danydany

Greetings. I have been reading these forums for quite a while, and have gotten a lot of ideas, information, inspiration, and more than a few laughs here. Thanks! But now I need help.

I volunteer teach a weekly quilt class at our town's Senior Center. It's a free class, and there is a group of about fifteen people who attend. Not everyone comes every time, but there are usually 10 or 12 people on any given day.

We were lucky enough to get grants to buy a couple of sewing machines for class. I did some research and picked the Kenmore 16231. It's a very nice, sturdy mechanical machine. It has quite a few decorative/utility stitches, variable speed, needle up/down, stop/start, and a needle threader (which sadly broke on one of the machines).

These machines get a real workout, and, unfortunately, some rough handling. I have given sessions on how to use the machines (many times), and try to make sure people are using them properly, but it is hard to keep an eye on everyone in the class all the time, especially when there are a dozen people all needing my attention, and all working on different projects.

I have told them many time that if is there is a problem with a machine, or they don't know how to do something (thread the machine, wind a bobbin, change the stitch), to let me know and I will fix it/show them. But they don't... they just forge ahead, until they get things much more messed up.

Well, yesterday I went to show a new member of the group how to use a machine, and discovered that the stitch selector on one of them does not work right anymore. There are three selector settings for needle position (left, right, center), but moving the stitch selector (a hand wheel on the side of the machine) no longer changes the needle position. (I did try the zig-zag stitch, and it did work, so the needle can still change position.) I have tried all the obvious stuff to get it to work right again, but without success.

There is no money in the budget to send the machine out for a repair. The machine is off warranty, and has been discontinued. I have the owner's manual that comes with the machine, but it does not address the problem we have. I would need an actual repair manual to really have a chance of fixing it. I do not have such a manual, could not find one online, and don't even know if it exists.

I am mechanically inclined, good at fixing things, and not afraid to "dig in." But I need to know where to start.

Does anyone have advice for me, or can point me to a repair manual for the Kenmore 16231?

Any help would be much appreciated. TIA.
...dany