Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell
03-15-2012, 05:55 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rescue, California
Posts: 4,585
Nancy, the person I got a 31-15 from last week had used it to sew leather as well as upholstery. He even demonstrated on leather for me. The machine I have is set up with a 1/4 horsepower engine, and speeds through whatever... The machine has been serviced, so I do not need to do that. But the surface has a lot of grime, and the table it is in needs some work. I would like to treadle it. Are the irons on yours similar to irons on a non-industrial machine?
Yup, the irons are similar, but bigger I think. At least the whole table is wider. The problem is the treadle is missing the belt wheel, which is a bummer because I wanted to clean up this machine and set it up in my little shop in the cargo unit as a treadle! I was really excited to find out the 31 drops its feed dogs too! I need to order needles - I think size 16X87?
Nancy
Last edited by BoJangles; 03-15-2012 at 06:00 AM.
03-15-2012, 06:05 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rescue, California
Posts: 4,585
Ok Cathy, Candace, or Miriam I have a huge issue. My 3-year old grandson decided to play with my 319w when I wasn't looking. It is so messed it makes me sick! I thought it was just jammed, got all the tangled up thread out from around the bobbin casing - that I could see. The needle had been broken off - not sure where that went? Anyway, that baby won't budge without hitting the bobbin case now. There is a little finger thingy that attaches with a screw under the slide plate. It has a little hook on the side that attaches/sits near the bobbin casing. I tried to move it several ways, but I still can't get the needle down without hitting the casing. Do any of you know how that little finger is suppose to sit in comparison to the bobbin race? I messed with it until late last night. Right now the machine won't work at all. Cathy, you may get this one to fix!
Nancy
Nancy
03-15-2012, 06:48 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Idaho
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Nancy, find the piece of that needle...I'm betting it's stopping the casing from turning correctly. (No real ideas here, just a guess)
03-15-2012, 07:07 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
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Posts: 9,319
Ok Cathy, Candace, or Miriam I have a huge issue. My 3-year old grandson decided to play with my 319w when I wasn't looking. It is so messed it makes me sick! I thought it was just jammed, got all the tangled up thread out from around the bobbin casing - that I could see. The needle had been broken off - not sure where that went? Anyway, that baby won't budge without hitting the bobbin case now. There is a little finger thingy that attaches with a screw under the slide plate. It has a little hook on the side that attaches/sits near the bobbin casing. I tried to move it several ways, but I still can't get the needle down without hitting the casing. Do any of you know how that little finger is suppose to sit in comparison to the bobbin race? I messed with it until late last night. Right now the machine won't work at all. Cathy, you may get this one to fix!
Nancy
Nancy
03-15-2012, 07:10 AM
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03-15-2012, 07:12 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
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Cathy, thanks so much. That spring looks perfect. You are so nice! I have been struggling to find a good FMQ foot for several of my vintage machines that just don't work well with the typical low shank universal, darning foot. So, I'm super excited!!!
Cathy, I'd be interested in buying the 360 from you. Hopefully one machine could be the donor to the other or something!! That would be awesome.
Cathy, I'd be interested in buying the 360 from you. Hopefully one machine could be the donor to the other or something!! That would be awesome.
03-15-2012, 08:20 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,972
Cathy, thanks so much. That spring looks perfect. You are so nice! I have been struggling to find a good FMQ foot for several of my vintage machines that just don't work well with the typical low shank universal, darning foot. So, I'm super excited!!!
Cathy, I'd be interested in buying the 360 from you. Hopefully one machine could be the donor to the other or something!! That would be awesome.
Cathy, I'd be interested in buying the 360 from you. Hopefully one machine could be the donor to the other or something!! That would be awesome.
03-15-2012, 08:33 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,972
Do so! I think anyone who hasn't should take his class, like me!
It was very educational listening to Cathy last night. She is a walking encyclopedia of sewing machines and repairs.
I got to play with the darning spring and she had fun making the adjustments that were needed.
First machine that we tried the spring out on was my Singer 201. I was surprised at how well the FMQ turned out on that after she tweaked my bobbin. Then, it was my Necchi Supernova which the spring worked well on it. And after that was my Singer 328k, which was a big surprise for me since i had never FMQ with that machine. Cathy was cute making the adjustments and educating me on what to do. One can see that Cathy's passion and love is in fixing and tweaking machines. Best analogy is a sailor adjusting the sails to his sailboat to get the best sail of his life.
It was very educational listening to Cathy last night. She is a walking encyclopedia of sewing machines and repairs.
I got to play with the darning spring and she had fun making the adjustments that were needed.
First machine that we tried the spring out on was my Singer 201. I was surprised at how well the FMQ turned out on that after she tweaked my bobbin. Then, it was my Necchi Supernova which the spring worked well on it. And after that was my Singer 328k, which was a big surprise for me since i had never FMQ with that machine. Cathy was cute making the adjustments and educating me on what to do. One can see that Cathy's passion and love is in fixing and tweaking machines. Best analogy is a sailor adjusting the sails to his sailboat to get the best sail of his life.
03-15-2012, 10:05 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina - But otherwise, NOTW
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03-15-2012, 10:26 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina - But otherwise, NOTW
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The long, thin, really nice screw driver was one an old sewing machine repair man gave me. He ground it at a slight angle. It worked wonderfully. Someone broke in a couple years ago and stole all my bright orange sewing machine repair tool box with a bunch of parts and tools - the parts and that screw driver made me the mad. You can't use that stuff on anything else. I have a screw driver that would be good to grind at a slight angle but no grinder. I should find a grinder, I guess. A straight screw driver just does not work the same as that one on the angle. Oh and I got much better tools after that. DH took me seriously and helped me get some better tools. I had been using cast off tools before that. Good tools do make a difference. We should start something on tools. Maybe when I get a screw driver ground at an angle. You almost do need a torque wrench or Locktite to get those screws tight enough that they won't come undone while you sew Misty. If those feed dogs come flying off while you are sewing and you don't catch on it can be pretty interesting. Ask me how I know............. Try a little heat - blow dryer, rice sock, sun, car on a hot day... Put the machine on its side then try soaking with liquid wrench, turn it over and do it again.
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