Singer model 101 questions
11-04-2013, 02:41 PM
#1
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Location: Centralia, WA, USA
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Singer model 101 questions
I started doing today what I should have done from the beginning: Clean out the old grease and replace it with new in my daughter's Singer model 101. That part is going well enough but I do have a couple questions. The stop motion doesn't work well on the machine. The dial turns but the machine is reluctant to stop turning for bobbin winding. It does work-just not as well as it should. I think it is dried up oil or grease in the stop motion mechanism but am unsure how to proceed on tearing it down far enough to clean the gummy residue out. Can anyone help with this? I downloaded the owner's manual but that is about maintenance and use. It doesn't go into tearing the machine down for repairs.
Also, recommendations for grease for the motor and gears? Sew Classic recommends triflow grease for the gears and possibly either petroleum jelly or triflow if I'm reading it correctly for the motor. The Singer model 101 has a potted motor with grease cups and wicks. The site says the new formula for Singer lube isn't suitable for these old motors due to it won't wick properly. Can I get by with the petroleum jelly until I order some triflow? So far finding a light synthetic grease locally hasn't worked out. The machine will see light use (if any) while waiting.
Thanks for any help,
Rodney
Also, recommendations for grease for the motor and gears? Sew Classic recommends triflow grease for the gears and possibly either petroleum jelly or triflow if I'm reading it correctly for the motor. The Singer model 101 has a potted motor with grease cups and wicks. The site says the new formula for Singer lube isn't suitable for these old motors due to it won't wick properly. Can I get by with the petroleum jelly until I order some triflow? So far finding a light synthetic grease locally hasn't worked out. The machine will see light use (if any) while waiting.
Thanks for any help,
Rodney
11-04-2013, 03:20 PM
#2
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
Rodney,
There is a small screw in the stop motion knob. Unscrew it enough so the knob will unscrew. Make a note of the position of the stop motion clutch washer. You'll want to mark it somehow to put it back the same way. I use a Sharpie marker and mark the washer and shaft.
Remove the hand wheel by pulling it gently off the shaft. There is a fiber gear on the back side of the hand wheel so just pull straight out, don't force it. If it's reluctant to come off float the shaft with oil and let it soak.
Once off clean the inside of the hand wheel and the main shaft with a suitable solvent. I use Hoppe's #9 gun cleaning solvent for that due to it's ability to cut the old varnished oil.
While you've got the hand wheel off you can check the drive gear and grease it from the inside too.
Tri-Flow grease is not for the motor. As we've discussed here many times recently, what makes Tri-Flow grease great for gears, the ability to stick and not be flung off, and not melt, is exactly what makes it inappropriate for the motors.
When I serviced the motors on my two potted motor Singers I used the old style Singer Motor Lube for both the motor and gears. Here's why. When you remove the screw in plugs at the under side of the motor and fill them with fresh grease it lubes both the motor bearing wicks and the gears. There is a divider in the the hole. Half to the gears, half to the motor. You won't be able to see the divider cos it's covered with grease. I only found them when I cleaned the 15-91 motor.
If you don't have any of the Singer Motor Lube I'd suggest petroleum jelly. Don't use the Tri-Flow grease. It took me a whole tube for my 15-91 as I cleaned it sanitary when I rewired it. For the 201-2 it took maybe a quarter of a tube, if that.
Try to find some of the old motor lube if you can. I think on of our Canadian members ... Archaic Arcane???? said she had some of the old stuff. You might try her and see. I could be wrong about it.
Hope this helps some.
Joe
There is a small screw in the stop motion knob. Unscrew it enough so the knob will unscrew. Make a note of the position of the stop motion clutch washer. You'll want to mark it somehow to put it back the same way. I use a Sharpie marker and mark the washer and shaft.
Remove the hand wheel by pulling it gently off the shaft. There is a fiber gear on the back side of the hand wheel so just pull straight out, don't force it. If it's reluctant to come off float the shaft with oil and let it soak.
Once off clean the inside of the hand wheel and the main shaft with a suitable solvent. I use Hoppe's #9 gun cleaning solvent for that due to it's ability to cut the old varnished oil.
While you've got the hand wheel off you can check the drive gear and grease it from the inside too.
Tri-Flow grease is not for the motor. As we've discussed here many times recently, what makes Tri-Flow grease great for gears, the ability to stick and not be flung off, and not melt, is exactly what makes it inappropriate for the motors.
When I serviced the motors on my two potted motor Singers I used the old style Singer Motor Lube for both the motor and gears. Here's why. When you remove the screw in plugs at the under side of the motor and fill them with fresh grease it lubes both the motor bearing wicks and the gears. There is a divider in the the hole. Half to the gears, half to the motor. You won't be able to see the divider cos it's covered with grease. I only found them when I cleaned the 15-91 motor.
If you don't have any of the Singer Motor Lube I'd suggest petroleum jelly. Don't use the Tri-Flow grease. It took me a whole tube for my 15-91 as I cleaned it sanitary when I rewired it. For the 201-2 it took maybe a quarter of a tube, if that.
Try to find some of the old motor lube if you can. I think on of our Canadian members ... Archaic Arcane???? said she had some of the old stuff. You might try her and see. I could be wrong about it.
Hope this helps some.
Joe
11-04-2013, 05:25 PM
#3
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Centralia, WA, USA
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Joe,
Thanks, I just finished buttoning up the top half. I was able to take the center knob off and the washers behind it but the hand wheel didn't want to budge. Not too unexpected given I doubt it's ever been off since it was new. I'm not going to force it. I may give it another try a different day. The stop motion is doing somewhat better than before and may finish loosening up with a little more use. I ended up just using the petroleum jelly for a lube per your advise for now. I think it will be ok at least in the short term, certainly better than the dried out crud that was in there. I'll tear into the bottom end tomorrow.
Thanks,
Rodney
Thanks, I just finished buttoning up the top half. I was able to take the center knob off and the washers behind it but the hand wheel didn't want to budge. Not too unexpected given I doubt it's ever been off since it was new. I'm not going to force it. I may give it another try a different day. The stop motion is doing somewhat better than before and may finish loosening up with a little more use. I ended up just using the petroleum jelly for a lube per your advise for now. I think it will be ok at least in the short term, certainly better than the dried out crud that was in there. I'll tear into the bottom end tomorrow.
Thanks,
Rodney
11-05-2013, 02:26 AM
#5
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,122
Did you know these came in two styles? one has the "foot" control built into the base of the machine, the other does not. DH picked up one for $15 that he intends to part out. The one I bought with the fancier cabinet has the control built in, this one does not.
11-05-2013, 04:24 AM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2011
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I have one that is unattended - the table is a train wreck as far as veneer goes. I am waiting for Rodney to do a tutorial on cleaning it up. I would stand that machine on end and let Wilbur (my 4 year old DGS) baptize the parts that need to slide apart with some oil.... Then go look at Rain's tutorial on the stop motion on his blog... http://vssmb.blogspot.com/search/lab...clamp%20washer he has lots of good info so take your time browsing - let the machine soak up a little oil.
11-05-2013, 09:28 AM
#7
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Centralia, WA, USA
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Miriam I'm pretty sure I'm the wrong guy for a tuturial on these old machines. You're one of the people here that I go to when I'm looking for answers. Until less than a month ago I've never even looked inside a sewing machine. They are much like any other machine though. Rust removal, cleaning and proper lubrication does wonders for them.
If I drag one home in bad enough shape I might do more than just the maintenace ths one is getting. Right now though all the 101 needs is a little attention. It already spins more freely than before.
One thing to keep in mind is grease and oil breaks down over time. Oil turns into a varnish like substance and grease breaks down into a wax or soap type of stuff and they lose their ability to lubricate. Even unused grease breaks down over time so after twenty years or so the older singer grease will no longer be as effective as when it was new. This is true even for unused sealed bearings. They only have a life expectancy of about 20 years whether you use them or not. I'm not an expert so I don't know if that also applies to sealed tubes but once the grease is exposed to air it will start breaking down.
Rodney
If I drag one home in bad enough shape I might do more than just the maintenace ths one is getting. Right now though all the 101 needs is a little attention. It already spins more freely than before.
One thing to keep in mind is grease and oil breaks down over time. Oil turns into a varnish like substance and grease breaks down into a wax or soap type of stuff and they lose their ability to lubricate. Even unused grease breaks down over time so after twenty years or so the older singer grease will no longer be as effective as when it was new. This is true even for unused sealed bearings. They only have a life expectancy of about 20 years whether you use them or not. I'm not an expert so I don't know if that also applies to sealed tubes but once the grease is exposed to air it will start breaking down.
Rodney
11-05-2013, 01:50 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Centralia, WA, USA
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Macybaby,
If your husband decides to part it out how much would he want for the slide plate for the bobbin area? It's the only thing missing on my daughter's machine.
I just finished lubing the bottom half today. I also gave it a good wiping down with some sewing machine oil. I found if I put a piece of cloth under the presser foot and drop the presser foot it creates enough resistance to motion for the stop motion feature to work. I don't think the machine is quite 100% yet but it is at least 90% and sews well.
Thanks for all the help,
Rodney
If your husband decides to part it out how much would he want for the slide plate for the bobbin area? It's the only thing missing on my daughter's machine.
I just finished lubing the bottom half today. I also gave it a good wiping down with some sewing machine oil. I found if I put a piece of cloth under the presser foot and drop the presser foot it creates enough resistance to motion for the stop motion feature to work. I don't think the machine is quite 100% yet but it is at least 90% and sews well.
Thanks for all the help,
Rodney
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