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  • I need to Refurb Singer 400/500 controllers

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    Old 12-14-2017, 04:36 PM
      #1  
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    Default I need to Refurb Singer 400/500 controllers

    The controller on my 401 sticks on "go" and is slow to start. The controller on my 503 is slow to start as well. They appear to be identical controllers. I have looked for a tutorial on cleaning and refurbing them, but not had much luck. This youtube video is probably good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2HKgKxPQ1I, but he just talks about fixing it. He's already done it. Unfortunately, he might as well be saying, "blah, blah, blah, blah". My brain does not work well with spoken instructions. (I'm auditorily challenged.) I need to see it or read it.

    Is there a tutorial or an easy fix that you know about that I can find online?

    bkay
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    Old 12-14-2017, 05:07 PM
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    On the Archaic Arcane blog is a rather good one, maybe in two separate posts. I can't make links at the moment, but should be possible to search up. One part of it is to clean and polish up the parts themselves; another is to adjust them for a good speed range from stop to start. I think there's only one adjustment nut to set the distance for movement or push on the parts that control speed. Speed should be gradual from stop to full.

    Some have reported improvement when they have had the carbon disks out of the bakelite casing and cleaned them carefully. There's often a sort of putty or chalk seal on top, and it can look like it's permanent but in but it comes off. These disks brake easily, so handle them gently, have them flat on a smooth surface, and rub them dustyfree with a microfiber cloth. This might not be necessary, and it's a bit dusty, similar to the dust comming of a pencil tip when you sharpen it.

    Yet another thing is developing a feel for the pedal, I use it the wrong way around from Singers original suggestion, I have my foot on top of it and use my big toe to push it down. If you have shoes with proper sole on, you rest your foot on the solid button, and press gently on the push button. Both ways work fine.

    Last edited by Mickey2; 12-14-2017 at 05:10 PM.
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    Old 12-14-2017, 06:21 PM
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    Originally Posted by bkay
    ....
    Is there a tutorial or an easy fix that you know about that I can find online?

    bkay
    I'm not sure about easy fix. You might try http://www.archaicarcane.com/singerattheraces/ and http://sewingmachinenut.blogspot.com...pile-foot.html


    I'm not sure if quote from other thread will work:
    Originally Posted by bkay
    I think Janey has some kind of Voodoo with Google.

    bkay
    Thanks, I think?!! I haven't laughed like that in a long time

    Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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    Old 12-14-2017, 06:29 PM
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    Originally Posted by Mickey2
    On the Archaic Arcane blog is a rather good one, maybe in two separate posts. I can't make links at the moment, but should be possible to search up. One part of it is to clean and polish up the parts themselves; another is to adjust them for a good speed range from stop to start. I think there's only one adjustment nut to set the distance for movement or push on the parts that control speed. Speed should be gradual from stop to full.

    Some have reported improvement when they have had the carbon disks out of the bakelite casing and cleaned them carefully. There's often a sort of putty or chalk seal on top, and it can look like it's permanent but in but it comes off. These disks brake easily, so handle them gently, have them flat on a smooth surface, and rub them dustyfree with a microfiber cloth. This might not be necessary, and it's a bit dusty, similar to the dust comming of a pencil tip when you sharpen it.

    Yet another thing is developing a feel for the pedal, I use it the wrong way around from Singers original suggestion, I have my foot on top of it and use my big toe to push it down. If you have shoes with proper sole on, you rest your foot on the solid button, and press gently on the push button. Both ways work fine.
    Yes! That's exactly the way I do it. But, I learned to sew on a 15-91. The controllers look the same to me. So, I expect them to react like my Mom's 15-91 controller reacted back in the olden days.

    Thanks, I'll look for her tutorials.

    bkay
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