miriam

Joe could make a tutorial on just what we emailed back and forth about finding that problem. I was not able to figure it out - I failed to note that he had replaced the thread take up lever. I was having him check for dried oil, burrs, that little spring inside the foot lift, dried oil down in hole by that spring, the tension pin, rust or dried oil in the tension, bent needles, burrs on the throat plate, you name it we checked it. I thought the tension spring was set wrong. I had one that was caked with dried oil and barely moved. I got the oil off and it worked fine. It was doing the same thing. I knew the loops under weren't being formed right - that take up lever and spring are very important. It can be very frustrating - you won't find a repair shop that would do that - costs would be way out there. It took a lot of patience. I'm pretty sure Joe was ready to throw it out a window a few times. He would email, I emailed some idea back and then he tried it the next day. Then that didn't work I'd scratch my head and try to come up with some other idea, he tried that, nothing until he figured out that thread take up was not in time. There are times when you have to just undo what you have already done and do it over. I know he did that multiple times with that tension. I'm sure that is why it costs so much to go to a repair shop. Happens to all of us one time or another. Don't give up too soon. I'm sure Joe is now an expert on Singer 99 tensions. It is called the 'School of Hard Knocks'

J Miller

There is one strange thing about those top tensions too. I assembled the one on my first 99K, Godiva by the instructions in the TFSR site. Same with the second machine, Rusty. But they are no where near the same when it comes to how much the adjuster nut is screwed on the shaft.
I've got the TFSR instructions printed out and will completely take each one apart and very carefully reassemble both machine's tensions. Just to be absolutely sure they are right and I can quit tinkering with them.

Miriam, thanks a bunch for your help. I do appreciate it.

Joe

J Miller

There is one strange thing about those top tensions too. I assembled the one on my first 99K, Godiva, by the instructions in the TFSR site. Same with the second machine, Rusty. But they are no where near the same when it comes to how much the adjuster nut is screwed on the shaft.
I've got the TFSR instructions printed out and will completely take each one apart and very carefully reassemble both machine's tensions. Just to be absolutely sure they are right and I can quit tinkering with them.

Miriam, thanks a bunch for your help. I do appreciate it.

Joe

miriam

That TFSR instruction manual is worth it's weight in GOLD. I keep it around. Some times I print out just the page I need in large print and scribble on it as I go. Link: http://www.tfsr.org/publications/tec...achine_manual/ We all need to support those people!!!

sewmany

ty for sharing your experience. Nice to have a friend willing to guide you thru it. I learned a lot from reading this.

J Miller

sewmany,

I don't have children to pass what I learn on to. So part of my enjoyment with what I do is sharing what I know. Not only do I sometimes help others, but I learn more too.

Joe

Vintage.Singers.NYC

Congratulations Joe! Sounds like quite the adventure. And this is why I really like having multiples of the models I collect; swapping parts in and out, or just visually comparing them as you did, has really taught me a lot. I'm always surprised when I think part X is the problem, but then I install part X from another machine and the problem remains. It's a great way to learn.

patches6032

wow! Awsome!