Originally Posted by
Patricia Drew
Thanks for the info, Janey and John. Could you elaborate on servicing the machine with the wrong products, and what my daughter should be checking. Thanks!
From my understanding there is some kind of grease that tends to harden to rock solid that has been used on some machines. Also petroleum sewing machine oil/grease should not be used on the plastic/nylon gears. Sewing Machine Oil can be used on metal parts that meet metal parts, but not with the ones that mesh with plastic/nylon parts. Many of the more modern machines have these plastic/nylon gears that over time will crack, and will crack sooner when petroleum based products have been used.
I finally found some pictures of the 3343C's top. While it is slightly different from the machines I'm used to seeing, it looks like the top can be removed by unscrewing two screws. If possible, I would take the top off and see if there is any hardened grease or cracked gears.
Also, it looks like it probably takes cams and that the decorative or utilitarian stitches would need the cams in order to be sewn. I believe that one could straight stitch or zigzag without a cam.
I'm not sure if this helps. I hope it does a little.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.