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Friday, July 5, 2013

SINGER 401 OR TAKING THE PLUNGE

The Singer 401 is a wonderful machine.  One of Singer's finest.  The needle bar does have a tendency to get stuck from dried oil and dirt.  This will prevent the needle bar from swinging back and forth to accomplish the zig zag stictch and other variations.

It is very easy to fix.  Heat and oil are your friends here.  And you may need to move the needle bar back and forth manually many times.  If you get tired, do it some more.  A hair dryer works wonders at loosening the old dried oil.  Be sure to apply new oil and use the good stuff; Tri Flow

3 comments:

  1. Oil and heat DO work, and I know this, because someone very special named Elizabeth taught me this! ;) Thank you!

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  2. I own two of these and I am going to right now put some Tri-flow there to keep them zigging. I am surprised that I did not have that issue yet. Thanks!
    Linda

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  3. Very helpful photo. My 401A was sold to me as restored and all that jazz. Should it ever get sluggish I'll know what's to be done. The retired singer guy said if I were going to buy a slant needle,that would be the model that was the best one of those. I got it on a whim because I had a lot of accessories from a long gone touch n sew when someone said online they would work with this model. Actually I just caught the vintage machine bug and was sampling a few that are said to be super stars. Lol! I got started with the obsession with a singer 66 which everyone sort of yawns over but it sews a fabulous stitch and is in the neatest little cabinet with a stool. Then the 201 beauty because I had to know why they were so special.This is probably not a blog I should be frequenting since I am such an easy machine touch but just can't help drinking the vintage machine kool aid. Lol! Thanks for showing the photos of how you take care of them-very helpful.

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