The Sewing Place

Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?

LeilaMay

Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« on: June 15, 2017, 15:22:52 PM »
Having the sewing machine 'fiddling' bug, and just about to send the Pinnock off to the charity shop, I thought I'd put out a WANTED on my local freecycle site, for an old not working sewing machine to try and fix and then give away. A nice gentleman has offered his mother's machine, which he hasn't parted with even though it doesn't work, and is delighted that someone might love it again. He describes it as

"probably a 1970's Husqvarna Viking"

Now it may be a lot of plastic, if he's right about the date, and I've no idea what's wrong with it. But anyone really keen and knowledgeable on these, or will google be my best friend?
Collecting tomorrow so more details once I've got it in hand. If I can get it working it will go back to freecycle or the charity shop, whichever he prefers I think.
Thanks
Leila

Marniesews

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2017, 15:38:42 PM »
As the former owner of a couple of Husqvarna machines from the 70s I can only tell you that they were great machines in their day but sadly prone to cracking in their plastic cams with age and especially after not being used for a period.

My lovely red 6570 served me well for over 30 years but with minimal use for the last 7 years. I got another (slightly lower spec) as a used machine for my daughter but sadly both have now gone due to cracks in the cam connectors.

If you use that issue in your search you'll probably find a fair bit of info on that weakness.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

LeilaMay

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2017, 15:41:00 PM »
Thank you - I did wonder abut that, knowing that other brands of that age are prone to such.
Is it possible to replace the parts now I wonder?
Thank you.

Marniesews

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2017, 15:51:24 PM »
I took mine to Theobald's of Luton (who have an excellent local reputation) as a trade-in thinking it was only a minor fault but he didn't want it and only took it for parts as he said it was difficult to get the faulty part and wasn't worth it - that was a commercial assessment, of course. I took him to mean only used parts were an option now.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Marniesews

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2017, 15:53:14 PM »
By the way, my daughter's machine is still hanging about but not working so if you do give it a go and need a part other than the cam connector, just let me know. You're welcome to whatever bits you might need.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

LeilaMay

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2017, 16:00:52 PM »
Thank you. I'll know exactly what it is once I've seen it, and then must try and figure out what might be wrong by slow and careful inspection. How exciting!  :)

 :vintage:

BrendaP

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2017, 18:01:26 PM »
My Husqvarna 350 is like this one and dates from about 1999-2000.  I bought it about ten years ago from the daughter of the woman who first taught me to make bobbin lace, in Adult Education classes.  Vera (hence the name of my machine) was also a competant dressmaker but I suspect that her choice of machine had been influenced by her dressmaking tutor colleague who always insisted that any new machines bought for the college were Viking/Husqvarna. 

A few years before I retired from tutoring/admin in the same Adult Ed Centre in 2009 three new Husqvarnas were bought.  These were not high-spec machines but were electronic (rather than computerised) and may well have been 350s.   I do remember that they were white with a bit of blue.

Those machines were bought to replace a couple of old Singer hand cranks (Probably 99ks) which were sold off very cheaply and joined a number of older green Husqvarnas.  Some of those were straight stitch only and some had zig-zag but nothing more.  From memory they looked like this or probably more basic as I don't think any of them did more than just zig-zag.  I think the green colour dates them to 1940s-1960s.  The machines of the 1970s were white.

The dressmaking tutor retired a couple of years before me and when she left I 'inherited' a number of wall posters and leaflets etc relating to sewing, one of which is a history of Husqvarna sewing machines.  Scans attached as they may help you identify your machine.

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.

Stitches

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2017, 19:01:45 PM »
I have got a 500 and brought it in the 90's ,take it out now and again still runs lovely

LeilaMay

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2017, 19:12:32 PM »
So the Viking has arrived - it's a 5200-series.
It's filthy and has no accessories at all apart from THE BOOK! That might be the most useful thing right now LOL
I'll not be unpacking it further tonight as it's going to need a dedicated table space with coverings, and I haven't shifted off the Pinnock yet. But when I can I'll take a couple of pictures and take of the covers and see what we've got.

Thank you all for help and interest,
Leila

Ploshkin

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2017, 19:49:37 PM »
There is someone who often has 70s Husqvarna bits on e bay including cam stacks.  I've got 2 Viking 3600 machines that I'm hoping to make one from as they have different faults.  Unfortunately it is plastic bits that go. I might get on to it one day.
Life's too short for ironing.

arrow

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2017, 20:09:29 PM »
The best place for info on these is the Yahoo Vintage Husqvarna group. There are a couple of expets over there giving detailed help. If you discover a damaged part it's a good place to ask, and you might be able to track it down on the web too. I have noticed some models from the 60s and 70s are regarded as better than others. These have stretchy stitches and cams. I fell for the 19e and 21e models, and there are a couple of nice stretch stitchers too. It can be a minor thing, sometimes all a faulty machine needs is oiling and a good cleaning. Husqvarnas are not suppose to need oil, but if it turns slowly it might benefit from something teflon or a spray can oil. The metal gears and hinges can probably be revived with the right type of lubricant, it was a combination of a porous metal surface and a special grease that was activated when the machine was used. Now 40 years later it tends to be dried up, though it worked very well for decades.

BrendaP

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2017, 20:38:56 PM »
So the Viking has arrived - it's a 5200-series.
It's filthy and has no accessories at all apart from THE BOOK!

Will this help?
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: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2017, 21:04:32 PM »
Arrow - many thanks for that, I'll check it out.
BrendaP - thank you, but I do have the book (hurray!) but nothing else. No feet or any thing. But then it might not go so I might not need 'em I suppose LOL

arrow

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2017, 21:15:02 PM »
I hope it cleans up well. It is a light weight cast aluminium body? I looked it up and the 5200 series are made to be oiled, so little to worry about there.

Best of luck  :- )

LeilaMay

Re: Any Husqvarna specialists on the vintage board?
« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2017, 21:30:01 PM »
I hope it cleans up well. It is a light weight cast aluminium body? I looked it up and the 5200 series are made to be oiled, so little to worry about there.

Best of luck  :- )

Yes, my OH says it is, it's too light to be steel bodied.