Originally Posted by PJisChaos

I have come seeking help and am gonna be reading this thread while I wait as it sure is a doosey! Hubby got me this for Mothers Day and I am beyond thrilled with it but have no info or ideas about any of it. I have found very little about it actually. I do know the belt is broke, it was in one of the drawers. But, it does have 4 of those long bobbins, and the shuttle is intact and had another one in it. She sure needs a ton of TLC,

Originally Posted by irishrose

Treadlep, I think we decided your Richmond is another little National like my Leader. Here is ther tension threading page from my manual. You can zoom in to read it - 150% or 200% works for me. It's a scan of a copy - I don't like to handle the original too much.

Originally Posted by Lostn51

I oil mine after every quilt I make, that is plenty for the old girls. I dont think you can over oil one but honestly there is no reason to waste oil. Billy

Originally Posted by kwendt

That's good advice there. :-D. And actually, Billy you may know this.... is there any way to actually CLEAN the felt wicks or replace them? That blackside 15-91 of mine has the top felt wick (up over the needle bar) all dirty/nasty. I've cleaned a bunch of old grime, grit and some sort of old sticky/tacky stuff off the rest of the machine (old smoke residue?), and that felt wick was/is coated too. It's the only one that was totally exposed to whatever conditions the rest of the machine was in. I have not reassembled it yet, nor put oil in that wick... I don't want to put oil in and have it carry more grime into the metal gearing/needle bar carriage.

Originally Posted by Lostn51

I would stay away from the xylene because it will kill a finish on a machine. Kerosene is the product I would recommend to do that with. You can replace the wicks in the machine but you will have to use a good wool felt or find the wicking material from an industrial machine repair shop. But if you want you can soak it in kerosene and then replace it and you should be good to go.

Billy

Originally Posted by Maura

I just won a Singer 201-2 on ebay. I can't copy the picture to show here, but it looks like it is in good condition, the decals are heavy and clear. I have a Pfaff that will sew a good 1/4" seam, but it skips stitches when going over more than two layers of cloth and I'm ready to throw it out the window. I figured that these old machines made many quilts, piecing and quilting, and that is all I really need. I've read reviews that say the 201 is the best machine singer ever made. For $207, that ain't bad (total $246).

Then, I just couldn't stop myself. I kept doing research. I wanted a portable. I now own a 301 which has been serviced, looks real good and cost me $137 (total 167). There were other 301's on ebay which have been bid well over $200, but they did not look as good as the one I won. I admit the Featherweights are prettier, but I think the 301 is a step above the Featherweight, and only 5 pounds heavier.

I now have absolutely NO excuse not to make a dozen quilts this year!

Originally Posted by C.Cal Quilt Girl

Billy.... So visited a Yard Sale ( how many times have you heard that :) ) Noticed this little pretty sitting there, someone mentioned they didn't think it worked. Soooo after a rethread, flipping the needle around, and finding a way to plug it in. Little gummy, but not to bad of a stitch. Think it supprised the sellers, but were glad it went to a Sewer, to be used.

She Worked !!

It is a Riccar Model 040 ?A5 17014 Any info would be helpful.... Thanks