The Sewing Place

Singer 401G

LeilaMay

Singer 401G
« on: January 10, 2018, 10:17:02 AM »
My apologies if there's already a thread on this machine - I just bought one second hand and I've taken the top of -

OMG it's filthy - it's been greased everywhere rather than oiled I think, so all the joints make nasty dry crunchy sounds and there are blobs of harden grease all over.
It's got  nasty knock/rattle somewhere at the motor end of the machine. Not entirely sure it's got an original motor in it (more investigation needed) so it might be a 'not quite fitting' replacement.

And dirty, oh gosh. No more machines for me this year, it's take a while to sort out the two I've got on the table. (Who needs a dining table we ask ourselves?)

LeilaMay

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2018, 10:56:52 AM »
Adding the fist shots of it 'uncovered'

If you've got one (yes Roger I'm thinking of you) I'd appreciate a shot or info about the original motor spec. - this one is perhaps not really right? May be the reason it's got a knocking noise. There was no shaped metal machine plate on the bottom, but I think there's one in the drawers?

Roger

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2018, 11:53:09 AM »
Oh gosh! Poor you, poor machine!

I’ll get mine open later and get you some pics.

Looks like this could be a year long project... crack open the baby wipes :)
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

SkoutSews

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2018, 11:56:22 AM »
Boy, that is mucky!  Mind you I haven't looked inside mine.  It came from the seller with oil dripping down the needle, so I assumed that it had been lubricated and just got on and used it.  Probably not the right thing to do, I know, but it worked fine and I was keen to sew on it.  I shall clean it properly......soon  -< 

What can I tell you?  I have a service manual which I downloaded from a website https://sewingdude.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/singer-401-service-manual/ which might help.  If you need any specific info I can take a look at the machine. 

LeilaMay

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2018, 12:04:59 PM »
Thank you very much.

I am now convinced it's got a larger (case size) replacement motor in it.

Madame Cholet

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2018, 12:05:14 PM »
Oooooh Wonderful!!!
Nowt better than a good old grotfest  :devil:
 <3

SkoutSews

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2018, 14:02:45 PM »
LeilaMay, I've taken some photos and am about to upload them to the gallery.  Hope they help.

The blue masking tape on the dial is to remind me that I've got the straight stitch plate in, to avoid embarrassing zig-zag accidents!

LeilaMay

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2018, 14:10:17 PM »
LeilaMay, I've taken some photos and am about to upload them to the gallery.  Hope they help.

The blue masking tape on the dial is to remind me that I've got the straight stitch plate in, to avoid embarrassing zig-zag accidents!

Ah, that does help thank you. So I might have the same motor as you, but the metal plate next to it has been taken out, perhaps they lost the bolt to put it back. I shall look further.
Many thanks

arrow

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2018, 14:11:41 PM »
Very dirty, but I have actually seen worse. A lot of the brownish staining can be basic oil, or too old oil being used. When over oiled a lot and it never was wiped off it can end up like that. Some looks very much like grease though, especially a few dots near the cam mechanism?

For the motor, there is an advice to give it one or two drops (!!) of heavier oil down the top shaft. There is a washer and maybe something else that makes a noise and the regular oil points doesn't reach it. I found read this in a very good tutorial on a blog, but I can't find it at the moment. The gears looks unusually dry and clean compared to the rest.

Best of luck, it's one of those machines that always gets my attention :- )


 

Roger

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2018, 21:57:51 PM »
Do you still need any pics Leila?

Sorry - had some RL complexities tonight...
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

LeilaMay

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2018, 06:55:12 AM »
Do you still need any pics Leila?

Sorry - had some RL complexities tonight...

Nope, don't worry  the shots skoutsews put up did the trick, thanks  :)

Roger

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2018, 07:14:52 AM »
Fab! :) I do need to photo the 401 but last night I ended up with no time
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

LeilaMay

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2018, 09:31:17 AM »
 :vintage:

For me, one of the joys of acquiring vintage machines is the ephemera that you find tucked in with it. Because the 401 came in a cabinet, there were 3 drawers full!  :)
These are my favourites its so far:-

* a wonderful (but sadly mostly used up) stocking repair set. I have several different types of these (oh gosh, a sub-collection!)

* some old repairing/cleaning things and a lovely old crunchy Singer paper bag

* a Singer leaflet about cabinets - which has prices written on it in pencil! So in 1963 the '75' cabinet was £25 - 13 - 6. The '363' cabinet (which is what they chose) was £27 - 10 - 6. The other price I think was for the '40Q.A.L.' cabinet (although that's not entirely clear, it could have been the boxy type) was £29 - 9 - 3.

* The original receipt for the machine. 23 March 1963. They traded in an old Singer - got £3 - 1 - 6 in part exchange. The total price, which I presume included the cabinet, was £133 - 1 - 6. That was a lot of money in 1963! They paid £25 up front - perhaps the rest was on weekly terms but there's no more documents about it.

* A hand written recipe for cough mixture was in the same envelope as the receipt  :)

The machine belonged to one lady all her life until she moved to a carried home. It was then sold by her daughter to a work colleague. And then to me. It has stayed in the Greater London area the whole time until I brought it home to the West Country.

Roger

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #13 on: January 11, 2018, 10:01:48 AM »
I love this kind of thing too, the history of machines and the funny bits and pieces with them.

They are so well built and passed down/on they all must have some cracking stories.
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

LeilaMay

Re: Singer 401G
« Reply #14 on: January 11, 2018, 10:07:52 AM »
Duh! The pictures . . .

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