Follow these easy direction to check/set the timing on your Singer Model 301A and other Singer Sewing Machines. You can do this yourself. To set Needle Bar Height: • Check/Set Height Remov... "End of Time" Ugonna Onyekwe 2018
Andy, I just want to thank you so much! I have done just about everything to my 301 and recently was able to get my sister her own 301. She tried sewing a very think bag and ended up pushing the needle bar up and as a result the timing was pushed way off too. She was devastated and was sure she “broke it”. I told her not to worry because with your help I was sure I could fix it for her. In about 5 minutes I had her beautiful machine stitching perfectly again. I treasure you and your knowledge. Just wanted you to know how happy you make us, Thanks Andy 💕
Thanks for making my day, Melissa! Your sister must be happy having a sewing machine mechanic in the family! I'm proud of you for fixing it, but also for just having the attitude that you can do it. My wife truly loves her 301A and it is her daily driver, with a 403A for ZZ and a very old 1970s Brother serger. It is really kind of you to comment like this and I feel justified for spending all the time making videos to help others keep the machines running. Bless you, and take care.
Welcome. Unless someone played with the timing or the machine was banged around 😲 You'll probably never need it, but just in case, right? I apprecatie you watching my channel. Thank you.
There is such a treasure trove of help in this video and in all of Andy's replies to comments. Thank you Andy. My timing seemed off but i just re-threaded and it's OK now. What a relief!
May I borrow that quote? " rather spend money on fabric and threads"? I should mention that in my videos. That would be a good motivator for DIY repairs! I love it. (Comment Pinned)
I have got addicted to watching you tinker and have started collecting old machines,I spent all night trying to time a 239, only to realize I had my pressure foot to tight lol timing is set at the factory 😮 thanks for the videos Im a fan!
Thank you. I really enjoyed your comment and I absolutely understand how addictive working on these machines can be. I'm glad that you found my channel though and thank you for saving the machines that you do
Thank you SO MUCH for your super clear and encouraging video. I’m restoring my Grandmother’s 1954 machine and have never done anything like this before. My timing somehow got messed up when I was taking it apart but now it’s FIXED. I am thrilled. I really appreciate all your efforts!
A family-owned 301! Fantastic. I appreciate your comment and thanks for saving the machine. It's an incredible model and what a beautiful stitch. I wonder what your grandchild will think of it? Happy crafting and take care.
The timing was off on my 348 so bad and it was still sewing but the bottom thread was all stretched over and funny looking. I do understand the timing is different on that model but still the same principle. This is so cool I've worked on motors and engines all my life and this is really just a step in another direction.
Brilliant video! You have given me the confidence to clean and check (and eventually repair) my beloved Singers. I have a 15-91 (grandmother's), a 301a (mother's), a 239 (mine), a 404a, and a 185j. I am fearless with a set of tools, but always afraid to do anything but sew on them. We do not have many places to repair machines in New Orleans, so you are a God send. Thank you.
You have some of the best models ever made. What a nice collection. I don't have anything on the 15-91, but I do have playlists for the 301a, 237 (big sister to 239) a step-by-step restoration series (56 videos) for the 404 and the 185 is the replacement for the 99K and should have the same parts as the machine in my "Cute" model 99 playlist. You can do it and you'll find it very rewarding. Nothing to be afraid of. Vintage SIngers are hard to break unless you really try to. Her is my main Playlist page where you can find the ones I mentioned: ru-vid.com/show-UCUSPDsHaFtRoz1VA2U1xJ4wplaylists?view_as=public I'm glad you found my channel, Marie. Don't be a stranger. Take Care.
Andy, thanks so Much for This video. I Have a newly acquired 301 and thanks to your vid I know that my timing is off, and am not intimidated to tackle the adjustment. Great channel and content!
You sure welcome and I'm glad that you found the channel. You really going to enjoy that 301 a fantastic machine! And yes, certainly you can do any and all maintenance and repairs required on it. Thanks for the nice comment 🙏 and good luck!
Oh thank you so much. I found my machine at a value village store with the whole case, drawers and all the parts n tools for $25.00 about 3 years ago. This was what was wrong with my machine. It works beautifully now. I’m very mechanically inclined so I understood your teachings. Thank you again.
I'm happy you found the video and were able to reset the timing. Model 301 is a wonderful machine, and you practically got it free! Thanks for taking the time to comment and happy sewing.
O M G I have been trying to figure out this machine for hours as I took it apart to paint. This was the one thing I was missing in knowledge. I am going to go see if I can get this machine going. Thank you! Update: I am now the proud owner of a red working FW. Thanks to your video I was able to get the timing done right on the first try after watching the video. Thank you so very much.
You're welcome, for sure. I'm glad you found the video. Hoping to see your slideshow or video of that beautiful red FW someday in the future. Take care.
Andy, I have a question. I just got a singer 301 and believe the timing is off. I try to do like you say and loosen those 2 screws by the gear but the hook and the handwheel still turn at the same time and I am struggling to accomplish my mission. Please give me some tips. Thanks so much for your time. You are amazing to help us.
Congratulations on getting such a nice machine. When the hook still turns like this it means the gear you loosened the set screws on is stuck to the hook shaft with dried varnished oil. Grease is oil with some kind of wax thickener. Those gears get hot ( like burn your fingers hot) when in use and the grease thins and the liquid creeps into the tiny space between the hook shaft and the hole in the gear. It's a precision fit, but the oil gets in there and dries and gets baked on, over and over. So you need to soften that dried oil. I use a few drops of Krud Kutter Cleaner and Degreaser. Many folks use something like WD40 which is fine, but it must be completely removed before new grease is applied. You can also use alcohol. Often I have used heat on the gear at the shaft to soften the oil. I use a hairdryer with low air volume and high heat. Others have used a heat gun. It can take some time so try to be patient with it. A few times it was still stuck and I had to put a flat screwdriver into the space between the base of the gear and the bushing and rock it back and forth or pry the gear to the right a little. That's kind of the last thing to try and you don't want to damage anything, of course. Once it loosens it gets progressively looser and then it's free to tun. Maybe try several minutes of heat first b/c if you but a cleaner or oil like the WD40 then later try the heat blower it makes a mess blowing that stuff all around. Be careful please if you use heat as the gear/shaft gets hot. I use an old pair of leather gloves when trying to turn the shaft free. You can hold the handwheel when trying to turn the hook shaft, or hold the needle bar and presser bar to brace it while trying to turn the handwheel. You just want one end of the system braced firmly while trying to turn the opposite end. That puts the stress on the gear/hook shaft to get it free. You'll lose your needlepoint being lined up while you are working on this stuff, buy you can easily reset it once the shaft is free of the gear.
Thank you so much! I was given one of these but the needle kept hitting the wise part of the hook assembly. I followed the instructions in this video and the one for setting the needle bar height and was sewing 20 minutes later.
Oh that's a simple one I'm picking one of these up tomorrow and I love now I know that it the bobbin, spins in One direction all the time and I like that I also like oscillating they all have their purpose but I'm glad the one I'm picking up tomorrow is one of these thank you for your video
@@andytubesewing1953 Thank you. I'll be checking your channel often during the next few weeks :-) Also, thank you for sharing your knowledge. *thumbs up
Oh my goodness! I have the same problem as Frankie listed a few months ago! I'm going to try the "fix" you provided. I'll let you know how it goes. 🤞🤞I also have a 15-91 that is my pride and joy from my Grandmother. I'm so glad to have found you because you seem to know what you're doing with both of these beautiful machines!
You sure have a couple of great Singer models. I reviewed my reply to Frankie and that is still my best advice. If you check the needle bar height and it is off, then reset the NB height b/c that may fix the timing. If the NB is OK and the needlepoint to hook point timing is oof, then you must go thru the gearing/shaft method. Hoping it works for you and thanks for watching my channel.
@@andytubesewing1953 It worked!! But when I put it all back together my needle won't grab the thread from the bobbin below at all. It was grabbing it before, just not pulling it all the way up through the throat plate. Now it's not coming in to contact with it at all. So I'm assuming I "set the hook" back in place incorrectly? So I'm going to go back through all the steps again. If you have any other suggestions, I welcome them! I don't know if it helps, but like I mentioned my original problem was not getting the bobbin thread to take up. Thank you so much for your response and time!!
@@robinduncan3187 When that happened to be I went back and double-checked my settings of the needle bar and hook. They must be very accurate b/c the hook point must arrive at just the proper split second to the upward moving needle so it can catch the thread loop of the needle thread. . Before you did anything you say the bobbin thread was grabbed but just would not be pulled up. If the hook grabs the needle thread that's a pretty sure sign the timing was OK before you started. If the needle thread then started lifting the bobbin thread up that is another sign of good timing. Failure to bring up the bobbin thread thru the hole after it has been grabbed can be a fault other than timing. The needle was not inserted in the proper direction. The needle is not inserted all the way into the needle clamp (maybe dirt inside). The needle is bent. The bobbin is inserted backward with the thread coming off the top right instead of left. The bobbin wound very tight, the thread overlapped, and unable to spin the bobbin.
@@andytubesewing1953, thank you for all the advice! Unfortunately, I broke a piece off of the bobbin hook assembly when taking it apart to clean. 😔 I will go through it all and trouble shoot the machine once the part comes in. Thank you again for taking the time to respond!
Andy - once I finally get to the bottom of the issues with my Featherweight I am most certainly going to document this with a video. As I peel through this issue, it seems that the Brazilian needles are SO bad that they are accounting for a LOT of the issues. I just installed a new Organ size 12 Universal and many of the issues vanished - but more investigation is coming...
Thanks for the very excellent video. You provide a beautifully clear diagram showing alignment of the hook with respect to the needle centerline. This same diagram shows that the eye of the needle needs the be about 1/16" below the hook at the alignment moment. My 301 has the eye of the needle at least 1/16" above the tip of the hook and so, of course, the stitching sequence mostly doesn't work. I could pull the needle slightly out of the needle bar clamp and make the clamp good and tight but I know that's not right. Since your diagram calls for the needle eye to be below the tip of the hook I'm hopeful you can suggest how I can fix the problem. One thing that does occur to me is that the sleeve in which the needle bar rides might have been moved at some earlier time before I owned this machine. That would throw off the proper use of the lines on the needle bar for setting height and timing. Your thoughts on this dilemma would be most welcome.
I'll start with a reminder that all timings on the machine depend on the handwheel turning towards the user; the front of the machine. I can't think of an exception to that. The hook, needle, feed dog, takeup lever, and check spring all work in time. When setting (or checking) the hook-to-needle timing if the handwheel was turned away or back it would show a very different result. I always verify I turned the wheel to me before I pick up a screwdriver to change anything. You are an intuitive observant troubleshooter, David. It is rare but very possible someone played with the needle bar bushing and changed the setting. There is a method for resetting the bushing, needle and hook all at the same time. I only had to do it once and that was years before I started recording my work so I do not have a video. I do have a copy of the Model 301 Adjusters Manual that I'm happy to share with you. If you request it at andymanuals53@gmail.com I will have them reply with PDF copies of all the 301 documents that I have. Thanks for keeping the machine in service, and for watching my channel.
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks Andy for the excellent instructional video and your thoughtful response to my message. I did three things after sending my message: 1. Installed a new needle from a different manufacturer. 2. Cleaned away debris at bottom of needle bar bushing so I could clearly see alignment of lines on needle bar. Rechecked and carefully adjusted the needle bar height. 3. Re-checked the alignment of the hook with the needle, using a bright lamp and jewelers loupe. Not sure which of these steps was the key but everything is perfect now. The hook aligns about 1/16 of an inch above the needle eye. I suspect my main problem was that I was not looking at the needle eye itself, but rather some cunning geometry near the eye. Tried to take a photo of the needle up close to show what I mean but can't figure out how to include that in this note to you. So grateful for your help. Have had this sewing machine for about 50 years with only occasional use and shamefully little maintenance. It runs better now than it ever did.
@@davidrawlings6393 Happy to hear you got it fixed then. I also suspect it was needle height. Each machine is a little different and a tiny adjustment can make the difference. Smooth sewing ahead now. Take care.
I'm trying to fix the timing on my 401a, but I can't keep the hook shaft from turning when the set screws are loosened! I cheated by adjusting the needle bar height instead until I can try soaking the bottom of the machine in mineral spirits (I have to rewire it so I'll wait until I've taken out the old wiring). Is there a reason I shouldn't sew with the needle bar height adjusted for timing purposes?
Hi Alice. I've never thought about that before. Usually, on vintage Singer machines, the hook point must be behind the needle on the up-stroke and about a short 1/8 inch above the eye of the needle. On the upstroke of the needle bar, the drag of the fabric creates a tiny loop in the needle thread and the hook point grabs that loop. That is truly the timing. If your machine does that then great. If the hook/needle match-up is on the downstroke of the needle bar then forget it. You could always thread the machine and try it by turning the handwheel and see if you can bring up the bobbin thread. That should tell you if it will sew. If it does, then just sew a few stitches by turning the handwheel manually. For me, it seems easier to get the hook shaft/gear to release by dropping Krud Kutter or mineral spirits or similar into the set screw holes a few times over the course of hours and get the hook shaft loose. You can warm the area with a hair dryer to speed things up. You do not mention it, so I assume there is not any rust in the area. If there is then use a rust remover like Evaporust or The Must for Rust. A unique question, Alice. Let us know how it turns out, please. I'll pin your question to the top of the comments. Good Luck.
Hi Andy: you asked me to update on my progress with my 301. I still cannot get my hook shaft unstuck. Both screws are out. I’ve tried everything from liquid wrench, hair dryer, bought a heat gun and nothing! Tried the flat screwdriver between the gears. Don’t know what else to do. At least I have two 301s, so one is working. Sick of the awful liquid wrench smell. Yuck 🤢.
Using the flat screwdriver as a last resort has always worked for me, just tapping it in there and prying to move the gear a tiny amount. Before I thought of that method, I contemplated trying to tap out the shaft from the gear. I felt that was a little risky and then came up with the prying screwdriver idea that works for me. You have not mentioned rust to me, so I'm assuming there is not any rust on the area you are working on. Rust is a different matter. So here is the "tap out" the shaft method I contemplated but have never used. Try it at your own risk if you decide to do so. Oh, yeah, I don't use liquid wrench myself as I don't like the smell. I used WD40 or Krud Kutter Cleaner/degreaser at 100% strength. Anyway, the tap out method is using a punch against the end of the shaft at the gear to try and move the shaft toward the hook end of the machine. (bobbin end) You would need to remove the counterbalance on the inside edge of the hook bushing to allow the shaft to move away from the end of the machine when you punched against the other end of the shaft that the gear is stuck on. As you punch the shaft, the base of the gear will be hitting against the bushing that the shaft is going thru. Of course, the gear is way too big compared to the bushing, so the gear will not move, but the shaft could be punched back thru the gear. I have a video about removing the entire hook ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OhBOhfKusHw.html and at 15:32 in that video, the index finger on my left hand points to a screw holding a counterbalance on the shaft. You would need to loosen/remove that screw and slide the counterbalance away from the body/bushing and towards the stuck gear end of the machine. Slide it back like an inch or more. This will allow the shaft to keep moving thru the bushing and headed out of the hook end of the body. When you are ready you would take a punch, (like a roll pin punch www.homedepot.com/p/Roll-Pin-Punch-Set-9-Piece-61135/206515512 or flat end punch) that is smaller around than the hole in the gear, and use a hammer to start hitting the punch and try to knock the shaft out of the gear, or at least get it moving and freed up. The risk here is possibly damaging the bushing with the base of the gear, or maybe (?) bending the shaft. Those were my concerns and instead, I thought of prying the gear with the screwdriver method. As nothing else has worked for you, the punching the shaft method is all I can think of doing.
As the 'ol Kingfish would say, "OOOH Andee!" Well, I apologize for bothering you with this "problem". I am completely embarrassed! It was only a case of me being "stunada" (as we say in Italian LOL) and being a dummy. When this problem cropped up, I had been working on this machine for around 8 hours already and it was like 6 AM in the morning. I should have quit and checked everything again today. I was WAY overtired. So I took the machine to a friend of mine who is VERY knowledgeable with sewing machines and is a fabric expert. I had him install a new needle (WITH the "scarf" cutout) and the machine sewed perfectly! Right there I knew I screwed up. But WHERE!!?? So I pulled out needle MYSELF and installed yet another new needle with the cutout. And the machine started skipping stitches! During all of this my friend is sitting next to me with HIS featherweight sewing with one of my new needles and NO PROBLEM! So I looked at my threading and thought it looked kinda odd - So I got up a looked at his threading, then looked and mine, and like a JERK I realized I had missed the last thread notch AT the needle! What is amazing is that the machine actually stitched a little like this so it was driving me nuts. And what is even MORE amazing is that when I was doing this at home and switched back to the original round needle I somehow managed to thread it properly LOL!!! Talk about Murphy's Law? So now I know the reason - it was ME. So I again APOLOGIZE for being a goofball and all I can say is "mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa"! Well, at least I know the machine is perfect now because I checked everything including the timing and of course found it all to be perfect. UGH!
A good, honest mistake and lesson learned. When people ask me for help sometimes I tell them "pull out all the thread" and re-thread the machine and make sure the needle is facing correct and all the way into the clamp. They often are offended and reply "I've been sewing for xx years! I'm not stupid .. etc. Then the next day writes back again to say they did what I advised and, oops ... all is well now. You are not alone. I have stayed up working on a machine in frustration only to see the problem right off in the morning. BTW, you can go here to download free copies of the instruction and service manuals. singer-featherweight.com/pages/owners-handbook-service-manuals (it is rare to find free service manuals) and this link has a different parts diagram with numbers. parts.singerco.com/CPpartCharts/2_2999/221-1_221K1_221K4_221K5.pdf Enjoy your featherweight.
Well, I think I am partly exonerated LOL. It appears the thread will not STAY in the last bottom threading guide - the one closest to the needle. After a few strokes of sewing it pops out and starts missing stitches. I think this machine will drive me to drink!
@@andytubesewing1953 Thank you for the links... I am not touching my sewing machine yet, because I don't have it in front of me yet. But what I do know is that the needle ends up in the middle of the hook assembly, so I am trying to see as much as possible before I attempt anything. It is an old Singer machine.
@@pasqualeparente9776 Yes you are welcome then maybe this video can help you if not let me know what model number of old machine you have and I may be able to refer you to a video that would help either way best of luck to you and thanks for watching my channel
@@pasqualeparente9776 OK, I'll be ready when you are. In the meantime here are some links that can help with the model numbers. Singer website "How to find the model number on the sewing machine" www.singer.com/find-your-model International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society; ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer-sewing-machine-models.html#household Singer United Kingdom, photo gallery of Singer Models; www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/gallery_machines/ I know nothing about Husqvarna/Viking machines, sorry.
Andy tube, thank you for all your instructional videos, I have singer I'm trying to work on a401a ,the lifters and followers are very stuck on index pins .tried oil heat will not budge no sliding on the index pins do you have a tip to help?. Is there a semantics available somewhere for the 401a singer sewing machines. It would be very helpful. Thanks Jean
When a machine like the 401A has sat idle for months/years/decades it can take some time to get things moving. Usually, the oil in the parts has dried to a hard varnish-like substance and regular sewing machine oil is the least effective method to loosen/dissolve it so parts will move. The heat definitely helps, but using something like WD40 or PB blaster or kerosene will work better. Krud Kutter Cleaner & degreaser (or any degreaser) works well also. There are many connected moving parts between the knobs and the lifters. It can help to remove the cam stack if needed. Here is my playlist of videos for working on all those parts of a model 401A, ru-vid.com/group/PLsCOZgzzaiKLiDl9yFTP6mJgQmz5lj4NO If you would like a free copy of the original Service Manual (with parts schematic) for model 401A you can email to andymanuals53@gmail.com and specifically ask for those documents. Don't give up and patience is your friend today. Good luck.
Hi, Morgan. This happens frequently. I discuss it in another video starting at 24:20. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cHkqoYYlvRE.html Basically, remove the set screw all the way and put penetrating oil inside and between the bushing on the left and the hub or base of the gear. If you do not have a penetrating oil then use regular sewing machine oil. Heat with a hairdryer, soak with oil, heat, soak with oil even overnight, etc. On very stubborn ones I have tapped a narrow-bladed screwdriver between the bushing and the gear hub and twisted or gently pried back and forth. The oil melted grease, oil & crud gets in the tiny space between the shaft and the gear hole and dries up like hard varnish. The gears get very hot and cook that stuff. 60 years later it does not want o come off, but it will. Be patient. Be persistent. If you have a cleaner like Krud Kutter cleaner & degreaser you can use it full strength in an eyedropper or small brush and get it on there also. Once the stuff softens up and you nudge the gear enough to move it, then it will get quickly get easier to move more until it's loose. I don't want you to give up! Watch the other video if needed. Good Luck and I enjoyed your videos and I don't even care much for opera! Nicely done. Take Care.
you are very welcome Linda and I'm glad you found the video it always makes me happy when somebody says it help them so thanks for taking the time to let me know
That’s what I’ve heard. My sister in law went there for a new bulb to test her Athena 2000. I told her machine wouldn’t work with a burned out bulb. She went there to get the bulb and told them what I said. They told her I was crazy they were the professionals and bring machine to them Mulqueens. She said no I just want the bulb so I can try out this machine at Good will. Sure enough they machine sews beautifully with her new bulb. She went back at a later date to them for some SMO and mentioned What they told her when she bought the new bulb. The repairman looked at her stunned and said. Oh I’ll need to check that. Lol
A great story, thanks. Fairly typical of shops all around the world from what people tell me. I know how to change the oil on my car, but go to a local garage b/c their price is reasonable. Sewing shops seem to think they are the "keepers" of knowledge about sewing machines and over charge for their work. I can't see paying $100+ to set the timing.
I love your videos, so easy to follow! I'm using a 301A passed down from a great aunt. until recently the Singer 110 needles worked great in the machine, now it seems like they are rubbing against the hook, making a slight clicking noise, even new ones. I checked the needle bar height and the timing and the hook might be just a bit in front of the needle, but not sure this is the issue. I loosed the two screws under the machine to see if this would resolve the issue, but everything still moved in sync. Is there another screw on the 301A that needs to be loosened to adjust the timing?
Nope, just those two screws to loosen the gear so you can reset the timing. It is common that the gear is stuck hard to the shaft. Over the years/decades oil seeps between them and dries; layer after thin layer. When it dries it is like varnish or glue. You can use penetrating oil, especially in the screw holes, and I often use heat (hairdryer/heat gun) to soften the old oil. Either/both methods can take a while to work. I want to say it is rare for the timing to be off on this model, not unheard of, but rare. Before you go further, please recheck the timing. Often people do not clean the bottom of the bushing the NB goes thru to clearly see the true bottom of the bushing, and they do not get down low to eye level in line with that timing mark but look down at a slight angle. That can make the timing seem a tad off. I've had a clicking on my wife's featherweight and 301A when she first bought them. A number of viewers have complained about this. The machine still makes beautiful stitches ( a sign the timing is OK) but makes a click at every stitch. I remove the hook (does not affect timing if done correctly) and take apart the hook assembly and clean it and often do minor repairs (find sanding). After reassembly, the click is gone. I made a couple of videos for doing this. The first shows how to remove the hook; ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OhBOhfKusHw.html The 2nd video is for cleaning and repairing if needed; ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yy_yoD2CbWM.html Often during this process we find thread has wrapped around the back of the hook and pushing on the hook thread guard which then makes contact with the needle; click-click. I don't know for sure if that is your cause as I don't have hands on the machine, but it is surely a possibility.
A common problem, be patient. I remove the BOBBIN CASE and the MOTOR. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HDX2bXTeTX8.html Since you now have the bottom plate off, peak in the square opening below the hook and see if a bunch of thread is wrapped up around the back of the hook. If so I point you to videos at the end of this reply. The problem is usually dried up and "varnished" oil on the needle bar and in the shaft bushings. Don't worry about the steel gears for now unless they are totally rusted together👀👀 I then proceed to oil all the places shown in the manual www.singer.com/search/support?title=301 or Coco's lubrication video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BIhupj5K3t0.html You can use regular SMO for this (sewing machine oil) b/c you need to be generous with the oiling. You want to soften the old dried up stuff at least to the gooey stage so you can get the machine moving again. I usually oil heavily and start taking parts off b/c I'll wash them later, but anyway let it sit for a while. When you try turning it you can be firm but don't force anything. If the presser bar won't lift DO NO force it (bends parts) Add more oil, wait. You can watch some of my 36 videos for model 301: ru-vid.com/group/PLsCOZgzzaiKLZyGebzS_oISgesXNyREyI ru-vid.com/group/PLsCOZgzzaiKI_6fbu3itbd1v4z3uQvvkO If you're too excited to wait then get your hairdryer and blow warm/hot air inside the nose on the needle bar area, on the hook below the front edge, under the top cover end to end on that bid arm shaft, but especially the ends (bearings where it goes through the body castings) and on the bottom. It gets messy so lay a big trash bag or similar to protect your work area. The extra oil you can wipe up/off with rags or paper towels. Eventually, you'll be able to turn the handwheel a little and when that happens it goes faster then you can get fresh oil inside on the metal and really start the machine to move. People are often tempted to use WD40 or other penetrating oil and that is up to you. Test them on that black paint. I don't know if they will harm that paint. (oil won't) if you use penetration oil just remember you must, must remove all of it, even out of the bushings/bearings b/c it is NOT a lubricant and will not protect the machine. WD40 and similar can soften up the old dried oil faster than regular oil it is true. I have used it on needle bar bushings before b/c I can clean it off the NB easily, but I don't use it on the other areas unless I am doing a dismantle and shower degreasing like in my videos. I have also used alcohol in the oil ports to soften the gunk and then flushed it out with fresh SMO. The SInger guy said to put kerosene in those places if the machine was sluggish then flush it out with SMO. Thanks for saving that machine. Be patient.
I can not adjust my thread count by moving the adjustment arm. Do you have a repair video for this problem? This 301 sews great but I would like to be able to change the count. Thanks your videos are great!
Hi, Neil. by "thread count" I'm thinking you mean stitch length or stitches per inch? If so, that is controlled by the feed regulator. The movement of the Feed Dog pulling the fabric past the needle is what determines how long the stitch is, like 6 stitches/inch or 30 stitches/inch. Check out this video where I explain the feed regulator and how to remove/replace, etc it. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-edHOgMwSE70.html It is one of 36 videos I made about the model 301A and have in two playlists. The fun "Coco" playlist: ru-vid.com/group/PLsCOZgzzaiKLZyGebzS_oISgesXNyREyI and a playlist with more technical videos about working on other parts of the machine, like timing, needle bar, hook, motor, etc. ru-vid.com/group/PLsCOZgzzaiKI_6fbu3itbd1v4z3uQvvkO I also just had a thought that the feed dog may be thrown-out or partially lowered and not pulling the fabric correctly. That's a video in the playlist also and you can see it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EZdlAccPqLU.html I hope these videos will lead you in the right direction. If you have questions about other models just head to my main playlist page where I list them by model number and there are 450+ videos about them. Thank you for watching Andy Tube, and good luck.
@@neilbest3488 okay and Neil hopefully that's all it needs but when you're in there looking at it be sure that the control lever looks like it's the original one and not a bolt or screw that somebody replaced it with and also be sure that it is not bent down which is a common problem Good luck and let me know if you need more help
That's right in the middle of the estimate for the shop I mention in the video. I've only seen an Anker machine online, but it is interesting to me that most machines, regardless of brand, work the same way. I'm hoping you were able to use this video to check/set your machine. Thanks for commenting. Good Luck.
Well thus far it looks like a case of bad Brazilian needles and a tightening of the bobbin tension. After I replaced the needle with an Organ Brand needle size 12 and tightened up the bobbin tension it seems to be stitching perfectly no missed stitches at all. However, the experiments are not over it is still an interesting issue that I think may not be normal but we'll see!
Oh Man, those Brazilians and their needles, huh? Haha, just kidding for my viewers in Brazil. Most experienced sewists will tell you the needle is the cheapest part of any sewing project. Buy the best needles you can find. I'm glad you worked it out.
@@andytubesewing1953 At the time of the troubleshooting, I went over the entire machine and checked timing and everything else and found it to be absolutely perfect. One thing though. It appears that there is a way to adjust (or check) the needle/bobbin hook LATERAL DISTANCE ( as opposed to thread pick up ROTATIONAL position). I just got this Singer "Adjusters manual" and on this topic they are vague. See page 26 at the bottom where it discusses the position of the hook in relation to the SIDE of the needle. They tell you what bushings to adjust to "obtain this adjustment" but they don't say what this adjustment is. They say it is set at the factory to bring the hook point in "proper relation" to the side of the needle. No specifics unless I am missing something here. So how would one know if this had been touched and is out of spec?
@@RenaissancePeopleNYC ****** So maybe some information about the “theory” of stitch forming will help, although the comment section is not the best forum for it. However, it is my channel so here goes. On the downstroke of the needle it drags the thread through the fabric down to the end of the needle stroke and the thread is “tight” against the needle. On the upstroke, the needle slides right up out of the fabric, but the thread “drags” on the fabric and that dragging causes a tiny loop of thread to be formed near the eye of the needle. That loop is what the hook catches as it goes by the needle. The most common cause of missing the loop of thread is that the timing is off, and the hook is early or late. The next problem may be that the ”stroke” of the check spring on the tension unit is out of adjustment and is keeping tension on the thread and preventing the loop from forming. No loop is made for the hook to catch. This stroke and tension are discussed on page 29 of the service manual, and I did a decent video about it in the “Coco” Series. You can see it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lOLKpvonnPE.html Now we get to the distance between the hook point and needlepoint. In my experience, this has usually been because the needle bar is out of adjustment and needs to be centered in the needle hole of the straight stitch needle plate. This can be the case when the machine can sew zigzag stitches. The model 221 only sews straight stitch so it is much less common to have to make the adjustment, but you can check your machine for it and see if the needle enters the plate in the center of the hole in the needle plate. You will notice there is no adjustment for this listed in the Adjustors Manual. On some machines, the needle bar bushing itself is eccentric inside and the needle centering is done at the factory by turning the bushing to align the needle into the hole. Another possibility is the hook is too far from the needle, which is the basis of your question, I believe. As you pointed out, there is no mention of the proper distance on page 26. We need to remember that the Adjustors Manual was first written in the 1920s. It was for the Singer Technicians to use at the stores, not for you and me. I have other manuals for other newer models that do mention this distance and show how to set it. The measurement in those manuals is usually listed as something like “0.00 to 0.01 inch” in them. Basically, the hook should almost touch the needle; a “hairs-breadth” away so to speak. Man, that is close, isn’t it? It is very rare, very, that I find I must readjust this setting. I’d say 1 in 100 or less. The last one I did I found the distance at 0.0125 and reset it to 0.008. The machine was skipping every 8th to 10th stitch at the longest length setting and my new setting corrected that. I doubt the distance is off on your machine, but who knows how many people played with the parts of the hook and shafts? “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and make it worse!”
@@andytubesewing1953 Thank you for taking the time to go over this, and I understand it all. My machine is weird - it don't miss a stitch usually until the thread pops out of that needle guide which it is a LOT better but not normal anyway if I ever figure it out I'll certainly let you know thanks again!
I am trying to set the hook timing. I have completely removed both set screws on the right hand end of the hook shaft. I can't rotate the hook shaft without the gears moving. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!
That usually means that the gear/shaft is stuck, almost "glued" together with dried oil or grease or both. When I encounter this I spray some WD-40 into the set screw holes and warm the gear/shaft connection with a hairdryer. Sometimes just the penetrating oil will do it, sometimes just the heat of the dryer will do it. It can take a couple of minutes to many minutes. You can use high heat on the dryer as that gear gets very hot while the machine is sewing. Just remember it is very hot after the dryer so use gloves when you check it. I had one model 401A that I just could not get loose of a day and a half of oiling/heating every 2 hours. I finally had to put 2 vice-grip pliers, one on the shaft and one on the gear base and twist in opposite directions. It was like opening a new jar of pickles, there was a little snick/cracking sound and it was free. It happened so fast I barked my knuckles on the edge of the bed! Good luck, and hopefully a couple minutes of heating the shaft/gear will set it free.
Hi Andy, I’m finally feeling courageous enough to correct the timing on my 301. However, i can’t get the screws to loosen!! Then how did you get a short enough screwdriver under the edge of the machine body? I have a 2.75” screwdriver but it’s too long!
I'm sorry Margaret, but I don't follow the question. The shortest screwdriver I would use is normally around 6 inches long. Could you please give me a time in the video that shows which screw you are trying to loosen that you can't get to? Thanks. Also, it is very common for those screws to be stuck or hard to turn. The gears get hot, and oil seeps into the area of the screws and cooks then becomes hard. Using a penetrating oil, say WD40, overnight can help get them turning. Thanks, and I'll wait to hear back.
Around 13:02 where you start tightening the screws into the new adjustment. I see now that after you determine the correct adjustment you are tightening the first screw available, then can move it around to the next screw. Forgive my confusion. I’ll try again after using the wd40 over night. Do i try to spray a little directly on the screws or onto a cotton swab for a more careful application?
@@JesusisKing222 OK. I usually put a few drops and wait a while then try it. If that won't work then I soak a cotton pad/ball with more oil and press it over the screw and leave it for hours or overnight. Excess oil wipes right off later, no worries.
Hi again, my mechanic son is helping me. The connecting bar is not moving freely from the pinion gear when the adjusting screws are removed. Any suggestions for that? Thanks Andy!
My 221 Featherweight stitches PERFECTLY with a round needle, but needles that have a "cutout" will just about not stitch at all. Timing and everything seems perfect - and remember - it DOES STITCH PERFECTLY with a ROUND needle. What gives???
Do all machines have the lines on the needle bar? I’m confident doing this on my Singer Featherweight but I’m having skipped stitches on my newer Janome machine. I’m not sure if it is belt or gear driven as I haven’t tried taking the outer shell off of it yet.
All the VIntage Singer Machines I have worked on have the timing marks on the Needle Bar I believe. I have never worked on a Janome machine and all I know about them is Janome is Japanese for "Eye of the Snake" and the company was named for the round style bobbin that replaced the longer shuttle type. Sorry, Dena but I can't advise you.
Trying to do this myself but the needle can't go down where it is supposed to go- the hook part prevents it as it is in the wrong position but I can't figure it out. I think I am not really turning those set screws because they are too hard to turn. Well I did loosen them but I still can't get the needle into position because it is blocked by the race hook part. If I move the hand wheel, the race hook moves and blocks the needle.
If your needle is hitting the hook then the whole hook is out of position on the shaft (like the front to back) or the timing is way, way off. You really do need to get the screws loose enough to easily rotate the hook. You can try soaking the screws/area with penetrating oil and/or heating the screws with a hairdryer a little to try and get them loose. SOMETIMES the screws ARE loose but the gear is stuck to the shaft. The gears get very hot when working and they expand & contract. Sometimes oil or grease can seep inside and it gets "Baked" hard and helps the gear stick to the shaft. I will then take the screws out completely and spray WD-40 into the screw holes. Warming the area up can help loosen things. Gently tapping on the side of the gear hub (not the teeth of course) can help too. When the screws and shaft are loose enough then you can turn the hook to a better spot when the needle is up, like with the hook point up about where it will be behind the needle, then lower the needle and when on the way back up stop raising the needle at the lower timing mark and hold the needle bar there while gently rotating the hook point into position in front of the needlepoint. When the screws are loose you can turn the hook and handwheel independent of each other, or one or the other at a time. That's the idea of loosening the screws, to break the timing between hook and needle bar (which moves with handwheel) temporarily so you can RESET the hook to needle timing and then tighten the screws to keep it there.
@@andytubesewing1953 Wow thank you. I think I actually fixed it. I'm not sure why it went out of timing. It had not been used for a long time but I added a little oil and was sewing along when the need broke bumping on the race hook. But I did finally get the needle down there and then tightened the screws again and now it seems fine. Fingers crossed and thanks again. Very helpful video- I looked at a few and yours was the best.
My featherweight will not sew with a needle that has the cutout above the eye. So many skipped stitched it's like it isn't sewing at all. It sews PERFECTLY with a round needle with no cutout. The timing is perfect. Have you ever heard of this?
No, I have not. I do not own a Featherweight and have never sewn on one. I've been told it has the same bobbin case/ hook as model 301 which I have worked on. The cutout over the eye of the needle is called a "scarf". The Singer instruction manual for your model shows the correct needle is Catalog 2020 (15x1) and all of those I have ever bought and used have a scarf. There are other adjustments that affect stitch quality, like needle bar height, distance from the needlepoint to hook point and so forth. I just watched your video posted 4/28/2019 of your featherweight and it looked like it is sewing well. DId you use a "round" needle in the video? (just curious). There are Yahoo & facebook groups for sewing machines, vintage Singer machines and I'm sure there must be one for the Featherweight since it is so popular. Maybe they can answer your question. There are a few websites dedicated to the Featherweight Machines that offer parts, supplies, repair, videos, manuals, etc. Here are just a couple >> singer-featherweight.com/ and www.novamontgomery.com/index.htm These are well known to be considered experts on that model (and they make good money because of it :)) You could contact them about your questions and see what they offer. Sorry, I don't have a solution for you, but I enjoyed your video and thanks for watching my channel.
@@andytubesewing1953 Yes that was a round needle in my video! And as long as I use a round needle there are no issues. Oh well - the hunt is on! I love being driven crazy by stuff like this don't you? BTW I am a master mechanic and electronics technician. However, I will admit this is my first sewing machine. It is an attic find, high and dry and well preserved, little used, and never messed with.
@@RenaissancePeopleNYC well congratulations on finding such a great machine I'm so jealous haha with the background you have I'm sure you'll track down the answer to that problem if you ever get a chance maybe you could post a video on your channel about it since you may not be the only one who has that situation best of luck to you buddy
@@andytubesewing1953 A good friend is getting involved with estate sales and he found this in an attic. It appears to be a very low hours one owner machine, original book, attachments etc. The machine is REALLY nice the case is an 8 out of 10 but its all there original screwdrivers etc. No visible wear to the machine anywhere. Cost me a whole $125. I am SO thrilled because I knew about my friends machine and I wanted one but not bad enough to pay $500 for one LOL! Sometimes waiting pays off. Thanks again and at least it was nice making your acquaintance thanks to my dumb ass. MY expertise is Vacuum tube Hi-Fi/Stereo equipment. And I am a Fisher specialist. Take care and God Bless!
I broke a needle after I replaced it it hits underneath. So I adjusted the hook to the correct placement but after I tighten the screws and turn the handwheel towards me the needle hits on the opposite side and cannot turn all the way around. What am I doing wrong?
This has to be frustrating to you! It's had to diagnose a machine without hands on it. Offhand I'd say it is either a user error (you did something incorrectly) or even a bent needle bar. They are strong but can bend during a hard needle break. The needle usually breaks at the end of the downward stoke when the NB is fully extended. If I had this machine I would first double-check that the NB was set at the correct height, meaning with the bar all the way down the top timing mark is parallel to the bottom of the bushing. If the height is off the timing will always be off. If the NB is set OK I would check the timing with the needle bar on the UPWARD stroke to bring the lower timing mark to the bottom of the bushing is the hook point behind the needle? If that's OK too I'd think about checking for a bent needle bar. I usually remove the NB and roll it on a flat surface to see if it wobbles, or gently roll it with a flashlight behind it while I look at the lower edge on the flat surface to see if there is light under it anywhere. I'm assuming you put in a new needle and not one that was laying around, and inserted it completely into the holder. Checking the NB height and hook point does not require loosening any screws, so it should be quick and easy to check. Here is my 301 needle bar video if you need to remove it ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-R66oy38iNV4.html
@@andytubesewing1953 Thank you. I will try that. I did put a brand new needle in. This happened last time too and i ended up taking it in because I couldn't figure it out. I'll report back!
@@andytubesewing1953 Lol. Last year something similar happened and I ended up taking it in to get fixed. It is back up and running the needle bar was just a smidge too low! Once I raised it up a bit I got it all to line up! Thank you for your help!
@@magicalmarauders Good job! The tolerances are so close even a tiny amount can be a problem. So now you know how to set your needle bar and set your timing! Nicely done and thanks for letting me know. Happy sewing.
If you can't move the shaft independent of the gear as shown @ 8:45 the shaft may be stuck to the inside of the gear (or the gear stuck on the shaft) because oil has seeped into the space (normal) and had dried up hard, like varnish or glue. The gears get quite hot when running, and melted grease becomes oil and just settles in there. You can have 60+ years of dried, baked stuff on the shaft inside that gear. You can use WD40 or oil in the screw holes and into the bushing where the shaft enters. You'll need to soften the old gunk to get things moving. I use heat, a hairdryer, or a heat gun, to speed it up. The shaft & gear are steel and the body is aluminum. The bushing is bronze. They can all take a good amount of heat. Blowing hot air onto the parts will help soften the old oil and allow you to hold the shaft or needle bar and turn the handwheel to break the connection free. You can use any grease cutter, like Krud Kutter, alcohol, kerosene, or any penetrating oil similar to WD40 too. It might take a few minutes or several heating sessions over time depending on your situation. Patience.
@@andytubesewing1953 thank you I’ll try that! Just watched and used the video to move the feed dogs back so they don’t click on the bobbin case. You really do make great easy to follow videos. I repair for me and a few friends who sew and give away machines if I can repair them to sewers in need. Thank you for being a part of that! Anne
Yes, Happy 4th. I did call them, haha. They were kind of uppity when I told them I knew it was a timing issue. Asked me how in the world I would know that. I understand they do good work there, so more power to them I guess.
Another update. Just re-did the timing for the 4th time. I noticed there was a little bit of fuzz on the bushing for the needle bar where I was trying to set the lower timing mark. I removed "that little bit of fuzz", re-timed it again and it's like magic. No more scrapping or ticking of the needle on the up movement on the bobbin housing assembly. I will eventually do a good cleaning and lube, but learning baby steps for now. Do you sell any parts, etc? If so where to contact you. Maybe Patreon page? Thanks again. Ken
OH! How funny is this? I just replied to your earlier comment advising to check for gunk on the bottom of the bushing, hehe. I'm speaking from experience with it, of course. A tiny adjustment and it fixed the problem. When I get a new machine to restore the first thing I do is clean it in the shower with the KK.l Then put it back together, adjusting and testing as I go. That cleaning seems to eliminate a lot of little problems on the machine. Thanks again for watching my channel.
