Featherweight problem
 

I was sewing away on my Featherweight yesterday and all of a sudden, it quit sewing. It still hums but it doesn't sew. Anyone have any ideas what could be wrong? Thanks.

Is the motor belt turning at all? Have you wound a bobbin lately and forgot to tighten the knob back? I will go check in my manual and see if I can find any information about that kind of problem.

Checking my manual, I found mention of the "V" Belt being a bit too tight. This belt can be loosen or tighten if needed but be very sure not to tighten it too tight. Tighten just until the belt does not slip NO MORE. Another thing you might check are the motor brushes. The brushes are what gets the electricity directed to your machine to make it run. If you remove the brushes to inspect them, make sure you note exactly how them came out of the machine. They need to go back in exactly how they came out. New brushes cost a lot less than a new motor. Hope this may help you get back to sewing.

I am not a mechanic, but I have received a lot of information from a featherweight manual by David McCallum, "The Featherweight 221 and I". And about any part for the featherweight can be found at 221parts.com

See if the belt if too loose, may have to readjust the motor and belt.

Check for extra thread in your bobbin area. That causes lots of problems with FW's.

Karamarie, did you get your featherweight working?

Check that the wheel hasn't worked loose.. I mean the little one you loosen to refill a bobbin.

Bobbielinks - The belt is good, it turns good by hand. Hubby and I aren't comfortable with working on the motor so I think I will take it to my sewing machine man, he's real good with featherweights. All of you thanks for the help. I will let you know when I get it back what the problem was.

The stop motion screw that gets loosened to refill a bobbin can work loose sometimes. Make sure it's tight.

I will check all the items mentioned above before I take it to my fix it guy. Hubby thinks it is the brushes as the motor hums but doesn't make the needle mechanism work. Thank you all so much for the good advice.