MFord

I know this machine may not qualify as "vintage" but it is at least 30 years old, maybe 40. Anyway, my SIL gave it to me, saying it didn't work. She was right. The handwheel was frozen.

So, I cleaned out 30 (or 40) years worth of greasy dust and lint. I was hoping for something easy, like a thread wound around the bobbin case, but no. The inside was dry as a bone - not a speck of oil to be seen, and no grease on the gears. Having read that some gears don't require grease, I left them alone, but I oiled it up pretty well - hopefully not too much!

Now I can get the handwheel to turn, though it's very hard (that's by hand - I haven't tried powering it on yet). But - the needle bar doesn't engage, in fact it doesn't look like anything in there is moving. I tried reversing the washer on the stop-motion wheel, which didn't help. The belt seems very tight, but I don't know how to get into the side of the machine, so couldn't try anything there.

I know I need to be patient and let the oil do its work, but I'm just worried that I might have messed up the machine even more, although I tried very hard not to move anything but the handwheel.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I know if I take it to the Bernina guy he will sneer at my efforts and probably charge me extra because I opened it up! I'll let you know tomorrow if the oil seems to be working. Wish I understood how the handwheel ties into the drive shaft, I could try to find the connection and see if there was something broken.

Thanks!!

Margaret F