bkay

I spent a lot of time cleaning my 401 and getting everything to work. However, I neglected to test bobbin winding. Either I just assumed it would work or I thought all that alcohol and kerosene should have solved all the problems. My 503 is misbehaving, so brought the 401 in to use.

Two problems - It has the bobbin mechanism more like the 301. So it winds on the face of the machine, not the top. (according to the manual I downloaded it has a bobbin winding mechanism like the 503) You have to hold the bobbin winding tire to the handwheel to get it to wind and it doesn't wind evenly. I have some new bobbin tires on the way and that might solve the problem.

Second problem is that the needle doesn't disengage when you loosen the stop motion knob. I have read what the problem is, but I couldn't find it by searching.

thanks,

bkay

Mickey2

Bobbin winders can be a bother and new tires can require readjustments. They might have the right part number and be the correct replacment part, but they are not the same as the old. The old tire can have softened, sagged, or worn down a bit, and adjusted to work at some point later on. Some tires are just a millimeter or two thicker than another batch.

I don't know the winder on the 401, but I'm sure it shall work perfectly. When I bought my beige 201 I had to adjust the thread guide on the base under bobbin winder to get it to wind evenly. I cleaned and polished under there, and frmo the marks of the setting screw I suspect the winder always was a bit out of sync and never wound evenly with out a guiding finger. It does now and it was a simple adjustment. It was new in 1955 and I bought it last summer.

bkay

Got it fixed! The washer was in there backwards. I'm not sure if I did it when I was working on it previously or it was that way when I got it. It sewed just fine after getting everything unstuck, but would not behave correctly for bobbin winding.

Thanks,

bkay

Mickey2

I wasn't much help, but it reminds me I need to finetune the winder on my other 201. It works, but I have to hold it down the last few seconds or it will release too soon. This happened after the new bobbin tire went on, and the old was saggy and loose in comparison.

mjkgquilt

bkay, did you work outside in the yard to clean your 401? I have a 401A that needs cleaning.

bkay

No, I cleaned it in my "garage". I cleaned the outside with Go-Jo (non-pumice) and in some spots resorted to kerosene (lamp oil), which won't hurt your paint. Mine was in a cabinet and apparently left there, face down, for many years and in some heat. The old lubricant had leaked through to the face and had hardened. The insides were in a similar condition.

So you're not surprised, it may take a lot of cleaning and oiling to get it to work again. Before I started this machine, I used kerosene (lamp oil) to clean old oil. Cari or Macy suggested denatured or 90% rubbing alcohol (The denatured works best but is expensive.) and it works lots easier, but will damage painted surfaces. So, be careful with it.

The folks here were extremely helpful. Janie found me some old posts about cleaning and un-sticking a 401, by J. Miller and archaicArcane. I can't find them now, though. (She's really good at it.)

I just brought it in to use as my everyday machine and I love it. It's quiet and smooth. It may end up being my favorite machine.

bkay

mjkgquilt

bkay, thank you for the information. My 401A was bought new in June 1959. Have not used it very much since 1996/1997. The red lever does not move as it should. Need to get the machine out and see how it does.

bkay

As I understand it, the 401 is built with close tolerances. And like some of the earlier European machines can freeze up from the oil getting old and sticky. So you have to get that old oil out and free up the movement.

Found the links that Janey provided and I used!

http://archaicarcane.com/stuck-in-th...lant-o-matics/
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...3a-t70011.html

If you have problems, just ask. Someone on here has done most everything there is to be done to a sewing machine and will share.
bkay

Mickey2

The old Pfaffs freeze up because they have a thick lump of grease on top of a set of gears. It provided lasting lubrication, but not after it turned sticky. If this isn't somehow dissolved, flushed out or properly cleaned out they will stick. The 401 is a bit different this way, maybe some of the joints or parts manage to gather oil in large enough quantities for it to stick as it dries out. I'm not sure, either way, any machine seem to be able to stick or freeze up. There is something with the 401s and related models bkay, because they often need much more tentative work than other zigzaggers to unstick.