bkay

Janey is amazing, isn't she? I once said (and still maintain) she has a special mojo with Mr. Google.
bkay

OurWorkbench

Ah, shucks. Thank you.

John says I'm elevenacious, because I'm beyond tenacious.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

DawnFurlong

I know this thread is over a year old, but so glad I stumbled upon it! I have a recently acquired Singer 66, from 1916, with a non-functioning bobbin winder. The whole mechanism seems a bit loosey goosey as it is attached. I was hoping that I could get by with replacing the bobbin tire and cleaning what I could reach with it attached. Alas, that is not the case. There are 2 hook arms behind and down the main mechanism (I am not home to be able to snap a picture and I don't know what they are called, but the 2 arms come together). I'm thinking there is something wrong with a spring around those 2 parts (I believe there is a spring there). Also, the bobbin mechanism, when pushed down to engage, just pops back up. Which makes me thing spring somewhere. I might be way off, as I am typically not the least bit mechanical!

I had stumbled upon Errant Pear's blog yesterday, and was very amused at her disclaimer (and more than nervous at the thought of disassembling my bobbin winder lest I mess it up and it doesn't work when I reassemble. You know, I end up with extra parts at the end). Now I guess I don't have to worry about messing it up as it doesn't work as it anyway! I've watched a couple of YouTube videos as well. Not being mechanical I can get lost in the process. I will be taking A LOT of pictures, from every angle. Maybe I will drag my husband in to see it before I begin. He is mechanical (but no interest in sewing machines). He'd rather be golfing.

OurWorkbench

I found Errant Pear's link for the bobbin winder at http://errantpear.blogspot.com/2012/...in-winder.html I thought I remembered that there were at least two springs. I remember it being kind of fiddly to get the springs on correctly. I just quickly glanced at a couple of videos about taking it apart - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vExPGb34JFM and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmIJuOjz3wU Personally I like Errant Pear's a little better as it has good pictures of just the parts and how they go together.

Dawn I'm wondering if one of the springs broke or maybe it was just put together wrong.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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DawnFurlong

I also was wondering if the assembly was put back on wrong. Okay, hoping!! If not that, I am also thinking either the spring is missing or broken. I do like that Errant Pear has so many pictures as well.

I also discovered that I am missing the thread guide that goes above the needle clamp. I think I just located that part at SingerOnline.com

DawnFurlong

So the bobbin assembly was not put together right. One of those 2 arms in the back needed to be placed above a little ledge (not sure how to describe it), and one of the arms (finger? ) goes below. The arm on the bottom is what rests against the bobbin while it's winding. The arm on top is what pops on and off when moving the bobbin assembly up and down (engaging or disengaging it). When reassembling this particular part, I moved the finger of the spring to the 3rd hole on the right before screwing the dual arms back on. I'm not adept at adding photos online, I know that would be better. It was fiddly to get the screw in because you had to hold 2 different parts of the assembly in place while screwing it back together.

I am able to wind a bobbin using the handwheel. I was not able to wind using the treadle, still trying to understand how to stop/start and avoid getting stuck in dead spots. The fact that I can wind the bobbin by hand though tells me it should work with the treadle once I figure it out. The moving parts are a little stiff. I cleaned what I could. I'll keep adding oil and moving parts back and forth to hopefully loosen it up a little more. Several screws were riveted in, so I couldn't get it all apart to clean better. This is progress though!!

OurWorkbench

Good for you. Yes, it is fiddly to get it back together properly. I think it took me a couple (or more) tries to hold everything in the right position and the spring made it difficult to line everything up.

Good idea to keep oiling and keep trying. I don't remember the dead spots, but I think I always used the hand wheel to start so that I knew it was going in the right direction and not make bobbin nests of thread.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

DawnFurlong

Well, I was too quick on the bobbin winder. Now turning the wheel by hand is NOT turning the bobbin to wind. I think I need to pull it back apart and spend more time cleaning. I did not undo the screw on the bigger circular disk on the left edge, I think this is the gear that turns and moves the arm that the thread sits in right before it goes on the bobbin. I think more cleaning is in order, and hopefully it will be fine.

Do you know if when turning the hand wheel, the pedal should also move? I keep reading about turning the hand wheel and then feeling with the feet where one is at in the process. Turning my hand wheel slowly does not translate into anything on the pedal. If the pedal is in the right place (not in a dead spot), I can sometimes turn the hand wheel to get started with the pedal (I think I have to get my feet going at the same time I am turning the hand wheel - a definite pattern to the dance!) If the pedal is in a dead spot, the only way I can get the pedal going is to give a tug to the big fly wheel that the belt is around. Trying to pull, spin, or turn the hand wheel at that point does nothing other than move the needle up and down and feed the fabric, the belt does not turn. Is this normal? Once I get going, the belt moves fine. And if I am in just the right place with the pedal, I can turn the hand wheel and start moving my feet at the same time and it works. I can actually get started again with the pedal if it is in the right spot.

I'm kind of thinking this is user error on this point, since sometimes it works well, while I struggle at other times. But I never read about anyone having to reach down to the fly wheel to get off a dead spot. Which makes me wonder what I am missing.

Also, absolutely no luck with loosening the knob on the hand wheel so as to wind the bobbin, and then being able to use the pedal. Doesn't matter if I try to turn the hand wheel, try to start by moving the fly wheel to see where I am at - nothing at that point will engage the belt.

OurWorkbench

Yes, when the hand wheel is turned, the pedal should move. Did you stretch the belt before installing?
I kind of wondered about the stop motion clutch knob had something to do with bobbin winding. Are you opposed to using kerosene? It sounds like the stop motion clutch knob needs to be removed, cleaned and oiled. Here is a link that may help - https://theelusivebobbin.blogspot.co...tion-pt-3.html along with https://oldsingersewingmachineblog.c...nger-part-two/ I would probably remove the belt guard to clean and oil the parts inside.

Check your PM.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

DawnFurlong

I stated that incorrectly (about loosening the knob to wind a bobbin). I can loosen the knob on the hand wheel so as to wind a bobbin, but I cannot get a bobbin wound using the pedal once I have this done. There is nothing I have been able to do to get the belt moving so as to use the pedal once I get to that point. I have had the hand wheel off, and did clean those parts. I am going to disassemble again though, so I can further work on the bobbin assembly. I will look at the posts you sent. I am also having trouble getting that screw back out of the knob to get the hand wheel off. I have had that screw undone multiple times. This is the 2nd time I cannot get it unscrewed again. My husband got it off for me the the last time. Sigh. I'm watching yet another video on how to remove a stubborn screw though, so hopefully this technique works. Though this video has to do with something called binding screws on a potted motor.

I am not opposed to using kerosene if that is what is needed for whatever I am doing. Also, I did not stretch the belt before using. Is the belt slipping? What would that feel or look like? Or is it too tight? I can certainly pull it out and stretch it if need be. I did oil again in the hole on top of the machine near the hand wheel, and any moving parts I could see (as well as under the machine) then turned the hand wheel by hand to distribute the oil. Which was helpful in that it feels a little looser in moving. I also oiled the joints in the treadle base again. I think my issue has something to do with the belt, I just didn't know if it was "slipping" or it was too tight.