Vintage White 167

Steven and I went to Albany yesterday to fetch a Singer 328K and a Singer 237.  On the way home  we hit a thrift shop in Cobleskill.  There were three machines for sale.  A Kenmore 120 something.  A newer model Singer and a mystery machine in a "desk."  There were things on top of the "desk" so I asked permission to see it.  The very nice lady told me that it didn't work.  I insisted on seeing it, which set her aback a bit.  I could tell.  The machine had no tension assembly, only the tension stud and check spring were intact.  It was dirty but it did turn over.  I asked if I could buy the machine only and she said "You can take them out?"  So I gave her a little lesson in sewing machine set screws.

I oiled it first thing when I got it home.  The stitch length knob WOULD NOT MOVE.  I applied heat and got it to budge a little.  I pulled the motor out and sprayed Tri flow and put the machine on its side so that the solvent could seep down into the stitch length knob.  Then I left it alone and went to work on the 237.

Sunday I finished up the Stylist.  It does make a gorgeous satin stitch.  I can't wait to sew with it.

Then I set to work on this machine.  It was a challenge.  On that long bed 301 you could see all the sticky"varnish" from congealed oil.  Not on this White.  It took most of the day to just get the stitch length knob freed up.  The zz mechanism was stuck too.  It does have plastic cam for built in decorative stitches.  I cleaned them up the best that I could.  Now they could be nylon. But I don't know how to tell.  Look like plastic to me.

Finally I was able to put my attention to the tension mess.  I had found some parts in the drawer at the shop.  I salvaged them when I took the machine.  But the stop was missing and two of the tension discs were gone. I had one (it is a twin needle machine so would have three discs) but that isn't enough.  The tension release pin was also missing.

I managed to cobble together a tension assembly form various assemblies I had available.  This is a hybrid White Singer assembly.     I learned  the concept of tension assembly and what each part does from Toby Benetti last Wednesday.  Thanks to that lesson I was able to piece together a functioning tension assembly.  And the machine stitches.

The knob is from a 306W I bought at an auction with Betsy last fall.  I didn't realize it was a parts machine then.  Good thing I had it, though.

  The numbered dial is from a tension assembly Betsy salvaged from one of her Singers.  We had used a tiny little set screw from one of my Singers to fix a 401 of hers.  She brought me the whole tension assembly to replace that set screw. 

The stop came from the same assembly.

 The beehive spring was original to the machine.  I found it in the drawer of the "desk"

The tension release plate indicator was also original to this machine.

The tension discs were from a later model White that bit the dust when we tried to re-time it.  I don't think we even noticed that it did not have a check spring!!!

The check spring came from a Singer 66

The tension stud was original.  I used the tension release pin from the Singer assembly. 

I had the original check spring as well, but I buggered it up when I was trying to get the tension stud out.  I released the set screw but that was holding the whole silver jacket in place.  Once I got that out I found the set screw that was holding the check spring in place.

It isn't gorgeous like the original tension assembly was.  BUT it works.  Maybe one day I will find a very cool looking one for this machine....

The machine is not really sure of itself in the straight stitch mode.  There is a bit of a list......I know that it has to do with lubrication.  It is just a question of working it and getting things moving again.  I hope that the automatic button holer works.  I love the way this machine sounds.  It is very quiet and smooth.  Fit and Finish.  That is what these machines are all about.

UPDATE November 16, 2013

A reader wrote asking how to set the machine in straight stitch mode.  Hers is set is zz mode now  Here is a photo with directions.

Loosen Stitch width selector lock 1.  Move stitch width selector 2 all the way to zero.  Set needle position selector, 3, to M .  Set stitch selector (4) to Zig zag.  When the width is set to 0, there will be no zz.  At least that is the way I think it is supposed to be set.  That's what worked for me.  Be sure that the machine is well lubricated and all parts move easily before attempting to move anything.  Don't force it.