Help me, help me, with a 306k
 

Hi everyone from cold, cold middle TN....I am keeping myself warm by piddling in my sewing room with a newly acquired Singer 306k, Mocha, and beautiful, with all kinds of extra stuff included (except bobbins). I have had it sitting out in my sewing room, which is kept warm because of my Gammill, and right now crowded with all kinds of machines that need a little TLC until I make myself get started on another quilt.

This one runs sluggish (maybe because it was cold), and the motor kinda lights up from the side view and goes zzztzzztzzzzzt when I put my foot on the pedal. Needless to say I have not tried to open it up and run it hard with that facing me. It has a square type belt that seems tight enough, and I tried adjusting the motor a little, but am afraid to go too far with that before I work out the noisiness. The machine seemed to be well oiled and is clean so far as I can see. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery????? Please, anything.

Make sure the belt isn't too tight. Just tight enough so it doesn't slip is tight enough. Any tighter and it will drag down the motor.

The sparking could be due to dirt, lint, and old lube on the commutator. Were it mine, I'd double check the belt, loosen the stop motion knob ( oil the hand wheel shaft first ) then run the motor wide open for a few minutes to see it it would clean itself out. Not telling you to do that, but that's what I'd do.

You might also take the controller apart and clean out all the stuff in it. Make sure the wires are tight and the contacts are clean.

Joe

Thanks, Joe. It is so cold out today that I probably won't go out there; but I think I know what you're saying, and will run a copy of this off so I can study it in depth when I do try the machine again. I might be back with more questions later.....

Any possibility that the insulation on the motor wiring is in bad shape, crumbly, missing? If the machine turns freely by hand, you might want to check and make sure it's electrically sound.