J Miller

My mom's old HOTHER, a Japanese 15 clone, burned me yesterday ... again. Well, the light did.
I was sewing the T-Bears banner and reached under the harp with my right hand to lift the presser bar lever and got my hand against the light bulb. This time I got burned.

The burn is bad enough there is a mark on my hand this morning. As a guess I’d say pretty close to a second degree burn.


This machine is the only machine I have this problem with. None of the others have a light that is in a position to burn. The machine has a metal light assembly and the bulb is exposed on the bottom, nothing to keep ones hand away from it.

I've tried adjusting the light up to put it farther away from my hands, but obviously it wasn't enough.

What I realized is that due to the location of the thread tension unit on the Model 15 and the 15 clones, the presser bar lift lever is mounted higher than on most other machines.

So if you reach up from the inside as I habitually do, your hand is right under the bulb.

I don’t like getting burned so I cogitated on it for about 10 minutes and then had an idea. Why not replace the light with a different one? I punched up Sew-Classic parts and looked at theirs and thought it about a bit. Although it would have done the job, I really didn’t want to spend nearly $15.00 for a new el cheapo plastic light that is glued together, and would still have the bulb exposed.
http://www.shop.sew-classic.com/Ligh...ack-SCE503.htm

Then I had an epiphany. I have an extra fish eye light assembly from my Singer extra parts stash. I dug it out, put a new bulb in it, made a gasket for the fish eye lens, installed that then put a new plug on the cord.

Then I took the old light off the machine and installed the Singer light.

Cool! Problem solved, I think. I'll need to sew with it for a while, but from my brief testing so far, this should do the trick. The light is farther away from the presser foot lift lever, and the bulb is not exposed. It will get hot, but not flesh burning hot.
Not only is the problem solved, the light looks as if it’s been there forever.

As I sat thinking of the old light I looked at it close. It’s been in the machine for many, many years.

The bulb’s so old it’s marked U.S.A.


:->Joe

irishrose

At least it has a light. My Admiral has no light. It will be the second machine I list for sale for that reason, though it is a gorgeous machine. The turquoise Art Deco paint on the shiny black is so pretty. First will be the godzilla 128.

It sounds like you found a good solution. I like the Singerlight with the fish eye.

misskira

I have a nice scar just above my wrist from reaching for the presser foot lever on a featherweight. Same deal of bulb exposed undearneath. I didn't think to check the bulb and the person I bought it from had a 75w lightbulb in it! HOT!! Now I keep a led ikea gooseneck lamp on my sewing desk. It's perfect for sewing but even better for working on the machines.

J Miller

We also have a FW and you've made me decided to check the bulb. I know it works, but never did check it to see if is a SM bulb or something else.

We bought a 66 some time back that had a pointy spiral 25 watt bulb in it. To bad it was burned out.

Joe

barny

You are so good at fixing things. Actually, you are wonderful fixer. And so good to give out information. So helpful.

Caroline S

I love the way you "cogitate" on a problem and arrive at a fix. I did a little cogitating on the light on my Singer 101. OSMG said the light switch was bad and he was unable to fix it. Well, I took the old bayonet style bulb out, looked as if it was original to the machine LOL, and it was toast. Hmmm I said to self, it sure looked as if it had not been taken out of the recepticle. Of course, I did not have any spares so had to order some. They came yesterday and I replaced the bulb, flipped the switch a couple of times and lo and behold I had light. Easy fix, new bulb and flipping a grimy switch was all it took.

mom-6

Isn't it wonderful when you discover a simple fix to an 'impossible' problem!

J Miller

I tried the HOTHER last night a couple times just sewing on scraps and sure enough I bumped the "new" light.
No problem though, it's a major improvement.

I have another 15 clone that uses the identical light as the HOTHER did. I don't have another Singer light so I think I'm going to see if I can fabricate a bulb guard to keep hands away from the bulb. The machine is in pieces right now. It didn't work when I got it so it's a project in queue.

Joe

jlhmnj

Hi Joe,

Sounds like your having a rough week between cutting your finger and burning your hand. Watch out for your fingers!

Jon

J Miller

Jon,

You ain't kidding.

I was trying to help my wife sew some handle straps last night and when I went to cut the thread I got the scissors too close and cut the same finger I cut before.
Yesterday was a day I could have stayed in bed.

Joe