Warning: Not Vintage, but the Weird Machine has arrived.
 

Last year we were talking with AngieM2 over on the Homesteading Today Sewing and Quilting Forum about acquiring the weird sewing machine she had. Somehow our communication stalled and we didn't hook up again until recently.

Well the machine arrived today. It's a Kenmore Sensor Sew One Hundred. Mdl # 340-1991180.
It's computerized with scads of stitches and monograms. And if I read the numbers right an 8 mm wide ZZ stitch. That will be fun to mess with.

Here is the machine:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...SS100a_web.jpg

And here is our Inspector General, Pollyanna checking it out:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...SS100b_web.jpg

We plugged it in and turned it on and the motor made a loud horrid growling, buzzing, almost shorting out noise and the machine barely moved. Angie had warned me there was something wrong with it, but I wasn't thinking motor.

I pulled the bottom off of it and watched as it tried to run. Checked all the shafts and connections, they were good to go.
Elaine and I also pulled all the inspection covers off the machine and checked everything we could. Nothing out of order to be found.

It is the motor causing all the ruckus, but why is yet to be determined. My current theory is the armature is shorted out. As we were working with it the armature shaft got hot enough to burn my finger. That is not right at all.

I wont' be able to work on it for a week or so, but I will try to find out what the specs are on the motor so I can check it good.



Joe, Elaine

I forgot to add this machine is a 91 vintage and was made in Italy. Besides pattern and decorative stitches it also will to alpha and numeric monogramming.

Joe

That is an interesting looking machine. Will look forward to updates on your progress.

I've seen these before and always thought they were really cool:>

Oh Joe, I so hope you can get it working. I had a computerized sewing/embroidery machine that I dearly loved (a BabyLock Esante.) It died on me and to have it fixed I would have to purchase a $400.00 computer board for it plus the labor to have it fixed. Didn't get it fixed, but did buy a used Bernina Deco 330, which I hate. Let's hope yours is an easy fix. Let us know how it goes.

Candace,

Do you know of any sources of parts for them?

Kitsy,

Will do.

Joe

It is a Necchi Logica badged as a Kenmore Sensor sew. It was put out by Necchi - the real Necchi company. It is the first portable electronic sewing machine. I hope you get it running.

Here is a threading Diagram. http://www.sewusa.com/Threading_Diag...g_Diagram.html

The Designer: http://warymeyers.blogspot.com/2009/...ro-logica.html

Really cool machine!

Nope, but I would contact the Necchi yahoo group and dig around the files and postings there.

If you can get it to work, looks like it would be a good quilting machine because the angle of the needle to housing is increased tremendously by the angle.

Necchi Logica, cool. Now I have another group to join. As if I don't already belong to enough.

Well, that tells me it is at least a quality machine so I'm all the more interested in getting it going.

Thanks for the information.

Joe

Probably going to make her a harness collar for when she travels with it. Eeeekkkk!!!!!!!!!!


Joe

Can someone tell me which bobbin this machine takes? It had a Class 66 Plastic bobbin in it when it arrived. Since then I've tried Class 15 metal bobbins, they don't fit; Class 15 plastic bobbins, they fit in but are too tall; and the funny looking bobbins with a step down on the rim that Singer calls Class 15s. Those fit.

But I'm curious what bobbins this thing is supposed to use.

Joe

Joe,

According to the catalog from my wholesale house the Necchi Logica use a bobbin #1975330-00.

There are 2 auctions with them on eBay right now.

Cathy

Cathy,

Thanks for that info. Wish you had posted a link to those auctions. I'm eBay search challenged.

Joe

I searched the bobbin and 1975330-00 and got:

http://appliances.pricegrabber.com/v...979281953.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Necchi-586-S...-/160778992634
:)

$12.00 for 5 bobbins! I'd make sure that bad boy works before I'd buy bobbins for it!

I would keep searching for bobbin price... LOL

Miriam,
Thanks for the links.
Now I know what I'm looking for. I will keep looking for the better price.

Mitch's mom,
Absolutely, that's my plan. I have some bobbins that will fit in it and we'll use them until it's up and running. Then I'll get some actual Necchi bobbins.

Joe

I've never seen anything like this. Once you have her up and running you have to do us a stitch sampler. That is if your guard kitty lets you near her newly acquired machine

Stitchit123,

That is my plan. With all the other machines it takes a ½ to 1 ½ 9x11" felt pieces to do the sample stitches. With this one I'll bet it takes 2 to 3 pieces. It should be fun.

And Pollyanna will cooperate I'm sure.

Joe

I have this machine sitting in my upstairs closet. Got it out a few months ago to run it. It is still working but noticed the numbers on the digital panel are not showing up as they should. Bought mine new when they first came out and digital panel went out. Still under warrenty, had it replaced. It does growl and the fan runs all the time.
Liz in TN

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I have a real early Necchi (BC) and I am looking for some bobbins. anyone know a source?

Liz,

The digital panel is still available here: { http://www.searspartsdirect.com/part...&prst=&shdMod= }

Steve,
I don't know where to get those Necchi BC bobbins. Maybe Candace or Mizkaki or ArcaicArcaine (?)

Joe

Is it?? I have not used it for serious sewing in 20 years because it wants to 'eat' the fabric. Wanted to sell it but DH wanted me to keep it. I do try to get it out of the closet and make sure it is still running.
Good luck with yours.
Liz in TN

Liz,

Thanks. I'm going to pull the motor and go through it today. Hopefully I can fix it's growling and make it go zoom zoom. If I can then I'll see what else the machine might need.

Joe

Motor Diagnosis, Part I:

I took the Sensor Sew to my basement work area and took the bottom and right end panel off.

There was a myriad of wireds around the motor:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_4903.jpg

Then I stood the machine on it's left end and removed the motor. It was held in by two hex head screws on the pulley end and a plastic peg on the fan end:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_4905.jpg

What I found when the motor was out was that there was a lot 1/16" or more of end play to the armature, and the brushes did not make full and proper contact with the commutator.
The bushings the armature shaft passed through were loose in the motor frame.
So I decided to disassemble it to try to fix it.

Ooops, bad idea.
I determined that the belt pulley and the fan had to come off. They are plastic and I didn't want to break them, so I tried to tap gently on the roll pin holding the belt pulley on. (Blue arrow)
I found out the hard way the motor frame was made from cheap, cheap, cheap, pot metal. Not even aluminum, but junk pot metal.
After a couple of gentle taps the frame broke at the bushing area and where it contacts the coil.
(Red arrows)
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/IMG_4906.jpg

So, although I'm "pretty sure" the motor was worn out, it's busted now.

I guess I start hunting for a new one. I really don't want to chance a used one unless it's dirt cheep.

To Be Continued .... http://cdn.homesteadingtoday.com/ima...lies/frown.gif

Joe

You didn't do that damage with a couple gentle taps. I believe, from looking at it, it was already cracked or very stressed. Look at the frame under the big break - where the stud comes up - there are cracks all over the place.
I'm sure you will find a motor. Cost might be an issue but it will depend on how collectible the machine is whether or not you get raped on the price.

Looks to me like it was already in the broken stage when you got it and that is why the motor was sounding so growly. I have never seen a machine like that one. Interesting.

Same thing my wife said. Cracks all over the cast parts. They were truthfully second rate parts. I'm wondering if the Necchi version has better quality inside?

Joe

Been doing some reading about this motor. From what I've read, the manufacturers consider it a disposable motor. There is a comment in the manual about replacing it ( the whole motor ) if any corrosion shows on any of the commutator slats. No mention of cleaning it, just toss it and put in a new one.

Ugh, now I need to find one. Sears doesn't have them any more, so where to start looking?

Joe

I suspect this is why you don't see any of them working in the wild, Joe. ;>

You could be right Candace. I've got a lot of searching to do before I give up.

But .... it's a high shank machine and it has all of it's feet and attachments. So even if it's not fixable, I'm still ahead.

Joe

Looks like Kitty thinks it's interesting, as well!

Joe, can you turn it into a hand crank machine?

Nope, computerized, electronically controlled everything.

Joe

You know you are learning a lot... Chalk it up to education. I wonder if a motor out of a different Kenmore will mount.

Joe, I wonder if this machine was dropped or banged. It doesn't take much on computerized machines to mess them up.
I'm sure the Necchi has better insides...Sears used to set a price that they would pay for a particular machine...the manufacturer then had to cheapen the parts to make the machine within those prices.
Good Luck, Susie

Susie,

There is no evidence of the machine having been dropped or abused. It's clean, complete, and almost pristine internally. But the lady I got it from told me the lady she got it from ( actually her heirs ) had used it extensively for making ice skating costumes and other things. So although complete and in nice shape, it's well used.

I'm going to look for a Necchi motor as well as the Kenmore version. Who knows, I might get lucky.

Joe