Perhaps I'll think on it, and get DH involved. He's been working on motors since he could walk. Between the bunch of us, we should be able to come up with a reason. My question is what changes by the time it slows down? Has it generated heat anywhere by there? Anything swelling? I hope not, but.... either of those would close up tolerances and slow things down. Does the motor labour?
How long do you get to sew before it slows down?
The rescue 401 is 100% now. The pin was loosened by turning it upside down, hitting it with a rubber mallet from the bottom, then the side of a pair of pliers from the top until it worked loose enough to pull out. I don't think that's an apprroved use of pliers, but I won't tell anyone. Oops.
Once it was out, we cleaned and polished the pin and the "bore". oiled the daylights out of it and reassembled. Just like new.
If it hadn't had a cat pee on it sometime in its past, it would be a keeper. Peroxide, baking soda and hand soap took care of that, but I don't want to run the risk of one of our cats thinking it's a stand up litter box because of some molecule of smell I didn't get off it. Instead, I'm going to list it in the local Buy and sell. How much do you sell a machine for that you spent between 7 and 12 hours cleaning and tuning up?
Do you tell them that earlier that week it was a boat anchor?