Does anyone know how to clean the tension area of this type of machine? (someone once said to use a dollar bill, but that dosen't work either.) I can sew for a little while and then it makes some weird type of noise and then when I stop and look the thread has shreded to a little ball just before going to the needle, it will then just break. When you try to pull it, its like stuck in the tension area. I have tried all types of thread and still can't make it work. Please help me! This is one of my favorite machines that I keep up all the time and use constantly. But just can't handle the probs.

I've found when I get the little ball of thread I change to a large size needle-larger eye and problem solved. Don't know if this helps with your question but worth a try.

When you pull on the thread, do you have the pressure foot up? It took me a while to realize that having the foot down engages the tension!

You can try running some dental floss (I think the unwaxed kind) through the tension mechanism.

Have you cleaned your bobbin area recently? Sounds like the thread you are using might be very "linty".

Hope this helps. I think the 6500 is this generations "featherweight" in that they will be around 100 years too!

It sounds like you are leaving the presser foot in the down position and trying to pull the thread backwards (to un-thread).

If not, or you are pulling it forward (toward the needle) then the thread might be getting caught up somewhere else - like in the little notch that some thread spools have to "hook" the thread end onto.

Other than a vintage machine, I have not and probably will not clean or disassemble the tension on a "modern" machine. I'd rather bring it in to the dealer and let the experts look at it. I'm a wimp when it comes to my machine, I know my comfort zone and more importantly, the distance and $$ to the dealer :)