J Miller

Roger,
I had two really bad ones that had rusted tight needle bars. One a Singer 99K the other a Wizard. I had to use my Dremel with the small wire brush to clean all the exposed areas of the needle bar then I hosed them with penetrating oil. The 99K worked loose easily, the Wizard would not break loose.

Since the Wizard is a cast iron machine I had to use HEAT from a propane torch and more penetrating oil, then I put a piece of wood on the bed to protect it and used a large pry bar to force the needle bar up then flooded it with oil again and cleaned the areas that were inside the ZZ mechanism, then more heat and more pry bar to finally get it loose. Once that silly bar was loose I took it out and cleaned it good then cleaned the bores it rides in.
Now that machine is free as can be.

The thing is, these needle bars can be rusted between the bar and housing without showing rust any where else.
Yours might be bent, if so they can be replaced. Just don't wreck the machine getting it out.

Joe

yroger54

"I put a piece of wood on the bed to protect it and used a large pry bar to force the needle bar up then flooded it with oil again and cleaned the areas that were inside the ZZ mechanism, then more heat and more pry bar to finally get it loose."

Thank you Joe. Looks like I might not need Wilbur and Miriam after all.

I was worried because there isn't much solid frame around the needle area, but I used a chunk of wood and a pry bar and got it to move up an inch or more and now that section is moving pretty free.

Now I need to clean the rest of the bar down to the needle clamp so hopefully it will slide on out.

Thank you.
Roger

miriam

Nope you don't need me and Wilbur. Maybe you will figure it out and give me courage to pry a little on mine - I just am squeamish about breaking and bending metal unless it is a Touch and Sew...

yroger54

HAPPY DANCE!!

I scraped off a little crud and the whole bar slid right out the top. I only took one screw out that holds the bar to the mechanism that moves it up and down so I shouldn't have to worry about timing.

It now moves by hand all the way out the top and down farther than it needs to go to sew, so time to do some polishing.

The day just got a whole lot better. Thank you to you all. I wish I had local friends as nice as you guys are.

Roger

manicmike

You're welcome. We all love a good mystery and a happy ending, and as long as you have the Internet, we're always within hollering distance