RESCUE SERIES #1: Don't Touch That Dial! How to Save Your Frozen Sewing Machine Without Messing Up
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- Опубліковано 8 лип 2024
- Follow me as I embark on an attempt to save one of my favorite sewing machine models made at the end of the vintage era of all metal construction. This machine was literally abandoned by its owner outside on the porch and listed as "Free machine to anyone interested. Will be thrown in trash if no takers by Monday morning." I contacted the owner and asked them to please not toss the machine and that I promised to pick it up on a Sunday afternoon. I hope making this video as a project will allow some of you who may be new to sewing machine restoration to see that even experienced over haulers like myself can struggle with some machines we find. But with patience and practice, almost all of these can be saved. I will show this process in a series of videos I call the "RESCUE SERIES" which focuses on the hard cases that some people would give up on. Cross your fingers and wish me luck as I attempt to get this forlorn and forgotten Kenmore Free Arm/Convertible machine working again!
- Фільми й анімація
My Kenmore is a similar model to the one in your video and I am following along with you. You have a nice manner of speaking and explain things well. Thanks for teaching us such useful info.
Oh that poor machine with all that grease! No wonder she didn't want to move.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
I have an all metal Montgomery Ward from the 70s. Never been stored except in the the house. Haven't used it because I bent the tension knob when moving. Fixed that, but my stitch knob is frozen. I have never put any grease in it only 3-in-1, yet I have a frozen stitch knob. 🤔
One of the thread holders was broken off my Kenmore 158.19461. I'm gonna try your tip on removing the remnant from underneath after taking the top cover off. And this is part of the reason why I subscribed to your channel. Thanks so much for all you do.
Did it work?
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Yes. Thank you. That tip worked like a charm
Thank you for posting these very helpful videos. I especially appreciate the way that you give details about the machines, what to do, what not to do, special tools, etc. In 2017, I inherited about 28 old machines from my mom. I also had several old machines of my own prior to this inheritance. Anyway, most were not frozen, except for one Singer. I've learned a lot from your channel. For instance, I didn't realize that putting them in my garage could be harmful. Duh.
I have 2 Kenmores..I will never get rid of them if I can help it..my awesome machines..both are from 1960's..One is about 52 years old the other most likely 56 years old. smooth running machines..well worth the $35 dollars I paid for them.
You are so wonderful to do these videos. I just scored a Singer 603E. It is locked up, but good. I'm not worrying, thanks to you. I am following along now.
Wonderful!
I love your advice & tips!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I enjoyed watching your detailed explanation. I look forward to seeing the next video.
I am currently trying to clean up the inside of a "serviced and cleaned" Vintage Kenmore, which I purchased new in 1971. The outside was always immaculate, including the cover The machine on the inside now looks like Donald Jr. Was servicing it! The "new" belts which were installed did not even come close to fitting, and did not have little fitings to accommodate the steel gears, resulting in a pile of black particles all over the inside, creating a black oily coating permanantly stuck to the inner metal and the ouside of the motor... bet mine is worse than yours! WD 40 is within reach maybe that will work. I have been using Goo Gone and Windex so far. I am getting a new Pfaff in March - and was giving this the once over before giving it to a friend, as it was a very well loved, and excellent machine, before being serviced, and sitting...
Donald Jr. will CERTAINLY do a better job than Hunter, who will hock the machine for some cocaine, no doubt...
oh wow! I have one exactly like this. I'm following along!!
WOW, so happy to have come across your videos !! I also have numerous machines that I have collected. A few that look like the inside of this. I cannot wait for you to post the next video so that I can see the next step you take. I have the machine you are working on, my Moms, thank goodness it is in good working order. I also have a cabinet rotary Kenmore that is a workhorse. Thanks for your help so happy that you are posting these videos.
Great video! I enjoy watching all of your videos. Good luck with fixing the Kenmore.
If i run across a machine thats seized,, i check for bobbin case and cord, if those are there i buy. I love the challenge...lol
My wife has this make/model...almost.
Back in August of 1976, we were living in Indianapolis, just two months married. My wife's parents came to visit us. They lived in Georgia. During their visit, they had a desire to buy a sewing machine for my wife. We took run to Sears at Lafayette Square Mall to get a Kenmore.
Over the decades, my wife has used it now and then. It still works but needed lubrication. We were going to do that but being not sure of where the sewing oil goes, we decided to take it to a well established sewing machine sales and repair shop in our area (Tucker, Georgia): A-1 Sewing. The owner I know along with his mother (who's in her late 80's). As of today (1-18-2023), the vintage Kenmore will be back in business in our home.
Our's is in better shape than this one in the video.
Thanks for the advice.
Wow. That was a VERY generous gift from your in-laws back then. These were expensive machines!!
I have a Kenmore similar to this it was seized I oiled it first I don't think they even used it at since the 1970's its like brand new! I love Kenmore machines! I like them better than Singer!
Did you get it un seized?
Much wisdom in your words, my friend...
Just a couple of days ago, I was given a Riccar, a little younger than this Kenmore, and in the exact same condition: jammed to a freeze. The owner had used brute force against it. Anyone thinking that women are soft gentle creatures obviously knows them pretty well, but from pixels and fairy tales only. "We can plug it in, and you'll hear that the motor is turning," she said, which made me fear that a plastic gear had been slaughtered, but it turned out that a pulley had ground a belt instead. Exactly what you warn against, and which makes total sense, a belt being weaker than a gear.
The sticky stuff on the needle and presser foot mechanisms looks just like on yours, but a much bigger amount. It reminded me of old frying fat, so it might be vegetable oil. Anyway, instead of WD-40, I'm planning to clean those parts with a toothbrush and diesel fuel, or even dish soap and water first, as for a bicycle transmission. What do you think?
Hello. I would avoid using water on sewing machines since they are very prone to rusting with any moisture exposure. You can use a damp rag on the body of the machine (Painted Areas Only).
Thanks for your quick reply. Your channel is very instructive and inspiring, it's one of my favorites. I agree with what other viewers said: Your voice sounds great and your elocution is clear. I noticed that you sometimes pop the mic, and the wind was audible on this video. If you're not already using one, you might put a foam cap on your mic, and if your camera features sound monitoring, you could plug headphones in, to check what's being recorded, since you stay offscreen. Anyway, I love what you do. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you for all of the suggestions. Bumping the Mic is something I am working to improve on!! For the wind, yes, it was windy outside where I had taken the machine to spray it down and there was actually a foam cover on it to help muffle the wind, but the wind was extra strong in the afternoon. Thank you for watching my channel.
Indeed, foam is not enough to mute a strong wind. Sound recordists use what they call a 'dead cat':
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dead_cat_Dead_Kitten.JPG
Thank you. Great suggestion!
THANK YOU!!! I am working on a 158.16031 and could not figure out how to get the top off.
Absolutely love my Kenmore!! Bought new back in the early 90's and the only thing needed was to clean and oil. It's been a jewel!! Currently looking for a backup machine that can used for double needles or different thread usage but it's a little hard to live up to the Kenmore ~~ and I am only interested in manuals.
Thanks for sharing!
Have you opened up the column on your Kenmore and greased the gears? I only ask, because like you, oil and cleaning only since purchasing in '90/'91. 'Bout 4 years ago, sewing great one evening and the next morning, straight stitch only! There's a bunch of gears that need some lubrication TLC inside that column. Added more grease and he's running great ever since. If when you turn the stitch selector knobs you hear a rather substantial, "clunk, clunk, clunk" instead of a quieter, "ooff, ooff, ooff" when you turn the knobs that's the machine telling you it wants/needs some grease!
I have a Sears Kenmore 158-1350 machine that I bought for$5.00 in a garage sale. I love to tinker with them. Most of the machines I get in garage sales just need to be cleaned, lubricated, and needles changed. Sellers have said that “it just doesn’t sew very well any more.” This Kenmore has exactly the problems you are covering here-I think someone oiled this with vehicular motor oil, and way too much at that! Dark yellow, gooey stuff all over! Inside the case, the bobbin components…. Then, from some of the accumulated dirt, I’d say it sat in a garage for awhile. Such a shame for these workhorse machines! I cleaned what I could reach with cotton swabs and pipe cleaners, oiled it, and let it sit. Everything moved much more easily, so I tried running it. It ran, but after about 15 seconds, it developed a quiet squeal, so I stopped. I think I’m going to try the WD40 thing next….
It's possible someone heard an 'urban myth' about alternative lubricants for these machines or saw something ludicrous online. Hopefully, your machine is not in as bad a condition as mine is :/
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage I could move the hand wheel before I started, but it was stiffer than it should’ve been. This thing is sure a gooey mess inside, old oil (or whatever) coating the inside of the casing. Maybe the same people who owned yours owned this one, lol! Did you use actual WD40, or the penetrant? Thanks!
I've been following this series for a while. What was the final outcome? Hopefully she was saved. I have the exact same machine and it truly is superb.
The heat from a conventional bulb right there would be enough to cook the grease in that area. On machines like this one, I can smell that brown vintage grease at several feet.
Mostly on old Singer 201-2 and 15-91 machines, like you say, they put it all in the wrong spots and use thin oil where the grease should have been!
Well, I'm glad nobody did anything so boneheaded as to grease up the inside of the seized 158.1792280 I just picked up... They _did_ however manage to wind enough thread around the take-up lever crank, that it looked like there was a bobbin lodged in the head. 🤦♂ That particular Gordian Knot required some delicate surgery with a scalpel and a hemostat... I can turn the handwheel now, but it's real sluggish. Guess it's on to lubrication!
Don't give up Bakamoichigei. Those machines are worth the effort!!
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Absolutely! I knew they were something special because my mother had one when I was a kid in the 1980s and I've never seen anything quite like it since. That full electronic motor control is really something! (And now I have two; still working on the seized up one, but the second one works.)
Got a vintage Sears Kenmore the other day for $5 with the challenge of fixing it (and knowing nothing about sewing machines). after using PD blaster to free up and disassemble and clean the presser foot, I was able to free up the whole drivetrain easily by disconnecting the upper from lower by removing the screws to one of the arms, then moving the lower by a bit of hand force. Oiled up, she then ran silky smooth. Love it!
Congrats on bring yours back to life!!
Thank you , on a very frozen machine farm steam tractor we had a vat of kerosene soak for a week submerged motor and belt off on sewing machine all electric switches removed surprised really frees i soaked the bobbin winder that was frozen in kerosene next day was freed up .
Yes David, I've used Kerosene for unlocking items that I have or keep outdoors. I don't use it indoors because it stinks and does not evaporate the way many other solvents do. I believe that there is some Kerosene in 'Liquid Wrench' penetrants and this is why I seldom use even that. So you are right about how effective it can be but the odor is not something we want inside getting into fabrics/carpets etc. I once tried (with success) Marvel's Mystery Oil when I dunked a Singer 185 and let it sit in a bucket for a few weeks. I did this outdoors though.
Is the brother xl-5001 a good machine?
can you have a rescue on setting the zig zag timing on a kenmore
I have a Kenmore 158 I purchased new in 1972. The black "tire" that drives the bobbin winder failed. I tried purchasing a replacement on line and ended up with a "doughnut" that also failed. Ed Nisley,s Blog posted he had the same problem and he also gave the dimension differences. I would like to purchase a part that works. If anyone has information on this that you could post I would find that helpful.
WD-40 is a rust preventative, not a lubricant or cleaner. WD stands for Water Displacing. This was created by NASA in the 60s to prevent rust and corrosion on rocket parts at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Yes, Paul, you are correct. I use it as a cleaner and never as a substitute for sewing machine oil.
This what I’m dealing with rate now got a 603 with everything and it works but will not move I believe it was in an attic and put grease alll over it
I have a Kenmore 158.901 model. Very heavy made in Canada. Older than the one your showing. It works but needs a thorough cleaning. I also have a Singer 401A Slantomatic. I completely disassembled it thanks the a UA-camr named Andy. I reassembled it re-oiling it as per maintenance specks. Can I do the same with this 158.901 model ?
Yes, you should be able to do this with the Kenmore you have because it was made during a time when machines were designed for regular maintenance.
I have a 158.1913...I hope you show us how to remove the bottom because I cannot get it off.
Hello Suzanne. Yes, I will show removal of the bottom pan in one of this series installments. There are a few things to note when doing this. By the 1970's when this machine went to market, both the top and the bottom were serviceable, but not as simply as in years past.
I have this exact model and was wondering if you know anything about adjustment screws on the bobbin winder assembly unit. I can only fill a bobbin halfway and then it just stopped. It doesn’t disengage it just stops. I did run into a video where a lady tries to explain how to make the adjustment but I didn’t quite get it. If you know anything about an adjustment that could help correct that problem I would appreciate it.
Can you provide a link to a proper sewing machine grease?
Can the same grease be used for all brands?
Is all sewing machine oil the same (so long as it's labeled "Sewing machine oil" on the bottle)?
I've got a early 1990's Husqvarna Viking #1 machine and would like to grease/oil it.
I have a Seammaster model FA 695. It’s missing the tension knob cover. Can you help me find a replacement knob?
I have a Kenmore mid-60s model 1751. I have 2 problems. they might be related. my feed dog control seems to be frozen in the up position. I do not see an abundance of crud but the machine was very dry. I used WD40 hoping to lose linkages. No luck after 48 hours. Would it help to use a hair dryer to maybe warm up old oil? My other problem is The stitches/inch adjustment knob moves well enough but the size of my stitches remains very small. Any hints? Kit Jenkins
My reverse won't work and I'm trying to find out how to unstick it. The lever moves some, and just barely moves the bars that change the direction of the feed dogs. If I move the bars manually, the feed dogs have no problem changing direction or moving well. It's just that the lever won't function to engage the bars/gears. Otherwise, super-clean FREE machine I got on Buy Nothing page. I'd love any tips that you could spare on that process. TY for your videos!
Try getting to the moving parts BEHIND the lever. Its almost never the lever itself that you see on the front of the machine, but rather the linkages behind it that are stuck. Try using oil, or oil/heat to see if you can get it moving properly.
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage I'm still struggling with it 2 weeks later. Discovered the stretch stitches are only in reverse, too. I used gobs of penetrating oil but no luck. Every dayni work on it but not gaining any ground. I will try a blow dryer to add heat next. So disappointing
I have a 158.85 All that grease is so sad. It's so dark, it looks like 5th wheel grease on a rig.
What model parts will fit in a sears Kenmore 1227?
Now if I take my Pfaff in for servicing it will cost me $100.00! After one servicing I gave the expensive machine away and went back to my inexpensive 1981 machine that I can service!
You share a good insight into how so many things (not just sewing machines) are made today in ways that encourage us to toss and replace them with new items that are made just as poorly. When I see a machine and it has access screws, I know it was designed for service. Our ancestors had a sense of value in what they purchased that today's generation of consumers have lost. I hope that changes in the future.
I watch all your videos. I’ve been binging since I found you. I have a 158.17033 that the motor runs but the needle won’t move. I moved the wheel toward me and nothing is locked up, the needle moves and the machine is VERY clean. Is there something you know of I should check? Was trying to see if I could fix it before I take it to the machine place and they tell me it’s 5 million dollars. I just got the machine yesterday. I paid $60 including shipping. It has the bobbin case, bobbin, foot peddle and power cord and the case (which FEDEX broke!) help!!! Please!!
It is hard to guess given the number of potential causes. I wonder though if the knob that engages and then disengages the bobbin winder might be sticking or intermittently stopping the needle from moving.
I have a 158.158.152. Her stitch length does not seem to attach to anything. Is there a diagram somewhere? I am afraid she has been parted out.
RhodeToPrepping
Just recently found your videos. Love learning about these old machines. Just out of curiosity, when you say that the Kenmore in this video was crazy expensive, could you or anyone else give a ballpark number for what the original sales price might have been? I am watching this because it looks like a machine I got new back in 1972. One of my clients husband was a manager of a dress factory. I told her I really wanted a sewing machine to make myself some new clothes. I was newly married and had little money. The lovely lady said her husband could get me a heavy duty machine with the cabinet for under $100.00. I was thrilled, it was and is a great machine for $90.00 or any amount. It is better than the Singer I purchased years later about 1989. Any way my $90.00, blue machine circa 1972 looks much like the Kenmore with the exception of color.
The original machines were priced in the low $200s. Kenmores are one of the only sewing machines that have actually gone up in price, the Singers are worthless, particularly the 1980s.
Wow! What a mess...
How do I replace the motor on this model of Kenmore. My motor creates a burning smell and it’s abit slow. Was wondering since the bearing is on the bottom of it’s a specific model.
You can find salvaged Kenmore motors on sites like Ebay and Bonanza. Be sure to get one from this machine model since the mounting setup is specific.
Do you have any interest in in the Sears Lady Kenmore 89 ? I just got one and it’s totally seized. It also needs a new belt. I was wondering if perhaps you would know where I can order one and which belt I need for this machine?
I've never worked on one of those. They were made in Germany for White which was still trying to keep the contract they had with Sears. The design was produced by Pfaff after Pfaff purchased Kaiser-Gritzner; another German machine producer. Try searching on Ebay, Etsy for the belt. Seizing could be caused by everything from thread jams to sitting in a damp or hot storage space. FYI, be extra careful when working on "The Lady" since it is one of the few 'Rare' Kenmores and parts for that model are not easy to find.
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Thank you so much 😊
My kenmore is sewing backwards, what can I do??
Hard to know without seeing Zella but my first thought that comes to mind is that the linkage for the reverse lever may be stuck or you could also have an issue with the foot pedal. Other causes are possible, but you might take it to a Vacuum-Sew dealer to see what they say.
I have a similar model like this and the machine runs but it doesn't go forward. It just is stuck stitching in one spot. What could be the cause for that?
The first areas I would look at are the belts. They might be slipping or the motor bracket might need adjustment to restore belt tension. I have videos on how to set belt tension. The other area, though much less likely, would be the stitch length adjustment mechanism that might be stuck.
Have always been told dont ever use WD40... only use sewing machine oil!
Yes that is correct for the oiling points or normal lubrication for any sewing machine. WD 40 and other brands of penetrant oils CAN BE USED for unlocking a frozen or stuck sewing machine. The main point to remember is after you have gotten your machine unstuck, to then go back and fully oil with sewing machine oil. WD 40 and others like it are NOT the same as oil and should not be used for lubricating.
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage TY so much for clarifying that. How do you know when to go buy some Blaster or just use the WD-40 that's in the cupboard?