Need advice troubleshooting machine

Either threaded wrong or gunked up tension disks most likely.


--
Ron Anderson
A1 Sewing Machine
PO Box 60
Sand Lake, NY 12153
518-674-8491
http://www.a1sewingmachine.com
"AD" wrote in message
m...
My wife bought a sewing machine at an estate sale and now we both have
hobbies. Hers is quilting (or attempting to quilt) on this machine
and mine is repairing sewing machines!

Background: The machine is a 1947 Kenmore. It was very complete
including the original manual. I would describe it as in good but
used condition. It required little to set up. We oiled all the
points indicated in the manual. One thing it did not come with was a
needle. We installed a generic Singer needle.

The problem is the machine does not pull the stitches taunt. Last
night was the worst I've seen--big loops on the bottom of the stitched
piece. Adjusting both the bottom and top tensions had no noticable
affect. Also when the machine is run at a decent speed it makes a
knocking sound in the area where the needle goes down the little hole.
The needle however seems sharp enough and had no visible damage such
as dings or kinks. My wife in the past has also complained that she
has to stop frequently to clear kinks of thread in or coming from the
bobbin area.

Can anyone clue me in as to what the problem might be? Should we
chuck it in favor of something newer, say a 1972 model? In which case,
anybody interested in a 1947 Kenmore? Muchas thanks

You say quilting? An easy mistake to make with quilting is to forget to put
the presser foot down. That will also "royally" mess up your tension.

"AD" wrote in message
m...
My wife bought a sewing machine at an estate sale and now we both have
hobbies. Hers is quilting (or attempting to quilt) on this machine
and mine is repairing sewing machines!

Background: The machine is a 1947 Kenmore. It was very complete
including the original manual. I would describe it as in good but
used condition. It required little to set up. We oiled all the
points indicated in the manual. One thing it did not come with was a
needle. We installed a generic Singer needle.

The problem is the machine does not pull the stitches taunt. Last
night was the worst I've seen--big loops on the bottom of the stitched
piece. Adjusting both the bottom and top tensions had no noticable
affect. Also when the machine is run at a decent speed it makes a
knocking sound in the area where the needle goes down the little hole.
The needle however seems sharp enough and had no visible damage such
as dings or kinks. My wife in the past has also complained that she
has to stop frequently to clear kinks of thread in or coming from the
bobbin area.

Can anyone clue me in as to what the problem might be? Should we
chuck it in favor of something newer, say a 1972 model? In which case,
anybody interested in a 1947 Kenmore? Muchas thanks

if the needle is in backwards, it will royally screw up things. there is a
tension setting on most bobbin holders, too--could be either of these. good
luck--happy untangling!
admom
Ron Anderson wrote in message
...
Either threaded wrong or gunked up tension disks most likely.


--
Ron Anderson
A1 Sewing Machine
PO Box 60
Sand Lake, NY 12153
518-674-8491
http://www.a1sewingmachine.com
"AD" wrote in message
m...
My wife bought a sewing machine at an estate sale and now we both have
hobbies. Hers is quilting (or attempting to quilt) on this machine
and mine is repairing sewing machines!

Background: The machine is a 1947 Kenmore. It was very complete
including the original manual. I would describe it as in good but
used condition. It required little to set up. We oiled all the
points indicated in the manual. One thing it did not come with was a
needle. We installed a generic Singer needle.

The problem is the machine does not pull the stitches taunt. Last
night was the worst I've seen--big loops on the bottom of the stitched
piece. Adjusting both the bottom and top tensions had no noticable
affect. Also when the machine is run at a decent speed it makes a
knocking sound in the area where the needle goes down the little hole.
The needle however seems sharp enough and had no visible damage such
as dings or kinks. My wife in the past has also complained that she
has to stop frequently to clear kinks of thread in or coming from the
bobbin area.

Can anyone clue me in as to what the problem might be? Should we
chuck it in favor of something newer, say a 1972 model? In which case,
anybody interested in a 1947 Kenmore? Muchas thanks

If you think that this machine will be one to keep, invest in a tune-up with
a Technician. It would be worth the $60 to have it running in top form.
Maybe you can even get him to give you a quick once over to see if it is
worth fixing. JMHO, Nana

AD wrote:
My wife bought a sewing machine at an estate sale
[Snip]

We oiled all the
points indicated in the manual. One thing it did not come with was a
needle. We installed a generic Singer needle.

The problem is the machine does not pull the stitches taunt.

1. Use a different needle: Singer ones are not quite the same length as
others. Schmetz is a good brand.

2. Check the thread path: big loops underneath the fabric mean not enough
tension on the needle thread. Check that the thread is lying in the right
place between the tension discs. If it is, try "flossing" between the
tension discs using a piece of soft lint-free cloth.

HTH

--
Sally Holmes
Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England

On 26 Aug 2003 12:39:21 -0700, AD wrote:
Background: The machine is a 1947 Kenmore. It was very complete
including the original manual. I would describe it as in good but
used condition. It required little to set up. We oiled all the
points indicated in the manual. One thing it did not come with was a
needle. We installed a generic Singer needle.

Might do better with Schmetz on a Kenmore machine... depends on what
it was timed for.

piece. Adjusting both the bottom and top tensions had no noticable
affect. Also when the machine is run at a decent speed it makes a
knocking sound in the area where the needle goes down the little hole.

Sounds like it needs a good cleaning (tensions and that lovely grey
"felt pad" that builds up under the needleplate), and possibly
some checking on threading... are you threading with presser foot up,
then releasing the presser foot for sewing? That's something that's
easy to forget to do when quilting. Check the needleplate and the
bobbin case for dings... someone may have broken a needle and bent
something just a smidge, too. Wind a new bobbin carefully... an]
improperly wound bobbin can cause these sorts of snarls, too.

Pretty good book, now out of print: Gale Grigg Hazen: Owner's guide
to Sewing Machines, Sergers, and Knitting Machines.

Kay Lancaster