Singer 66 tension trouble--perfect going slow, loops fast
03-07-2021, 01:26 PM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 8
Singer 66 tension trouble--perfect going slow, loops fast
Hello all.
I have a 1927 Singer 66 that I purchased and overhauled. Just very dirty from sitting in a garage for a decade. Replaced the ancient motor and wiring, but otherwise the parts were all as I got it
My problem is with setting the tension. After a lot of fiddling I got the tension to the point where I get perfect stitches if I'm going slowly (turning the wheel by hand or just barely depressing the controller) but as soon as I start to go with any speed I get great gobs of thread on the underside and my spool goes crazy and ends up binding on the post to boot.
I'm not new to old machines but this has me stumped. Do I need to replace the tension spring? Am I missing something somewhere?
I have a 1927 Singer 66 that I purchased and overhauled. Just very dirty from sitting in a garage for a decade. Replaced the ancient motor and wiring, but otherwise the parts were all as I got it
My problem is with setting the tension. After a lot of fiddling I got the tension to the point where I get perfect stitches if I'm going slowly (turning the wheel by hand or just barely depressing the controller) but as soon as I start to go with any speed I get great gobs of thread on the underside and my spool goes crazy and ends up binding on the post to boot.
I'm not new to old machines but this has me stumped. Do I need to replace the tension spring? Am I missing something somewhere?
03-07-2021, 02:59 PM
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 839
Welcome to the Board! There are two springs, the upper thread tension spring, the spring with the loop, and the bee hive spring which puts tension on the discs via the thumb nut and controls how easily thread is pulled through. My experience has been that not enough tension on the discs lets too much thread through creating the bird's nest on the underside of the fabric. I have also run into problems having the upper thread tension spring either too tight in the housing, where the loop won't pull beneath the thread guide to the left, or too loose and it won't pull back on the thread properly.
You should be able to move, with your finger, the upper thread tension spring loop freely through the arc and it should bounce right back to the top of the arc, and the loop should be positioned above the thread guide to the left, at least that's how I get them to work.
You should be able to move, with your finger, the upper thread tension spring loop freely through the arc and it should bounce right back to the top of the arc, and the loop should be positioned above the thread guide to the left, at least that's how I get them to work.
03-07-2021, 03:04 PM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,385
You might see if something in one of the following videos has some helpful information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxtQO2XSB4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=532Lu1MFtio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efEbBzwFRXI
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxtQO2XSB4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=532Lu1MFtio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efEbBzwFRXI
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)
03-07-2021, 06:14 PM
#4
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 8
Welcome to the Board! There are two springs, the upper thread tension spring, the spring with the loop, and the bee hive spring which puts tension on the discs via the thumb nut and controls how easily thread is pulled through. My experience has been that not enough tension on the discs lets too much thread through creating the bird's nest on the underside of the fabric. I have also run into problems having the upper thread tension spring either too tight in the housing, where the loop won't pull beneath the thread guide to the left, or too loose and it won't pull back on the thread properly.
You should be able to move, with your finger, the upper thread tension spring loop freely through the arc and it should bounce right back to the top of the arc, and the loop should be positioned above the thread guide to the left, at least that's how I get them to work.
You should be able to move, with your finger, the upper thread tension spring loop freely through the arc and it should bounce right back to the top of the arc, and the loop should be positioned above the thread guide to the left, at least that's how I get them to work.
I have the tension tightly enough that the needle deflects slightly when I pull the thread. And it does stitch perfectly if I'm turning the wheel by hand. The tension spring loop bounces freely when I move it by hand. Just everything goes haywire when I use the motor to turn the wheel. It's like it loses tension entirely, until the spool goes crazy and gets thread wrapped around the spool pin.
I also just realized that raising the presser bar does not release the tension. So something seems to be rather messed up with it.
03-08-2021, 05:25 AM
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 839
If the tension discs are not lifting with the presser foot lever up, then I would look at two things: 1. the lift lever underneath the nose plate; I have had it where the screw holding this in was loose and the lever would not function properly; it also has to seat properly on the left block over the presser foot lift lever; when I have had presser foot bars out it's a bit of a trick getting it all back together to lift properly; 2. the lift rod inside the tension assembly shaft could be stuck, or maybe in backwards; remove the entire assembly, disassemble, and see if the rod comes out; I had one of these sticking once and sanded it off with polishing sandpaper. I also lost one of these rods under the workbench and had to substitute a clipped off finishing nail; I finally found it again.
03-08-2021, 05:53 AM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,385
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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03-08-2021, 07:28 AM
#7
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Or it could be missing. The "lift rod" that Joe is referring to is the part "J" at the beginning of the third video in my previous post. I believe it is the same that is on page 6 of the pdf found at https://res.cloudinary.com/singer-se...ng_Machine.pdf
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Not affiliated with off-site link(s)
If the tension discs are not lifting with the presser foot lever up, then I would look at two things: 1. the lift lever underneath the nose plate; I have had it where the screw holding this in was loose and the lever would not function properly; it also has to seat properly on the left block over the presser foot lift lever; when I have had presser foot bars out it's a bit of a trick getting it all back together to lift properly; 2. the lift rod inside the tension assembly shaft could be stuck, or maybe in backwards; remove the entire assembly, disassemble, and see if the rod comes out; I had one of these sticking once and sanded it off with polishing sandpaper. I also lost one of these rods under the workbench and had to substitute a clipped off finishing nail; I finally found it again.
I think the problem I'm running into is a problem with the check spring when I'm assembling it. I've attached pictures of all the parts I have. I can't install the check spring as it is in the service manual or in the videos. I can either sit the stud in the spring before putting in the barrel, in which case I can move it through an arc to take up the slack. or I can slide it down the stud, but then it wont go in far enough, unless I've been missing something in the videos. Beginning to wonder if I shouldn't just order a replacement assembly and have done with it.
03-08-2021, 08:08 AM
#8
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,385
Okay, you have a non-numbered tension assembly and the spring should go on like https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach..._083521383.jpg
Screw the stud with the spring around the flat part into the machine, put pin in.
Then follow in the order that you have it laid out
The discs will go in the loop part of the check spring facing like ) (
The following items will go on with the bar across and spring end that will fit in the slot of the stud.
Next put the disc that has the bar across with the bump facing the end of the stud that is outside of the machine.
The beehive spring goes on next with the large end toward the machine and small end out.
Then the nut goes on.
Do you have a brush that will fit the center of the stud, so that it is cleaned out of gunk? Maybe a pipe cleaner would work, too, to brush back and forth?
Hope this helps.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Screw the stud with the spring around the flat part into the machine, put pin in.
Then follow in the order that you have it laid out
The discs will go in the loop part of the check spring facing like ) (
The following items will go on with the bar across and spring end that will fit in the slot of the stud.
Next put the disc that has the bar across with the bump facing the end of the stud that is outside of the machine.
The beehive spring goes on next with the large end toward the machine and small end out.
Then the nut goes on.
Do you have a brush that will fit the center of the stud, so that it is cleaned out of gunk? Maybe a pipe cleaner would work, too, to brush back and forth?
Hope this helps.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Last edited by OurWorkbench; 03-08-2021 at 08:20 AM.
03-08-2021, 08:23 AM
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Ontario
Posts: 299
Hiya, when screwing in the stud..hold the check spring at about 2o'clock making sure it's still in that position when stud is tight. Now gently push spring into the left slot position (recess on left at roughly 25 to 11). Finish assembly then adjust tension and hopefully good to go 
03-08-2021, 10:04 AM
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 8
Okay, you have a non-numbered tension assembly and the spring should go on like https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach..._083521383.jpg
Screw the stud with the spring around the flat part into the machine, put pin in.
Then follow in the order that you have it laid out
The discs will go in the loop part of the check spring facing like ) (
The following items will go on with the bar across and spring end that will fit in the slot of the stud.
Next put the disc that has the bar across with the bump facing the end of the stud that is outside of the machine.
The beehive spring goes on next with the large end toward the machine and small end out.
Then the nut goes on.
Do you have a brush that will fit the center of the stud, so that it is cleaned out of gunk? Maybe a pipe cleaner would work, too, to brush back and forth?
Hope this helps.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Screw the stud with the spring around the flat part into the machine, put pin in.
Then follow in the order that you have it laid out
The discs will go in the loop part of the check spring facing like ) (
The following items will go on with the bar across and spring end that will fit in the slot of the stud.
Next put the disc that has the bar across with the bump facing the end of the stud that is outside of the machine.
The beehive spring goes on next with the large end toward the machine and small end out.
Then the nut goes on.
Do you have a brush that will fit the center of the stud, so that it is cleaned out of gunk? Maybe a pipe cleaner would work, too, to brush back and forth?
Hope this helps.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Have to see if I can get the tension dialled in now that it's assembled properly.
