Macybaby

Like others have said, if the machine is left homing, the needle will be to the left for the straight stitch, and you can't change that. One easy way to tell is on a zig zag machine - look for a knob/lever that will be for LMR - for needle position. If it does not have that, it's almost always going to be left homing.

What is that lever above the stitch selector for? It is not labeled for needle position so it might be part of what engages the cam stack for the fancy stitches.

QuiltMom2

I love these old sewing machines, every one is a little different. My sewing group gets a lot of donated machines "..but it's been a long time since it was used and I don't even know if it works!" Clean it up and away they go and the more you use them, the better they run. Good luck with yours!

juliasb

First of all welcome to QB from Waterford MI! I have a number of vintage machines around the house -. Your interest is one that many of us share. I don't post to much about the vintage machines I have or what I find. This one looks like a prize and I sure that someone here will help you out in you journey to keep this prize working right and find its history.

Railroadersbrat

I was actually about to give up in trying to find the owners manual, I was able to find the threading and oiling diagrams but never could go any farther. I found this site a few days ago, found the Relics site and boom, there was the manual. I paid $10 for the digital download and had it on my desktop in ten minutes.

I am still combing through the manual and did find the section about the straight stitch plate and foot, I'll be looking into getting those as soon as I can, but from the picture, it looks as if the hole for the needle is in the middle position. I'd like to find all the accessories for this machine eventually, it's always too neat to see one of these babies with all the accessories :-)

Railroadersbrat

If this is a left homing, that just makes things a little more challenging and fun - especially when I'm trying to zone in on a scant 1/4 - only one feed dog on the material and try not to sneeze too hard or you'll end up sewing somewhere else, lol!

The lever above the stitch selector is just the indicator lever, if I want to change stitches, I press down on the lower lever and the upper one slides over. Although slide might be putting it too mildly, it really pops to the right hard enough the cabinet moves, so I hold onto it to ease it over.

Railroadersbrat

I've actually never used a left homing machine before, so this is going to be interesting and fun. I know trying to get a scant 1/4 has been an adventure!

I'll be oiling her again this weekend, I did have her set off to the side while I took care of some things and did notice some lint on the thread bar. Top cover does have to come off to get to the deeper oiling positions and I'll re-oil again a few days after, thanks for the advice

Railroadersbrat

Thank you for the welcome - I do love the vintage machines, so much easier to troubleshoot and fix versus the newer ones that are computerized. I would like to eventually get a newer machine with 'some' bells and whistles, but I'll stick with this one when it comes to quilting. It's almost nostalgic working on a quilt like that.

I do have another machine that I eventually will bring out of the closet to work on, I can't remember all of the name, but it's a Dressmaker that I actually need to buy the cams for to change the stitches, you just pull out a cam you want to use, drop it in and it'll do the stitch. That one will need more TLC than this one, the thread spindle in the back broke off at some point and it's molded into the housing and I haven't been able to change the stitch length. My machine guy is going to love me when I bring these machines in, he's always trying to get me to buy a new machine but I just won't give up my older ones.

Shiloh8548

I realize this thread is pretty old considering what the internet puts out daily but I have recently gotten into sewing and was also given one of these exact same machines.
The funny thing about old sewing machines is their seemingly addictive properties. I was first given an old 1936 singer just because I couldn’t afford to have a seat professionally upholstered to an old 1931 Ford truck I have.
when the lady seen that I actually used the machine she had given me she gave me another nice Royal De Luxe… then they started popping up on eBay and I may have bought one or two….
The funniest thing I’ve realized about old sewing machines though is how that when people find out I sew and adore the old ones… they somehow find one up in an attic, shed, or basement to give to me. I’ve learned how to work on them quite well.
My most recent one given to me just days ago was this beautiful Western Zig Zag sewing machine. All I’ve delt with are the straight stitch machines in the past but this one has me looking for every scrap piece of material I can find just to play with the machine some more.

Like I said, I know this thread is old but…. Mrs. railroadersbrat, do you still have a copy of that manual you found? Or maybe the link where you down loaded yours from?

leonf

Shiloh8548,

Welcome to the board. Yes, our machines do tend to find us.. If you want you can post a Howdy to the Introduce yourself forum.

We will support you in your new hobby.