201-2 won't take up thread
 

I'm working on a 201-2 that I intend to give away. I don't remember if I actually sewed on it or not when I bought it.

It won't take up the thread. I took apart the bobbin area to clean it, as it was making a big racket. I think I put it back correctly, but that was a couple of months ago. I have not actually tried it to see if it sounds better.

I looked up how to thread it and which way the needle went. So, I think it's threaded correctly.

The hook isn't catching the thread.

Any ideas of what the problem might be? I'm going back to re-thread it and try again.

Would taking the bobbin area apart mess up the timing?

bkay

Never mind .... rethreading worked.

The plug shorted out. That's easy to fix. I have the wire, just not the wall plug. (Teach me to get generous and give something away.)

bkay

Never mind again. It will take up the bobbin thread after a couple of rotations, but it doesn't appear to make a stitch. I just turned the handwheel manually, as the cord to the wall is bad. I think it should make a stitch just using the handwheel.

I'm going to replace the whole wire but don't have a black plug for the other end, so will be back with more details on the stitch problem tomorrow.

bkay

I have work to do before I'm sure it needs timing. I've watched a few videos on timing, so now I think I can tell if it's out of time. Meanwhile, I found some other stuff that needs doing in those videos and blogs. I'll tackle timing last.

bkay

You could be right. How would I know?

I don't think it's out of time, but there is definitely something out of whack. This is the first time I've really messed with a 201, so I'm close to lost. It almost has to be the bobbin case. (Now I wish I hadn't taken it out.) It was a bear to put back. I couldn't get those clips aka "springs" to go back on there. The DH actually got them back on.

It won't be easy to take to the shop, either. The controller is hard wired to the machine and set up to permanently be a knee operated machine. It will take a bit of work to get the controller out of the cabinet. My favorite shop only takes the head - no cabinets.

The top thread is catching on something and snapping the thread. It literally jerks the top thread off the spindle.

Any suggestions? I was going to give this away, so am not too thrilled at the idea of a shop charge. On the other hand, I've already told her (DH's daughter-in-law) she can have it and she's really excited about it.

bkay

This is what it looks like:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]610227[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]610228[/ATTACH]

If I remember correctly, when I was working on my 201 I used a three part series that starts at http://vssmb.blogspot.com/2011/07/ho...bbin-case.html

I am not affiliated, just know it has good instructions working with the 201 bobbin case and hook.

Another thought, is the bobbin threaded correctly? Going the right direction (clockwise when looking at the top)? Into slot and then drawn to the front beween the bobbin case & tension spring? Then past notch and then back toward the needle?


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

Thanks, Janey.

I'm fairly sure that the bobbin is threaded correctly. I thought that clockwise rotation was strange, but did it anyway while reading the manual.

Thanks for the link. I'll read it tomorrow.

I will tackle that bobbin area again. I dread it, though.

DH says just give her a 15-91, that she won't know the difference as they are both black. The 15-91 isn't cleaned up either, though. The advantage to that is that I grew up sewing on a 15-91, so will at least know how to thread it.

bkay

Thanks again, Janie. I just read the vssmb.blogspot.com post. It is excellent. I think I can do this. It looks so simple as opposed to what I was reading in the adjusters manual.

bkay

You've probably already thought of this but the snapping of the top thread may just be as simple as the thread catching on the little "notch" on the spool (or a burr on the spool...sometimes they are not smooth). That happens to me if I don't turn the spool around so the notch on the top of the spool is away from where the thread feeds off the spool. I'm not sure how to word all this but I hope it makes sense. If not, let me know & I'll try to re-describe what I mean. :)

Success! She's sewing like a 201 and sounds sweet
 

I finally figured it all out.

It wouldn't pick up the thread because the needle was not properly seated. It's really hard to get the needle to go all the way in. (Suggestions?) I had put the old needle back in and decided to see if a new needle would help. Then, I realized it wasn't going all the way in, so gave it an extra push.

I thought that solved the problem. So, I sewed on it. It mangled the thread. When I looked at the tutorial Janie suggested, I saw this:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]610293[/ATTACH]

While checking the timing, I removed the feed dogs and position plate so I could see where the needle was when the hook came around. As soon as I saw that photo, I realized that I may have failed to put the "shark fin" in it's slot in the position plate the last time I put it back together.

Sure enough, that was it.

The reason I took it apart in the first place was it was that it was noisy. "Everyone" knows a 201-2 is supposed to be really nice and quiet. One of the blogs I read while looking for an answer to my problem showed greasing the gears. So, I greased the gears. Then, I read the manual and it said oil. Oh well, it's too late now. They are greased. There is no more noise, either. I'm not sure it was the bobbin area or the gears, but it's quiet now.

Thanks everyone for your generous help.

bkay