Please help.
 

I recently purchased a cabinet with a Singer 401a inside. It does run but barely. Not sure if it's gummed up or motor going bad.

My other one is why i hope you can help me. It's what I believe to be a Kenmore model 44 (bluish teal color, based on pictures from the internet). It does run well. The plate with the model number is missing.

Does anyone have a manual for either of these or could possibly point me in the right direction?

I appreciate your time and help.
(I don't know how to upload pics)

Hello and welcome. I am not much help I'm afraid. There are some knowledgeable people here, but you may get more help over on Victorian Sweatshop forum.

I appreciate your help. I made an account there as well. Any help is appreciated.

I have a 401a in a cabinet. I am not sure if I still have the manual or not but I will look.

Welcome to the board! You can find the users and service manual for the 401 here

https://www.vintagesingerparts.com/pages/about-us

Scroll down, it will be on the left. Also search this board for 401/403, there have been a lot of posts about it, including maintenance and motor issues.

I would have to see a picture of the Kenmore.

My email is [email protected]. If you email me I'll send a picture of it. Thank you again for your time and help.

One of the other members, Janey, wrote up this about posting pictures, this way everyone can see it and maybe help:

In order to post pictures on Quilting Board, you will probably need to reduce or compress the picture to a file size that is smaller than 2MB. How to post images can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...020-01-17-.pdf
Don't forget to scroll over to the far right to find and click on the "Upload" button.

I have found that only the big red "Reply" button or "Quote" work to give me the paper clip icon to work for adding pictures.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...p-location.jpg

Some additional info regarding reducing images at post #4 and images for the scroll and upload button can be found at #5 of https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f...d-t312607.html

Can't help with the Kenmore but your 401 will be gummed up for sure, rare for the motor to be bad https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/thumbup.png

Do these look ok?

Manual
 

I found my manual for the 401A. What do you need to know about the machine? The manual has several pages and shows a lot of the special stitches.

I'm glad Joe told you how to post pictures.

There are two manuals for the 401 at https://www.singer.com/search/support?title=401 One at the top and then one further down the page. One is from 1958 and the other is a revised in 1976 version.

While it is fairly long, there is some good info at https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...t216956-7.html There are a couple of others at https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...m-t288873.html and https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...a-t271809.html particularly https://www.quiltingboard.com/7368069-post15.html

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)

Here's a link to a Singer 401 manual that you can download and print for free.
Singer 401 Instruction book (ismacs.net)


There are Kenmore manuals for $6.95 here:
kenmoresewingmanuals.com/#gsc.tab=0

Glad someone found a place for you to download a manual. Lots of help on this site.

There is a facebook group for sears and Kenmore machines and they have a ton of manuals there. Your model # will be under the bad as you look at the from usually three numbers. period bunch more #s.. That's how you will search.

I have just overhauled a 401A here - WONDERFUL machine. I have digital copies of the manual (there may be more than one version out there on the web, for free), and would be happy to email one to you.

If the machine turns, but somewhat stiffly, it just needs oil and patience.

Roy

I unstuck a 401a. I used strips of old t-shirts, q-tips and cotton balls that I soaked with 90% rubbing alcohol from Walmart, sewing machine oil, denatured alcohol from Home Depot (pretty much the same as the rubbing alcohol, but more expensive). I also used kerosene (unscented lamp oil from Walmart). You soak the fiber and rub it on the yucky places until the brown gunk comes off. I used the strips to go under things and "see-sawed" the strip until I had to change to another strip. A pair of hemostats is helpful to get the strips, or cotton balls into the tight places. It took a while, but it's my go-to machine now. (Don't get the alcohol on that red lever, it will dissolve the paint.) I used various solvents at various times so I'm not sure which is best. I think the alcohol works best, though. (Don't use alcohol on a Black Machine, it will dissolve the finish.)

If you'll look at some of archaic arcane posts here and on youtube, you'll find great tutorials. I think AndyTube did a series on the 401a on youtube as well. Andy tube is very detailed, Archaic arcane moves a little faster. Both do excellent tutes.

bkay

Well, dear friend, here is my thread from when I was exactly where you are!! https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...r-t293179.html It seems that it is rather common to get these when they are glued immobile by old oil.

For my manual needs, I always check Manualslib.com first here. I like it because you can make a free account and keep all your manual there. I have them stored on my laptop, as well, for when I want to print one, but I can always access them from my phone if I need to. I don't always find the manuals I need there, but I mostly do.

I think I used alcohol to unglue mine, too. It worked very well on the 99 I just did, too.

I can't wait to hear what kind of Kenmore that is!!

The vintage Kenmore group at groups.io may be of help if you still need it. https://groups.io/g/VintageKenmoresSew

I appreciate everyone's help. However the Kenmore I have i can't find a manual. I don't have social media so the Facebook group isn't helping. I have found a model similar but it is not the same. The one on the internet has stitch patterns like the 401a, however mine does not. I have emailed the company that used to own the Kenmore sewing machine line. They stated they do not have any historical information available... I have also emailed the gentleman who ran the site that has the similar one and he has no idea..

How do you add pictures to here?

I couldn't figure out how upload here but I figured out how to upload in profile. Thank you again for all your help. I apologize i don't get on much to reply.

Joe posted instructions at https://www.quiltingboard.com/showpo...35&postcount=7 and your post https://www.quiltingboard.com/showpo...46&postcount=9 shows the same machine as in your profile https://www.quiltingboard.com/pictur...ctureid=623760

Kenmore would have machines made to their specifications. They evidently would change them slightly from year to year. It looks like the model 44 would include the models with the last digits 440 through 445. Evidently yours is the economy model that does not have a light or use cams for the decorative stitches. The threading would be the same for all in that series of machines.

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

Thank you. For everything that I found i didn't see where there was a 3rd number to the series i knew the model 44 but not the rest. That helps alot. Since it being the economy I don't know why it's not more popular as finding information about it. Thank you so much.

Hello and Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan! We have a good number of folks in the Vintage Sewing machine group that may be able to help you out. I only dabble in vintage machines. I have more than a dozen vintage machines, all of them are in great working order and most have the manuals with them. I wish I could help you out. Please jump right in and join the fun. Again welcome to the QB!

The 401 looks nice. I have a 301 that was my mom's and 503. I love them both. I'm really intrigued by your Kenmore. Love the color.

Thank you.

Just follow the manual, the 401 is a great machine. I would clean, oil, and lubricate it first per the manual and the tips in the Stickies above here at QF. For a first time in a long time oiling, I would go heavier than just a drop of SMO or (TriFlow) at each oiling point. There may be hardened oil in there that needs "melting" with new oil (or maybe a bit of heat from a hair dryer). Be patient: work on it, let it rest overnight to let the SMO soak in. Sometime it takes a while. 401's are great machines.

I am not familiar with that particular Kenmore in the post, but the same principles apply to it as well. I like Kenmore's in general (158's & 148's in particular). Good luck with them!

John Thomas in NC