Japanese Zig Zag

I found this sweet machine in Syracuse this past winter.  Steven and I went up one Saturday to pick up a Kenmore 158.1760 complete with cams and a pretty nice cabinet.  While there I checked out other CL postings and found this darling.  I was still working in the living room when we brought this home and I spent HOURS cleaning and oiling and cleaning.  I love this machine.  It has a class 15 bobbin and vertical hook.  It is an end loader.  The motor that came with it was a 1 amp motor.  I was told that meant that it was a powerful machine so I felt pretty good about my 40 buck investment.


I had a notion that I should check the brushes on this motor.  My naivete got the better of me and I broke one of the very delicate wire strands attached to the armature.  That was my first lesson in motor repair.  Don't mess with it if it isn't broken.  So now you know why I did not take the coils out of the housing on the 15-91.  Experience.


I was very upset over my stupidity.  I had spent HOURS cleaning this machine and  when I broke that motor (I was trying to get it back together) I cried.  I really sobbed.  Poor Steven.   I searched for used motors on eBay but I did not feel sure that I would get a good one.  Finally, after months, I caved and bought a nice new motor from SewClassic.  This machine sews FAST.  It is faster than any of the machines I have ever used.  It makes quite a lovely straight stitch and zig zag.  Interestingly, when in ss mode the needle sits totally to the left.   I really don't know if this is by design or not.  I did not take out the needle bar when I cleaned it so I can't imagine that I made any alteration to the needle position.  I don't have a manual for it so I have no way of knowing.  


I finally did locate a photo of this very same machine on the yahoo group vintage japanese sewing machines.  That one is named Empire.  It looks just like this machine.  That doesn't do me much good, really.  I still can't find a manual for it.