Help with a featherweight
 

I just bought a featherweight. I got it and started testing it. I know I need to replace the cord, the belt and need a new carrying box, but----The handle won't turn all the way around. It only goes almost 1/2 way around. I went ahead and oiled it, to see if it would make a difference, and it doesn't. I did plug it in the motor goes grrr, but I didn't want to force anything.
Do you guys have a clue as to what is wrong?

what handle are you talking about? Need pictures please. [ATTACH=CONFIG]440012[/ATTACH]this is a FW, no handle.

It is the round thing that the belt wraps around. You loosen the inside wheel to stop the wheel from turning so you can wind a bobbin. When you start on a piece of sewing you often start with this wheel, sorry the words I have are crank, wheel, and I guess handle isn't very specific.

Sounds like it's locked up. The typical culprit is thread wrapped around the bobbin assembly. Take a flashlight and look around the bobbin case area. If you see any thread, try to carefully remove it with tweezers.

Oh.... how frustrating. I hope Candace's suggestion works. If not, I'm sure all the members here will be able to help you get it up and running. Yes, please take a picture so we can see what's going on.

You will solve this, just be very slow, careful, baby steps. and don't pry or force -anything-.

You can call it a handwheel. It is not moving, very likely as was pointed out, because of a thread jam near the bobbin.

The FWs are wonderful! But. notoriously easy for getting thread jams, espe if the needle is on backwards, which often happens, as it is counter-intuitave to many.

Go slowy and cautiously with your exploration of the bobbin area, take lots of photographs, and be patient - stop and post a question any time you have any reservations. We're all here to help, and you will solve this, yes you will. :-)

The throat plate may not be on right. I don't have time to hunt up a picture but I have posted many times. Here is a link to the time my sister and I cleaned up my mom's machine. There is a picture of the bobbin area. Your throat plate has a place a little finger that needs to match up under it. http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...t-t174236.html

Are you referring the balance wheel on the right end of the machine(as you face it) as a handle? If you are, there may be a piece of thread locked up in the bobbin. I If you aren't familiar with working on mechanical things, and have never done much with machines, I would highly recommend taking the machine to a reputable repairman.
Featherweight RX.com has a fantastic manual they sell that gives full detail of all the parts of a FW, also how to clean, oil and repair some things on a FW fully illustrated. I bought one several years back when I bought my first FW. The name of the manual is "The Featherweight 221 and I". I pull this out when I have a problem with my machine. I have had thread lock mine up a few times and in this manual there are great illustrations to follow to take care of this problem-BE CAREFUL when doing this, as there is a very tiny screw involved, and if you lose it- you have a major problem, as they are not easy to replace. When I work on my bobbin area, cleaning or removing thread, I place the machine on a towel, to help keep anything from falling off of a smooth surface. I also have a small plastic container I use to keep the small parts in when doing this- one like the top on some cough medicine or over the counter meds, that measures liquids. I now keep it in the top tray of my machine case.
Good Luck.

Bet it would be worth it to find a sewing machine tech. and have him check it out and get it in first class shape. He can do an estimate as to the total cost so there are no surprises. You will love your machine after it is put in first-class shape! Mariah

For good information, check out www.novamontgomery.com

Her Monthly Tips (index available too) is wonderful in learning about your FW and problems and solutions. She also sells parts for our little jewels.

these machines also need grease

You need to get yourself a manual so that you can see what the parts look like, what they are called, and how to clean and maintain your machine. Wish that you were a little closer to me near Austin and I could get you to come to my shop and I would examine your machine and teach you what you need to know to take care of it.
I have parts and a manual on my website and would be happy to answer questions through a private message.
I have seen several machines that seemed to be 'locked up' because the handcrank would not turn and there was no power in the motor. Sounds like two things to me, thread around the bobbin area and that the motor needs to have some lubricant in the ports.
Website: www.thequiltgal.com.

I would think its the bobbin assembly and some sort of thread wrap problem. I'd take the whole assembly apart very carefully with guides found for free online and check out that whole area for threads or jams.

I bought this machine on E-Bay,he seemed to think it worked! There is no thread in the bobbin area. I have cleaned and oiled the machine. When I turn the hand wheel it will rotate to get the needle about 1/4 inch above the throat plate. The belt was in terrible condition and popped out from where it is supposed to sit. I got my replacement parts from Nova and replaced the belt. The darn thing still won't go! I thought it might be a problem that the silver wheel on the hand wheel was locked or unlocked. I've tried it both ways and the best I get is just the 1/2 turn of the wheel.

Do you have to have the bobbin in the machine in order to make it go through to the bobbin hook? Ugh! I have gone to Nova's site, I've taken the workshop from her as well.
Thanks for your advice.

Oh, it is a Canadian machine, so I think it was made in Scotland. I sent the cord and foot to Nova to fix and haven't gotten that back yet.

Can you disassemble the bobbin case--the thing that holds the bobbin to the machine? I can with my Bernina, and my mechanical machine, but I don't see any of the 'flippers' that lock the piece into the machine.

You can do what ever you want to - it is getting things put back right that's hard.

Gerbie --- I'll bet your towel has " Best Western " embroidered on the bottom...

I was reading another post on a featherweight. It is called the cleaning of a 1948 featherweight. In it she tells that the bobbin holder has to be in the right position when you put the face plate back on. When I have the face plate off the machine makes a full revolution. When I put the 'finger' in the center position it doesn't work at all. Also her machine bobbin holder is stripped down compared to mine. Mine has a C like piece on it (without the bobbin case) My machine is a 1959 would that make a difference?

Can you post a picture? The face plate is the plate that goes above the needle. The throat plate is the plate that the needle goes through. The throat plate has a groove in it for the finger of the shuttle part to rest in. If your machine doesn't work when it is in position there may be thread caught in the shuttle. The shuttle is the thing you put the bobbin and bobbin case in. It goes around and catches unaware thread. It is very common for FWs and 301s to get thread in there and it is hard to get the thread out. I prefer other machines for that reason... You have to be very careful when you start and stop those machines - keep the thread take up lever and needle all the way to the top. Keep track of the tail threads so they do not get pulled down into the shuttle when you start.

This is what is wrong with my machine. I have tried to put it in the same place but my machine is a 59' and the bobbin receiver area is different. Mine has a greaat deal more hardware around it. When i try to put it in the same place and put the stitch plate on it won't go. It is great to know there is a solution for my machine. I just haVE to figure it out!

post some pictures so we can see what you are talking about. We love to see everyone's little cuties.

You should have that information in your user's manual.

There was no user manual that came with my machine. I did download a manual from the internet, and there is a page that shows the parts that form the bobbin case area. I did unscrew the tiny little screw, and didn't see how to disassemble (or feel) the thing.
I'll try to take pics of the thing and you guys can tell me what I am doing wrong. I have guild meeting tomorrow, and am a bit busy.

If you are unsure of what you are doing - WAIT - find a manual or find someone else with enough information to not harm your machine. Hey not everybody is mechanically inclined and that is ok. There have been times I've waited for my sister to come from Arizona to sit next to me and help me work on a machine - one reads the manual and the other does the surgery. Results may vary... AND you can always find a place to have it serviced.

Believe it or not I am very mechanical. I have printed the pages that show the way the machine should be with the 'finger' in the right place. When I try putting it in the right place (I haven't disassembled the mechanism around the bobbin area) it stil stops working. Do you think it's possible the man who sold me the machine when he disassembled it didn't put the parts back the way they should?

Please forgive me for not knowing the right terms for the parts of the machine. Senioritis strikes, and I am not fully knowledgeable of the correct terms of some of the parts. Thank you for all the tips.

extremely possible. You need another FW to look at as you take yours apart and put it back together. I like to have another person around when I do stuff I'm uncomfortable doing. My sister shows up a couple times a year. I save up the bad boys for when she comes. She might not know any more than I do but she keeps me going and we get it done.

What do you mean by it stops working? Does the thread jam? What exactly happens?