Oh Andy I can't thank you enough for this series. I just finished watching it! I am Anna, Italian living in England. Exactly last night my recently bought (for £20!) and much loved 88K-15 started to run wildly after my first attempted session at free motion quilting with her. Everything is still original but I think it must be a matter to do with the pedal. The stitch is so beautiful you will not believe it! I just love it! And I know no repair man will take the care you have had for this restoration job. So you gave me the courage to open it up and check! I will start tonight! If I need any help may I contact you?
I'm glad you found the videos then I'm sure that you can go through them and work on your pedal if you get stuck someplace you know where to reach me here Good luck and thank you for repairing your machine and keeping it in service
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks again. First issue and question: there is a capacitor between the two wires at the top of the ceramic body. Yours does not have it. Do you think that the non-stop running of the machine by itself could be caused by the capacitor malfunction?
@@cometahyakutake9375 Congratulations you are the winner today you are absolutely correct that they failed capacitor fails to connection, meaning when it goes bad it just puts the electricity straight through and full blast. If nothing else just completely remove that capacitor and that should solve your high-speed constant running and it is safe to remove it. It was to prevent interference with radios back in those days. If you want to you can go ahead and rehabilitate the rest of the parts. I think I mentioned something about a capacitor in the movies but maybe I'm thinking of a different one. You're a good technician, Anna, congratulations, and thanks for the reminder about the capacitor. I'll pin your comment to the top in case another viewer is seeking answers about the capacitor. Take Care.
@@andytubesewing1953 Ahaha! If you only knew! I am a psychologist and educator with a (recently discovered) passion for old sewing machines! But love these things and might take you up on the compliment with a course on electrical stuff! :D
@@cometahyakutake9375 This new hobby is great for you. The other side of your brain, maybe. Helping fix and teach people, and helping fix sewing machines. I like it!
Thank you for the great videos Andy. I just refurbished my grandmother's 15 91 and used your videos as a guide. I'm glad to report she runs and sees like shes brand new. My grandmother made a living using this machine and I am honored to have it!
It's fantastic alone that you kept it and even better you saved it and have it back in service. I wonder what your grandkids will feel when it is theirs in the future? thanks for watching my channel and take care.
Thank you for this series. I just recently started having some trouble with my Singer 600 foot pedal, but after cleaning and readjusting everything works prefect again. Your videos made the whole process easy and stress free.
I am so glad I discovered your channel, Andy! I have watched many of your videos pertaining to my Singer 15-91 and 401-A machines. You make everything look so easy. I appreciate that. I also have to tell you that you very much remind me of my dad. He absolutely loved mechanical things - even as a child. I could give him a call and he would patiently talk me through each step of a repair, even while we were on the phone 1500 miles apart. He knew exactly what questions to ask at each step so that he could visualize my work in his mind and have me correct things he could tell I got wrong. I hear his voice speaking to me as you talk us through each step of your restoration videos. It makes me smile! Thank you for your patient and thorough explanations and careful demonstrations. I’ll bet 50 years from now people are still going to be watching your videos as they take over the care of the sewing machines we are now restoring. What a wonderful thought!
The kindest comment I've received. Thank you so much. Your 50 years comment made my arm hair stand up! What a nice thought of these machines still going 50 years from now. No reason they can't, really, if they are taken care of. Your Dad reminds me of my Grandfather, and that's a wonderful memory. I wish I'd known your dad. ✨Thanks for watching my channel.
Fantastic series, Andy, thank you! I found you from the good folks at the Victorian Sweatshop forum and I am so glad I did. My recently acquired 15-125 takes off like a rocket-0 to 60. Now I'll go back to the first installment and re-watch while rehabbing my pedal.
Thanks and regards to The Victorian Sweatshop Forum. If you have the last Singer Model 15-125 ever made it is 64 years old! I've rehabbed many pedals that have never been opened before, and the 0 to 60 problem on my 2nd ever repair was how I learned all about the Carbon Stack foot controller. You'll find it very rewarding when you finish and the pedal has good speed control again. Thanks for the nice comment,🙏 and for watching my channel. Good Luck.
Thank you so much for this series. I have the same foot pedal which was my mums Singer 315 machine. I used it a year ago but the pedal got so hot in use. Now I know the insides of the pedal and how to adjust I can get back to using the machine I learnt to sew on in the 1970s and honour my late mum. Thank you.
Welcome, Ann. I'm glad you found the series. Your Mum chose a wonderful model. We don't see it often in the USA, but the 327K is similar. For viewers who are wondering about the 315K model here is a nice picture of one: ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/model-list/images300-399/315K.jpg and a short youtube video by Tia Drysdale showing it in use: ua-cam.com/video/8UCrfW6XstY/v-deo.html Thanks for taking the time to comment, Ann, and happy sewing. ✨
@@andytubesewing1953 I live in the UK and have struggled to find a replacement bulb for the Singer 315. The sewing machine bulbs bayonets do not seem to be pointy but rounded and the bulbs dont fit. Would you know where i could get bulbs for it here in the UK? I also have a Jones Medium CS treadle machine that i stripped and cleaned and it purrs. She is called Kitty after her original owner who worked as a seamstress at a uniform factory here in Derby at the turn of the century. The only issue seems to be the feed dogs. It works great but after about 12 inches the fabric seems to gather up under the presser foot as if the feed dogs not consistently operating. Any ideas how to adjust them on this model? Its EX974584. Thank you for inspiring me to get all my machines out for a cleaning session.
@@annhamilton2060 Well, no help from me today, sorry. All the bulbs I've seen have the rounded contacts. Even the LED bulbs. I did have a 337 model before that I had to adjust the contacts in the socket to make contact with the new bulb. There are two flat "springy" metal strips that the bulb contacts with and I bent them forward towards the opening about 1/32" and that worked well for the new LED bulb. I do not know any parts sellers in the UK, sorry. I also can't advise you about Kitty. I only have worked on the vintage Singer machines on my playlist page and do not know the mechanics of your model. What a dud, huh?😞😢 I hope you come back anyway. Take care.
Other people watch Game of Thrones. I watch Andy Tube and am enthralled. Thank you so much!! I love learning all this and you provide the details I need and appreciate. You are a wonderful teacher.
thank you for the nice comment, Nancy. I'm happy that you find my channel enjoyable and of value, and it's free too! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Take care.
Just finished refurbishing my foot pedal. It was popping, crackling and heating up. I was all set to just buy a new one, and then thought well if I'm going to do that anyway, why not try to refurbish the old one? Nothing to lose if I was going to buy a new one anyway. After watching this series I took it apart and discovered a great deal of carbon build up, lots of dust inside the carbon piles and burnt looking buildup on the "bullet" connectors and the thick carbon at the ends. To my surprise, only two of the carbon discs had cracked edges. I suspected that they could be put back in without a problem but decided to not do that. I'm glad I made that choice because one of them broke right in half with the gentlest touch the other day. Well, after cleaning out all the dust and build up and adjusting it exactly like you instructed, the pedal works beautifully. I never thought that I would do something that complicated with something that old involving electricity. To quote you in one of your posts, I feel rewarded, empowered, accomplished, proud and happy, You are a superb communicator. You make complicated things simple and empower people to repair these beautiful old machines and keep them going for the next generation. Thank you.
top 10 kindest comments I ever received. Thank you 🙏 I'm glad you approached it with the "nothing to lose" attitude. Thanks for saving the pedal, but more so thanks for learning to fix and maintain your fine machine. I'm so glad you made the choice to DIY. You made my day
I watched all of your videos pertaining to the restoration of the foot control and when I actually got down to doing it, I watched them again. I feel like a pro now! Thank you so much for putting out these wonderful videos. I am a new subscriber.
I sure love hearing this, and thanks for the sub. I'm glad you found my series for the foot controller. Nicely done and hope it is working very well. You should feel like a pro and I'm betting you did a better job than many repair shops have done. On my public playlist page, people can find my series, including the clamshell foot controller, different types of motors and machine models. 500+ videos. ua-cam.com/channels/USPDsHaFtRoz1VA2U1xJ4w.htmlplaylists?view_as=public So don't be a stranger, Straightshooter, and hope to hear from you in the future. Take Care.
This was a great series Andy, started watching it while cleaning parts, then had to keep going over and backing it up because I would miss this or that, so decided the parts could wait and just kicked back and relaxed and enjoyed. Thank you very much for these videos.
As always Andy, another well done video series with clear instructions from start to finish. Thanks so much for taking the time to go through these steps so thoroughly. Using your videos, I was able to completely restore the original foot pedal that came with my Singer 401A, including disassembly of the carbon stacks. I was fortunate that none of the carbon wafers had any cracks or chips. I am currently waiting for a shipment of isopropyl alcohol and will do the rubber cushions later.
Andy, I started cleaning a second pedal and there were significantly more carbon wafers on each side (61 + the thick wafer in each "channel"). My first one had 54 + the thick wafer. Did Singer start using thinner carbon wafers?
@@susanwingert7065 There were two variations of the button style controller. B1 & B2 and they may have shorter ceramic holders, shorter tube cutouts inside, or a repairman may have removed some. Hard to tell. If the pedal will adjust properly and have a good range of speed your OK.
Hi Andy, as of today I have finished the restoration of my 401A. Yesterday following your instructions, I restored the button footpedal. It ran well. I plugged it in to check if it would heat up overnight. It was cool to the touch this morning.
Thanks for saving that machine. I'm glad you tested the pedal. I'm a big believer that better safe than sorry. Happy sewing, Dorothy, and thanks for still watching my channel.
@@andytubesewing1953Yesterday, I was frustrated after restoring my (bought on EBay)foot pedal, only to have it continue to go 1 speed. Tonight, I’m very happy because I made some adjustments (multiple times), and I now have multiple speeds! Yay! Thanks Andy😊 Now I can use my recently acquired (for free!) Singer 338, that didn’t have a pedal. Thanks for all of the 338 videos as well. Such a help ❤
Hi Andy, thank you so much for this very, very helpful video. I have been following your steps as I've been repairing my button foot pedal. The carbons in my pedal were very burned. I lost about 10 carbon disks.. They disintegrated when they were touched. As I was cleaning one of the thick carbon disks, a little piece broke off the edge. I readjusted the pedal a few times , and finally got it working satisfactorily for me. I followed your advice and checked to make sure it didn't get hot when sitting for awhile. I just checked it, and it is perfectly cool. Hooray. Thanks again Andy for your great tutorial.
Hi Dorothy, thank you for sharing your experience. I'm glad you found the series and it helped yoou. Also, thank you for doing it safely and testing for heat. Best wishes.
Thank you so much for this series, Andy! I learned so much about the controller and I'm now not afraid to take one apart and jump right in. Great tip on smoothing out kinks in cords too.
I'm happy you found me too! I love that you have your Mom's machine. Here are other videos you may be interested in if you have not found them already. Take Care. ua-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKLiDl9yFTP6mJgQmz5lj4NO.html ua-cam.com/video/pzq4tv8qn94/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKJSu0T9oeaheTZsrUe91kkZ.html ua-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKJaeFB_GW97NsW5GYM7KD9U.html
Andy, I just finished my foot pedal restoration. It went beautifully. Mine says part # 197629. Slightly different than yours. Just 2 screws were different. It came with my 404 that I salvaged from the dump. I only lost 3 carbon disks. Went back together with 58 on each side. Thanks very much.
Hey, you've been busy. Very Nicely Done and I bet you feel rewarded for your efforts. Thanks for saving the pedal and for rescuing that machine. Like finding a gold nugget in the ash.
Thank you Andy Tube I just finished cleaning my control for my 338 , I Have been cleaning the carbons of several of motors , I’ll see if I can do the ones in the motor of this 338 to complete the job. I completely did a 223 machine, including a bath , it hardly moved, you should seeing running know. I love that machine is very beautiful Fashion mate made in Japan with a Canadian out motor, that I could be used in a treadle in case of a catastrophic power failure. 😅 Have a good weekend mr. Andy. Thanks again!
You're very busy with your machines. Model 223 was not sold here in the US and I've only seen pictures and the manual. It looks like a very nice model. Unique with its 1966 styling. Lucky you! Take care.
@@andytubesewing1953 interesting. is beautiful , stream line style , I got it locally in a simple cabinet. really like it , it does zigzag and blind stitch, plus the beauty….. what else you need!? … oh yes is cast iron , got to be one of the last cast iron ladies.
@@marlenebudnik3133 For sure one of the last Iron Ladies, made from 1966-1970. The only Singer Domestic Iron machine I can think of that was made later was the Italian-made Model 237. The mechanics of it are amazing, but the 223 sure has the better looks 👀
@@andytubesewing1953 i don’t now about that Andy, I got a 237 ( for free , send to me by mistake) and it looked pristine, but got something very wrong going on in the bobbin area, not visible but it sounded like something rubbing badly that made the BC vibrate and rattle, I replaced the hook , the shuttle spring and bobbin case , also polished any visible roughness and after a lot of effort it did work, but still skips sometimes when zigzagging. And it got “that “ plastic bobbin case “door”. The 223 is all shiny nickel in there and the BC door is held by two nice nickel knobs that have a spring and you just pull and open. The throat plate is hinged instead of sliding out ( so nice) and the stitching is impeccable, in addition it got the blind stitch, not as noisy either , Very unique mechanism as well, like the Italian counter part but IMHO way nicer that the 237 when comparing side by side. I’m sure if you get a chance to see it you would agree as well . As you can see I’m infatuated 🤩
@@marlenebudnik3133 I'm sorry you have difficulties with that 237, but surely you don't believe all model 237s have that problem. I'd venture to say that some model 223 may have a few problems, too. Not here to argue and I respect your opinion. Besides, my Grandfather advised me never to argue with an infatuated woman.✨ Happy sewing.
Thanks for this series. I do see that I don't have the original pedal for the machine. I'm going to try my featherweight pedal to see if my sewing issues are foot pedal related first. Thanks again!
Good to know; thank you. If I get this one working, I'm going to try using it on a Model 338 b/c the button style foot pedal was damaged. They both put out the same amps; 0.7, so I think it would work.
Andy,I've restored a 201-2 and refinished the cabinet it came in. The support spring that helps lift the machine up is not very strong at all. Do you know a way to improve the spring? I swear I almost through my back out getting the machine up to working position. By the way ,you are so much help .Good instructor .Thank you.
I have only had spring assist lifts on two machines I bought years ago, and I had the same experience. The second machine was from a family member who told me it was like that when new, so I have no other experience. I don't know if you could find a new spring at a hardware supplier that would work. I would worry that buying a used vintage one from eBay would not be any better. The weight of the "Iron Horse" black Singers, other than the Models 99 & 221, are too much for my customers. I know the 201 has the best reputation of any Singer, buy my buyers want the Aluminium Slant Shank models: 301A, 403A, 404 & 503A which weigh about 17 to 22 lbs. A friend at church bought an "Air Lift" style cabinet for her 201-2, which is her favorite for quilting. She said she just got tired of trying to lift it into position. I wish you'd do a video on cabinet restoration. I have about a dozen and no clue how to refinish them.
I had a problem taking apart the plug that goes into the machine with the knarled nuts in it. I couldnt' get it back into the bakelight casing. I wish I could find a good way to make those tinned wire rings on all of these cords when rewiring.
This is a dream come true. I had my old Singer rewired years ago and they switched out my foot pedal. But I kept my old button type pedal and now I will be able to refurbish it. However, if I get it all ready to go my problem will be putting the power cords back on the correct posts. Can it damage my machine if I get it wrong the first time? What could happen?
I don't think it really matters think about this the plug on the end of the cord is not polarized so if you plug it in one way the machine works then if you pull it out flip it over and plug it back in the machine still works so I don't think you can really get it wrong. that has been my personal experience anyway.
At the hardware store. Take an existing set there and ask them to find the closest thing they have, or take the terminal body. You won't find the screws on eBay or Amazon. You can buy a new cord for around $10+ or maybe a used one for more $. If you are wanting to keep it original, rarely you can find the terminal body (used) for sale but be sure it is for the Model you have. FYI, here is the technical info, as listed in the Singer Parts Manual, for the screw/nut of the Terminal Body of a Singer Model 301A; "THREE PIN TERMINAL BODY (FEMALE HALF) CLAMPING SCREW" PART NO. 51093X and "THREE PIN TERMINAL BODY (FEMALE HALF) CLAMPING SCREW NUT" PART NO. 1768X those are the long, skinny screws. The entire terminal body (sans wires) is "THREE PIN TERMINAL (FEMALE HALF) COMPLETE" PART NO. 194521. If your question was about the shorter screws/nuts that the wire connects to, they are "THREE PIN TERMINAL HOUSING (FEMALE HALF) SLEEVE" PART NO. 192691 and 'THREE PIN HOUSING (FEMALE HALF) SLEEVE NUT" PART NO. 192692 I have no idea if a sleeve like that is available anywhere except on a vintage part.
Hi I had to rewire from mains plug and foot control to the 3 socket terminal plug. All the rubber cables had perished . Where can I get the wiring diagram for the 3 terminal plug ? There are 4 wires going into it.
Slide in the video see at 21:15 of this video: ua-cam.com/video/ZwMUYwFmahE/v-deo.html A FREE document of wiring by Singer is available here: ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/sewing-machine-wiring-diagrams.pdf
Oh Andy I can't thank you enough for this series. I just finished watching it! I am Anna, Italian living in England. Exactly last night my recently bought (for £20!) and much loved 88K-15 started to run wildly after my first attempted session at free motion quilting with her. Everything is still original but I think it must be a matter to do with the pedal. The stitch is so beautiful you will not believe it! I just love it! And I know no repair man will take the care you have had for this restoration job. So you gave me the courage to open it up and check! I will start tonight! If I need any help may I contact you?
I'm glad you found the videos then I'm sure that you can go through them and work on your pedal if you get stuck someplace you know where to reach me here Good luck and thank you for repairing your machine and keeping it in service
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks again. First issue and question: there is a capacitor between the two wires at the top of the ceramic body. Yours does not have it. Do you think that the non-stop running of the machine by itself could be caused by the capacitor malfunction?
@@cometahyakutake9375 Congratulations you are the winner today you are absolutely correct that they failed capacitor fails to connection, meaning when it goes bad it just puts the electricity straight through and full blast. If nothing else just completely remove that capacitor and that should solve your high-speed constant running and it is safe to remove it. It was to prevent interference with radios back in those days. If you want to you can go ahead and rehabilitate the rest of the parts. I think I mentioned something about a capacitor in the movies but maybe I'm thinking of a different one. You're a good technician, Anna, congratulations, and thanks for the reminder about the capacitor.
I'll pin your comment to the top in case another viewer is seeking answers about the capacitor. Take Care.
@@andytubesewing1953 Ahaha! If you only knew! I am a psychologist and educator with a (recently discovered) passion for old sewing machines! But love these things and might take you up on the compliment with a course on electrical stuff! :D
@@cometahyakutake9375 This new hobby is great for you. The other side of your brain, maybe. Helping fix and teach people, and helping fix sewing machines. I like it!
Thank you for the great videos Andy. I just refurbished my grandmother's 15 91 and used your videos as a guide. I'm glad to report she runs and sees like shes brand new. My grandmother made a living using this machine and I am honored to have it!
It's fantastic alone that you kept it and even better you saved it and have it back in service. I wonder what your grandkids will feel when it is theirs in the future? thanks for watching my channel and take care.
Thank you for this series. I just recently started having some trouble with my Singer 600 foot pedal, but after cleaning and readjusting everything works prefect again. Your videos made the whole process easy and stress free.
Thanks for saving your pedal instead of throwing it out. I'm glad the videos were helpful. Happy sewing.
I am so glad I discovered your channel, Andy! I have watched many of your videos pertaining to my Singer 15-91 and 401-A machines. You make everything look so easy. I appreciate that.
I also have to tell you that you very much remind me of my dad. He absolutely loved mechanical things - even as a child. I could give him a call and he would patiently talk me through each step of a repair, even while we were on the phone 1500 miles apart. He knew exactly what questions to ask at each step so that he could visualize my work in his mind and have me correct things he could tell I got wrong. I hear his voice speaking to me as you talk us through each step of your restoration videos. It makes me smile!
Thank you for your patient and thorough explanations and careful demonstrations. I’ll bet 50 years from now people are still going to be watching your videos as they take over the care of the sewing machines we are now restoring. What a wonderful thought!
The kindest comment I've received. Thank you so much. Your 50 years comment made my arm hair stand up! What a nice thought of these machines still going 50 years from now. No reason they can't, really, if they are taken care of. Your Dad reminds me of my Grandfather, and that's a wonderful memory. I wish I'd known your dad. ✨Thanks for watching my channel.
Just finished watching all 8 videos….thanks so much Andy. I can’t wait to go clean up my pedal!
I think you will enjoy it, Rhonda. Just start slow with the disc polishing. Don't be like me and break some of them. Hard to find replacements.
Fantastic series, Andy, thank you! I found you from the good folks at the Victorian Sweatshop forum and I am so glad I did. My recently acquired 15-125 takes off like a rocket-0 to 60. Now I'll go back to the first installment and re-watch while rehabbing my pedal.
Thanks and regards to The Victorian Sweatshop Forum. If you have the last Singer Model 15-125 ever made it is 64 years old! I've rehabbed many pedals that have never been opened before, and the 0 to 60 problem on my 2nd ever repair was how I learned all about the Carbon Stack foot controller. You'll find it very rewarding when you finish and the pedal has good speed control again. Thanks for the nice comment,🙏 and for watching my channel. Good Luck.
Thank you so much for this series. I have the same foot pedal which was my mums Singer 315 machine. I used it a year ago but the pedal got so hot in use. Now I know the insides of the pedal and how to adjust I can get back to using the machine I learnt to sew on in the 1970s and honour my late mum. Thank you.
Welcome, Ann. I'm glad you found the series. Your Mum chose a wonderful model. We don't see it often in the USA, but the 327K is similar. For viewers who are wondering about the 315K model here is a nice picture of one: ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/model-list/images300-399/315K.jpg
and a short youtube video by Tia Drysdale showing it in use: ua-cam.com/video/8UCrfW6XstY/v-deo.html
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Ann, and happy sewing. ✨
@@andytubesewing1953 I live in the UK and have struggled to find a replacement bulb for the Singer 315. The sewing machine bulbs bayonets do not seem to be pointy but rounded and the bulbs dont fit. Would you know where i could get bulbs for it here in the UK?
I also have a Jones Medium CS treadle machine that i stripped and cleaned and it purrs. She is called Kitty after her original owner who worked as a seamstress at a uniform factory here in Derby at the turn of the century. The only issue seems to be the feed dogs. It works great but after about 12 inches the fabric seems to gather up under the presser foot as if the feed dogs not consistently operating. Any ideas how to adjust them on this model? Its EX974584.
Thank you for inspiring me to get all my machines out for a cleaning session.
@@annhamilton2060 Well, no help from me today, sorry. All the bulbs I've seen have the rounded contacts. Even the LED bulbs. I did have a 337 model before that I had to adjust the contacts in the socket to make contact with the new bulb. There are two flat "springy" metal strips that the bulb contacts with and I bent them forward towards the opening about 1/32" and that worked well for the new LED bulb. I do not know any parts sellers in the UK, sorry.
I also can't advise you about Kitty. I only have worked on the vintage Singer machines on my playlist page and do not know the mechanics of your model. What a dud, huh?😞😢 I hope you come back anyway. Take care.
Other people watch Game of Thrones. I watch Andy Tube and am enthralled. Thank you so much!! I love learning all this and you provide the details I need and appreciate. You are a wonderful teacher.
thank you for the nice comment, Nancy. I'm happy that you find my channel enjoyable and of value, and it's free too!
I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Take care.
Just finished refurbishing my foot pedal. It was popping, crackling and heating up. I was all set to just buy a new one, and then thought well if I'm going to do that anyway, why not try to refurbish the old one? Nothing to lose if I was going to buy a new one anyway. After watching this series I took it apart and discovered a great deal of carbon build up, lots of dust inside the carbon piles and burnt looking buildup on the "bullet" connectors and the thick carbon at the ends. To my surprise, only two of the carbon discs had cracked edges. I suspected that they could be put back in without a problem but decided to not do that. I'm glad I made that choice because one of them broke right in half with the gentlest touch the other day. Well, after cleaning out all the dust and build up and adjusting it exactly like you instructed, the pedal works beautifully. I never thought that I would do something that complicated with something that old involving electricity. To quote you in one of your posts, I feel rewarded, empowered, accomplished, proud and happy, You are a superb communicator. You make complicated things simple and empower people to repair these beautiful old machines and keep them going for the next generation. Thank you.
top 10 kindest comments I ever received. Thank you 🙏 I'm glad you approached it with the "nothing to lose" attitude. Thanks for saving the pedal, but more so thanks for learning to fix and maintain your fine machine. I'm so glad you made the choice to DIY. You made my day
Great series!! I've learned so much from these videos!
Comments like yours help justify the efforts I put into the series. Thank you very much for watching the channel
I watched all of your videos pertaining to the restoration of the foot control and when I actually got down to doing it, I watched them again. I feel like a pro now! Thank you so much for putting out these wonderful videos. I am a new subscriber.
I sure love hearing this, and thanks for the sub. I'm glad you found my series for the foot controller. Nicely done and hope it is working very well. You should feel like a pro and I'm betting you did a better job than many repair shops have done. On my public playlist page, people can find my series, including the clamshell foot controller, different types of motors and machine models. 500+ videos. ua-cam.com/channels/USPDsHaFtRoz1VA2U1xJ4w.htmlplaylists?view_as=public
So don't be a stranger, Straightshooter, and hope to hear from you in the future. Take Care.
This was a great series Andy, started watching it while cleaning parts, then had to keep going over and backing it up because I would miss this or that, so decided the parts could wait and just kicked back and relaxed and enjoyed.
Thank you very much for these videos.
I'm glad they were usefull. I remember taking my first one apart years ago and wishing I knew what the heck I was doing, haha.
As always Andy, another well done video series with clear instructions from start to finish. Thanks so much for taking the time to go through these steps so thoroughly. Using your videos, I was able to completely restore the original foot pedal that came with my Singer 401A, including disassembly of the carbon stacks. I was fortunate that none of the carbon wafers had any cracks or chips. I am currently waiting for a shipment of isopropyl alcohol and will do the rubber cushions later.
Thank you. Nicely done and your pedal should work well for a long time. Thanks for watching my channel. Take care.
Andy, I started cleaning a second pedal and there were significantly more carbon wafers on each side (61 + the thick wafer in each "channel"). My first one had 54 + the thick wafer. Did Singer start using thinner carbon wafers?
@@susanwingert7065 There were two variations of the button style controller. B1 & B2 and they may have shorter ceramic holders, shorter tube cutouts inside, or a repairman may have removed some. Hard to tell. If the pedal will adjust properly and have a good range of speed your OK.
Hi Andy, as of today I have finished the restoration of my 401A. Yesterday following your instructions, I restored the button footpedal. It ran well. I plugged it in to check if it would heat up overnight. It was cool to the touch this morning.
Thanks for saving that machine. I'm glad you tested the pedal. I'm a big believer that better safe than sorry. Happy sewing, Dorothy, and thanks for still watching my channel.
Great work and great description of the whole process.
Thanks very much, julianna. 🙏
@@andytubesewing1953Yesterday, I was frustrated after restoring my (bought on EBay)foot pedal, only to have it continue to go 1 speed. Tonight, I’m very happy because I made some adjustments (multiple times), and I now have multiple speeds! Yay! Thanks Andy😊 Now I can use my recently acquired (for free!) Singer 338, that didn’t have a pedal. Thanks for all of the 338 videos as well. Such a help ❤
Hi Andy, thank you so much for this very, very helpful video. I have been following your steps as I've been repairing my button foot pedal. The carbons in my pedal were very burned. I lost about 10 carbon disks.. They disintegrated when they were touched. As I was cleaning one of the thick carbon disks, a little piece broke off the edge. I readjusted the pedal a few times , and finally got it working satisfactorily for me. I followed your advice and checked to make sure it didn't get hot when sitting for awhile. I just checked it, and it is perfectly cool. Hooray. Thanks again Andy for your great tutorial.
Hi Dorothy, thank you for sharing your experience. I'm glad you found the series and it helped yoou. Also, thank you for doing it safely and testing for heat. Best wishes.
Thank you so much for this series, Andy! I learned so much about the controller and I'm now not afraid to take one apart and jump right in. Great tip on smoothing out kinks in cords too.
Welcome and thanks for your comment :) I can't remember how many phone cords I straightened back in the day!
Very cool thank you for your time I like your patience and direction God bless
Thanks for the blessing and kind words and for watching my channel, Pedro. Take Care.
Thanks so much, Andy! I have my mom’s singer from 1956, a 401a, and the foot pedal needs some work. I was very pleased to find you.
I'm happy you found me too! I love that you have your Mom's machine. Here are other videos you may be interested in if you have not found them already. Take Care. ua-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKLiDl9yFTP6mJgQmz5lj4NO.html
ua-cam.com/video/pzq4tv8qn94/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKJSu0T9oeaheTZsrUe91kkZ.html
ua-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKJaeFB_GW97NsW5GYM7KD9U.html
Andy, I just finished my foot pedal restoration. It went beautifully. Mine says part # 197629. Slightly different than yours. Just 2 screws were different. It came with my 404 that I salvaged from the dump. I only lost 3 carbon disks. Went back together with 58 on each side. Thanks very much.
Hey, you've been busy. Very Nicely Done and I bet you feel rewarded for your efforts. Thanks for saving the pedal and for rescuing that machine. Like finding a gold nugget in the ash.
Thank you Andy Tube
I just finished cleaning my control for my 338 , I Have been cleaning the carbons of several of motors , I’ll see if I can do the ones in the motor of this 338 to complete the job.
I completely did a 223 machine, including a bath , it hardly moved, you should seeing running know. I love that machine is very beautiful Fashion mate made in Japan with a Canadian out motor, that I could be used in a treadle in case of a catastrophic power failure. 😅
Have a good weekend mr. Andy. Thanks again!
You're very busy with your machines. Model 223 was not sold here in the US and I've only seen pictures and the manual. It looks like a very nice model. Unique with its 1966 styling. Lucky you! Take care.
@@andytubesewing1953 interesting.
is beautiful , stream line style , I got it locally in a simple cabinet. really like it , it does zigzag and blind stitch, plus the beauty….. what else you need!? … oh yes is cast iron , got to be one of the last cast iron ladies.
@@marlenebudnik3133 For sure one of the last Iron Ladies, made from 1966-1970. The only Singer Domestic Iron machine I can think of that was made later was the Italian-made Model 237. The mechanics of it are amazing, but the 223 sure has the better looks 👀
@@andytubesewing1953 i don’t now about that Andy, I got a 237 ( for free , send to me by mistake) and it looked pristine, but got something very wrong going on in the bobbin area, not visible but it sounded like something rubbing badly that made the BC vibrate and rattle, I replaced the hook , the shuttle spring and bobbin case , also polished any visible roughness and after a lot of effort it did work, but still skips sometimes when zigzagging. And it got “that “ plastic bobbin case “door”.
The 223 is all shiny nickel in there and the BC door is held by two nice nickel knobs that have a spring and you just pull and open. The throat plate is hinged instead of sliding out ( so nice) and the stitching is impeccable, in addition it got the blind stitch, not as noisy either ,
Very unique mechanism as well, like the Italian counter part but IMHO way nicer that the 237 when comparing side by side.
I’m sure if you get a chance to see it you would agree as well . As you can see I’m infatuated 🤩
@@marlenebudnik3133 I'm sorry you have difficulties with that 237, but surely you don't believe all model 237s have that problem. I'd venture to say that some model 223 may have a few problems, too. Not here to argue and I respect your opinion. Besides, my Grandfather advised me never to argue with an infatuated woman.✨ Happy sewing.
Another wonderful, very informative video series. Thank you very much.
Happy you liked it. Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for this series. I do see that I don't have the original pedal for the machine. I'm going to try my featherweight pedal to see if my sewing issues are foot pedal related first. Thanks again!
Good luck, I hope yu resolve it.
Wow sure looks great too!
They do come out nicely. It is surprising how well they can work again after restoration. Thanks for watching my channel, and take care.
The clam shell foot pedals go to the Singer Touch N Sew machines. Thank you for all your videos.
Good to know; thank you. If I get this one working, I'm going to try using it on a Model 338 b/c the button style foot pedal was damaged. They both put out the same amps; 0.7, so I think it would work.
Andy,I've restored a 201-2 and refinished the cabinet it came in. The support spring that helps lift the machine up is not very strong at all. Do you know a way to improve the spring? I swear I almost through my back out getting the machine up to working position. By the way ,you are so much help .Good instructor .Thank you.
I have only had spring assist lifts on two machines I bought years ago, and I had the same experience. The second machine was from a family member who told me it was like that when new, so I have no other experience. I don't know if you could find a new spring at a hardware supplier that would work. I would worry that buying a used vintage one from eBay would not be any better. The weight of the "Iron Horse" black Singers, other than the Models 99 & 221, are too much for my customers. I know the 201 has the best reputation of any Singer, buy my buyers want the Aluminium Slant Shank models: 301A, 403A, 404 & 503A which weigh about 17 to 22 lbs. A friend at church bought an "Air Lift" style cabinet for her 201-2, which is her favorite for quilting. She said she just got tired of trying to lift it into position. I wish you'd do a video on cabinet restoration. I have about a dozen and no clue how to refinish them.
I had a problem taking apart the plug that goes into the machine with the knarled nuts in it. I couldnt' get it back into the bakelight casing. I wish I could find a good way to make those tinned wire rings on all of these cords when rewiring.
This is a dream come true. I had my old Singer rewired years ago and they switched out my foot pedal. But I kept my old button type pedal and now I will be able to refurbish it. However, if I get it all ready to go my problem will be putting the power cords back on the correct posts. Can it damage my machine if I get it wrong the first time? What could happen?
I don't think it really matters think about this the plug on the end of the cord is not polarized so if you plug it in one way the machine works then if you pull it out flip it over and plug it back in the machine still works so I don't think you can really get it wrong. that has been my personal experience anyway.
Mr. Andy can you please tell me where can I find those tiny screws with nuts that go in electric connector? I can’t find them
At the hardware store. Take an existing set there and ask them to find the closest thing they have, or take the terminal body. You won't find the screws on eBay or Amazon. You can buy a new cord for around $10+ or maybe a used one for more $. If you are wanting to keep it original, rarely you can find the terminal body (used) for sale but be sure it is for the Model you have. FYI, here is the technical info, as listed in the Singer Parts Manual, for the screw/nut of the Terminal Body of a Singer Model 301A; "THREE PIN TERMINAL BODY (FEMALE HALF) CLAMPING SCREW" PART NO. 51093X and "THREE PIN TERMINAL BODY (FEMALE HALF) CLAMPING SCREW NUT" PART NO. 1768X those are the long, skinny screws. The entire terminal body (sans wires) is "THREE PIN TERMINAL (FEMALE HALF) COMPLETE" PART NO. 194521. If your question was about the shorter screws/nuts that the wire connects to, they are "THREE PIN TERMINAL HOUSING (FEMALE HALF) SLEEVE" PART NO. 192691 and 'THREE PIN HOUSING (FEMALE HALF) SLEEVE NUT" PART NO. 192692 I have no idea if a sleeve like that is available anywhere except on a vintage part.
Hi I had to rewire from mains plug and foot control to the 3 socket terminal plug. All the rubber cables had perished . Where can I get the wiring diagram for the 3 terminal plug ? There are 4 wires going into it.
Slide in the video see at 21:15 of this video: ua-cam.com/video/ZwMUYwFmahE/v-deo.html A FREE document of wiring by Singer is available here: ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/manuals/sewing-machine-wiring-diagrams.pdf