Daylesewblessed

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 I have a Singer slant needle walking foot that actually works great on it, although probably originally made for a later machine.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.

ArchaicArcane

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.

cricket_iscute

Additionally, use a small scrap of thread and put 4 or 5 stitches in it and leave it attached, sew for a stitch on air, and start your seam. This prevents most bird's nests.

cricket_iscute

You can buy a new foot pedal and connected wiring reasonably (e-bay). It's a lot better than a fire.

If you decide to sell the machine, let me know (pm me).

Cricket

cricket_iscute

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!

lakekids

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.

cricket_iscute

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.

cricket_iscute

To answer your question, I have more than 30 machines and two of them are 301s. The 301s are my favorites.

miriam

I have tons of sewing machines and the 301s are not my favorites.

oldsewnsew

I'll bite, what's your favorite Miriam?