Necchi Lydia 544, anyone have one?
#12
[FONT=comic sans ms]I purchased a Necchi Lydia 544 at GW on Tuesday. The price was $29.99 but with I had a 10% off coupon and it was senior citizens 10% off day so she cost me $24.00. She does not have the cover, or any other attachments. But she came with the foot controller and I was able to plug her in to test the motor. She runs.
and the sister group where we have a manual and a service manual too. If you do join, just tell me in the comments that you're Caroline from the QB. I cringe every time I see a Lydia on ebay and try to clue the seller into this so they'll check it out. One last week did and changed his listing to it being a parts machine. She's so beautiful it's a shame she has this problem. There are so many other vintage Italian Necchis that are wonderful so don't give up if you'd like to have one. We like to say that now that you've planted the seed, one will find you very soon!
#13
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 1,775
I was just watching a few videos about the Necchi SM's and I'm wondering which is the correct pronunciation of Necchi. The 3 versions that I heard were....Neck-ee....Neh-chee....and Knee-chee. I've always said it this way-- neck-ee. Inquiring minds would like to know how everyone else pronounces it.
#14
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 3,992
Thanks Polly for all the information about the Lydia. Mine is all cleaned up and I was unsure how to look inside to check the camstack. I did order a repro manual which should arrive sometime this week. I am keeping my fingers crossed regarding the camstacks. I will be joining the Yahoo group, thanks for the invite. Lydia is such a pretty girl after her bath. I hope she isn't a wallflower.
#15
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 1,775
Here is the link to Kittywolf13's thread about her 554. It has some good pics of the broken cams. Such a sad sight :
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...t-t202598.html
I hope yours is alright.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...t-t202598.html
I hope yours is alright.
#16
First you need to know that the screws are thinner then average flat head and will strip the screw of you try to force it. So look around and see if you have one that fits properly. ( my father had one.)
There is a tiny screw in the knob on the side of the machine. (the knob with the different stitches shown all around. All black knob)
Remove the screw, be careful because it is tiny! And then remove any of the screws on the four sides of the plate. After you remove those screws the plate should slide right out over the knob that turns the needle. (no need to unscrew that one) that will give you a clear view of the cam stack. Now just rotate the wheel that move the needle and it rotates the cam stack. You should be able to see of anything is wrong.
Good luck!
There is a tiny screw in the knob on the side of the machine. (the knob with the different stitches shown all around. All black knob)
Remove the screw, be careful because it is tiny! And then remove any of the screws on the four sides of the plate. After you remove those screws the plate should slide right out over the knob that turns the needle. (no need to unscrew that one) that will give you a clear view of the cam stack. Now just rotate the wheel that move the needle and it rotates the cam stack. You should be able to see of anything is wrong.
Good luck!
#17
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 3,992
First you need to know that the screws are thinner then average flat head and will strip the screw of you try to force it. So look around and see if you have one that fits properly. ( my father had one.)
There is a tiny screw in the knob on the side of the machine. (the knob with the different stitches shown all around. All black knob)
Remove the screw, be careful because it is tiny! And then remove any of the screws on the four sides of the plate. After you remove those screws the plate should slide right out over the knob that turns the needle. (no need to unscrew that one) that will give you a clear view of the cam stack. Now just rotate the wheel that move the needle and it rotates the cam stack. You should be able to see of anything is wrong.
Good luck!
There is a tiny screw in the knob on the side of the machine. (the knob with the different stitches shown all around. All black knob)
Remove the screw, be careful because it is tiny! And then remove any of the screws on the four sides of the plate. After you remove those screws the plate should slide right out over the knob that turns the needle. (no need to unscrew that one) that will give you a clear view of the cam stack. Now just rotate the wheel that move the needle and it rotates the cam stack. You should be able to see of anything is wrong.
Good luck!
#19
Hi Pollytink. I think you would be the perfect person to answer the above question. Every video that I've watched on Youtube has a different pronunciation . I don't have a Necchi, yet, but I have been a member of the Yahoo group for awhile (Chickendust1953). A friend of mine has a Necchi Alto in a cabinet (sp?) that she wants to sell me but I'm not sure what a good price would be to offer her. From what I've read about them I get the feeling that they are not the most popular of the vintage Necchi's.
#20
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 3,992
Update to Lydia
Ooooh she is such a pretty girl! I have decided that her name will be Naughty Lydia. She has spent quite a bit of time under the sewing table in "time out". I took her out of "time out" a couple of days ago in order to see if she had changed her ways. Well, she has changed a little bit. Sews a very nice top stitch but the bottom stitch is loopy although not as bad as in the beginning. Tension issues, AAAARGG! Looks like more "time out" time until I have time to further my Necchi fixit skills. I received the repro instruction manual and did discover that the flat base of the machine slides out so she can be used as a free arm machine. Cool! Also, there is a switch on the back that drops the feed dogs. Another cool! And she has a a built in needle threader. Way too cool! It pays to read the manual completely front to back, LOL.
Also a picture of the cracked cam shaft. Not as bad as Kittywolf's but not worth the time, effort and $$ to fix.
Also a picture of the cracked cam shaft. Not as bad as Kittywolf's but not worth the time, effort and $$ to fix.
Last edited by Caroline S; 10-23-2012 at 07:16 AM.
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