OK all you vintage enthusiasts, I need help
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: West Texas
Posts: 2,073
I love my 301. I have had 2 of them. One of them I gave to the neighbor girls once they had learned to use it. The other is here and used a lot. I have a Singer slant needle walking foot that actually works great on it, although probably originally made for a later machine. The feed dogs don't exactly match, but that hasn't been a problem. I hope you get yours running to your satisfaction.
#22
Assuming the nests are not just at the beginning (those are from not holding the tails - the FW and 301 seem to be very sensitive to that), I'd say you need to tighten your top tension (or floss the thread into the disks as you thread it or get some dust kittens out of it). It's also worth setting the bottom tension properly too. These are both user adjustments, so I usually assume that they're wrong when I get a machine second hand and put them back to the "factory" settings.
If you post a pic of the test sew, preferably with a different color thread for top and bottom, we can likely advise you more.
Some people like using dental floss or a serger chain to get the fuzz out of the disks but I've found it often doesn't work or compounds the problem when it pushes the gunk further in compacts it and spreads the disks further apart. I disassemble. It's not difficult once you've done it once or twice, but I understand why you wouldn't want to do it.
I've heard that there are people out there that just want to sew, not tinker with the machines.
If you change your mind though, there are a number of us in this forum who can help you with the rebuild, and I can post a link to some videos I did to help step by step.
As for the cord, it's less than a $10 part and 2 screws. Anyone can change it and it's worth changing it. I pretty much assume - there's that word again - when I get a vintage machine that it will need a new cord. It's just a happy surprise if it doesn't need it.
Depending on whether it's a cabinet model or a portable model, it will be one of 2 cords:
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Cord-Set...ers-SCE123.htm - Portable
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Cord-Sin...rol-197628.htm - cabinet
The portable will work for both though, it's just not as convenient for cord routing if it's in a cabinet.
If you post a pic of the test sew, preferably with a different color thread for top and bottom, we can likely advise you more.
Some people like using dental floss or a serger chain to get the fuzz out of the disks but I've found it often doesn't work or compounds the problem when it pushes the gunk further in compacts it and spreads the disks further apart. I disassemble. It's not difficult once you've done it once or twice, but I understand why you wouldn't want to do it.
I've heard that there are people out there that just want to sew, not tinker with the machines.
If you change your mind though, there are a number of us in this forum who can help you with the rebuild, and I can post a link to some videos I did to help step by step.
As for the cord, it's less than a $10 part and 2 screws. Anyone can change it and it's worth changing it. I pretty much assume - there's that word again - when I get a vintage machine that it will need a new cord. It's just a happy surprise if it doesn't need it.
Depending on whether it's a cabinet model or a portable model, it will be one of 2 cords:
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Cord-Set...ers-SCE123.htm - Portable
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Cord-Sin...rol-197628.htm - cabinet
The portable will work for both though, it's just not as convenient for cord routing if it's in a cabinet.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 865
I can't get it to sew without getting a bird's nest on the back of the fabric of the bobbin thread - You must stop and start with the thread take up lever all the way to the top - needle in top most position or the bobbin thread will wrap around the bobbin and that can cause a nest mess. Otherwise what Candace wisely said.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 865
You should not need to mess with the screw in the bobbin case. Just set it - carefully and a very little turn at a time such as a thread witch - so the thread tail when held will let the bobbin drop about six inches and then leave the screw alone!
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 416
I have 2 of them and I use them almost exclusively for mu quilt piecing. I just bought a replacement cord and rewired the footpedal for the newest one because of exposed wires. That really isn't hard. Hope you get the problems worked out.
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 865
Some of the newer 301/221 bobbins sold at the larger stores are not the same quality and would be "wrong" even if they looked right. Sew-classic is your best bet for bobbins.
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