lmc8

I recently purchased a Singer 319W that came with a table. Albeit I may be over thinking this, I have two Questions...

Q1: What type of screws do I need to obtain? It is missing the screws that attach the hinge-pins to the table. The round hinge-pin perimeter measures 1-2/8 inch diameter which has a singular tapered screw hole in the center of it; and there is roughly an inch of wood depth to screw into. I've seen advertisements on eBay with the tapered-head screws that also include a set of headless-screws (a small threaded shaft with a screw driver slot on it's flat top). Are the two screw types meant to work together, and if so how?

Q2: Which electrical modification route should I pursue? The seller had told me it would need a new foot control, so I had purchased one. When the table arrived I discovered it had a knee control that is setup to push an original foot control that sits in a clip on the underside of the table, it's cord ends with just two bare wires. There is also a separate electrical cord that plugs between the machine and wall outlet; it's brown male wall plug end and cord appear to have been previously replaced; it's black female machine end plug appears to be original. So, now I have a new foot control where the female plug is a struggle to fit into the machine; it does run the machine but doesn't fit in the original foot control clip to be able to use the knew control. Therefore which route is best to get the knee control functionality? Do I modify the new overly-snug foot control setup to work with the knee control, or connect the correct-fitting questionable old foot control to the correct-fitting old female machine plug, and if so how?

I'll to post pic's soon.

Mickey2

For Q2: You could pick appart the old controller and check if it's mainly the insulation and old capacitors needing replacement. If it's the type of controller I think it is, they are usually fine when rewired and the carbon disk stack is checked (I think they replace them or wipe of each one individually). Unless you replace it with a more modern type pedal they work much the same. I would check if the original could be fixed up fine before I replaced it with something else. That said, the foot controllers with non-carbon resistors tend to be much more accurate when it comes to speed control. I have kept the old bakelite controller on my 201 since I've developed a feel for it and it's the original. I think there is a yahoo group with very good support for wiring schematics.

Sunflowerzz

If you are going to sew slowly and NOT do a lot of sewing the older original resistance controller will be fine, if you sew a lot and fast the old controllers get very hot. I sew barefoot in the summer and they can get so hot I have to pull my foot away...FAST. When we have removed some knee controllers I have seen large brown scorch marks on the tables where the controllers are attached to the inside of the cabinet. Hubby and I find we have better speed control and no heat with the newer electronic foot controllers.

Unless we really want to keep a machine in all original condition we always trade out the foot controllers and usually update the electric cords and adapter plug ends for more modern ones. It isn't that hard. There are quite a few tutorials on the internet to follow. I have three of the 319W's and I like them very much.

Mickey2

If these controllers get that hot there's something wrong with them. There's little to no heat on full speed, it's on slow speed they generate heat, that's how they controll the flow of electricity. I have sewn fast and slow for hours, and they get no more than luke warm.

Sunflowerzz

They do tend to heat up more at slower speeds, don't know why I said faster speeds but thank you for pointing that out, I meant to say sewing at slower speeds makes them hotter but these resistant controllers create heat no matter the speed. That is how they work. I hate using them and replace them as quickly as possible with electronic ones.

I sew on many different machines and some do heat up more than others but I also have noticed that the speed control is not nearly as good as with an electronic controller. They work much better for FMQ, which can be a lot of stop and start and slow sewing.

You can read many posts here on the forum about peeps burning their feet even through socks and light weight shoes.

Mickey2

I know they can get hot. I have my pedal on a wooden floor and have never even come close to hot. I sew up to three class 66 bobbins before I take a brake, usually just one. There's knee controller for a machien in a domed case, and I can't even notice any heat. There has to be some an explanation why some run very hot while others stay luke warm at most? Keeping the pedal on a carpet might gather heat? On the inside of a cabinet there's plenty of space and it's either screwed on to the wood or fotted with a clip. They should not get very hot? We hardly ever have higher temperature than 68F to 73F inside. In the middle of summer heat the machine doesn't get much use, and heat is a rare thing here. What ever the case with the carbon resistors; the new ones are much more precise speed controle.

Aurora

The small headless screws are set screws for use after the shaft is inserted in the machine base to hold the machine in the cabinet, the headless screws are screwed into the machine base to secure the shaft. It has been a while since I removed a machine from a cabinet and this is my best recollection of the headless screws. As best as I can remember, this can be an awkward job, but is necesary.

DonnaMiller

While you may like to keep the old style foot controllers, a new, solid state controller will take the heat out of the equation. Sew-Classic.com has the solid state type on sale for $16.95. They have a tutorial explaining how to install the controller. I am replacing all my old ones with this type and they are lighter when using on 221s and carrying the machines to class. Each of my 201s has one already. Can't say enough good things about them.

lmc8

Thank you so much for all the input. I think I've learned the knee control solution I need; it sure wasn't an easy answer to come by but I think it will do. It took...

1) Trial & error with opening up the power plug and trying but failing to connect both the foot control and power cord to the same plug. QUESTION: the power cord is connected to metal clamp 1 & 3 and clamp 2 is missing, will that cause an issue if the center prong of the on-board terminal has nothing to plug into? If so, is there a source to purchase a single clamp as opposed to an entire plug casing?

2) Found a wiring diagram from www.Sew-Classic.com where I also learned it requires two separate single-cord systems where the foot control connects to the back of the onboard terminal via ringed connectors but they are out-of-stock of the double-ended ringed cords, therefore I have connectors ordered to retrofit the existing cord.

3) Used Bakelite foot control cleaning instructions from www.archaicarcane.com; I spent an afternoon to clean dust bunnies, corrosion, and carbon deposits from the foot controllers innards.

4) Will also use rewiring instructions from vssmb.blogspot.com to retrofit the foot control wiring to the back of the on-board terminal, and given these instructions are embedded within motor rewiring instructions, I'll likely be giving that a try as well.

Seriously, I learn something new with each purchased antique sewing machine; I have four machines now and three cabinets.