Sad Kenmore 117-552
Yesterday a friend gave me this machine. It had been sitting out in the rain for months. I applied kero, oil, and got it turning. Downloaded the manual. Threaded it as best as I could following the manual. The upper thread tension device is a nightmare, and threading it isn't possible the way it is shown in the manual, so I had to use tweezers, needle nose pliers and 20 minutes to get the thread in the way it is shown in the manual. I tried a few stitches by turning the hand wheel (away from me, CW as the manual suggests) and get massive loops underneath.
So I decided to take my life in my hands and put a plug on the wire. Risking fire or blown fuses, the motor actually ran without the drive wheel on. So I put it on, took the thread out, and ran it empty. It struggles to run, needs help starting, and hammers pretty bad when the needle bar comes to the top. Loud.
Is anyone versed in these machines? Is it worth trying to revive? Any one interested in parts?
Last edited by Joe Ayres; 03-09-2023 at 04:07 PM.