Originally Posted by miriam

I picked up a Federal sewing machine late last night. I put the shuttle/bobbin area back together and cleaned the surface little. Then thought I would test out her motor... I plugged her in, put the pedal to the metal and she made a nice ear piercing scream - then her rubber belt fell apart and she must have fainted.... Her bobbin winder tire already died. Without the belt her motor sounds and moves wonderful - runs like a sewing machine I guess. There were threads and all kinds of hair and dirt wrapped around the shaft by her balance wheel - turns a lot better without all that. OH, her case (it IS a 'portable' don't you know) had termites or something. I thought someone used WD40 - NOT - I think it was bug spray. There were mud tubes all over the inside of the case top. What's left of the very fragile bottom front of the case is full of tunnels. The very bottom looks like particle board cheese. The back part of the bottom where the hinges go is made of oak and in good shape. I'm hoping DH will help me replace the front board and the bottom board. The paper peeled off a lot of the cover. I'm thinking I would like to know how to get the rest of the paper off, then fix it up nice. I put an old spoked balance wheel on her just because I had one and it is heavier - WOW she turns so nice! Then I got brave and threaded up. OOPS. Someone took her tension apart and got it back together wrong - re-did that - that needs more spa treatment... The thread still kept breaking so I oiled up the shuttle. AH real nice long stitches! I think I need to pull it out of the case, turn it upside down and clean out the bobbin area a bit more. It feels a bit rough. BUT I got it to sew! The motor and light wires are soft and I couldn't see any cracks. DH will want to check it over before it comes in the house or stays plugged in very much. It amazes me that this machine will stitch without being perfectly cleaned up - she must be very forgiving. I think this one is a keeper. She does need a name.