The Featherweight 221 that I bought off of Ebay came today and it's a really beautiful machine but a piece of it snapped off while in transport...booo hoooo :-(

I don't know what the piece is called and wondered if someone might know what it's called. It's a round silver thing, around the size of a quarter, that is attached at the front of the wheel over on the right hand side of the machine. I have been looking at different sites that sell parts but this part doesn't seem to be one of the ones that are listed. It looks like it could be easily replaced if I knew what it was :?: It was a clean break so I might also see about super-gluing it back in place if I can.

Can you post a picture? It sounds like the part that disengages for the bobbin winder.
Perhaps you should get your money back, I think it's pretty hard to fix those..

I'm taking the kids out for supper but will try to figure out how to post a picture, tonight. It's such a pretty little machine I would hate to have to send it back :cry:

Here are some pictures....I hope this works. Does anyone recognize this part?

I am so so sorry!!! I would be crushed too!!!
Maybe Lostin51 will have an answer for you... you could send him a PM to take a look at this post.

That does look like the piece you place on the wheel as a brake when you wind a bobbin. Hard to believe that it easily broke off. Hope you can easily get it replaced.
lots2do

That looks like the bobbin winder. Plug the machine in, and see if it sews. If it sews without problem, get a sidewinder.

But contact the seller, they should give you a discount at least!!!

It is part of the bobbin winder...I think that it can be put back on with something like gorilla glue...Check with Lostin 51, he is the resident expert...

I would get my money back or make them pay for the new part. Maybe the shipping insurance would cover it.
Judy in Ohio

It's part of the bobbin winder. You don't need it to sew. If you have a metal shop in your town, it can be fixed with little cost. They will have the epoxy to bond the metal and you will hardly notice it had been broken off. Try a body shop if no metal shop is close by. I would contact the seller and send pictures. The seller did not package it carefully enough and there should have been insurance on it too. The seller should pay for repairs or refund a big part of the purchase price and she will have to deal with the shipper, not you.

Thanks for the info, now I know which part it is. I can't run it yet because I still need to get the converter because it's a European model.

She's a beauty but I'm with Bellaboo. The person you bought it from should take it back or pay for the repairs. Since these little ones are so precious if they don't give you a reeeeeealyyy good refund I would send it back to the seller. Sorry this has happened. I'm on my third! My last was a white one and as precious as the first! Be happy with the ending outcome!

Is the broken piece metal? If so, and you decide to glue it you might want to try JB Weld.

http://jbweld.net/products/jbweld.php

The link takes you to the company website for a description. I know you will want to know as much as possible before squirting anything on your Featherweight!

JB Weld works great on many metal parts that are heaily used. You can buy it at any hardware store.

i don't think i would glue it, until i talked to a welder..i would think it is cast (?)..which takes special welding. I am sure you can find a weld shop in your area..even a high school weld instructor may give you an idea of what you need to do to get it fixed properly.

Its either made from pressed steel or cast iron, it looks like cast iron to me.

what a shame. hopefully it was insured when shipped? i hope you can fix it. i don't know anything about them. sorry.

I bought one on ebay too. The guy that sold it to me evidently knew nothing about packing it. he put the foot pedal loose in the feather wt. box, which banged around in shipping and broke the light bulb and put a few scratches on the machine. He also advertised it as running and the stitching was messed up so the small wire piece at the tension was not working. Don't know if it broke during the shake up shipping. I emailed him and asked if he would pay to have it fixed on my end. He agreed to going $25 so I said ok, and took it to my Bernina dealer and he fixed it up for $45. Since I got it on ebay for 175 including shipping, no way was I sending it back to him. So get it fixed on your end here. You will need someone that knows how to weld white metal, I broke off my clutch handle on my motorcycle when a kid and it took someone that could mig weld to fix it.

The seller got right back to me. He told me that he guarantees safe shipping and he is sending me a new part by airmail along with a 221 manual for my trouble :D

He said that it is the bobbin winder and also gave me detailed instructions on how to replace it. This person sells some really beautiful sewing machines on Ebay and has 100% good feedback and I can see why :thumbup:

That is so sad. How is it now? I had read in several places that it's really important for the Featherweights to be packed properly for shipment or they will get broken :-(

Here is a good site showing how this woman packs her machines for shipping:
http://www.cathylynnforcino.com/feat...htpacking.html Looking at her sewing machines makes me drool, a little...LOL! :lol:

Oh Lord that is the bobbin winder. The machine will sew without it but in flips down to engage the wheel to wind the bobbin. Do you have a separate bobbin winder that you can use to not totally lose out????

Man oh Man a really good ebay seller, you are so lucky to deal with an honest man....

I love happy endings! And I love my featherweight!
A good spare parts website is 221.com. I hope that's correct, I will check next week.

Merry Christmas to all.

Jo

It is made of cast aluminum.

Hi,
I did some investigating and found Ron Anderson's site on Alt Quilting. He has parts & repairs almost any machine.

I believe your bobbin winder is what broke & the screw still in the machine should come out so you can replace the unit.
Try his site.
If you can't find it you can send me your addy & I will forward it to Ron. Hope this helps, Thea in indiana

Glad this had a happy ending. Enjoy your machine.

Merry Christmas!

There is a quilt shop on St Simon's Island, GA called Stepping Stones. They repair featherweights there. Go to their web site and email them. Connie sells the fabric and Chris repairs. He cleaned up one I bought. I am sure he could tell you.

Well my featherweight arrived today, it also has a broken part. The pressure foot life lever is broken off...also came complete with a broken needle...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr big time...I was so excited to unpack it..I was a bit gun sky of this ebay seller but went ahead and purchased it. I'm sure I can replace the part easily but that's not the idea..
That old saying, "If you think it's too good to be true, it usually is!
Anne

Once the Bernina dealer fixed it up. I ran it at retreat for a weekend and it was beautiful. I got a great deal on it, I bought a rolling case from Joanns over Thanksgiving weekend and pack the carry case w/ machine in that for added protection. When I transport it in the jeep its bungee down in the back so it will not shift. My friend did not have her machine held down, someone pulled out in front of her, it flipped and broke the machine.

That is the bobbin winder.. pivots down to the belt on the flywheel ... You should be able to reattach it using JBweld... a cold weld that is used in mechanic shops.
So sorry to here that you machine was damaged during shipping...notifie they seller. They may refund your money or pay for repairs.

I found this site a while back . Bought his book and DVD. He does repairs and sells parts. Maybe he could be some help. http://featherweightrx.com/

Linda/MI

Wow, I am so glad that your Ebay dealer came through for you.
Soon, you can enjoy your lovely machine.
lots2do

:D:D:D:D:D:D I love Happy Endings like this :D:D:D:D:D:D
This is how all transactions should be :wink: 8-) 8-) 8-)

this should have been insured, check. I know someone that deals in featherweights, if intested I can give you their number. I now I bought a machine once from someone on ebay and it was damaged when I got it. I got the insurance money that paid for the machine.
Merry Christmas
Jean

That was very nice of him. She will be running just fine in a matter of time. I'm glad it work out for you!

I would definately use the JB Weld, The most fantastic metal
repair ever invented.

Great minds must think alike....:-D...I just ordered the book and DVD today (well, actually yesterday---since it's after midnight now but I'm still up waiting for Santa). The site has a short video sample of his DVD and it looks like it will be very helpful. The DVD also has a section on the Singer 301, which has caught my eye (I like the long bed version of the 301---either in black, mocha or the 2 tone ;) )

I know how you feel. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning when I opened the box but I was sorry to see the broken part fall out of the packing. I hope you are able to get yours fixed. Which color featherweight did you get?

Hi All,

Just stopped in to see whats happening while I am waiting for the family to get up so we can check out what Santa has brought us!!

I am sorry to hear that these machines are coming to you broken. Some of these sellers do not have a clue as to how to pack a machine. Just ask SewJoyce how I pack one up, she will tell you that you can throw it off of a roof and it would live to tell about it.

The bobbin winder issue.... after you swap out the part which is very simple, save the pieces just in case. I can fix them and have many times but I always weld them up. I have welded so many different types of metals including the exotics (titanium, magnesium, 503 stainless) its just second nature to me now. I even welded a glass coke bottle to the side of a steel beam on a bet one time. That one use an old indian trick I learned years ago but it blows peoples minds everytime LOL!!

Back to the other FW, the presserbar lever is not that hard to replace but it takes some finessing to to snake it in its spot and if I remember correctly you have to pull the presser foot bar out of the machine to get it in. Its not a hard job to do, but make sure you are careful not to strip the screw slots trying to undo the bar. Kroil or PB Blaster is your best friend when trying to loosen screws.

PM me and I might have the service manual or at least a parts blow up so you can see what you have to go through to get it changed out. Plus it will have the Singer part numbers for the parts that you need.

Billy

Thank you Billy.
We are trying to replace the feeddogs on an old singer...we can't get the screws out of the presser plate. Thank you for the tip of the PB Blaster or the Kroil...
Next question... where do we find this stuff?

did you buy insurance from seller if you did they can replace it for you or give you back your money contact them and find out im so sorry ,such a beauity too