OMGosh!! Ladies....my New Home tension is just exactly like some shown here...I don't have that big piece on the bottom....it's just like Judy's!!! HURRAY!!! It is bent however, but I can staighten that. So to set the tension I just turn that little knob, right? And if I take this all apart for cleaning there isn't going to be any spring to watch fly across the room is there? The tension is just between the little metal piece on the left side and the long bent piece on top, I'm thinking!! I talked to a maintenance guy at work and he's gonna try to solder the thread guide on the face plate, and I'm gonna ask if he knows something that will clean it up. It's like it's been varnished or something. It might need kerosene to come clean. Oh, thank you all so much for helping me with this! For pointing out the Smithsonian pics! I go so wrapped up in the pics on here that I forgot mine isn't exactly like all of yours! Well, now it has some sisters!!
So, tonight I give it another go! Should be good to go. After I fix the threading issue!
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