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The inner one pushes in and that side moves up and down. the other one pushes in and the screw moves outside the back, but nothing else moves.
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OKAY!!! The little plate thing that goes in the groove may have oil dried up under it - take a q-tip and a little solvent and dab it a little in every direction - especially inside and under that plate. You may have to lay the machine on it's front on a towel to get it worked in - protect your paint - pack something to catch drips - see if anything happens. I don't know if rubbing alcohol would free it up a little or not. It may have dried up oil in the slot or on the bottom of that little plate thingy. Put solvent on each notch above and below, too. Get yourself a really good light, too.
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We do have rubbing alcohol so will try that and report back.
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Originally Posted by miriam
(Post 5950841)
That little horizontal pin is easy to miss and hard to locate the first time - it throws everything off if it has one little teeny tiny dried up piece of oil - I clean it first thing when I do the top of the machine - q-tip and solvent. <snip> It doesn't take much dried up oil to stop up one of those Singer 401 machines.
They do require more exercise than the 403s for instance, but they're a very robust machine when properly cleaned then maintained. The problem with a lot of the ones we run into, especially at thrift stores, is they often have seen no maintenance for some time. Think of its homecoming cleaning and oiling as bonding time. :) BTW I run my 403 all the time with out the cam on there. Never had a problem - I don't get it I guess. I think it is the Singer 328, 319 etc - some other old machines you have to worry about.
Originally Posted by Stitchnripper
(Post 5950833)
I will try and post a picture. The dial is stuck between the A and B. .
Originally Posted by Stitchnripper
(Post 5950858)
There is a piece about an inch square that is on the left of the cam stack
moves when I move the red stitch selector on the front of the machine. I can get the other stitch selector dial to move pretty freely. The red lever is stitch width (and has some other functions wit the built in cams). So let's see if I have this right. Both "knobs" of the stitch selector (looks like a piggy snout) can move in or out as they're supposed to, and the inner one will turn, but the outer one won't, -and- the stitch width lever is still a little messed, yes? Have you been able to check to see if the needle bar is swinging freely yet? Push it at the joint, it will move about 1/4" to the right, and let go. It should snap back, not move lazily or stay put.
Originally Posted by Stitchnripper
(Post 5950894)
Here is a picture of the innards of my 401
Originally Posted by miriam
(Post 5950900)
It looks like your problem is NOT the spring - relief.
Do the knobs pull out or push in at all? |
That front selector is all the way to the top - try putting it all the way to the bottom. Then try moving the back one.
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Yeah, I just went and pulled a top for the 411G. The front one is the inner knob. Put it down and you have a better chance of the back one moving. If it's fully at the top, it tends to "jam" that whole mechanism from letting the other side turn. Ditto if the left (back) one is all the way up.
I shot some video of what these look like when they're operating, and am going to try to figure out how to upload to YouTube. |
Boy you gals are good. Fixing machines by computers. Glad we have you on board, we would spend way too much money on SMG's.
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I have seen those little slots so gummed up it isn't funny - took a lot of going over and over with solvent to get all the gunk out. Once you get it to move freely put some T-F on it where Joe shows it. If you use SM oil or 3-in-one oil expect to have to do this all over again. SM oil has paraffin in it. You might be able to just heat it and get it to free back up. These Singer 401, 500 and 600 machines have to be regularly oiled and regularly cleaned to function optimally IMHO. Maybe that is why I love my Singer 403 and the 503 so much - they are more forgiving and I am so lazy.
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Originally Posted by amyjo
(Post 5951000)
Boy you gals are good. Fixing machines by computers. Glad we have you on board, we would spend way too much money on SMG's.
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Have been working the rubbing alcohol in. So far nothing. Does it need to sit awhile? I'm tempted, but not really, to pour it in there and then dump it out.
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