vferog55

I purchased a 1948 featherweight at an auction. It was very dirty and gummed up. I cleaned the gears and oiled it good. I had to take the bobbin case out because the thread kept breaking and it wouldn't stitch. I replaced the needle. I also took apart the needle tension part and cleaned it. The machine now sews but the stitches are not even. It will either start with long stitches and then get smaller and then larger again or start with normal stitches and then have a large stitch every 8 to 10 stitches. It also will only make about 2 to 3 stitches in reverse and then it doesn't stitch at all. Any suggestions? All help appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Bobbielinks

Is your needle in correctly! And are you threading the needle from right to left? Is the stitch length screw set at about 8 and tighten up?

Cogito

Hope you have your featherweight humming by now. I agree with what bobbielinks suggested you check. Your description of short then long stitches.....I suspect what you are seeing is skipped stitches. Checking for proper threading, needle direction, new needle etc. will most likely fix your problems.

oldsewnsew

when the bobbin case was out, did you remove, clean under and replace the tension spring. (don't loose the screws!!!) And are the stitches longer and shorter, or is it just skipping stitches, and catching a snarl which shortens them. O, the simple one, did you get the bobbin base locating finger back up in the notch in the needle plate where it belongs? Have you removed the needle plate and cleaned out any debris from the feed dogs?
and http://www.novamontgomery.com/singer...-the-month.htm
as well as other sites are helpful. You can download a free service and owners manual from various places including Singer. Hope I'm not belaboring the obvious if you're beyond all this already.

vferog55

I did check the needle direction and it is thread from right to left. The bobbin base finger is back up in the notch in the needle plate where it belongs. The feed dogs have been cleaned. It might be a skipped stitch rather than a long stitch, but it isn't snarled up. I'll check out the above site.

Dottie Bug

Sorry to say this. But you are going to have to get the air hose and blow the gears out really good,,Take the face plate and the bottom off and the bobbin first, make sure you blow the stitch regulator .do a good oiling and grease before putting back together. most people don't or wont do this but if you do a good job it wont hurt a thing. I found mine at a sms and had to clean iit up my self . DotteBug