Originally Posted by sew wishful

I found one of the new Singer Featherweight machines at a local GW! Plugged it in and the motor ran and the needle went up and down. Brought it home and played a bit on it and it seems to run well. I think I will put it away for a granddaughter, eventually, but just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on these machines. I know...they are plastic (I'm unable to take it apart....no screws, so it must be a throw away machine) but that's all I know about it. Certainly not the Featherweight from 1954 I have upstairs!! LOL!

Originally Posted by lovelyl

I think someone on the board purchased a new FW recently and seemed to love it. You might want to do a search to see if you can find the thread...

Originally Posted by miriam

I ssssoooooo hope you haven't been praying for patience. Pray for wisdom.

Does the manual show how to dis-assemble the tension to clean it? Try running some heavy thread through it like you are flossing it and see if you get any gunk out of it. I somehow got my Consew walking foot tension gunked up and thread kept breaking - nightmare until I cleaned it. There is a 30 Something Bernina Yahoo group maybe they could help. I don't know if you can get a service manual for that machine. There are times when I think the mystery man at the shop who knows all can best take care of it... just be sure of your shop. I know some shops specialize.

You didn't mention whether or not you took apart the bobbin shuttle. The Bernina is an easy one to do and I know that IS in your owner's manual. I can do it but not from here... I have to tell you a story about one though... I was at a someone's house. Anyway, the lady wanted to show off her Bernina. At that time I had never seen one. So I started looking around and got down there to the bobbin area and I saw lint. So I pulled bobbin out and then pulled the shuttle apart and cleared out all that lint. That lady drew a real deep breath and didn't let it out until I fumbled it back together. Then she hugged me and was real happy. I heard back later that it ran better. She'd had it for years and never opened it up. So I showed her in her manual how to do it.

Some times it helps to stop and take a break. Then go back and look at it again. There are some videos on Utube on adjusting tension - don't know if they have yours.

Originally Posted by sew wishful

I found one of the new Singer Featherweight machines at a local GW! Plugged it in and the motor ran and the needle went up and down. Brought it home and played a bit on it and it seems to run well. I think I will put it away for a granddaughter, eventually, but just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on these machines. I know...they are plastic (I'm unable to take it apart....no screws, so it must be a throw away machine) but that's all I know about it. Certainly not the Featherweight from 1954 I have upstairs!! LOL!

Originally Posted by sewbizgirl

Hi Everybody. I am having a problem with my longest owned and most used machine. I have a Bernina Record 830 and have used it constantly (no sitting up...) for the past 25+ years. Lately I have a tension problem I can't seem to get to the bottom of. The top tension is tight, no matter what I do. The machine is kept oiled and the lint cleaned out. I have cleaned real well between and around the tension disc plates. I changed the needle. I have the bobbin set kind of tight to help pull the top thread down, and the top tension is set way too loose, but still I get tight top tension. There just isn't all that much to the top tension and threading and still I can't get it to have an acceptable tension! Any ideas? Could the tension discs be bent if the machine has not undergone any trauma and been used continually for this long? I know this machine like the back of my hand-- it's been my main workhorse-- but I can't figure this out.
Thanks for your thoughts!

Originally Posted by BoJangles

You know Randa, these little plastic light weight machines are great for the kids to learn on. I have had several quilt camps at my house for the GK's. Some of them have asked their parents for machines - the machines the parents purchased were the bottom of the line types - cheap. I expected a couple of the really bottom of the line Kenmore's, Singers, Brother's etc., to burn up during the quilt camps because we sew non-stop for a week. Well, those little cheap machines surprised me, some are still going! Of course, those machines are not meant to last - they will burn up with long hours and use, but to learn on I think they are just fine. Besides, it takes using a plastic modern machine for the kids to appreciate the work horses our vintage machines are!

Any one know what this machine is? You know me, I like the ones that are different.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/atq/2617643335.html

Nancy

Originally Posted by BoJangles

Sewbizgirl, have you changed your thread? Everyone now is using the new Bottom Line bobbin thread, which is a 60 weight - very fine thread. Some of the older machines can't tolerate that light weight of a thread. I have found with my treadles to keep the top and bottom thread the same. Even my Long Arm doesn't tolerate the really light weight bobbin thread - I spent several hours ripping out a quilted quilt due to the Bottom Line thread. I know these new threads are made for the bobbin, but be careful some machines won't tolerate them. Also, if you are using a really inexpensive thread, it may be the thread not your tension. The top tension should always be tighter then the bobbin tension. When you pick up your bobbin by the thread, it should only lift up on end not come off your hand unless you bounce it.

Nancy

Originally Posted by justtrish

Miriam,

You are quite the wealth of information .... thanks for the links!

:thumbup:

Originally Posted by Quilt Mom

I don't know about not being able to take it apart. I think mine can be. I have/had one. It is with my DD currently. It works well, and can be used for a lot of things. For heavy use, this is NOT the machine you want. But it has been handy for her mending, and for a backup machine when my go to machine was down - before I started gathering my 'herd' of vintage machines. :lol: When I deliver the centennial FW promised to DD, she may give up the little one, may not. She does tell me the plastic one won't go through the layers to hem her DH's pants.