manicmike

Hi Cecilia,
1. Does it get to full speed when you push the button all the way? If it does and gets there suddenly an adjustment should fix it, but if it never gets fast it isn't the foot controller at all. There are two strips of copper which bridge when you push it down all the way, bypassing the FC. If it's bridged and still slow, I'd be disconnecting the drive belt and testing again. If it still doesn't go full speed there is a problem with your motor. If it does, your belt is too tight or the machine needs lube.
2. The stitches should be excellent. As unlikely as it sounds, I'd check the hook timing. It's the primary candidate for this set of issues.
3. See 2. The needle could be hitting something "down there".

manicmike

Your attachments didn't work for me: Threading diagram (small one) here

Mrs. SewNSew

It sure looks purdy! Here is some info I've used to adjust foot controllers but I am not sure that the slowness is about the controller or whether it could be the motor. Hmmmm.. I would try adjusting the controller first.

If you hear the snap, crackle, pop, definitely make SURE it is wired correctly! I had a carbon pile type controller recently making snap crackle and hiss and it was the carbon drying out after being kept in a damp environment. Once it dried out, no more sounds! BUT, it was scary. I was wise to be nervous and thus extremely careful. Also with any snapping, be checking for a capacitor inside the motor (unplugged). i hope it's just a couple more minor adjustments!

Cecilia S.

Thanks, Mike! Did my photos come through of the stitches, by the way? Regarding #2 and 3... CRUD, I fear timing.

Regarding #1; no there are no lurches; just a fair amount of buzz at the beginning, then once she gets going, a very slow start altogether, and never fully goes fast.

Now, when you say there are two strips of copper which bridge; do you mean the copper strips which receive the screws to attach the wires; they are meant to bridge with the copper part of the foot controller which moves as one depresses the pedal? If so, I may not have it calibrated properly; when full-pedal-pushed, the movable part of the rheostat does not contact those two copper pieces. Should they? Thank you in advance! Would you like me to post a photo to be clear, or was the description clear enough?

Mrs. SewNSew

http://www.archaicarcane.com/singerattheraces/ Duh. Forgot the info.

Cecilia S.

Thanks Mike. It is hard to see on the photo of the link you sent me, but it does not appear as though I am meant to thread the thread through the little hole. Makes sense. I wonder, then, what that hole is for? Any ideas? So curious!

Here I will try again my stitch photos. White bottom thread, blue top.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485956[/ATTACH]

Cecilia S.

Here are the top stitches.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485957[/ATTACH]

Cecilia S.

This is the hole that I am curious about! Quite sure (esp after seeing Mike's threading diagram link) that the thread simply goes under the little arm, as though the hole did not exist. But what would the hole be used for?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485958[/ATTACH]

Cecilia S.

Mrs Sew and Sew, thank you. It is a carbon pile rheostat; the most likely source of the popping is as you describe. No capacitors anywhere in it or the motor. But yes, I will definitely check the wiring.

Mrs Sew and Sew, and Tammi, if you read this; the link that Mrs S&S sent was to a page describing the button style foot controller. Mine is not the same on the outside, but indeed the idea is the same on the inside. So, it seems I likely have calibrated it incorrectly while re-assembling. I will take some time tonight to see if I can remedy that.

Thank you!

J Miller

Cecilia,

From what I can see on my monitor there's nothing wrong with the thread tension.

You thread the machine through the hole in the arm for embroidery and darning. Otherwise the thread goes under the arm.

Joe