Thumbs

Cleaned up the machine a bit. I was surprised I get some lint off the bobbin case and around the top and bottom of the feed dogs. Not sure it was the problem or not but the area is clean. I moved the stitch length to 15 then to 6 and there was a definite difference in the length of movement but again don’t know if it changed. Took the front cover off over the needle. Pretty clean but will brush it a bit just to make sure. Tomorrow I will give her a good oiling and test it out.
everything seems to work as it should. She runs quiet and smoothly. Any suggestions welcome.

Thumbs

Well no good. Same thing short stitch length. I have on idea. Everything is clean and oiled. When I move the stitch length lever the connecting rod moves a little but I can’t get it to give me anywhere near 6 stitches per inch. Thanks

WIChix

With the head laying on the back, move the stitch length lever while watching the motion of the connecting "rods" from the feed dog lever down through the pillar, and left across to the feed dogs. Make sure each of the movement junctions move freely. Your machine may have been sitting unused for a few decades. Even sewing machine oil gets sluggish over time.

If you note some sticky spots, either oil again, or use a few drops of kerosene (lamp oil, charcoal lighter fluid), turning that handwheel well to work it in well. Follow up with a drop of sewing machine oil, turning and distributing well.

I also like to take an old pin, needle, or fine pick, and clean out between the feed dog teeth.

As to your test fabric, I recommend using two layers of shirt weight woven cotton for test sewing. (Not felt or a knit fabric like t shirt material.) Felt is not an easy fabric to calibrate on, and most sewing will not be on felt.

Good luck!
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Thumbs

Hey thanks. I will try your suggestions today. I looked behind the hand wheel where the lever connects to the slide and it seems to move freely. I only gave the linkage to the dogs a quick look but I was getting a movement in the linkage as I moved the lever. When I checked the dogs there was a definite change in the length of movement in the travel of the dogs. I will check the teeth again but I did clean under the dog plate. I did get some lint out of the area but still the stitch length is to short. I can’t lengthen the stitch but I can still shorten it.
thanks for helping. I really have no idea.

OurWorkbench

This isn't quite the same problem that you are having, but I wonder if there is something in https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...w-t272838.html may help. Maybe post #15 would be helpful.

I think I would do this along the whole path.

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

Thumbs

Thanks I will check the thread.

Ok. Put in a couple of hours this morning. Can’t find anything obvious. All the linkages seem to be tight. When I move the liver the linkages underneath move freely. The dogs pull the felt through fine. Felt is the only material I have. I do notice the occasional skipped stitch but the rest are good at about 15 stitched per inch. I do notice a potential problem with the tension disks,I think. The spring behind the plate over the needle just doesn’t look like it’s correctly seated. The tension is the same with the presser fut up or down. Thanks another issue. It’s probably something you guys would find instantly but I have no idea

WIChix

The tension not relaxing with the foot up is an issue, but I am not sure if it can impact stitch length.

Have you removed the bobbin case, and cleaned under and around the lip of the race, and cleaned thread gunk out of the small slots of the case? Although, this would likely impact stitch quality, not stitch length.

I don't like to take apart tension units until everything else is working like it should. It helps me isolate issues, rather than expanding them.

​​​​​​One thought when oiling, some of the rotating junctions have ... Oil holes on the collar, if that makes sense. These are easy to miss, and the manual doesn't mention it. It does make a difference, but oiling alongside the collar is still a big help.

Thumbs

Ha your right there. Lol. While oiling I found a few of the oil ports. Not to say I found them all but I found most for sure.
Yes I cleaned top and bottom for the race and everything I could get to. It’s perplexing. Like you I figure one problem at a time. Never worked on a sewing machine before is slow and easy. The spring that sits on the end of the presser foot lever assembly that fits on the end of the assembly and rests (I think on the inside of the tensioner ) is a bit wonk in where it fits. Kinda like a negative battery spring that is pushed out of position. If that makes any sense. As you say I don’t think that is the problem at hand. Again the dogs do move the material very nicely with no help from me. It’s as though there is a throw problem. The lever moves up and down and the mechanism moves freely but maybe not enough to the longer stitch side. No clue.

WIChix

I just checked one of my lever-stitch length 99s (bet you can't have just one), and with a flashlight can see that the lever fits into a bar and chute type slide mechanism. A rear inspection plate would be nice.
A service manual for the 66-16 and 66-18 should have information that applies, as these are both lever machines. I'll check what Janey posted, and see what I can find.

Thumbs

Thanks. Yeah on my 192k behind the hand wheel is a reasonably large opening in the pillar casting that allows you to see the mechanism that is operated by the lever. Mine appears to work along with the linkage in the bottom but I have no idea if it’s adjusted properly. It seems the dogs are not able to move enough to lengthen the stitch length. I have no idea why.