The Sewing Place

B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP! Progress....

LeilaMay

Okay, I have a Japanese made machine, branded as a Pinnock but the same machine also appeared as a  Sewmor and possibly others.
There are several things I haven't figured out about it, but here's the first one.

Where you might expect the L(eft) C(entre) R(ight) needle position slider, I've got B, A and M. I can see that they do something under the bonnet, but I can't figure out what. It's connected in some way with the cams which fit into same area, but as I don't have any cams I can't determine what effects might be.

Does anyone have any knowledge of this type of machine please?

Thanks
Leila
« Last Edit: May 25, 2017, 11:22:02 AM by LeilaMay »

LeilaMay

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP!
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2017, 20:09:40 PM »
Previous photo badged "Sewmor" and found online, looks exactly like mine.

My machine is below, sorry for the confusion.

BrendaP

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP!
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2017, 20:39:26 PM »
It looks as though you have this one which appears to be a model 965.
Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a manual for that model available.

« Last Edit: May 15, 2017, 21:01:18 PM by BrendaP »
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

LeilaMay

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP!
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2017, 20:52:47 PM »
Yes looks pretty much the same doesn't it?
Mine has a round hatch in the top (which that one may or may not have) for "embroidery plates" or what we would now call 'cams'
But I don't yet know which cams would fit it - Helen Howes' first shot at it don't fit, so it may be a long process :(


But it's a lovely looking thing, and the electrics appear sound, so I am going to keep working away at understanding her and getting her running. (I think she's a she, but no name yet LOL)

arrow

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP!
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2017, 18:19:24 PM »
I don't know what BAM stands for, but some of the Japanese machines are set in the left position to sew basic straight stitch (left side of the hole in the needle plate, I think they call it left-homing or right homing according to the model. I'm used to in-center sort of alignment). The needle position isn't always adjustable on them either, at least not for all settings. If it takes double layer cams it's rather fancy, and it can make the stich function lock other functions. Either way, spend some time oiling under the top and behind the face plate; inspect moving parts, turn knobs and levers, poke around with you fingers and check if anything is stuck. Push knobs are notorious for getting stuck, but its' all about cleaning and oiling; much the same for the swing arm and cam parts. When everything works it will be easier to make sense of it.

I actually suspect the BAM settings has something to do with the cam mechanism. A for auto? M for manual? Is there any built in cam stack? How do these look?, these too , but it's a bit hard to identify the correct ones with out trying them. Can you tell if it takes top hat shaped cams or more flat disks like these?  These cams are for models close enough to yours to be worth further investigation.

My 1950s Elna needs to be in a fixed position for the double cams, but with single layer cams leaves the stitch width adjustment to be used freely.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2017, 15:36:08 PM by arrow »

LeilaMay

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP!
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2017, 13:44:07 PM »
Thanks for the info and support Arrow  :)
You're right of course, I need to get it cleaned and running and then I guess the mechanism will become self explanatory! It's just that I've never seen one quite like this, and any input from anyone who had similar is appreciated.

It might be Buttonhole, Automatic, Manual. It does have an integral cam, and if you give it some width and set it to B I think it's doing a set of stitches that could create a buttonhole edge. Although whether it's reversing or you have to do that bit yourself yet I'm not sure.
I have a copy of the manual for a Pinnock Trendsetter, and that had some fancy buttonhole potential, with a dial and lever and so on, so perhaps this is a different way of creating the same effect. Time will tell.

A nice fun adventure for the new house  :)

Thank to everyone. I'll keep you posted.   :vintage:

LeilaMay

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP! Progress....
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2017, 11:31:05 AM »
 :vintage:
So, progress report.

I've cleaned and oiled; dis-assembling the tension unit (which is weird) and the shuttle race but nothing else. It's not in bad condition and I didn't need to take anything else apart to release stuck mechanisms or whatever. As it's more complicated that a hand-crank Singer, and I have no manual I decided discretion was the better part of valor. If it moved easily, I left it intact  :)

I've threaded it, and test stitched a straight line, and... it sews!
Tension seems sweet even though I've had it apart, stitch length does vary as it should, although the numbers on the dial had me confused. They go from 6 through 8, 13, 25, right on to 55. But 6 is the longest?
We think the numbers must be stitch per inch or similar, because it's definitely 55 is the tiniest, and 6 the longest.
The settings were full pressure on the foot pressure, full height on the feed dogs, and 'M' on the B.A.M. slider.

Now I'll change feet on it and start with zig-zag and see how it goes, but I was excited to share, and this info might prove a useful resource eventually to someone else with a machine like this.

P.S. It might be a male, this machine. And I might call him Valor. What do you think? It's certainly the heaviest machine I own.


LeilaMay

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP! Progress....
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2017, 11:56:39 AM »
Okay tension is a bit tight once I'm zig-zagging, and probably requires me to take the tension unit apart again and tweak it, no worries.

Position 'B' - gives me blind hem stitch!

The stitch width adjustment dial has two levers, so keeping the left hand pointer to 'nothing' i.e. straight, and then the right hand one to max.width, I get six straight stitches and then a neat 'jump to the left and back again' stitch - blind hem stitch :)

I can see it doing this if I look into the cam hole when I'm stitching.

I can't find any working difference between 'A' and 'M' at the moment. I suspect it might be that if I had a cam in, and was on setting A(auto?) it might do the cam stitch, and M would be manual, i.e. no cam interaction. But until I can get some that fit I won't be sure.

But it's fun to work it through.
This is the machine that Imenie picked up for me at a street market last year by the way, if anyone remembers that thread from the old forum.

arrow

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP! Progress....
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2017, 14:49:59 PM »
I think you need both a double layer and a single layer cam to investigate the settings further, if it takes double layer cams that is. B for blindhemstitch seems obvious now, but I that's what I thought when you mentioned Buttonholer too LOL

The cams are usually available with a bit of search and patience, the largest hinder is to identify the correct type. Valor sounds like a good name, a good compation for a warrior seamstress  :P  (What has the world come to these days  :o  )

Are the gears all metal? It certainly makes it worth investing in a box or two of accessories if you end up using it.






Iminei

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP! Progress....
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2017, 18:10:10 PM »
Soooooo pleased you've got it stitching Leila,

I tried and tried whilst I had it, but I think I put the needle in the wrong way round (?!) so the thread wasn't picking up.

I'll keep an eye on this thread to see how you get on!

The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

LeilaMay

Re: B A M needle positions on vintage machine - HELP! Progress....
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2017, 16:47:44 PM »
Hi Iminie, it might have been needle - or thread running wrong way through eye? They are very specific, vinatge machines, and not always as you would intuitively think it would go.

I used the features that allow you to half-height the feed dogs and reduce the presser foot pressure with the press of a button, and used the machine to remake the net curtains for the new conservatory. It's south west facing and too sunny not to have something hanging on sunny days. So I 'made do' buy cutting and turning my old nets through 90 degrees to make the fit the seven narrow window panels. It's not perfect, but it works and it cost nothing  :)

Oh I managed to get out the broken light bulb, and found one in my 'vintage bits' stash that fitted, so I even have light at the touch of the button.

I'll be chatting again with Helen Howes about possible cams, and will report back if I make any progress on that front.