Universal Zig Zag LTZ (made in Japan) - Need help with new to me machine
 

Looking for more info, perhaps a manual, and a little help. I'm trying to restore/use my Gran's old machine. New to sewing, new to vintage machines, ADHD and learning fast.

Right now my main problem is that the needle appears to be hitting metal in the bobbin area. Unsure if this is user error, or a timing issue. I have replaced the needle with a modern universal needle. I have only ran the machine while a needle is in it by turning the hand wheel, but have tested the motor without a needle, motor and light all appear to work.

So far I have:
- Cleaned and oiled. (could use more cleaning, but it's so much better than where I started). Everything that moves or I think should move has been oiled.
- Fixed upper tension knob.
- Attempted to sew by turning the wheel. (before changing anything it seemed like it was working, but tension was messed up, so I started fiddling with the bobbin, and had to fix the upper tension dial so it actually worked. Now that tension dial is working, but the needle is hitting in the bobbin area, which has me thinking I am doing something wrong).
- Plugged it in to test that the motor and light actually function before spending more time lol. The light should be replaced with something that actually fits, but I admire my Granny's DIY spirit (That's a Christmas light with the paint scratched off).

Link to three Videos of what I'm seeing when turning the wheel. (A Google Photos album). Pics of the machine below for reference.

https://i.imgur.com/bDT6dtX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/R364a9I.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nUHPGXk.jpg

I actually got this machine running. :) Apparently even though it says ZigZag machine, it only does straight stitching unless I just haven't figured everything out yet. lol A manual would still be nice to find.

Often, the only way to find your manual is by the picture of the machine. Many times, the machine was sold under several different names, like Universal, seamstress, Morse, etc. If you go to a sewing machine manual site and look for a drawing of your machine, you might find a manual to match your machine.
bkay

It definitely should zig and zag. That 12345 slider across the top is almost certainly the width control. Sliding it to the right should make a zig zag, though I don't know what the 2 round knobs to the left are.

If you move it to the right and it doesn't make a zig zag, there's probably more gummed up inside you need to find. DON'T force that slider if it doesn't move easily. Figure out why it's stuck. It's a rewarding task to make it sew again.

The videos help but it's just hard to tell much without being there in person. The last video does look like the needle is being deflected but its just hard to tell why. Very well could be out of time. Almost has to be, I'd say.

EDIT: I'm going to speculate that the 2 little knobs at the top limit the travel of the width controller. I have an old White machine with a slider type width control with similar limiters. I think the idea is that you can set a range of width and then sit there varying the width of the zig zag as you sew for decorative purposes. I think that's what's happening with your machine.

Congratulations and welcome to Quilting Board. From what I could see in the videos, the scarf was in the right position for the hook to catch.

Yes, the knobs are to limit the width of the zigzag.

Have you oiled top and bottom and the needle bar area? Sometimes the needle bar needs to slide to allow for zigzag stitches.

There is a manual for a White 1268 which is very similar to the Universal on the singer.com support site. It is not great, but may help. The manual shows a low shank foot, but I think the Universal is a high shank foot. The direct link is https://res.cloudinary.com/singer-se...ite-1268-x.pdf

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)

I found video of a similar machine and a manual here:
https://weloveharristweed.co.uk/brother-aj-28-sewing-machine-free-manual-download-video-tutorial/

That one is a little different but it does zigzag and has a similar slider. I think you are correct. I will keep looking for places to lubricate the machine.


Thank you for the manual. I'll get the oil back out and continue to work with it tonight. :)

Oh and about the sewing/hook not catching -- that was user error on my part. I had the machine in reverse, so I was getting it to sew when turning the wheel, but it was going in reverse, so I tried turning the wheel the other way, expecting that would make it switch direction. I'm still learning how these things work. XD

That is a clearer manual than the one I found. Yes, a little different - the bobbin is in front rather than the side. But the oiling places are probably easier to see.
Thank you for letting us know what it was. Glad that got figured out. I wondered about that. I was concentrating on some other things.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)

They don't really seem to do anything though other than limit the movement of the lever. The lever seems to only set the needle position. I can't find anything else that looks like it should do something. I'd love it if I could get this machine to zigzag. So far though I've only been able to get a nice looking straight stitch.

Are you saying that when you move the lever to 4 and start sewing that it only does a straight stitch on the right side?

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)