BoJangles

Chris make sure you are not putting oil on the gears where there is suppose to be Singer lubricant!

Did you take off the bottom cover and get a flashlight to clean really good around the hook/race? I spent one whole Girls Night Out trying to get a FW that was frozen solid fixed. I ended up pulling - with tweezers - a lot of thread and even long hair that had wound around the hook and bobbin area! You couldn't even see some of it until I put oil in there, but even hair can mess up/freeze up those machines. You need to look under there at every angle you can - and clean everything out that shouldn't be there!

On a happier note, I took my 201-2 apart to see why it only makes a 3/4 turn - then is stuck solid! Remember, this is the machine I got for $20 after it had been sold and returned on E-bay. It was packed so bad the case had been crushed! Well, I now know why it won't make a full revolution with the hand wheel - the needle bar is bent and cracked! After removing the feed dogs, position finger, face plate, and watching the machine as I tried to turn the hand wheel all the way around I saw it! Geeze! I must of been blind the first time I tried to get it 'unstuck!' There is a definite crack and bend right where the thing stops moving! Well, that 201-2 is going to be a parts machine. It is nice to know this so I can go on to something else and quit messing with it!

Nancy

Bennett

Sounds like you've been blessed with some good teachers too! Glad you are here passing on that knowledge.

Bennett

Vavava Voom!!! I'd make room for one of those--my favorite color.

Candace

Nancy, did you undo the silver knobs that lock in the bite lever?It's clear someone was using the 15 x 1 needles with it. Probably trashed the bobbin case and it got thrown out because of that.

Candace

Wow, wow, wow. Look at this Bad*ss machine. http://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/fuo/3039950429.html I've never seen anything like it. Makes me think it's Necchi x Steampunk = wild sewing machine!

miriam

Yeah and he bakes scones too!

miriam

Nancy, it is pretty easy to change out a needle bar. All you need is a straight one that will fit. I did it once with fear and trembling. It is NOT very hard at all. I think the hard part was to get it back into timing and you have already timed one I think.

Does that 306 have it's stitch control race on the bottom of the machine like the 319? It might need some attention under there and inside it - once that is cleaned up it might move better up above. Friflow works wonders. Oh and I have a twin to the 306. So far, mine sews, needs more TLC - it sure is an ugly thing.

miriam

I use Triflow when I am oiling something like that. I oil and I try to rock the wheel. It sounds like your wheel is off the clutch. You might take that balance wheel off and try oiling inside there. You may need to try turning that shaft a bit with out the wheel on it after you oil everything. Then oil the other side of it, inside the machine. Go to the next moving (well, stuck but supposed to move) part. Keep going until you get to the needle. It is the oil that is dried up and you can't see that the Triflow will have to dissolve. Turn the machine upside down. Oil anything that remotely might move. Look in the end on the right and up. There are all kinds of things up in there that move. Some times it is the thingy that looks like a wrench with a nut on the end of it that goes back and forth - look for places like that where lots of oil could be dried up. The thing you use to drop the feed dogs can gunk up inside - turn the machine on end, over, on the other end, upside down and use Triflow. You may need to use a little heat. Triflow oil. Time. Heat. Repeat another day.

BoJangles

Yes, I undid both the screws. I tried everything, thinking this machine just works different from the 319w. That bight lever on top that should change the needle position will not budge. I even had my DH take a look. Something inside is frozen up. I even took off the top to see if I could get to the bight controller that way - no go - it is cast metal and sealed in. Next I will have to take the whole bight control off the machine, but right now I have it resting in oil and trying some of Miriam's suggestions for getting it to loosen up.

I think the lady I got it from knew more than she said. When I told her the bobbin case is missing, her daughter said, "no, nothing is missing." She described the case to her daughter - after telling me she knew nothing about sewing machines or how they work. She jumped on it when I told her I wouldn't pay more than $25 for the machine with that part missing. Yeah, I think they tried using 15x1's as the cabinet had several packages in different fabric sizes.

What does work on this machine is very smooth. It sewing so quietly, it is a pleasure to sew with and listen to. You know my 319w is in treadle so I hear the treadle when I sew - I hadn't heard one of these sew with a motor before. I am very impressed - it just sounds so nice. I hope I can get the bight lever to work. If not, I will just keep it for an alernate to the 319w. I really really like the feel and sound of this machine.

Nancy

BoJangles

Miriam, I am pretty sure the stuck bight control lever has a problem within the bight control knob. I will just keep trying to figure it out! I just wanted to make sure if you all knew some little secret I didn't know about how to get that lever on top to move you'd tell me! Like if there was some secret formula - move this, change this, then the lever to move the needle position would move! Luckily, that lever just changes needle positions, the machine sews great. Yes, I agree the 306w in this crinkle finish is not pretty, but it is so solid it just flows when sewing. I have been using my 301a a lot. That machine is light - aluminum - so it sounds more tinny (spelling?).

I know you have changed out a needle bar, I am just not sure I want to do that for a $20 machine I don't need and would have trouble selling for much more. I know once I take off the needle bar, I will 'have' to retime the machine. I just don't know if I want to spend the time on that 201 when I know another one will come along. I am more interested in getting my little Damascus sewing and getting my 306w completely working. I only have one other machine I have not fixed - I fix them all - and it is a gold colored Light Running New Home without a motor. Everything else I have - and I have over 50 now - works!

Nancy