Fixing my Pfaff 230
 

I was recently gifted my grandmother’s Pfaff 230 which she purchase around 1960 at the same time as her own morher purchased hers. My father serviced it for me but there is definitely a bigger problem somewhere as you’ll be able to sew one moment and the next moment it “seizes” and you can’t continue. It wil also randomly start sewing by itself if you don’t switch it off at the plug after a couple of minutes left to itself. I have watched countless videos and articles about restoring old machines but nothing that can assist me with this. Does anyone have advice on what might be the problem and how I can resolve it? There isn’t any thread stuck in the bobbin casing.

I have no idea how to help you. Obviously, it's not an electronic machine, as 1960 is before electronics were in wide use. If you don't get a good answer or direction, you might join the old pfaff forum on groups.io. I'm not a member, but it appears that it's a active group from the "last post" time. The groups.io is a site that I learned about when Yahoo.com stopped hosting groups. I was in a fabric swap group. We switched over to them at that time. There is no fee, but you have to sign up.

They say their group is for old, non-electronic machines that weigh at least 25 pounds. (That made me smile.)

bkay

Hi and Welcome to the board.

While I am an avid Pffaf user - I can not help. However, if you do not find info here and you are on Facebook - there are several Pffaf user groups there. One that might be of interest for you is for "Vintage Pfaff" (which I am not a member but may be a great source of info for you) and another "PFAFF MACHINE OWNERS GROUP" (all caps) and this one I am a member of and there are several techs that usually post in depth responses to folks with problems.

Good luck with it - if you can get it going you will love it!!

Welcome to the QuiltingBoard. I would check the wiring from the plug to the machine, from the machine to the foot control (assuming that's what it has). Sounds like an electrical problem to me, maybe a short somewhere. To partially test, disconnect the belt from the motor, remove the needle and with no thread hand cycle the machine. If it cycles smoothly then it's not likely that there's something mechanical being the problem.

Not that I am that experienced with machines, but I agree with Joe. It's just logical. Since there are no electronics, the only thing that could make it go on or off is electricity or lack thereof.

bkay