sdhaevrsi

Thanks, Miriam. I have sewn (almost exclusively,) with my FW for the past 20 years, so have no trouble threading this correctly. However, considering my headache, I did double check myself with pictorial photo diagrams, ha!

No, it isn't the threading... The entire bobbin case assembly and even the feed-drop control are bouncing around like they are one loose unit. I will hunt info and save this problem for a day when I don't have a headache.

ArchaicArcane

Thanks Chris! I agree, the 301 has some... quirks that can sometimes be bothersome but I still come back to it when I need a good little FMQ machine that's almost no fuss. The cat hair thing though.... that's really odd. Most of mine don't run great unless they have cat fur. I think they use it for oil wicks or something.

My first suggestions would have been what Miriam said too. What you're describing is very strange, especially considering that the dogs and the hook don't even ride on the same shafts. Can you post a couple of pics of the bottom of the machine (with the bottom cover off of course) and we can see if there's anything obvious?

sdhaevrsi

Ok, I just watched my good 301 working and the feed-drop-knob on it also bounces up and down--maybe it is the motion of it running the feed dogs?

So, the issue is the skipping stitches and obviously the tension needs adjusted once I get the skipped stitches taken care of. Unless they are related? I am a novice with sewing machine maintenance more advanced than the basics.

I will show four pictures, including one of the top side of fabric, then with that fabric turned over to see the backside, and two of the machine. (Sometimes I have to load them one at a time.)


Oh, I also tried using the bobbin case and bobbin from the good 301, and that made no difference.

Well, that isn't working at all. I'll try one at a time in separate comments.

sdhaevrsi

First two photos I can attach. QB won't let me attach the two stitching ones... maybe it doesn't like the purple color of the fabric.

ArchaicArcane

The QB might be objecting to the size of the photos. I know if I post from my phone or tablet, the native size is too big. There's also probably a maximum size per post. I know back when I used to run a forum, that was an issue and the photos weren't nearly as big then as now.

OK, I can see the dog drop moving, because of the way it's connected to the shafts. What I couldn't see is why the hook would be moving too but if that's not actually moving it's OK. If it is - and I don't see anything obvious that would be letting it (I'd have to check to see if it should even be able to, I thought it was quite well corralled by the frame of the machine) - then the movement of the hook would cause the skipping stitches. The hook and the needle have to be in just the right spot at the right time to make a stitch. If they're not, then skipped stitches and/or carnage can happen.

I have a few youtube videos I'd like you to watch. I get my hand slapped when I post links to them because they're mine but if you say OK, I will PM you links to them. The first shows how to check timing and the other 2 show how to check and adjust your top tensioner to know that all of that is good so we can rule out most of the variables that are left now that you tested with your other bobbin case and bobbin.

miriam

It could be you have some place with not enough fresh oil or dried oil and grease. When you hand rock the hand wheel slowly what do you see? A lot of times I don't power up a machine until I've test sewn with just turning it by hand. It is easier to see problems when they are in slow motion than when they are fast.

sdhaevrsi

Tammi, please do pm me the links, or I can pm you my email if that is easier.

Miriam, I have turned it by hand and also without needle and thread but don't know enough to tell the problem.

I woke up during the night thinking maybe it has to do with the "timing" which I have no experience with.

(I don't know how to reduce the size of the photos for posting... I looked last night but couldn't figure that out.)

I have to head to work now, bummer.

ArchaicArcane

OK, I sent the links. Let us know how you make out with this, then we should have some idea on where to go from here.

I'll reiterate what I said in the PM, Timing is not the "boogie man" that it's made out to be. I can walk you through timing if necessary, but in all the time I've been on this board we've managed to resolve almost every problem without needing to time the machine. I've had 3 vintage machines I've needed to time when I got them (2 came to me having been tampered with, one was out enough to skip stitches only in the decorative stitches and I knew about it prior to purchase because I'd tested it.), other than that generally I time only when I replace parts.

Depending on what you're using to post the pics, there's a different process. On the PC, I like Irfanview or paint. My preference is Irfanview (F12 will bring up a paint-like box so you can circle things or draw arrows like on the photo I doodled on), paint is on every PC though. On iOS, I usually "Crop" the photos right in the photo app. I'm sure there's a better way but I haven't gone looking. My android tablet hasn't been on recently, so I'd have to look. Let me know which platform you're on and I should be able to provide some help - unless it's a Mac. I don't have one of those here.

sdhaevrsi

Yep, I have a Mac. I thought about cropping the photos, but decided they might be too small to see if I cut them down. I'll try that here... Then I am going to spend some time with your videos, been looking forward to them all day. May not get far, though, in practice because I work with special ed kids and am pretty "done" by the time I am home from work.

sdhaevrsi

Stitch photo