Gannklon5589

Hello, Im new here. I have a few vintage sewing machines that are in the process of being restored and I am currently working with a model 54. This machine in particular was sewing great but is now being finicky. The only way I can describe it is it seems like the clutch was sticking, it will disengage itself almost like when you turn the inner wheel to wind a bobbin and it will not sew. It will be sewing fine one minute and then it will suddenly stop sewing, the needle arm stops moving and the machine is still making a sound like its sewing but nothing is happening and its hard to get it back to normal. I have replaced the belt and played with the handwheel and inner wheel, everything inside the machine turns smoothly when the handwheel is turned except when it is doing this and I am stumped at what could be the cause. If anyone has any insight or suggestions, I would it would be greatly appreciated.

JoeJr

Welcome to the Board! I would remove the clutch, underneath it should be a ring with at least one, maybe up to three, tangs on it. You can remove the ring, making note of its orientation, which side is out, etc. If it's oily dry it off, and dry off the inside of the clutch knob that you removed and dry off the outside of the handwheel which you exposed by removed the clutch knob. I don't want a lot of oil, none really, on these parts because they typically are locked together, not spinning or rubbing against each other. This is where I would start anyway.

Gannklon5589

Thank you. That I didnt think about, Usually the opposite runs through my mind with oiling the rest of the machine. Thanks for that suggestion, I will definitely start there. Erin

leonf

My mind went to the lobed washer, too. You might try to see if you can tighten the clutch wheel just a bit tighter and getting the gib screw between the next set of lobes.

I drove through Peabody Kansas on Sunday.

OurWorkbench

I'm wondering if the type of "clamp motion clamp washer" that yours has is like many Singers. If so, I believe that there are at least four ways that it can be installed, only one of which is correct. I wonder if it was installed in one of the other ways.

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Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

JoeJr

I was going to chime in again but Janey said it. That washer can be rotated 180 degrees from it's current orientation, and also flipped over and have two possible positions.

You should be able to tighten the clutch knob without the gib or stop screw hitting a tang/lobe, but when you back it off it the screw should then hit a tang/lobe and the hand wheel should spin independently from the machine.

Those tangs/lobes may be bent or they may have bumps on them. If bent, on the Singer machines I've worked on the bend of the tangs/lobes is away from the machine and towards the clutch knob.

I hope this all makes sense.

leonf

For those who are following and haven't been there ( yet) . Here is a picture of the Singer washer on a clutch /stop motion knob.

https://www.quiltingboard.com/member...38-576744.html

OurWorkbench

I don't remember which machine, but had one that couldn't tell the 'ear' direction was as it was flat. I did, somehow, manage to get it to work correctly.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Gannklon5589

Ill look intto that. Very cool, Im in peabody Massachusetts. Thank you.

Gannklon5589

It seems I am terrible at uploading photos. I tried a couple different ways to no avail. But the photos that you posted of the singer washer is very similar to the kenmore 54 washer. It has three ear lobes or tangs as you guys called them, except with no numbers written in them. I didnt realize that if turned in a different direction that it eould make a difference, I have to keep fiddling with it to get it right. Thank you all for you helpful advice. Im going to sew a bit today and see if I can get it working, cuz It was working fine and then out of no where it was slipping. Wish me luck. Thanks again.