Originally Posted by Nanamoms

Miriam, my "tale of the tiny screw" is that I'll never take that thing out again. My grandson finally got it turning and out for me so we were doing the happy dance. Uh huh...never dance too early! (sigh). We moved the gib to the right as shown in the manual and I pulled the last of the thread out (I hope) so....now to put it back together. Grandson has gone to bed so I said "I can do this...I am WOMAN!!" So using the magnetic screwdriver, I put that tiny sucker..I mean screw..on the end and gently place it in the hole...about 10 times later after throwing up my hands, I rested. Deep breath, try again, then I drop that @#%& screw and it bounced off the thick placement I had it on. I looked high, low and in between. Got out my magnetic wand (the long one for mechanics), ran that thing over every surface, under my couch (we won't discuss what came out from under there!), cleaned off my coffee table and even got out of my pjs carefully to make sure that @#%& screw wasn't stuck in them. Ok, that's it....take drugs and go to bed...new start in the morning (this morning), So get up, my calm restored, and search for screw again....after about 20 minutes I picked up my tiny flexible magnetic flashlight to shine light around area and THERE WAS THAT STINKING SCREW ADHERED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FLASHLIGHT AND IT HAD NEVER BEEN MORE THAN 6 INCHES FROM MY MACHINE!! Ok, nice girl sends a big Thank You to God above.

Now gotta get that screw back into the gib and base. I tried for about 20 minutes and then my grandson tried. Now he's 21 and has large hands. I'm sure that he can't get that thing screwed in. He played around with it and thankfully didn't utter too many bad words in front of his grandma. I told him not to stress over it but in a few minutes I heard him yell "YEAH!" Success, it's back in."

Wohoo! We are on a roll. Wait!!! I put the bobbin in the bobbin case and put the bobbin case in the base . So far so good. THEN, I replace the throat plate checking to make sure that Position Finger (A2) enters the Notch (B2) of the position plate attached to the underside of the throat plate. NO GO!! There is no complete rotation of the bobbin/needle, etc when turning the handwheel. Neither will the top thread pick up the bobbin thread. I have positioned the base just exactly as shown in the manual and then replaced the throat plate exactly as stated. I am totaly aggravated when this is suppose to be something soooooo siimple. I even used my white FW as a model for what I was doing!

What could I possibly be doing wrong? I'm so bummed out that I'm ready to throw her in the car and take her to the SMRG although it will cost me $65.00. Grrrrrrrrrrr!!

Maybe I'm just not cut out to do any repairs on these machines.

Originally Posted by Janis

Miriam, thanks for the wonderful pictures and story of your mother's machine. You really need to put this all in a little photo album with the pictures and story to keep with her machine. And keep a copy of it yourself in case her copy gets misplaced. What a wonderful machine and mother you have there. If you will send me your address in a PM, I'll gladly send you a little crocheted spool pin cosie to use in place of that little red felt thing that goes under the spool of thread. If there is a special color she'd like, let me know.

Hobo2000, you also need to write up the story of your machine and grandmother to put with the machine. It is a special story that goes with a special machine, and if you don't do it, the machine won't have it's voice. If you would like of of the crocheted spool pin cosies, I'll send you one too.

Thanks again to the both of you for sharing your special stories of your machine. I just wish I knew the stories of mine. I can start from here and tell what I do know about them from here on.

Originally Posted by Gerbie

I have two FW's. I purchased both used. I would really love to know the sewing history behind both machines, would be so fascinating to put together a small booklet and keep with each machine for historical purposes. One machine is a 1935 and the other a 1937. I love your history about your Mom's machine, and thanks for caring enough to clean her FW and keep it in working order. These little jewels were made to work and last, as were so many things in our earlier history, not like many things today, that seem to last only until paid for then require a new one such a shame. I guess because we live in such a fast paced world anymore, everything needs to be like (fast food service), and all of the disposal things we use now, use it and throw it away or buy new.