Originally Posted by
QuiltMom2
That's impressive! That machine looks like it's brand new.
Thanks QuiltMom2! For the looks I can't take full credit -- it really seems to have been in a case and kept out of light and dust for most of its life. The colors are really quite vibrant!
Originally Posted by
luvstoquilt
Impressive! That is a beautiful machine. Fun to watch and see if the “bug bites”. I am guessing you will have several machines before very long. It is definitely addictive.��
Womp, womp, too late, luvstoquilt. My first was a 15- from 1954, years ago. It took until I met the Rocketeer to bite, but I also have a ... few others. Mostly really really old : )
Originally Posted by
J3General
Matt, your work is awesome! Did it run when you first got it? In your opinion, would a "normal" cleaning and lube have gotten it running acceptably? Did your tear down make it "run like new?"
Thank you J3General!! It did run, but sounded gunky. I suspect a normal cleaning and lube would have been sufficient, but I saw AndyTube's videos, and the challenge of understanding the function of every part got the better of me. I think it runs pretty well now and sews beautifully, though I'm struggling with some adjustments, mostly around tension.
Originally Posted by
liking quilting
Gasped when I saw all those pieces and could finally breathe again when I read you got it all back together! Whew! I have a Rocketeer 500A too! Want to get it running better...mine is unusually slow. Found a crack in the bottom of the foot pedal, so I replaced the foot pedal and wires. Still running slow. I think if I just just it more and keep it oiled it will loosen up. (fingers crossed).
Remember, Mavis, grease for gears and oil for everything else! The foot pedal is often a culprit. I find the machine labors a bit on the pattern stitches... the motor really isn't supposed to be lubricated but I agree with Janey that those old bearings can get gummy, and short of replacing them (not an option for most) anything you can do is probably better than nothing.
But yes, I held my breath for weeks! There were some nights (particularly with the pattern assembly) when I stared at the machine and said "I can't!" until I just jumped in. I took a lot of photos and notes along the way, and that along with the service manual and the AndyTube videos made sure I could get back to "home base."
Originally Posted by
bkay
I have 2 401s and 2 503s. All were purchased used. They vary greatly in their speed and quietness. I bought my first 503 from a gentleman who had donated it to his church for a sewing class. When the class folded, it was returned to him. I bought it out of his backyard shed. I finally got tired of messing with it as my primary sewer and replaced it with a 401. I bought my second 503 at an estate sale on the final day. It hums perfectly.
The performance of these machines depend a lot on how they've been treated. My second 401 runs better than the first one. The first one was really stuck together from what appeared to be a once well oiled machine that was left in storage for years. Even thought I cleaned on it for a couple of weeks, it's never been as good as the second one.
That's just my experience with these machines.
bkay
So interesting bkay, and I'm finding that I'm worried this machine may just be a bit of a slow runner. The bit I haven't mentioned yet is like a quote out of the movie Contact where John Hurt's SR Hadden tells Jodie Foster's Eleanor Arroway about the existence of a *second machine* -- "Why buy one when you can have two at twice the price?" I have a second 500 and the colors are a bit more faded, but I'm going to run it a bit and see if I need to repeat my teardown. In the end I'm really after the best performance.