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Hopefully Joe sees that you picked it up. I know he's got some great photos of where to oil, especially to get those stitch selectors moving. I have to go out right away, so I can't look for them, but if he hasn't posted, I'll see if I can find them when we get home.
Oh and Conrgats! It's a great machine. With a little love, you're going be happy you bought it. :) |
That's a Singer 401. If everything moves, and all it needs is a good cleaning, you have one heck of a bargain there. Go for it!
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This is my favorite machine, it'll sew through almost anything, does a ton of stitches just with the levers, plus the ones it does with the cams. It's noisy but will last forever. Clean and oil it good and you'll have a wonderful machine.
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Originally Posted by jlhmnj
(Post 5947979)
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The motor runs and the innards seem in okay shape. I'm cleaning and lubing as the manual directs. And it was born in 1951 in Elizabeth NJ. Same place I was born, but, alas, much earlier
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Your 401 has a frenCH cousine in my home in Paris, the 411 G . I suppose G is for made in germany. Wonderfull machine. I have a lot of cams for her, looking like little black top hats. enjoy!
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following this thread, I was hoping you'd go back and get it and I'm so happy for you that you did! You're going to love your 401 - It's my go-to machine most of the time. I've had my mom's now for about 20 years and love it!! It's truly a workhorse!!
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Good news and I hope not bad news. I cleaned, oiled, and lubed and it has a beautiful straight stitch. But, I can't move the dials and while the needle position selector moves, the needle doesn't!! I'd hate to have to return this machine, but, if it doesn't do all it should, then I don't need it. Anybody have any advice????
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Cleaning the 401
Clean out the lint. Go into the bobbin area after you have removed the bobbin race and thoroughly clean out all the lint and built up dried oil, drop a little oil on the moving parts or places that will rub. Clean lint off the bottom of the machine - drop a little drop of oil on the moving parts. Go up into the nose - clean out any lint or dried up oil. Cleaning dried up oil is not absolutely necessary - it just looks better - BUT you do have to worry about dried up oil in the moving parts. Tri-flow will penetrate and loosen it up. The zz slant machines have a pin the needle bar rides on - that will need lots of attention - the other pin it works off of is below the camstack and to the left - if you push on the needle you can see it. Those get caked up and the machine doesn't zig and zag. If you don't get it completely clean the patterns will not look right - the needle won't swing all the way left and all the way right or it will do slow motion. The cam stacks readers will need to be cleaned - PITB IMHO - takes time. Often I cover the whole area around with cosmetic pads or something that will absorb solvent. Then I drop solvent on the readers and the transmission like thingies. Run them up and down to work it in. Clean off excess solvent. Then oil with Tri-Flow. Pay attention to all that moves and then re-oil. You will need to lightly grease the gears. The first time I did it was a disaster - I sprayed WD40 all over the place then I used 3-in-1 oil on the whole thing - gumbo gumbo gumbo. I had to clean it up all over again. Sew-classic has lots of slant-o-matic accessories and good bobbins and Tri-Flow. |
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