Monday, July 28, 2014

MORE AND MORE TENSION

I belong to a Vintage Sewing Machine Facebook Group.  I am conflicted about my membership.  That is another story.  I was lurking there a few days ago.  One of the members was having tension trouble with a Generic HA-1 Class 15 machine.  She posted one of my photos on the post. (http://mysewingmachineobsession.blogspot.com/2013/04/singer-201-2-tension-assembly.html)  That's ok with me.  I have almost all of my photos stamped in one way or another so I know it's mine.   The tension parts in the photo were from a 201 and not from a 15.  The parts are a bit different.  There is no thread guard on the 15 but there is one for the 201.  The check springs are different as well.

So here are some photos of the parts as they come apart from thumb nut to stud.  I did not take out the stud or the check spring.  I was not in the mood to take the whole thing apart.  I should, though, and replace the check spring.

Push the numbered dial in and release the thumb nut. Screw the nut off completely and the numbered dial slips off.


to reveal the stop washer.  Note the position of the stop washer.
I was surprised to see another stop washer.
To remove the whole assembly with the stud and the check spring attached, you loosen the set screw.  The other larger screw is used to move  the whole assembly within its housing, thus adjusting the check spring. 
I believe that second stop washer is the Tension Release Pin cross piece that releases the discs when the presser foot is lifted.  

That's it.  Not all HA-1s are alike .  I have a Brother that is different from this one.  I believe the Genuine Singer is different as well.  

The problem with this little project is that now I remember how much I like this cute little green machine.  I may have to put it in the treadle stand.  Sigh.

2 comments:

  1. Wow, how about that. I am having trouble getting the tension right on a Kenmore 15 clone from my guild. Just can't tweak it to get even tension. Hope I don't have to take the tension apart.

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  2. You're right, there are many different tension assemblies on the singer 15 clones. I took a dysfunctional one apart last week and thought that a stop washer was missing - then I took apart another properly functioning similar tension on another 15 clone and it was exactly the same as the dysfunctional one. When I put the first one back together (after cleaning everything) it worked perfectly. So obviously I still have a lot to learn about tension assembly AND I absolutely LOVE singer 15s and all her (she looks so curvy-feminine to me) children and grandchildren.

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