Bonniemac

Hello everyone ! I've been enjoying reading your posts. I've been away from collecting SMs for awhile, but am dipping my toe back into the water.

I bought a SM this week, and the seller also gave me two sergers, both Babylocks:

an EF-405--which I think is circa 70s, and a BLSE 300, which might be 90s.

Any how, my question is about the older one. Are there any almost vintage--or vintage for a serger type boards anywhere ?

I did a search here on QB but didn't find anything about the older machines.

Thanks for any info,

Sue
shepherd to a 66 Red Eye Treadle, a 201, a 99K, 401a, Necchi Supernova Ultra, Pfaff 18, and vintage Bernina 830

miriam

A serger is just only sewing machine with a lot more thread and gizmos. I threw mine out a window - well not really but I always wanted to so I took a sledge hammer to a Touch and Sew instead. I think you have to have a lot of patience. I wish there was info on sergers. I also would like info on Dremel tools and what they do... But neither one will sew a quilt.

Mitch's mom

I dabble with vintage sergers. I love the vintage Juki's. The best way I have found to research sergers is to do a parts search. Find your model number and search for a replacement blade.You'll figure out who builds which brands. There are only a handful of serger manufacturers so many of the parts are interchangeable within manufacturers. Do the sergers work?

Bonniemac

Miriam, Now I have an image of a serger encased in a cocoon of tangled threads flying out the window I've never even sewed on one, but could definitely use it for some garment sewing and also for some home dec such as those slipcovers I might actually sew one of these decades.

and it's hard to beat free .

Sue

Bonniemac

Mitch's Mom, I guess I'd never thought about vintage and sergers in the same sentence. Thanks for the tip about checking out parts. These are Babylocks which are generally thought to be the best, but who knows about these particular models. They were in a carriage house and look like no one has touched them in many years. They aren't very large, but my, they are heavy, probably 20 lbs each in a small package.

Don't know yet if they work, first I've got to clean them up. Any suggestions for cleaning them--it's just surface dirt. I can't use much in the way of chemicals, and I don't think they need anything strong.

I do have an OSMG who services my machines who is also a Babylock dealer. I'll probably ask him if they are salvageable--if not, I'll give them to him for parts.

I thought I'd do some research on them ahead of time so I knew whether or not to even take them.
Thanks again for your idea, SUe

miriam

I work on old machines here with the help of 2 of my grandkids. Well they have learned that they are NOT allowed to work on Mommy's sewing machine at home. But the 2 year old worked on mommy's serger - yup he did the thread thing like you were talking about. He had a grand time. She still has it so it didn't fly out any windows. She still uses it so I assume it wasn't too hateful to re-thread. I think you start on one end and work toward the other. You set the tension just like you do any other sewing machine - not too tight and not too loose. Where I hate it is when you have to get that tension balanced. It's been a very long time since I fooled with a serger so maybe it wouldn't be so bad these days.

deedum

I know I have a friend that still uses her sergers from those years. Everyday like clock work they are used. I have 2 sergers from the 90's and wouldn't want to be without them.

ArchaicArcane

I've had 2 sergers. One was an old Singer UltraLock 14u64A. I sold it last week. The one I have now is a Janome built Kenmore model that's still in production. The Singer was quieter and likely more robust.

They're really easy to work on and clean. Just make sure you take pictures as you disassemble. Remove -all- the plastic panels you need to to get a good look and oil what you see moving, just like a sewing machine. Sergers are almost more important to disassemble to clean, they seem to suck a lot more in, likely because of the small bits that are cut off, unlike a sewing machine. Outwardly, this machine didn't look too bad... but once the panels were off... oi.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]474706[/ATTACH]

Make sure that the loopers aren't rubbing on each other, they should almost touch, but not quite. That's one of the few adjustments, other than tensioner rebuilds that I've had to do on sergers.

Here's a good site (takes a long time to load!) on serger tensions:
http://www.fiberosity.com/?p=96

Basically though (assuming it's threaded right and the threads are completely into the tension disks):

• You want the 2 looper threads to lock at the edge of the fabric.
• If the edge of the fabric curls to the top, or the top threads stand off the fabric, or the bottom looper thread is curled over to the top, typically the top tension needs to be lowered.
• If the fabric curls to the bottom, or the bottom threads stand off the fabric, or the top looper threads are curled over to the bottom, the bottom thread tension needs to be lowered.
• If either looper thread "loops" instead of locking at the edge of the fabric, tighten its tension.
• If the needle threads are too loose, they will loop on the top, or be pulled down for an unbalanced looking stitch on the backside. You should only see a little pin prick of the needle thread on the bottom If they're too tight, you'll see looper thread on the top of the stitch at the needle holes.

I hope that makes sense. I've never tried to type this one out before. It makes sense in my head, but on "paper"??? I don't know.

Singer's Sewing with an Overlock book is excellent, and usually dirt cheap. I love the photos in it.

Mornigstar

I also have the Singer Ultralock 64 A Have owned it for years but wanted a second one. In March I got a
Bernette that is much like the other but the knife doesn't move away. They thread the same though. Use it
occasionally but wouldn't like to be without a serger

oldtnquiltinglady

Thanks for that info, AA, I have often wondered what to do when my serging does that--now I know what to do to work it out.