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.
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....
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.
