cmrenno

I picked up a Mocha colored Singer 301 today. Its in pretty good shape but its dirty!!!! It also smells like cigarette smoke. I have most of the previously recommended cleaners. I have never cleaned a mocha machine and I thought that there might be a wonderful secret that I am missing. I have search the internet but there doesn't seem to be any mention of cleaning the mocha finish. I am hoping that it will shine when I am done. Its real dull right now!

Thanks so much for you help!

Colleen

KenZ

I have just completed cleaning a mocha 401A and it turned out looking like new. The first step is to wipe the heavy dirt off with Dawn dish soap using a damp cloth. Then the rest of the dirt was cleaned off with Meguiar's #10 mirror glaze clear plastic polish and cotton balls. (Use #10 only do not substitute.) This cleaning takes a long time and a lot of rubbing. Finish off with a coat of Meguiar's Deep Crystal Carnauba Wax and give a second coat in a couple of days.

cmrenno

Ken,
Thank you so much for the advice but right now I have found that I have a much bigger problem. This old girl is missing the Rotating Hook Position Plate and all if its respective parts. I have searched on line without any luck.

Would anyone know where I might find one???

Thanks
Colleen

KenZ

A picture may help!

cmrenno

Here is a picture of the part that I am missing on my 301. It is called the Bobbin Case Positioning Plate. In the picture it is the piece with the two dark screws and fits up under the slide plate/bobbin cover. It has an indent in it for the "finger" of the bobbin case to lock into.

This part is only found on a Singer 301. There seems to be a different configuration on a Featherweight.

Any help that anyone could give me to help find that part (and I probably need the screws to attach it also) even though I have saved every little screw that I have ever found in a Singer cabinet!

I spent the better part of today cleaning the exterior of the "Old Girl." I used waterless hand cleaner and I removed a LOT of crud. She smells a bit better.

Thanks again for your advice and help!

Colleen

nwm50

There's a guy who stores lots of parts for Singers especially and I'd bet he has some! Or look on eBay
Soon as I find his info, will sent it to you.

nwm50

Here it is ! Www.singeroriginalvintageproducts.com
His name is Duane

cmrenno

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!! I will get a hold of him after the holiday weekend.

Colleen

ArchaicArcane

I have one of those positioning plates. I can't recall if it's for the 301 or the 221 though. If they're mated with the right throat plate, I think they can be interchanged between the FW and 301. It's largely the position of the holes drilled in the throat plate that make it all not work right.

Here's why I think that:
To the best of my knowledge, the 221 didn't come from the factory with a numbered throat plate. The 301s did though. I wanted a numbered plate for my 221, and dropped into the Singer shop that used to be here. She sold me an original numbered plate but when I tried it on my machine at home with my original positioning plate, it didn't work - the positioning plate didn't work right (it was too far in one or the other direction, and didn't catch the finger) - I went back and we swapped the positioning plate with the original one from the numbered plate and it worked on my FW. Still does to this day.

Also try Glenn Williams in Florida. His prices are great and I've dealt with him a few times for parts and he's really friendly and knowledgeable.

Some other people online charge a fortune for parts that aren't really that rare.

Cari-in-Oly

I would be very cautious cleaning the aluminum Singers with any water based cleaners. Have you ever seen one that has the ugly blotchy spots on the bed that just won't go away? That's what causes them. The 301 especially is prone to this.

Cari