GreyQ

Hi all! I've started rewiring my green New Home and have run into a couple of issues. The light wire was crumbling so it had to be replaced but the socket is impossible. I have to find a replacement socket. I'm checking with Sew Classics but it doesn't look like they have anything but Singer replacements. I'd like to find an exact socket replacement so I can still use the green light shield. It slides on to the socket. It's also that push & turn light bulb type. So any other place you can recommend for replacements would be appreciated.
But I also need help with the foot pedal. It's set up as a knee pedal with a very short cord. I want to turn it into a foot pedal. I can't open the dang thing. Is there a trick to it? I like rewiring simply because I don't trust the old wiring, too. I'm starting to think it would be a whole lot easier & time saving to just order a new foot pedal and replace this one. Here are some pics of the pedal, top, bottom, side. I thought taking off the clips on the end would work but it won't budge. Any way to open it without taking off the presser lever? If you have a tip on this style of pedal, I'd love to hear it.

J Miller

Grey,

Why is the light socket impossible? Pictures of it could help?


To open that controller isn't hard, it's getting it back together that hard cos you need three hands. Well, maybe not.

The screws on the side of the pedal have to come off. Then the pedal will come off. Watch carefully which way things move as they come off.

Then pop off the little clip off of the holy top. It will raise up and the hook on the other end will pivot out of it's slot.

Then you can see inside. The wires just attach with screws so it's not too hard to do them.

I've had one of these apart, then back together so I'm running on memory. The person I got it from later found the machine it went to and needed it back so I never did use it.

Joe

GreyQ

Thanks Joe, I'm going to eat some spinach before I tackle this thing. Here are pics of the socket. The black wire from the switch and the brown & copper wire from the plug go into the narrow end to connect to the part where the bulb makes contact. I can't figure out how to get to the bulb end and the narrow part of the socket & the big part don't come apart.[ATTACH=CONFIG]458086[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]458087[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]458088[/ATTACH]

J Miller

Grey,

"I THINK", but I'm not sure, that there should be a disk with two contacts inside the narrow end for the bulb to make contact with. I don't see it in the pictures. The disk would be on the bulb side of the spring.

The wire from one side of the switch goes to the bulb, the other side to the power source positive side. The other wire goes to the power source neutral side.
The switch is always in the positive wire.

Looks like that one is missing some of the parts, or I'm not seeing them.

Joe

GreyQ

There are parts laying around as I've disassembled it. The switch goes in a big hole on onside of the socket & a plug (pic) that holds the plug cord goes in the other hole. Here's a pic of the bulb business end. I thought I could figure out a way to pull the it out through the narrow end but I can't see how.
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I'm giving up on the knee/foot pedal the lever screws just go round & round and I can't get them off.

J Miller

Grey,

I forgot to tell you the screws go into an axle, it takes two screw drivers. Sorry bout that. I'll think on the light fixture a bit.

Joe

GreyQ

OK, Joe, I'll try the foot pedal again but I'm still frustrated by the light. My motto is, "If it doesn't work to start with, how broken can I make it before it works again?" So, I got the contact end off, think I could have a nice little screw & washer or nut holding the wires to the contact points but no, the wires are directly connected to the contact points. I can't get the contact point that needs rewiring out of the black base. Any advice on replacement parts would be hugely appreciated. I want to keep the metal tube because the hood matches the machine.
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GreyQ

MORE Q's I've been stitching on my green Godzilla today, what a sweetie but the knee pedal is giving one of my thighs a work out. It's a trick to sit close enough so I can work the knee pedal & still be lined up for the sewing but it's easy to do. It has a beautiful stitch, easy to thread but seems to be working too hard and has a deep throaty hum instead of a light happy hum. There's a vibration that has gotten better as it's been used but I just don't care for the sound which doesn't exactly seem to be from the motor. I've played around with the presser foot tension from all the way down to practically off and it doesn't seem to effect it. When there is no fabric to sew, it works much easier so I thought the presser foot was too tight. It makes a cute little hopping motion that is easier to see w/o fabric but works with fabric. If I have the machine tipped at a 45 degree angle so I can watch what the bottom is doing, it seems to run easier. I think I need to replace the motor rubber wheel. So any ideas about why it seems to work harder with fabric in it and how hard is it to replace the motor rubber wheel? You can see that it is grooved pretty good.
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J Miller

Grey,

The wires should be soldered into the contacts of the light socket. I'd try de-soldering them.

The drive wheel can be refurbished a bit to get the flat spots out of it.
If the motor is mounted to the machine with a spring loaded mount use something to space it out away from the hand wheel. Then take file, a curved surface one or a flat one, and wrap it in sand paper. Run the motor as you sand out the flat spots.
Or, loosen the set screw and move the drive wheel in or out so a fresh part of it runs against the hand wheel.

I've done both and it's worked.

I've tried with varied success to replace the rubber in the drive wheels but only one works good. I've replaced most of the others. I don't know where you'd find a drive wheel with a bobbin winder on it though.

Also, when you put the machine up, put half a clothes pin between the motor and the mount. That will hold the motor away from the hand wheel and keep flat spots from forming on the rubber part. I do this to all my machines that use the rubber drive wheels except my FREE model CE and that one is a solid mounted motor so I take the drive wheel off of it when I'm not using it.

Joe

GreyQ

Thanks Joe, I think I know someone with a solder iron.

I'll try smoothing out the rubber wheel. The bobbin bar actually swings the motor wheel away from the machine wheel so that's easy peasy. (Thanks Thayer Rags for that tip) I have a good heavy duty rasp with both flat & curved sides and different grades of roughness but that may chew it up so I'll try the sandpaper. I wanted to know about replacing one in case, I mess it up.

I wish I could put a sound bite up so you all could hear the noise my machine is making when it runs. It's deep, not actually grindy but seems to be under the machine. I'm going to try adjusting the feed dogs just a bit to see if it helps it run easier. I just have the feeling it's working harder than it needs to be. I think it will eventually be a really good FMQ machine. It's been cleaned & oiled & oiled. I've tried following the Muv videos and, of course, if it's not right, it's me not the videos.