The Sewing Place

FeatherWeight making an Awful racket

b15erk

FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« on: January 17, 2021, 19:42:52 PM »
My lovely FW was put away a few weeks ago, after making some masks with no trouble at all.  I took her out of her box last night so that I can use the Ruffler - she's the only SM I have at home which it fits.  I gave it a test run, but it wasn't running at all well, the stitches were varying sizes and the machine was noisy.

I've had bobbin trouble with this machine before, and know what to do, but unfortunately, nothing I have done has fixed the problem.

The machine runs nicely until I try to put the needle plate back, but then it tries to lift the plate - as if the feed dogs are lifting it up!!  :o

Could I possibly have knocked the timing out? Or have I done even worse damage... :'(

I can manage without the Ruffler, but I'm really concerned about my lovely FeatherWeight...  :'(

If anyone can help I would be very grateful as I don't know of any local SM Engineer.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Ohsewsimple

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2021, 22:43:15 PM »
Definitely the right bobbin?

LeilaMay

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2021, 09:37:29 AM »
If the needle plate is lifting, it suggests that the bobbin holding section has been removed and not put back in correctly. Very easily done.
There is a video about this - let me see if I can find the one . . .

This video
https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/is-your-machine-jammed

when you replace the  bobbin case, the positioning finger must be correctly placed in the slot on the bottom of the throat plate. Otherwise the case moves with each revolution of the case.

I've done that before and got the kind of resultyou talk about. Is it that?

leila
« Last Edit: January 18, 2021, 09:41:25 AM by LeilaMay »

b15erk

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2021, 11:17:58 AM »
@Ohsewsimple , many thanks, yes the bobbins are correct, I keep them all separate in a little box.  They are the ones which came with my machine and have been fine up to now.

@LeilaMay , thank you so much for the link, the tutorial is the same one I followed on Youtube to remove the hook assembly and replace it.  On the link you posted is another video about timing - and I think this is the one I need... :'( :'(

I've just been upstairs to check, and the finger is in the correct position when the needle plate is replaced, but when I turn the hand wheel, the mechanism underneath tries to lift it up - you can imagine the racket when I try to sew with the needle plate screwed down... :'( :'( :S

I'll spend an hour on it later, but after that it will have to go back in the box, as I don't want to do any more damage...

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

LeilaMay

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2021, 12:17:34 PM »
Okay, so if the hook assembly is actually still moving, it's possible it is not properly secured on the rotating shaft - you are right this is covered in the timing video and I hope you can get it sorted. maybe it's just that the screw there has come lose?
Fingers crossed
Leila

b15erk

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2021, 12:28:51 PM »
@LeilaMay , I've been putting off doing it this morning - I always think I'm going to make matters worse!  But if I'm going to do it, I need daylight, so, I will finish my lunch, and give it a go...

Where's the fingers crossed emoji when you need it?  :rolleyes:

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

b15erk

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2021, 14:48:42 PM »
Well, it wasn't that.  I took the whole bobbin assembly apart, reassembled it, and it's doing the same thing.  It is literally trying to lift the needle plate up as I turn the wheel.

I'm going to give it one more try, then it's going back in the box, until I can find someone to fix it...

 :boohoo: :'( :S :thinking:

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Ohsewsimple

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2021, 16:19:35 PM »
Hope you get it sorted @b15erk.  Annoying when you want to get on. 

BrendaP

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2021, 23:08:57 PM »
Getting the bobbin race correctly positioned can be very tricky on a lot of machines.  It wouldn't be the first time that I have walked away and started again the next day.
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.

b15erk

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2021, 11:47:23 AM »
@BrendaP , it's the first time I've had a problem, I just wish I had more knowledge...

The FW isn't actually a complex mechanism, but figuring out this problem is giving me a headache.  :facepalm:

Jessie

Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

LeilaMay

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2021, 16:08:01 PM »
Hi Jessie
When you look at your assembled machine, does it curently look just ike this?

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0992/8814/files/Bobbin_Case_Assembly_A2_B2-1_large.jpg?v=1479872676

If it does, what part moves when you turn the flywheel to start pushing against the needle plate? I can't visualise it, because apart from the projecting 'finger' it is al round.
can you describe exactly what happens?

So hard to help from a distance - sorry
leila

LeilaMay

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2021, 16:11:33 PM »
When you look at the bobbin area from the end - as in the photograph, it swivels round that central point. If the hook is closed and screwed in position, and the finger is in position, then there is nothing there to stick out and shift the plate.

Next thing then - if the plate is in the exact correct position and screwed down tight when you're turning the flywheel - is that the feed dogs are not sitting correctly any more.

?Are you sure the plate is bedded in the right place? If it's out at all the feed dogs will foul it as they move up and down in their slot.

?If the plate is right, then perhaps the feed dogs are somehow shifted out of place  - are they still screwed tightly in their place as far as you can tell when u take the needle plate off again and look at them? Check the screws.

If they seem correct, and the plate seems to sit properly in place, then I can't help any more - there must be something amiss deeper in the machine and I couldn't tell without having it in front of me.

Best wishes with it
Leila
« Last Edit: January 19, 2021, 16:25:28 PM by LeilaMay »

b15erk

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2021, 16:22:22 PM »
@LeilaMay ,  thank you so much. I took a pic this morning, and this is what it looks like.

Jessie

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Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

LeilaMay

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2021, 16:31:15 PM »
- let me watch the featherweight shop video again LOL to check your positioning

LeilaMay

Re: FeatherWeight making an Awful racket
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2021, 16:34:29 PM »
okay - that looks right from here - balancing a machine on my lap as I type so sorry for any typos

so what about the feed dog suggestions - could it be them?