It helped a little bit there is still a problem with skipping stitches. I'm going to swap out the shuttle hook and see if that helps. I'm getting the full range of motion on the zigzag but it does not work all that great. When I choose a shorter stitch length it works much better.
Is the needle installed with the correct orientation? All dust balls and thread bits searched out and removed?
Flat side to the right, I defiantly cleaned all lint and thread. I took off the needle plate and cleaned the whole area. I really want it to be something small but I guess not all machines are that easy. I wish I knew how to adjust and repair these machines. I wonder if there is a school you can go to.
Supernova update.....
I swapped out the needle with another new one. I think when I removed the zigzag plate the needle moved to the left more. When I rotated the hand wheel to lubricate that part the needle hit the needle plate. Additional I found what I thought was corrosion on the shuttle race ended up being crusty fuzz. The machine works now. The top stitch has the usual "dog leg" because of the heavy thread and light fabric. The bottom stitch is straight. Thanks for the encouragement.
Steve
Great job! Sometimes you just have to keep fiddling....
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.”
- Edmund Burke
Really excited about a 'new' 1956 vintage Singer 1200-1 thread injector I just bought from a CL ad. The 1200-1 is a Singer 201-2 with a presser foot knee lift and a treadle-like controller arrangement, all built into an industrial-style table. Singer called the 1200-1, the 'Dressmaker'. It was considered an artisan's machine marketed for use by more serious sewers such high end garment sewers and tailors. The 201-2 has a good reputation for straight stitch only stitch quality. Supposedly, only
6,500 units of this model were made.
This particular machine was inherited by a local lady whose mother, an owner of a garment production shop, sewed her design samples while she, the daughter, was designing clothing for Oleg Cassini, the famous women's wear designer.
I think the large work space and the knee-controlled lift for the presser foot will particularly helpful in freeing up both hands for gear making. I am really fired up about finding this version of a Singer 201!
I am going to have to rewire the controller as well as the "potted" style, electric, direct drive motor,
refinish the table and give it a good clean up/oiling.
Last edited by j3T; 03-06-2015 at 01:37. Reason: clean up a typo
Nice find. In case you haven't seen it, here is an excellent guide to rewiring and cleaning out the potted motor and housing.
http://vssmb.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/...ted-motor.html
Thanks for link, gmcttr, on rewiring "potted" motor! I looked more carefully today at the rewiring task and find that someone yanked out the wire from the under table controller to motor at the motor, so I am a little concern there is a little more to this rewiring than what shows in Rain's tutorial you referenced. I hope it is not 'fatal', but I have a good friend who is a licensed electrician who can help me sort it out. The presser bar is frozen in the 'up' position; but the knee lift linkage seems to operate well. Just a lot of cleaning, coaxing, and oiling to do as well as refinishing the table top. Not bad for $60, though. The table's work surface
extended is an ample 48" x 19"!
@Mousekowitz, I will post a photo when I get it cleaned up. I am glad to see someone else has one of these. I have been wanting a Singer 201 for awhile, given how everyone raves about how well it sews. It will go along nicely with my Featherweight, 301 ('s = 3), 401, 403, and a collection of vintage Kenmores. What addiction?!
Last edited by j3T; 03-06-2015 at 14:08. Reason: added content
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