Ellietow

I just tried to use a "new to me" zigzagger, and the cam is stuck in it! I can't take it out - it doesn't budge... Has anyone had this problem? Any suggestions? Thanks.

J Miller

What kind of "zigzagger"? A ZZ machine or a Singer ZZ attachment?

Most but not all machines that use cams have a lever, button, or control position that releases the cam. For anyone to help we need more information.

Joe

Ellietow

Here are the pictures of the zigzagger... I would have thought the cam would just lift out, but it seems jammed. Any help would be appreciated.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]391984[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]391983[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]391980[/ATTACH]

J Miller

Ellietow,

I have two of those ZZ attachments. The cam simply lifts out after you open the cover. There is nothing mechanical holding it in.

Perhaps some old oil has glued it in. A bit of fresh oil and or some heat might free it up.

Joe

Ellietow

Joe, you're brilliant! The only heat I have is a hair dryer, but with some finagling, I was able to pry the cam off. How do you clean the inside of a cam? For that matter, what would you use to clean the zigzagger - I've not done any serious cleaning, and I'm not mechanically minded at all. Also, the lever that advances the gear only goes to the first sprocket, and the gear does not budge... The picture shows it as far as it gets (probably less than half way). Do you think more heat and oil will do it? (I can't find my oil, so I have to go out and buy some more). Thanks!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]392154[/ATTACH]

J Miller

I have used Hoppe's #9 gun solvent on heavily varnished accessories like that. It won't hurt them and it works wonders for dissolving the old solidified oil.
I lieu of that, Tri-Flow is your best bet. It penetrates and frees up sticky parts. More hair drier heat won't hurt either.

Joe

Ellietow

Joe,
Finally, a little success! I found my machine oil, used the hair dryer some more, and the gear is moving now! It's far from moving freely, though, and takes quite a bit of elbow grease to advance it, but it advances! I don't have any gun solvent to clean it ... Should I just keep "working it" , in hopes that it will loosen a bit more? I'm concerned that if there's gunked up oil, it will never work properly. Any suggestions? Thanks!

J Miller

Yep, float it in oil, mount it on the machine and run it slowly till the movement works the oil into the mechanism.

That should do it.

Joe

Ellietow

Joe,
The zigzagger works! Thanks! It's still hard to take the cam off, though - I just pry it off. One last question - the manual shows one spot where lubricant should be applied, and I can't tell where that is - is it the screw?

J Miller

Keep cleaning it, the cam should just slide in and out easily.

I see about 7 or 8 places to oil ....... if it moves against another piece of metal, if it's hinged, if it pivots, oil it.

Joe