I'm sorry to be bugging you all again, but I'm still trying to work my way around the Featherweight I bought from a friend. I've posted before about the smelly issue so I won't get into that again. Now I have another question about something else, so I hope you'll indulge me.
I'll start with something positive (because I feel like all I've done for the past month is complain about this machine!) it certainly does make a perfect stitch. However, 99% of the time when I press on the pedal - it came with a grey pedal, which I read on another internet resource is an actual vintage pedal - the machine will not "go". I have to turn the hand wheel to get it to actually run. I have oiled the machine several times already but that doesn't seem to be the problem. I'm wondering if there's something actually wrong with the pedal or with the machine's wiring.
In oiling her today, I was looking underneath at the wiring, which again I was told (on another Featherweight group) not to touch or clean because it's coated in lead. I noticed that there seem to be some frayed spots, but since I'm not mechanically-included at all, I don't know if this is what they are supposed to look like, or if there's a problem. I have attached some photos of the underside of my machine - can anyone can tell me if they see anything that looks odd or off? (The second picture shows the spot where I think it looks really frayed, with three little pieces sticking out.)
At this point I am just really frustrated. I may have bought the machine inexpensively (it was $250) but I feel as though I'm going to end up spending more money just to feel comfortable using it... I should have spent more money at the outset and bought from someone who really was a restorer. I don't know if I should buy a new pedal, which would cost at least $50, or just bring it to a qualified repair person who can take a look at it.
Okay, I'm done whining for today.
Any help is appreciated.