DonnaC

I'm sorry to be bugging you all again, but I'm still trying to work my way around the Featherweight I bought from a friend. I've posted before about the smelly issue so I won't get into that again. Now I have another question about something else, so I hope you'll indulge me.

I'll start with something positive (because I feel like all I've done for the past month is complain about this machine!) it certainly does make a perfect stitch. However, 99% of the time when I press on the pedal - it came with a grey pedal, which I read on another internet resource is an actual vintage pedal - the machine will not "go". I have to turn the hand wheel to get it to actually run. I have oiled the machine several times already but that doesn't seem to be the problem. I'm wondering if there's something actually wrong with the pedal or with the machine's wiring.

In oiling her today, I was looking underneath at the wiring, which again I was told (on another Featherweight group) not to touch or clean because it's coated in lead. I noticed that there seem to be some frayed spots, but since I'm not mechanically-included at all, I don't know if this is what they are supposed to look like, or if there's a problem. I have attached some photos of the underside of my machine - can anyone can tell me if they see anything that looks odd or off? (The second picture shows the spot where I think it looks really frayed, with three little pieces sticking out.)

At this point I am just really frustrated. I may have bought the machine inexpensively (it was $250) but I feel as though I'm going to end up spending more money just to feel comfortable using it... I should have spent more money at the outset and bought from someone who really was a restorer. I don't know if I should buy a new pedal, which would cost at least $50, or just bring it to a qualified repair person who can take a look at it.

Okay, I'm done whining for today. Any help is appreciated.

KalamaQuilts

I can't answer your question, but I'm wondering if you've got the Sebro Featherweight book?
Or the featherweight DVD by another person?

DonnaC

I do have the Sebro book; I will recheck it for any info on wiring. I haven't bought the DVDs by Dave McCallum because they are pretty pricey. I'm not sure whether to spend that $$$ on the DVDs or a repair person!!

J Miller

DonnaC,


I had that exact same thing happen with a 201. Sews fine, stop to do something, push on the controller it won't go. Touch the hand wheel and zoom away it went.

What I found out was that the commutator, brushes and their tubes was contaminated with oil. I carefully removed the brushes and cleaned them and the springs and caps with denatured alcohol, then used a q-tip with the alcohol to clean the commutator and brush tubes.

End of problem the machine works fine now.

Joe

J Miller

PS, you need some grease on those gears.

Joe

Mrs. SewNSew

I am following along JIC I ever have a Featherweight. The part you mentioned does look weird to me. I count 6 wires? Wouldn't that be 2 for the lamp, 2 for the motor, 2 for the plug...then what is that other tidbit? Is it part frayed off of the nearest wire? Or is it a creepy spider? Once again...no real help here as I am pretty fresh at this, but watching to see what others have to say.

tenngal

I cleaned with a q-tip and alcohol also but wasn't brave enough to remove anything, then greased the gears.

DonnaC

Well Joe, you might as well be speaking Russian because I have no idea what a commutator is...LOL! I'm thinking the brushes and tubes are inside the motor??

Mrs. SewNSew

Bingo. The brushes are in tubes on either side of the motor and "brush" against the commutator as it spins around.

ArchaicArcane

This will depend on your personality but I prefer to spend money on a reference that will last me a lifetime rather than a repair that if done right will last me 6 months. Besides, most won't get into motor stuff, other than changing the brushes.

It's sort of that "give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach him to fish and he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day." No wait. That's not it....

Do it growl when you step on the pedal or do nothing at all? It's possible too that the pedal needs adjustment. I hope it's not the motor, they're a little finicky to deal with on the FW because the wires are so short and the motor casing is a little more challenging. Not un-doable, just a little more of a pain

I would also make sure that the belt isn't too tight. How's the temperature of the motor once it's been running a while?

I think Rain might have a tutorial on http://vssmb.blogspot.ca/