Stiff Treadle
 

Hello, thought I would tackle getting a treadle working. I have oiled it thoroughly everywhere and the is a severe stiffness. The pedal is smooth, the hand wheel with the small wheel set to bobbin runs smooth. The only place I can't access is under the plate at the front of the machine. It doesn't come off like my singer 15 and 201. It is like the tension knob and plate coexist together. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. If I could get it off, I am sure I would find something in there all rusty making it stiff...the tension and front plate look suspect.....

Thanks.

Arghh. Got it off, oiled it...still stiff. I think I made it worse but fiddling with taking the hand wheel apart. Can't even move the needle now :) I give up..I am packing it away and sewing instead.

OK, so you screwed it up. Been there, done that. Now post a picture so we can tell what model this thing is. Also did you clean and oil the treadle? The plate pivots need to be cleaned occasionally, the pitman arm top and bottom, the big wheel bearings or pivots too.
That will make a big difference.

As for the machine, lets start with .... what brand is it?

Joe

I think the machine is a singer 27?

Yes I gave up Joe :) I feel bad. I tried to use process of elimiation... I oiled the treadle everyplace it had moving parts and it runs nice and smooth so that is good to go. So I think it is with the machine. When I disengage the small silver handwheel within the larger one as if to wind a bobbin, it also runs smooth.

Just turning the handwheel as if to sew regularly is super stiff. Like I have to use 2 hands to turn it.
The tension knob and needle holder have rust on it...but when I took off the scrolly plate, and scrolly round back plate...all the parts look unrusted.

Maybe I don't need to sew in a power outage :)

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Could the belt be too tight?

It looks like you have nice looking 15-30. I need to see a pix of the bobbin area to make sure of that.

The needlebar can get frozen up from varnish / old oil, so make sure that is well oiled.

Cathy

I forgot to add to the post - I had taken the belt off for all the handwheel turning. I think the belt is too loose....I plan on cutting it slightly & resizing, but don't what to make the cut unless the machine works smoothly.

vanginney,

Pull off the face plate, just loosen the screw at the top, lift it straight up and pull it off. Then clean and oil everything in there.
Also if you see a hole without threads oil it. Pull the plate off the back and oil everything in there. Pull the hand wheel off, just one little screw too loosen then take off the stop motion knob and the clutch washer and the hand wheel will come off. It might need oil and encouragement, but it will come off.

After that, tilt the machine up on it's hinges and oil everything underneath that moves. Lots of little oil holes under there, but if you can't see them oil it all. You can let the excess drip off or wipe it off. Put a couple layers of folded up paper towels under the machine to catch drips.

It didn't get gummed up over night, so it can take a while to free up. Just be patient and keep working on it.

As for the belt, don't make it too tight. I should be just tight enough to not slip. Make sure there's no oil on the belt grove of either wheel, they'll slip like crazy if there is.

Oh, I'm not bragging but my treadles are so easy to turn I can belt them up and turn the machine and treadle parts with one finger through the hand wheel. Easy is an understatement.

Joe

Hi All,

Didn't look at the treadle til this morning...I was ready to work through all of your suggestions. When I took it out of the cabinet everything was smoothly running. It must have taken time for all that oil to work!!! Got the bobbin wound on the beast thanks to you tube! And got it sewing. The needle has to be inserted right facing unlike my other ones. The only thing I have to figure out is stitch length...because there are no numbers.

Thanks again for all your help. You realize...I am hooked. My DH doesn't know what he is in for! Got all 3 vintage machines working now! And I originally just bought them as decoration until you gave me the confidence to tackle these machines! Best.

It's a great feeling to get them working again isn't it.

Clare