Singer 301 LBOW

I bought this machine last year on May 2.  I remember the date because it was Steve's birthday.  He was very understanding.   I had to go to Barryville, NY on the PA/NY state line to fetch it.  I was already one third of the way there anyway because of work.  But it was a long trip. 

This machine is on display in the "museum."  For some reason I turned the hand wheel on it last Wednesday.  Oh my it was "gritty."  I was sure I had serviced it last year.  I could not stand that gritty feeling so this morning I took it out to the shop.

Turns out I had not serviced the motor.  I thought that I had.  I think I pulled the motor and cleaned the worm.  The motor was not in terrible shape.  But I think the bearings might be dry.  I did drop some motor oil strategically as indicated by Bill Holman ( my hero on Vintage Singers).  It is a bit better.  I did clean the motor and commutator.  This baby hauls ass; figuratively, of course.

I could not believe that the stitch is so even without any adjusting.  I did have to take the tension assembly out but not apart.  The release pin was stuck a bit.  It did free up with Tri flow.  When I put the assembly back in I did not put it in quite right.  The +/- indicator is at 9 oclock, not 12 oclock. I will fix it tomorrow.