The Sewing Place

Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle

LeilaMay

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #15 on: October 19, 2018, 11:58:58 AM »
Well the list of cracked parts grows, and not surprisingly the same parts are cracked in both machines - areas of greatest strain I guess. Shame, as I was hoping I might steal more parts from one machine to repair the other.
I am in conversation with the German supplier Arrow linked to - to see what might be possible.

It's difficult - I will need most of the machine to be working, to judge what bits DON'T work - if you see what I mean. But if I buy too many parts and then find it fails at the last hurdle - argh!

But I'm having fun trying to read and absorb the repair manual for now  :)
Thanks for all the help guys  :toast:

Addiscomber

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #16 on: October 19, 2018, 12:13:59 PM »
One of the vintage Elna machines has a part (some sort of rubber pulley) that is prone to developing a flat spot if the machine is not used for a bit. Satisfactory new ones are hard to get hold of, and so someone on one of the Elna groups has organised a file for 3D printing them, and made the file freely available. IIRC people who have had one printed have been able to choose to have metal ones made. Would you like me to enquire as to the process of creating such a file?

LeilaMay

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #17 on: October 19, 2018, 12:59:11 PM »
Thank you Addiscomber - I would be interested in understanding how the process works - well I mean to understand what is required to produce the file/instructions for the printer, thank you  :)

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Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #18 on: October 19, 2018, 13:02:31 PM »
There are at least two of the guys on vintage Elna group that now and then has made up a small batch of metal pulleys for the Supermatic. They are hand made, on manually operated lathe machines (electrically driven though). There is nothing like the 3D printers we might have in the future, the ones I have seen make stuff out of plastic sticks, much the same as a glue-gun, the result can be impressive from a technical point of view, but still, nothing like the chisseled out replacement parts we are used to. So far "3D printing" has been just a fancy term floating about with out any ground.  The plastic use for gears has to be solid and durable, the glue-gun like plastic on some of the exhibiton 3D printers is not this quality.

I'm sure some of the Touch and Sews can be worth it, for medium to light work maybe? On a Singer 66 you run anyting through it with out thinking much. I have to add, I don't know much about the durability of the later T&S models.  I regard my Elna Supermatic and my Bernina 730 as tough, every day machines. If something is too hard  for them, the needle stops in the fabric, nothing more dramatic. Both have a few plastic gears.
« Last Edit: October 19, 2018, 17:24:40 PM by arrow »

LeilaMay

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #19 on: October 19, 2018, 13:20:36 PM »
I do understand what you mean Arrow - this is as much an exercise in seeing if the machine is repairable as anything else. I probably wouln't keep it long term if it could be got going - I'd give it away mot likely. I just like learning and tinkering  :)

LeilaMay

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #20 on: October 20, 2018, 13:39:32 PM »
 :'( Wow this is a good learning experience  if only that these machines are heartbreak! The plastic gear underneath the bobbin case - on one machine it has crumbled like dry marzipan - little bits of it everywhere in the bottom.
As I say I don't think is going to end well, but I can see now why there is such a strong opinion about the mix of plastic and metal in machines of this age. The metal parts, and the level of the engineering generally is amazing, but the plastic parts are just shot. Some are replaceable, but possibly not all (especially if you're not a Singer engineer) - and the cost becomes prohibitive for sure.

Next time I'll stick to manuals, I know what to expect from them   :vintage:

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Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #21 on: October 20, 2018, 15:42:01 PM »
It's cases like these some have replaced several gears on a machine and it as has run for years with out trouble. Singer has probably been unlucky with the quality of the plastic they used has been know to crumble appart even on hardly used machines. Similar models have held up fine with much the same parts.  The best nylon gears are quite durable and stand up to a lot cleaning and oiling. As already mention, the wrong type of grease and storage will affect plastic. That goes for any model, good or bad. It's hard to tell the difference sometimes, and a bit hard to know when time and money is worth the investment in a repair. I know I would repair an old Bernina 730 as long as the exterior is still acceptable, but that's because I have had several of them in my hands and know they are worth it. A lot of models have a plastic gear under the bobbin case and it last for years. I would prefer metal though.
« Last Edit: October 20, 2018, 15:46:55 PM by arrow »

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Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #22 on: October 20, 2018, 18:46:06 PM »
If it get's too costly to take the chance, I don't blame you if you want to give up the challenge. Metal-plastic gear against each other work on some models, just open the freearm on a Bernina, Phoenix, Elna, they tend to run for decades problem free. Some Singers do too, and I guess that's when we start to wonder whats the difference to those who don't. Is it the egineering, parts getting too much strain and should rather be steel than plastic?  I lean towards bad plastic material in many cases, or mistreated plastic; since nearly the same model can stand up to lots of use and abuse, and others seem to disintegrate standing idle in a case.
« Last Edit: October 20, 2018, 20:34:37 PM by arrow »

Addiscomber

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #23 on: October 25, 2018, 20:42:14 PM »
Sorry, I forgot about this (a lot going on at the moment), but I have just asked. I'll be interested in the process any way.

Addiscomber

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #24 on: October 26, 2018, 16:18:13 PM »
Well, it seems that one needs to have worked on a 3d-cad system like catia, autocad, solid-edge or any other. if you have the virtual 3d-part in any common format you can transform it into a language a 3d-printer can understand. and then you simply press the print button. The person who responded went on to say that "as far as it is possible to get every single detail thats necessary to replicate, it it wont matter if there are any cracks. its just somehow difficult to measure a part with cracks and some missin areas. sewingmachines contain high-precisission mechanics. the better the quality of the templateis the better the replacement part will be."

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Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #25 on: October 26, 2018, 17:50:29 PM »
I guess the best is to start off with an intact and flawless part, might mean a new repalcement part. How does any 3D printing differ from the advanced CNC machine?

LeilaMay

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #26 on: October 27, 2018, 08:49:30 AM »
Many thanks for the info - but it does indeed seem as if a whole and relatively undamaged is required for the mapping stage, which is what I suspected.
Good to learn new things though, so thank you.

Addiscomber

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #27 on: October 27, 2018, 14:46:30 PM »
The thought of having to learn a 3d cad program would put me off.

I wonder if there are places that would do small objects, in the way that print shops will print patterns on larger sheets than domestic printers do?

Radiofan

Re: Singer Touch & Sew 760G from Freecycle
« Reply #28 on: December 12, 2018, 18:09:09 PM »
Did you get it fixed? Did you order the part via the link?

I recently talked to a local 3D printer and they charge £30/hr to re-model a plastic part (including one print) and it typically takes over an hour. So long as they can measure enough of it.

Do you have any service or part manuals specifically for the 740/760 apart from the generic 700 series document?
I have a working 760G, nice machine, I would like to keep it running forever...
Singer 538, there are many like it, but this one is mine.