Need Help with 403A Tension Control Please
#21
ArchaicArcane, I was on there this week too for my 2 301's. I got one from GWI and know I need to clean the tension control's on them both but have been afraid to try until now. Thank You so much for doing this.
#22
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,844
I got it!!! YEAH!!! Thanks to everyone, especially Miriam, for helping me with this mystery. I watched the YouTube video by the Archaic and the Arcane that deals with the tensioner with the Slant-O-Matic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UttHpnQy0xk I was overlooking one, very small detail that she explained. The spring has a small hook at the end of the coil that needs to catch onto the gear when reassembling. It's so easy to miss.
AA does some very good videos, BTW. This one showed every detail. I just want to know how she keeps such beautiful nails while working on sewing machines all day...LOL.
Now off to watch her video on testing the tension. Thanks everyone!
~ Cindy
AA does some very good videos, BTW. This one showed every detail. I just want to know how she keeps such beautiful nails while working on sewing machines all day...LOL.
Now off to watch her video on testing the tension. Thanks everyone!
~ Cindy
#23
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,507
Yippie - it is sssoooooooooo good when you win one. I knew it had to be something very simple unless you were missing pieces.
Tammi has really cool videos. I always learn things from her videos, too. All it takes is to miss one little thing. And likely she will have it on her video. Tammi, paint a little face on your left hand and we could have extra entertainment... just making fun of you... but don't worry I did love your video - keep them coming.
Tammi has really cool videos. I always learn things from her videos, too. All it takes is to miss one little thing. And likely she will have it on her video. Tammi, paint a little face on your left hand and we could have extra entertainment... just making fun of you... but don't worry I did love your video - keep them coming.
#24
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,844
I'd like to hear how you make out when you try to follow the video, Cindy! I think it's your trouble that finally made me get off my behind and film that and the other 2 videos on the Slants the other day. Those 3 only went up on Tuesday so it's good that you went up there this week.
~ Cindy
#25
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,507
I love the 403, 503, 603 and the 328 machines. They are very simple to use and take care of. They are usually pretty reliable. AND you do get great stitches.
#26
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,844
I've had this machine since I was seventeen years old, when I left home and landed in Lihue, Kauai. The first thing I did was to go down to the Singer store in town and buy this machine for $75, which was a lot of money back then. It was the best investment I ever made. I made curtains and bed covers for my apartment with it out of Hawaiian bark cloth. Over the years, I've made all of my clothes with it, along with slip covers for my furniture, (and made more when the kids wrecked them,) dog beds, pillows, quilts, bikinis, purses, etc. I even made my dau's wedding dress...oh yeah...I made MY wedding dress with it too! I certainly wasn't going to let a little thing like a tension problem discourage me from getting it fixed right.
I'd recommend the 403A to anyone looking to buy a vintage machine. They just go and go. Plus, they have a strong motor and tons of stitches to play with. Thanks everyone for helping me get it back in service.
~ Cindy
I'd recommend the 403A to anyone looking to buy a vintage machine. They just go and go. Plus, they have a strong motor and tons of stitches to play with. Thanks everyone for helping me get it back in service.
~ Cindy
#27
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,507
Cindy,
I used some kind of 400 series in Home Ec for a semester - the next semester the school traded all their machines in on some Touch and Sews. I never could make one wind a bobbin let alone make it sew. I made my project at home on the FW. ggggrrrrr it wasn't until years later my son found a 401G in the trash that I found the 400 series again. My sister dared me to clean up the 401G so I did - I also fell in love/hate with it. Somebody - me - Egora cleaned it up then used 3 in 1 oil on it and it set up like concrete. It took me about a year to get the thing to work. I had no manual or any info how to use or repair that machine. At one point I took it to the OSMG for a cord. He showed me other slant-o-matic machines - his favorite was the 403, too. When a 403 came up on CL I bought it - I think I drove 3 hours each way, too. I fell in love with that one - a whole lot less junk inside the machine. Very simple to use and very easy to maintain - at some point I bought another one and gave it to my best friend. I bought a 503 for my DIL and she fell in love with it and sewed a lot with it. I have come to terms with the Touch and Sew after all these years. Sort of like Green Eggs and Ham - I do like the T & Ss - just not as much as my 403.
I used some kind of 400 series in Home Ec for a semester - the next semester the school traded all their machines in on some Touch and Sews. I never could make one wind a bobbin let alone make it sew. I made my project at home on the FW. ggggrrrrr it wasn't until years later my son found a 401G in the trash that I found the 400 series again. My sister dared me to clean up the 401G so I did - I also fell in love/hate with it. Somebody - me - Egora cleaned it up then used 3 in 1 oil on it and it set up like concrete. It took me about a year to get the thing to work. I had no manual or any info how to use or repair that machine. At one point I took it to the OSMG for a cord. He showed me other slant-o-matic machines - his favorite was the 403, too. When a 403 came up on CL I bought it - I think I drove 3 hours each way, too. I fell in love with that one - a whole lot less junk inside the machine. Very simple to use and very easy to maintain - at some point I bought another one and gave it to my best friend. I bought a 503 for my DIL and she fell in love with it and sewed a lot with it. I have come to terms with the Touch and Sew after all these years. Sort of like Green Eggs and Ham - I do like the T & Ss - just not as much as my 403.
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 442
I'd like to hear how you make out when you try to follow the video, Cindy! I think it's your trouble that finally made me get off my behind and film that and the other 2 videos on the Slants the other day. Those 3 only went up on Tuesday so it's good that you went up there this week.
#29
I was overlooking one, very small detail that she explained. The spring has a small hook at the end of the coil that needs to catch onto the gear when reassembling. It's so easy to miss.
AA does some very good videos, BTW. This one showed every detail. I just want to know how she keeps such beautiful nails while working on sewing machines all day...LOL.
~ Cindy
AA does some very good videos, BTW. This one showed every detail. I just want to know how she keeps such beautiful nails while working on sewing machines all day...LOL.
~ Cindy
Somebody - me - Egora cleaned it up then used 3 in 1 oil on it and it set up like concrete. It took me about a year to get the thing to work. <snip> I have come to terms with the Touch and Sew after all these years. Sort of like Green Eggs and Ham - I do like the T & Ss - just not as much as my 403.
My first machine was a mashup of the worst of the T&S features mixed with some interesting other buggy features. I don't know that I'll ever really come to terms with the T&S machines. Like a bad marriage we're better of not even as friends but as people who change countries to get away from each other.
You are welcome HelenAnn! The biggest problem I have with the filming is that the machines are unfriendly to a stationary shoot for a lot of the angles we need to see but with the turntable and the professional tripod that I bought for my film camera back in the day with an adapter to hold the phone whenever possible, I'm getting by for the moment. This time around though for some reason I was hooking the tripod on the lamp and I'm convinced the background noise is from my headset (which I use for a microphone) cord rubbing on the tripod. I may have to see if I can find those twist-ums to give me some other options though.
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