Stitch124

The bobbin case for the 1938 FW I'm restoring is old and had to be rebuilt. The latch broke so I replace the latch, the screw was stripped so I had to replace that.. the latch doesn't spring back and forth into place so I realized it was missing a tension spring. I ordered it and it's supposed to be here this weekend.

How do I install it? It's easy right!?

J Miller

Yes, it's easy, but it would have been easier to go to Sew-Classic and buy a new bobbin case.
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And after doing that I would have fixed the original one too. Then I'd have a spare .... whooo hoooo

How do you do it? I have no idea other than to carefully observe how everything comes off and put it back the same way.
I know that don't help much.

Joe

Candace

I'd find a way to fix it since a new bobbin case will run upwards of $50 for an original! Can't you ask the person you ordered the spring from? They should be able to tell you.

Stitch124

good idea Candace....I'll send them a message!

J Miller

OK, now go get a pencil, a #2 lead pencil, and make sure it's sharpened. You need to take notes and there will be a test on this afterwords.

>Hold your FW bobbin case right side up, solid side facing you, with the latch lever pointing to the left.
>Work the lever and observe the part the lever moves back and forth, that is the latch. You replaced it so you should know this.
>Just below the latch is a small machined flat area. On my bobbin case Simanco U.S.A. 45750 is marked on this flat area.
>At the very left end of the machined flat area there is a tiny hole. On the bottom left of the latch there is a projection that curves back into this hole.
>The spring goes inside that hole. When your latch broke the itsy teensy tiny spring probably launched itself.

>Remove the latch, make sure the old spring isn't jammed in the hole, when sure put new spring into the hole and reinstall the latch and latch lever.

OK, that should do it. If you need me to take pics it will cost more. Just kidding, just ask if you more info just holler.

Joe

Stitch124

Thanks you Joe -- don't think I could have figured this out myself. I was going to try and slide it in under a ledge on the top of the bobbin. I'll let you know how it goes.

ArchaicArcane

I have one disassembled at the moment. If you need, I can post pics too.
I'm cheaper than Joe.

Wait. That doesn't sound good at all.

J Miller

LOL, I was just kidding in a way. Our FW bobbin case is in good shape so I wasn't gonna take it apart. I was just gonna put an arrow pointing to where the spring went. If you got one apart, that would be better.

Joe

Stitch124

Actually, I would appreciate the pics if it's not too much trouble. I'm taking a vacation day today to do some quilt cutting and expect the tension spring to come in the mail today. Would love to get this little machine finished so I can start on my next reno. Thanks ya'll!

quiltgal

I think that it is worth your while to repair the original bobbin case, if you can! I recently had a customer email me about the stock #45750 (older Featherweight bobbin case) and the #45751 (sort of newer Featherweight bobbin case). Did a little research and my 38 and 48 have the #45750 which maybe ever so slightly different from the #45751 which my 52 has. So we know that Singer changed the stock number and was putting it in as they built the later machines. She said that she had purchased a #45751 replacement on line (not from me though I sell them) and it did not fit her machine. So, I grabbed a #45750 and a #45751, but could not see any difference myself. All I can say right now, is that the #45751 sticks and is hard to remove when put into the machine that has the #45750 bobbin case.