Mdaniels

The dials do pull out and push in, but they will not budge. I spent some time reading Stitchnripper's thread last night, and all the advice there. Tonight when I get home from work, I will re-oil and order some Tri-Flow if I cannot find it locally. Somewhere in one of the threads I read, someone mentioned using the solvent one uses when cleaning a gun and I'm wondering if I can try that while I wait for the Tri-Flow to get here?

Thanks, the board is sew helpful

Mitch's mom

Great find! Yes you can use some gun cleaner just be careful not to get it on the paint. Just a squirt and let it sit. Once everything breaks free your machine will sew very fast; not industrial fast but she can chew through fabric with the best of the home machines! One area that needs a drop of oil on these old girls is right in the middle of the bobbin case. There is no hole just metal. Go ahead an put a drop on it and let it soak in. Every 400 and 500 series machine I have had squealed or didn't run just perfect, once I oiled the bobbin case - problem solved. You'll love it once you get her loosened up!

Mdaniels

Ran out at lunch and picked up Triflow at the local sewing shop here--can't wait to get home and work on it!

Mdaniels

Just an update and a question (I think)--I oiled her up with the Tri-flow and she was doing well until I put material on her--then she really slowed down. I figured it probably wouldn't hurt to also oil the feed dogs, so I did and man, did she take off!! Wow. The only problem now continues to be the knobs that look like a pig nose. Any other advice on loosening them up? I need to re-oil and let them sit, perhaps?

I will order some grease, which my sewing shop did not have, from Sew Classic. Very impressive machine, nice, nice straight stitch.

Mitch's mom

Keep working with them. Mine were stuck for days and I was about to give up thinking it was broken when someone mentioned using a hairdryer on the cam stacks to warm things up a bit. The little ratchet/finger things on the cam stacks broke loose after just a couple minutes.

miriam

you might benefit from reading this entire post:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t216956.html

Mdaniels

Thank you, I will keep working at it and yes, I've definitely been using that thread as my reference. It's been very helpful.

quilterpurpledog

I have one of these machines that I purchased new in 1959 when I finished college-my first purchase after school years of near poverty to get my degree. I would never part with my machine even though I have several others. I use it frequently!

Berkie

I have this very same machine that my Father gave me when I was around 10 years old. He worked for Singer just about all of his life. He used to take me to work with him on Saturdays for sewing lessons, it's where I learned my basics. It's been sitting at my Mom's ever since, very rarely used and not touched for a good 30+ years but after a good oiling (the wheel would not turn at all) it seems to be working fine. All I have to do is run back to my Mom's to pick the foot pedal up. Of course, the kids left it behind!

cctx.

Awesome score, it's beautiful!