The Sewing Place

Bernina 730 footpedal

b15erk

Bernina 730 footpedal
« on: February 19, 2018, 09:32:29 AM »
I decided to give this old girl an outing at the weekend to give the poor old Pfaff a break. 

I now know why I don't use it more - the footpedal!  It's a great clumpy, brute of a thing, and hard to get the right pressure on the foot.  You need to press down pretty firmly, but if you press it slightly too hard in the wrong spot, it snatches at the fabric and runs away with it.  I decided that using it sideways on was giving me more control, but I was wondering if other people have the same problem with these old footpedals?  Is there anywhere to lubricate, or just make it lighter to press?

I also had a bit of an issue with the presser foot lifter not operating properly, but that seems to have been resolved by generous lubrication - by jove these old Bernina's have plenty of lubricating points!  :o

The old girl is running beautifully, but if I could sort out the foot pedal, I'm sure I would use her more often.

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.

Madame Cholet

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2018, 10:41:35 AM »
The foot pedal that came with my Bernina 530-2 Record is a great big clumpy thing, rectangular and iirc around 8 and a half inches by about 6, although it is languishing in the back of a cupboard at the minute and has been for some time so I could be slightly mistaken about the size. But it is BIG. Well although it did turn the  motor when I pressed it, it was stuttery and obviously something was wrong. When I opened it up it was broken inside - the carbon discs had crumbled away - so I removed it and attached a generic clamshell one that came with a YDK motor set up I had. I just cut the two wires where they joined the foot and wired them to the new one. The clamshell foot works great for me but it does move itself around on the floor a bit whilst being used which is a bit annoying, one day I'll screw it on to a piece of board or something to keep it still. I kept the old pedal in case it ever gets repaired.

My 717 came with a slightly less huge green metal pedal, rectangular, but narrower, around 3 inches or so. I use it on my 830 which came without a pedal because the end that connects to the machine is the same. I've never peeked inside that pedal it so I don't know what's in there...

What size is your pedal? Does it have wires coming straight out of it or is there a connection socket bit that plugs into the pedal itself?
I know the old pedals with carbon pile rheostats (... I may have got the name of the bits wrong there...) can start to give up the ghost when the discs start crumbling away with age and use. I've heard of people replacing them.
@Barnyard I think has mentioned the carbon discs in the past and would know of such things but he's not been around lately (.. I do hope he's ok).
Also the interference suppressors in older pedals can fail but they make the machine suddenly start running without you even being near the pedal, that happened to me with my 807, it was like a machine possessed, so if anyone has an old Bernina, never leave it plugged in and unattended.

b15erk

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2018, 10:51:13 AM »
MC, my footpedal is of the enormous green variety, and is working, it just isn't very good.  It hasn't got the suppressor problem - or it isn't showing any signs of 'possession' just yet.

I hope the old pedal is fixable, because it's too heavy to go walkabout!

I have to say, the Bernina is probably the quietest of all my machines, it's really running beautifully.

I may take my courage in my hands, and open up the footpedal!

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.

Madame Cholet

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2018, 10:57:51 AM »
If you get brave and open it up then I'd suggest you do it over a newspaper on a table or a tray because when I opened mine a load of crumbly graphite and black powder tumbled out!
Good luck with sorting it out  :)

b15erk

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2018, 11:03:03 AM »
I've done a few suppressors before, but this footpedal is intimidating!  It's big and heavy and metal....

Thanks for the tip about the gunk inside, I've just re-covered the ironing board (I work on it), so I'd rather keep it clean for a little while!  ;)

I guess that's the job for tonight!

Busy looking for Youtube advice now.... ><

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.

arrow

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2018, 18:44:19 PM »
The pedal on my 730 Record was once in for repair, but it's ages ago. I have the regular large green squarish thing too, and it works as it should. Until you have the pedal sorted out you could use the speed button on the motor? The 730 has the best zigzag of my machines, hardly ever any fuss with tension and a very neat satin stitch. It has the narrowest free arm of my machines too. It's a nice machine, worth sorting out the issues preventing you from using it.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2018, 18:56:26 PM by arrow »

b15erk

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2018, 10:08:42 AM »
Well, I went home full of good intentions yesterday.  Got the foot pedal onto the ironing board - with a suitable covering! 

Got together an assortment of screwdrivers, and prepared for work.  Nothing.  I could not find a way in to this footpedal.  Not at all.  I was afraid that if I forced the issue, I may not be able to get it back together again, so, reluctantly, I decided that I would have to make the best of it.  It does work after all.  :S

While I had it of though, I realised that what I was having a problem with, is the actual height of the pedal, and it's forcing my foot to turn up quite high.  I think I'll have to re-think how I'm using it, to give me more control, and to make it more comfortable on my foot.

Just watching a video which has pointed out a slow switch on the back of the machine which may be helpful, at least until I get to grips with the footpedal.

It is running beautifully though....

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: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2018, 10:18:18 AM »
Forgot the pics!

Look how steep that footpedal angle is!

Jessie
« Last Edit: February 20, 2018, 10:20:36 AM by b15erk »
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.

arrow

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2018, 11:59:48 AM »
The way you describe it it sounds almost like you need to start stretching your calves?  0_0 Having the pedal checked is not a bad idea though, at least a diy testing and some investigation. Sometimes it mostly about developing a feel for a different pedal, but sometimes they need a repair or adjustment.

I think the pedal opens in the joining hinge some how, but I'm not sure.

b15erk

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2018, 09:04:13 AM »
I had a root around t'internet yesterday, and learned a few interesting things.

First that some of the Bernina 730 Records came with a knee lifter for the presser foot.  I got quite excited about this, until I got home, and realised that my machine wasn't one of them.... :(

The other thing I learned was that there is a speed changer at the back of the machine.  I'd always thought this switch was to do with the electric supply, but it's actually to slow the machine.  It seems to make it more manageable with the bulky footpedal.

I also replaced the bulb, as the one which was in, was getting very hot, and I frequently caught against it.  The light I've fitted isn't so good, but it does stay cool.

Last thing I did was to remove the bobbin and race to give it a clean, and a drop of oil.  This machine is very thirsty, with a lot of oiling points!

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.

arrow

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2018, 13:03:43 PM »
Aim for an LED bulb with at least one diode aiming downwards (yellow square patch). Choose the longest one possible with the highest Wattage.

What ever problem is with your pedal, I don't think it's because of its' size or shape. You easily get used to a larger surface under your foot and a pedal that stands still. The 930 came with a same size pedal too, but in a different color. Bernina has smaller replacement pedals these days.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2018, 13:05:23 PM by arrow »

Madame Cholet

Re: Bernina 730 footpedal
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2018, 14:48:47 PM »
Forgot the pics!

Look how steep that footpedal angle is!

Jessie

Although it is around the same size as mine, that pedal looks different to the one I took apart, but then again mine is from a 530-2 which is a different machine.
My pedal had the cable connecting into the side rather than the end. It was a bit of a faff to take apart too - iirc there were circlips involved and as I couldn't find my circlip pliers I had to bodge the circlips off using an awl instead. :S
When I unearth my pedal again I'll post a pic, in fact I'll probably start a thread, as I really would like to get it working again.