Laura M

The diagram really helps a lot! The light and motor wires do go into the 3 prong connector as shown. Coming from the connector #2 & #3 are connected to the knee pedal. I am missing half of the 3 prong connector. Not sure how the light wire goes - it does not come out. The 3 prong connector from my Singer 201 does fit this 3 prong. Luckily I am waiting for Tri Flow grease so I have time to see if I can use it as a test. The wires on my 101 to the knee pedal are frayed - caught up in things over time so I can save the knee pedal and use a foot pedal instead. Think I can just remove the knee pedals from the 3 prong?

One more question - I am thinking of Vaseline just for the potting wicks. Seems like Tri Flow does not melt and I think a bit of melting is needed for the motor?

THANK YOU - the light bulb is coming on - when I was looking at a pile of wires, frayed, nasty grease all over gears it was daunting!

Laura

DKuehn

I just picked up a 101 yesterday from Craigslist. I rewired mine and got it cleaned up and oiled. These are some very quiet and smooth sewing machines.

If you have any specific questions I might be able to help.

Laura M

I am holding off on the rewiring. The worst wires are to the knee pedal which I think I will remove. I can test with the foot pedal cord from my 201. What is the wire wrap covering that almost looks like paper? That is a little flaky.

I'd love input on TriFlow grease for the gears but Vaseline for the wick cups.

thank You
Laura

DKuehn

Are you taking about the one that's on the inside of the machine and looks yellow? If so, that's a lead pipe. I removed the one on my machine, I'd didn't like all the corrosion and don't know how nasty that is for one's health. I got it out of there and cleaned up the flaky stuff the best I could.

DKuehn

Rewiring the knee control is pretty easy. I just got a piece of lamp cord and replaced the old wires. I am out of ring connectors at the moment so I just made a loop by wrapping the wire ends around the thread spool holders on the sewing machine. (when I get some ring connectors I will redo the connections) Then I did the same to the 3 pin connector that the power plugs into. Rewiring the light and motor was more complicated.

This is what my knee controller looks like.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]542721[/ATTACH]

DKuehn

I just use the Singer gear lubricant and I did fill the motor tubes with Vaseline. When I run out of the Singer lube I might buy some of the TriFlow.

livesimplemama

I just picked up a 101-4 in the #40 cabinet at the thrift store a few days ago. I first saw the cabinet and wanted it as the perfect height for a bedside table, however, upon realizing what it was housing I've mustered up the ambition to repair/refurbish this machine myself. I've taken a majority of it a part already to inspect and besides it being pretty grimey it seems very much workable! That said, it does need to be completely rewired since the old rubber wire insulation is falling off in crumbs and some of the wire is fraying. The parts themselves seem to be in good working order and the motor is in good shape (form what I've researched). It was missing the wall plug but I have already ordered a replacement and a new three prong terminal body to replace the existing two prong since I have to rewire it anyway and finding a replacement outlet cord for that seemed near impossible.

I am going to try to keep the original knee controller so long as it still works but from what I understand, it seems very doable to switch it to a foot pedal. I have taken a part all the wiring and it is really quite simple. When you look at the bottom of the machine there are two cords (technically 4 different wire but they are connected into sets of two) coming out. One is coming from the motor and one from the light. The motor cord has one wire that connects to the knee controller motor as pictured above in DKuehn picture, the other goes into the power terminal. The light wires both go directly to the power terminal. Also you will need another wire going from the knee controller to the power terminal. If you want to replace the knee controller with a pedal I believe you would wire it in the same manor as the knee controller. The wiring comes out very easily too. Just unscrew everything from under the cabinet and carefully detach the entire motor. The wires will need to be pushed through one at a time from a hole at the bottom of the machine and then they will come out completely with the motor. Well, the light wire will stay connected to the light but it can be pulled up and worked on through the motor opening much more easily.

I'm having a hard time trying to rewire the light on the machine. Does anyone know if and how to totally remove the silver lamp piece from the machine? The casing on the wiring is bad and the wiring inside may be damaged but I can't find a good way to get it off to see/repair.

livesimplemama

I can post some pictures too if that's helpful for anyone. If anyone else has more info on actually disassembling this machine more or less completely, I would love to know. The way the base is made it is very tricky to clean everything. Particularly the bobbin housing and inside of the thread uptake.

Laura M

DKeuhn - I'll have to figure out how to post a picture when I am done. THANK YOU pictures always help! I will go ahead with the Vaseline and I'm still waiting for the Tri Flow. I'll use another machines foot pedal for a test. A lead pipe - hmmm it is flakey I will take another look, I thought it was a wrapped wire......

Livesimplemama - I am going to guess you already removed the sewing table portion of the base? There are 4 screws if you haven't taken it off yet. It slides right off. I did not take my light entirely off.

DKuehn

I saw a parts list somewhere where it was labeled as "lead". I went back trying to find it to post it here and couldn't find it.