grant15clone

I am not familiar with that machine. If you have another machine with a similar part, try it. Some times they are interchangeable with other machines, like a Singer.
~Grant~

Rodney

Grant that is a truly beautiful machine. Thank you for the warning on the plastic parts. That is the one big flaw nearly all later model (late 1960 on) sewing machines share. Maybe some enterprising person will start making replacements. The cost of 3D printers is going down and they will soon be affordable. Then it's "just" a matter of programming in the part. Maybe use the printer to make the part then make a mold and cast them out of metal.

Does anyone know if Bergmann was a manufacturer or just a retailer? Pictures of the machine will go a long way toward getting the help you need for a shuttle. There may be a Boye shuttle that will fit too.
Rodney

grant15clone

It really is a beautiful Lavender color.
I was thinking that I could have it made out of metal and welded it to the old metal shaft or 3-D print one entire piece. Here are some of the parts that were badly cracked.
~Grant~

This regulates the Stitch Length.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]526531[/ATTACH]

These are for all of the ZZ Functions.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]526532[/ATTACH]

SteveH

you could make a RTV mold of the part and used hard pewter to make a metal one (melts at stovetop temperatures)

manicmike

I had a similar idea Steve. You could even make the part from thermosetting plastic once you have the mould, rubbing said mould with vaseline if you want to use it more than once.

SteveH

I use RTV all the time and make medallions, parts, etc for folks. In our Local SCA group I cast a large portion of the local awards. It is really simple to work with. I have not tried "thermosetting plastic" (researching now...hehe) but the Pewter (also known as Silver solder) is pretty easy to work with. I use an old electric 1 cup melter (for making bullets) that the electronics died on years ago. we just set it on the gas stove to heat it up, works great.

If I am only casting a single of something or making something in bronze (higher melting point), I use Delft clay and sandcast it.

manicmike

There are two basic types of plastic: thermosetting and thermoplastic. Thermosetting are set by adding another chemical to change the bonds (like araldyte). These don't melt (and can't be re-cast). Thermoplastic are usually softer and can be melted by applying heat.

miriam

Grant, I ran into plastic bit parts with Necchi Nora and an old Bernina. I guess I kind of wrote those off as well as anything else plastic. The Necchi and the Bernina were foolers, everything looked so well made and so much metal. The little plastic parts were junk though.

Steve, I never thought about casting new parts with silver solder.

Rodney

I know it's 40 years later on many of these machines but it's still regrettable that the manufacturers chose plastic for many of these parts when they had to know metal (even low grade pot metal) would have lasted forever. The difference in cost per machine couldn't have been that much.
The machines being made today will be even more difficult to repair 40 years from now because there will be degraded electronics along with plastic parts to deal with.
Silver solder gets expensive quickly and melts at higher heat. It's also stronger than pewter or regular solder. Pewter doesn't have silver in it and is closer to babbitt and plumber's solder in composition.
Rodney

Rose_P

Of course they knew, Rodney! The whole idea was to get people to throw things out after a few years and buy new. Once that nasty idea took hold it spread like wildfire. Then when you have one big corporation owning several "competing" brands, they have no worry about losing customers.