Edison Update
 

WWWWWaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back in 11-21-11, we acquired an Edison clone from shopgoodwill.com.
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We went to Terre Haute, IN to pick it up and found a nice treadle in a parlor cabinet too, but that's a story for another thread.
The poor Edison was a disaster. The case handle was broken and taped together with duck tape. Inside it was littered with bent, broken, and chipped needles. That was a warning I would have heeded had I not already paid for it and driven half way across the state.
It did have a full compliment of accessories and owners manuals for everything, so those helped.

Once home I tried to make it work and it just would not sew. I tinkered with it for quite a while and didn't get anywhere. I just didn't know what I was doing. The presser foot shaft was set too high, the needle bar was set too low, and the timing was off. I fixed those the best I could by comparing them to my HOTHER. But the HOTHER is just too dissimilar. Then I ended up making matters worse by undoing some screws and turning a counter balance on the main shaft trying to fix an interference fit. I really messed it up then. After that things just went down hill. I found out how to adjust that interference problem later, but still couldn't get the machine right.

While I was trying to figure out the mechanics of the machine I rewired the cord block and motor and cleaned the insides of the foot controller.

The machine sat for nearly a year until I got a 15-91 in late 2012. That was similar but not enough. And the singer parts were set up opposite those in the Edison.
Tinker on it for while, then put it away again. I even use the belt grard / bobbin winder, hand wheel, motor and wiring to run the 15-91 for a test while I fixed the potted motor. Worked good too.

Finally a breakthrough. In October of 2012 I bought a Commadore clone. I compared it to the Edison and internally they are identical. I removed all the plates, covers and motors from both of them and sat them side by side on my work bench. Then gradually I reset everything in the Edison to match the Commadore. There was a few little glitches, but we were getting somewhere.
Then the Edison was put back while I worked on other machines.

Last month I pulled it out again and refreshed my memory as to where I'd left off. It surprised me and sewed. The only thing wrong was instead of moving the fabric smoothly through the feed dogs it moved it back and forth as it sewed. I looked and looked and looked at it trying to figure out a reason.

Then I was doing something else and had an epiphany. Perhaps the feed dogs were too high so they never released the fabric. And if I used the feed dog lowering screw to gradually lower the dogs I could confirm or deny that theory.
A couple weeks ago I made the test and as I lowered the dogs the problem stopped. It just sewed along nicely. I made a few adjustments underneath to lower the dogs and then started sewing with the Edison.
A long time coming. For the last couple weeks I've been using the machine, fine tuning the tensions, and working with it.
I put a new bobbin winding tire on it, a new belt, polished the needle pricks off the needle plate. Polished the needle hole with the abrasive cord Sew-Classic sells and gave it a good test run.
I made a Whacky Bag with it. Turned out pretty good too.

I also replaced the broken handle on the case with a handle from a broken case Miriam gave me.
Now the Edison is complete. Back in his own home with all the goodies he came with. One more success story. :D

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The Edison is now sitting snug in his case in queue for his next project.

Joe

PS: Someone asked me to take pics of the progress and I never did. I apologize for that.

So Joe,
From what I can tell the moral of this story is to buy 2 of everything??

You have to be pleased it is finally up and going.

Roger

AWESOME!!! Well done. Never give up, never surrender!

Roger,

There was no attempt to get matching clones. I just liked them so I bought them. As coincidence happened the Commodore was a match.

But having two of something isn't a bad idea.

Steve,
Right, never give up.

Joe

Nice job on the machine and the case. Sometime it is best to walk away from a project for a while. It gives your brain time to put things together for you so it clicks.
Rodney

I've been watching this "Edison" nearby. Any guesses who made it?

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/atq/4311657409.html

Nice job on the Japanese Edison!

Jon

Jon,

No idea on the old Davis in your CL add. Looks like a nice one though.

Joe

I think the two of everything is a great plan. Unless the two are both screwed up:>

Yep. I'm hoping someone snatches it up before my resolve weakens but it sure is perty.

At $35 I'm not sure I would have any resolve...

Going to pick up old Edison tomorrow before it winds up in the scrap yard. Hopefully it's in better shape than Joe's initially was.

Jon

Jon,

I think mine was severely abused by a ham fisted gorilla. I think the one you're going after will be OK.

Joe

:D Gotta love 150 year old technology

Now there is some enabling advice. (I'm following it pretty well, 2 Davis VF sitting side by side on the bench at the moment, a 3rd coming, just in case)

That's a story to demonstrate persistence!! I love looking at and reading about the vintage machines, I look for them in thrift stores, yard sales, antique malls, etc. but so far I have only purchased two which were promptly given away. So tell me how I have ended up with five machines! Nice work.

Congrats, Joe, for your perseverance! I love hearing those success stories! You are an inspiration and your detailed account of your progress gives us "wantabee" repair people possible solutions for our repair tribulations.

I would have a hard time passing that one up at $35 with the bentwood case and Hamilton Beach motor even with the damage to the case.
Rodney

Value wise it's a no brainer though I already have a very similar Davis which is why I was trying to hold off. Another reason is I'm not a big fan of friction drive motors. It is a beautiful machine though and I'm interested in learning all I can from it.

Jon

Steering wheel spinner knob?

Good idea.

I have less trouble with the friction drive machines than belt drive. The only preventive measure is fabricating a wedge to keep the drive wheel away from the hand wheel when not in use. That's easy, just use half a clothes pin between the motor housing and pivot bracket. No more flat spots.

Joe

Success again...thanks for sharing..love reading about your adventures.

Hi Joe,

All the factory electric Davis machines have a motor which swings away from the handwheel inside the "harp" when the machine is stored which is a brilliant idea and eliminates flat spots if not left out. Singer used this setup on it's early electrics. Even with new rubber the early friction drive IMHO just doesn't seem as smooth as an aftermarket belted motor which would explain why Singer did away with the early motor setup. My experience is limited to
Davis friction drive machines of the Teens and Twenties so perhaps they improved in time with White, Domestic, National and any foreign makes by the 40's and 50's.

Jon

Peerless HC swings away:
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I also have a Singer 66 with a swing away motor:
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That Peerless is cool. I've been wanting a machine with that swing away electric motor for some time. Never scored on one yet.

Joe

Congratulations...you're amazing Joe!