have some old junk machines around I guess you could test and see what fits. You might try ordering from Sew-classic - talk to her - she will help you find the right tension. Jenny is really nice. Stuff comes quick - get the Tri-Flo there, too. She has good bobbins. Get new tires for the bobbin winder and new spool pin felts - new motor belt - wires if you need them - dress up the machine!

I wish I could see that inside - then I would dig around in the junk and see if disks off another machine fit in there or what. Maybe it works like that - maybe someone else will chime in.

Yes the little part with the arrow is a part of a tension. It goes in by the knob with the numbers if it goes to that machine. What holds the thread?

Ok I sent her a request for info and advise. Thanks for the help. I also need a light bulb so I should be able to get it there too.

sambra,

I have a couple machines with very similar top tensions and your machine is missing the tension disks. Off the top of my head I can't make a suggestion of where to look other than your LSMG. If you have one.

Joe

I'm thinking so too. I just don't think I have one put together quite like that.

Near as I can tell the only thing holding the thread is the slots on the cover and the bigger spring which must catch the thread when you wrap it into the slot on the cover. Like I said very akward. The numbers on the dial are basically pointless as there is nothing to make it stay uniform with the rest of the parts.