Originally Posted by
Pepita
I was reading another post on a featherweight. It is called the cleaning of a 1948 featherweight. In it she tells that the bobbin holder has to be in the right position when you put the face plate back on. When I have the face plate off the machine makes a full revolution. When I put the 'finger' in the center position it doesn't work at all. Also her machine bobbin holder is stripped down compared to mine. Mine has a C like piece on it (without the bobbin case) My machine is a 1959 would that make a difference?
Can you post a picture? The face plate is the plate that goes above the needle. The throat plate is the plate that the needle goes through. The throat plate has a groove in it for the finger of the shuttle part to rest in. If your machine doesn't work when it is in position there may be thread caught in the shuttle. The shuttle is the thing you put the bobbin and bobbin case in. It goes around and catches unaware thread. It is very common for FWs and 301s to get thread in there and it is hard to get the thread out. I
prefer other machines for that reason... You have to be very careful when you start and stop those machines - keep the thread take up lever and needle all the way to the top. Keep track of the tail threads so they do not get pulled down into the shuttle when you start.