I just purchased this exact machine from a resale shop. It was an “Original Owner Machine” complete with manual and accessories. The shop always does a test sew before offering sewing machines for sale and this one passed with flying colors. I took her directly to my service professional and cannot wait to get her back. I did not know that this particular model has been compared favorably to Berninas so that was a welcome surprise. Your skill at presenting machines, coupled with your mellifluous speaking voice, have made me a loyal subscriber. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge and expertise. 😎😎😎
So nice you are working so hard to save this machine. I'm sure you are frustrated beyond belief, but I am appreciating your considerable efforts. It has been a learning experience for us viewers. Thank you again for all you do!
Outstanding. Older Kenmore machines are worth it. I have several from 117 to 158.1203s. They are work horses with denim. Well worth the cleaning. Thanks for the video
Heat softens the grease allowing it to operate. When it cools the old hard grease seizes again. The solvent will do similar, but when it evaporates will still leave whatever grease wasn't flushed out. I'd use copious amounts of oil to soften and flush the old grease out during operation. Or just disassemble and clean.
Hi there! Just got a Husqvarna 6440 back to life that had a similar issue. Those had “lifetime” bearings but that oil dried up and it behave like yours. You need a solvent and lube product like Triflow or pb blaster. Just a drop or so at every moving part, heat it up and watch it run!
Krud Kutter is also a great cleaner. Doesn’t smell like PB blaster and get it clean to the metal. Just stay away from the paint. I live the Tri-Flow products as well.
I fixed the exact same machine with Krud Kutter. At first I had to used a hair dryer to the back to be able to move that honey molasse grease out, so I could get in there with a toothbrush and clean that nasty grease. It was gnarly. Just be aware that when it’s clean you are down to bare metal and need to apply some good sewing machine oil or Triflow to protect it from flash rust. Do not put oil on gears as it will just fly everywhere and you will never be able to apply the grease and have it stay. Oil on moving part and grease on gears. Easy peasy. I never had a machine that was frozen that I couldn’t unfreeze. Even if it was 110 years old. Don’t stop trying.
I watch a number of other UA-camrs who work on vintage sewing machines and many of them seem to have a lot of success with Krud Kutter and TriFlow. Krud Kutter is water based so I always worry that it will promote rust but I guess the secret is to completely flush it off with isopropyl alcohol once it has done its job. Keep it off the shiny paint though as it will dull the finish. TriFlow is a lubricant oil with added PTFE (Teflon) as well as rust inhibitors and some other ingredients. According to many sewing machine restorers it is very effective at freeing up gummed up mechanisms and is safe to leave on. It's pretty expensive though but considering the hours you have put into this project it might be a good bargain.
I am subscribed and like your content. Appreciate your videos. This summer I restored a 158.19411 (got it for free) and a 158.19410 (got it for $20). The 19411 was seized up like yours. I doused it in CLP daily for about a week. The most I could do was hand turn maybe 1/8” and that was it! I purchased sea foam deep creep penetrating oil / lubricant and really doused it (had a baggie around the motor to keep it from getting into the motor). Then on a sunny 90 degree Fahrenheit day, I faced my truck toward the sun, put a tarp on the front seat and put the 19411 on top of the tarp. I let it in the sun for about 3 hours with the windows closed. When I went to look at it, the whole machine was hot to the touch. I had to do the quick switcheroo between right and left hand as I scooted to the garage to set it down it was that hot. That machine freed right up! Even now in the cool weather and in the house, no lockup’s at all. I don’t know if it was the deep creep, the heat treatment, a combination of both or that the vintage sewing machine gods were smiling on me. Super glad I got it working! Just a data point for you. I definitely am curious as to how you will get this machine unstuck. I’m sure you can do it.
I appreciate your efforts to save this machine. If you decide to sell it, please try to find a machinist who would be interested in taking it apart and thoroughly cleaning the grease from all parts. I think it would be worth the effort to save such a high quality machine.
Love your tutorials 💕 I have a vintage fashion mate and my bobbin case belt is not moving. Also I’d like to purchase thread guide at on needle bar for my Singer. Can you please point me in the right direction? TYIA
If petroleum based solvent doesn't seem to work very well, maybe try alcohol like 99% isopropylic alcohol. This stuff does wonders when cleaning old dried up oil. I would put the machine in a warm place or have a chicken bulb over it for a while to warm up the mechanism. Then squirt some pure alcohol in the mechanism.
Great idea for old sewing machine oil/varnish buildup. For something like this old thick grease, I've tried many things including the 99 % alcohol but to no avail. Hope springs eternal so maybe next summer.
I have a Kenmore 158.156. I got her last year. Pristine clean. I did oil it and nothing else needed to be done. They are great machines and I use her along with my vintage steel head Singers, 15-91, 66, 127 and 99. She runs with the best.
This is not my first of your videos but your persistence with this machine has me stuck on your videos like this old grease had this machine stuck. I believe you WILL get it going! I know time is money but at this point I pray you don't give up. I thought I'd come onto V.S.M.G. to learn something about my machine a Kenmore 117.812 and then move on. I have subscribed now and look forward to learning so much more from you and have my machine for years to come. I called a shop only 60ish miles away and asking for sewing machine oil and the rubber rotor wheel (yes they have it), long story short I told them about you and immediately they checked you out.
Have you tried Automotive Brake Cleaner? It is a solvent in an aerosol can that dries quickly and does not leave a residue. It has not damaged any painted surface I used it on. I think it might dissolve the old grease effectively. By the way, it is an excellent bee/wasp killer as well.
I'm going to interject something into this dialogue. I know, it's over a year gone by from this post. Still, this information if relevant to the plight the 1941 is experiencing. Fair warning, I overwrote like I usually do. If you choose to read this, you should know that, and for this I apologize in advance. I have a 158.19400 and a 158.19141. The 1940 came to me completely bone dry. I'm not exaggerating. Metal was grinding on metal, no lubrication whatsoever. The petroleum grease that should have been packed into the gearbox was nothing but a pebble (literally, fish aquarium sized pebble, if that). She moved, but not well. OK, so I thought I'll clean and oil, one and done. NOPE. I went over that machine several times, and I kept running into problem after problem on it. I eventually took the head apart and scoured every last square millimetre on it. Then, I thought the zig zag issue was resolved. It wasn't. I had issues with more gunk in the working gears of the zig zag race. So I steam cleaned the inside of this machine. Thought it was all out of the works. I also did a LOT of steaming down on the feed dog piston. OK, so I'm good. Like your 41, the problems kept on coming. So, I put it aside for a bit as my dream machine arrived by parcel delivery. The 1914 was, shall we say, mechanically a disaster. Part after part, function after function kept on gluing themselves up. No amount of isopropryl alcohol, solvent, WD-40 or the crème brûlée kitchen torch was effectively cleaning out the parts. So I got really, mad at this machine (it had timing issues, and had one of those bolts you needed a special tool to be able to screw or unscrew. I ended up Dremelling it into an actual screw. Even with that, I had to repeatedly heat that bolt turned screw to get it to move. Then, a light bulb went off in my head. Heat. So I figure, why not? This machine has taken me down too many rabbit holes, as did the 1940. So I protected all of the wiring, the motor, the plastic lever for the feed dog controller, and anything plastic on the machine in general. Then, I blasted the parts with my heat gun. And I mean BLASTED. I got these parts good and hot, then I injected the iso alcohol, moved the part, more alcohol, moved the part. You would not believe how much sludge came out of that machine's parts, even after weeks of constant cleaning, degreasing, etc. The sheer volume of melted varnish was bloody unreal. I then did all the other major parts of this machine (being extremely careful not to get too close to the back end where all of the possibly melt-able parts and wires lived) I could have simply taken all of them out and went medieval on them, but am saving that for a future maintenance task. That machine was literally spewing what amounted to about a quarter cup of sludge from the moving parts. BOY, did that wake this machine up. I went and hit the 1940. While it wasn't as bad, the feed dog area was a disaster. It was even worse than the 1914 (which was mechanically as bad as a machine can get and not be dropped off of a building. It also was home to the nastiest black velvet leavings I've ever encountered. On top of de-gunking this poor machine, I was using a razor and tweezers to extract black velvet leavings...soaked in sludge, from each and every moving part inside this machine. I exaggerate not. The person that gifted this machine to me warned me the prior owners did not do nice things to this machine. Boy, was that ever an understatement. Point? Yes, there is. I found (and will use this procedure from hereonin) that by super heating the parts (read: not the body or any of the parts that heat could warp or damage) and blasting them with alcohol, and in some spots, even WD-40 that all, and I mean ALL of that old crud will literally flow out of every linkage like lava. And when the machine wakes up, you'll notice a difference in performance immediately. I do not recommend anyone do this without dismantling the machine to the point where the motor and wiring are all removed (you can take everything out, but will need to detach the wiring in the junction box to do it, so take lots of pictures before you do). It's remove or protect (read: cold,, wet dishcloth on any part you need to protect). Completely blast the machine's internals, being mindful of the paint (don't heat up the body), the chrome, the plastic bezel, the handwheel (remove it if you can) you can save yourself weeks and weeks of work. The trick is to work in small sections, making sure the heat gun is restricted to the nozzle attachment so you don't spread too much heat. Important to keep your alcohol at the ready (I use an oiler bottle I bought strictly for administering iso into small parts of the machine). When you've got the part hot enough that the alcohol will sizzle, turn off the heat gun and blast those sections with your solvents and iso. Sometimes iso alone works too. For the front zig zag piston in the head, if you remove the spring from the top of the needle bar (the long retaining spring that snaps the needle bar back and forth for zig zagging), and disconnect the lower part of the needle bar from the head so it swings out. By doing this, you'll get the piston to fully extend. Hit that part in the front, and the back, and work it and do what you need to do. The result will be a lot of gooey, sludgy varnish pooled at the bottom of your machine (probably not the greatest idea to do this on your good dining room table, LOL). Same with the feed dog piston. Be VERY careful not to heat up that lever. It should be wrapped in a cold, wet cloth to protect it from the heat. Up inside the feed dog mechanisms, hit that area hard. I found the worst of the worst when it came to sludge being lava'd out of the machine happened in this area. You may need to re-grease parts if you get too close to the gearbox, fair warning. The fact that Kenmore japanned the parts, also using steel castings and/or hardened, coated and protected steel makes this procedure perfectly safe. I did not injure a single part by doing this. It took over two hours for both machines. This resulted in two very clean machines that perform as well now as the day they were unboxed by the original owners. I need to add; anyone doing this does so at their own risk. If you don't feel confident you can do this, then please, I urge you not to. If your machine has any plastics in it, don't do this. You have no idea how far the heat will travel, and what effect it might have on the gears if they're nylon. As well; I recommend removing motor, belts, wiring harness, plastic bits and pieces, and being fussy with not heating up the body, external knobs, etc. If you do this, avoid heating anything attached to the knobs, even if they're metal. You don't want to risk the paint on the machine (heat guns are great paint removers), so those parts you need to work the old fashioned way. With two machines under my belt, I found this was a much simpler method than what Pungoliving does when they recondition their machines (which is to totally disassemble every last part, clean and polish them and then reassemble). I've done that work on a Kenmore (Janome built) hybrid. It came out wonderful in the end, but it was a long, difficult job. It can take a considerable amount of time re-calibrating a machine (I was dumb enough to take the cam block completely apart, and ended up having to replace it because I could not get the stitch selector to move all the way down or back on this machine. Restringing it didn't help, nothing did. I imagine that is why Kenmore/Janome just replaced the entire mechanism back then if the machine failed. That machine...she's now a jar of parts, LOL. But I digress (sorry, I get into something and out all of this comes). Bottom line; hybrid machines and heat guns used in this way....very bad idea. All metal machines, provided you take the proper precautions and go slowly, small sections at a time, this can save you weeks and weeks of trying to clean decades of grime, varnish and concrete-quality dried grease. Again...do this at your own risk. I'm not suggesting you should follow my lead. I am suggesting that if you feel you can do this without damaging anything, and you have the know-how and experience, it can be a big time saver. I REALLY enjoy your videos, and have learned a ton from all of your hard work and thoughtful explanation. Thank you so very much for continuing to provide your subscribers with your valuable insight.
Thank you for sharing all of this info. I will ponder some of these ideas as summer is passing by and its the season where I can work outside on that basket case Kenmore. Oh, I fell out laughing when I read " the crème brûlée kitchen torch ", LOL
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Hey, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. She wasn't too thrilled to see me torching parts on my Kenmore machines, but it did result in getting things in tight spaces heated up some.
I love watching your videos. You've inspired me. I saved Singer 66-1 lotus design treadle machine that had seized and had tension issues with the help of your videos. It's almost perfect now except the lever that is supposed to release the tension discs when you raise the pressure bar doesn't hit the release pin. I haven't figured that out yet, but otherwise it sews beautifully! Your series on saving these old Kenmore machines from the 1970s got me wanting one of my own. Unbelievably as soon as I started looking I found this exact model in pristine condition with manual and all parts for only $50. All it needed was a little oil and now it purrs like a kitten. I can't get over how smoothly it runs. You are right, they are great machines. You wouldn't happen to know what they sold for back when they were new do you? I'm just curious. My guess it they were quite expensive at the time. I really hope you get this one back on its feet. I'll be watching out for your updates. Thanks for all you do.
I am enjoying your videos. You will have this machine up to par soon, I am sure. On another note, I have an issue with an old Domestic Rotary sewing machine I am trying to bring to life. There was a thread jam under the rotary hook. I had to take the hook assembly out and now every time I put it back in, it just pops out. Do you have any suggestions for me. I am getting so frustrated. Thanks much.
I just found your channel. I have a Commander Deluxe. I know it was made in Japan. It was in a Singer cabinet I bought about 30 years ago and had the treadle. I've never actually used it except for decor. I would like to get a motor and foot pedal for it but not sure where to purchase. Also, I believe there may he a broken needle stuck in it because I can't figure out how to get a needle in it. Is this machine worth having serviced? I want a featherweight for quilting but if this one will work I would like to keep it. Thank you.
Hey!! I love your channel, and just bought a 1890 white treadle and I don't know where I can source appropriate bobbin shuttles and spools, any insight would be greatly appreciated!!
I have a Kenmore 158.1030 with a broken top selector knob and the reverse knob is missing. Can they be replaced with other jobs being that I cannot locate those parts anywhere?
I hope you're all right. I see that you've not posted for over a month. Don't forget that you have a community of supporters here. And regular subscribers.
Honestly if it were me at this point i would have found a hot water pressure washer, and washed it out after spraying those moving part's with brake cleaner, if it works on big tractor's it would work on this. after the wash let it sit in a hot dry room for a day or so, then re-oil and run it, might be just the ticket
I can see why someone might be tempted given how frustrating it can be. But that would be a very bad idea. Hot water is not enough to remove thick grease and the rust issues it would create would make for more problems than it solved unfortunately.
I have this machine and because I make quilts I need a walking foot. I'm unsure what to buy, most of them are for low shank and I think this machine is high shank. Can you help and let me know which foot would work for this machine? I purchased one but it didn't fit.
Actually, while most Kenmores from Japan were Low Shank models (Perhaps a few High Shanks too), this series were called "Super High Shank" and it was a foot size create specifically for Sears. (Sears was one a VERY powerful retailer that could get special treatment from manufacturers). I"m not aware of any walking foot attachments made for this shank type. If any of this channel's viewers know of any or a source, please share with us.
Love this video! I have this machine. Definitely worth saving! However I think you need to use something that is going to remove some gunk. That gunk is going to revert to its former self. Willing to bet it will sew! There must be some kind of degreaser that is not kerosene. ? Maybe something they use on cars? You could paint it on with a little paintbrush and wipe it off with a q tip or something
I use CRC Heavy duty Pro-strength Degreaser, all purpose. Just have to make sure to lightly oil after use because it leaves parts very dry. But has gotten off tuff crusted oil
Unfortunately vintage sewing machines aren't worth repairing for resale where I live. You'd be extremely lucky to get $10 for one in really good condition so something like that old rusty kenmore would be impossible to sell. On the other hand if you like collecting old machines they are really easy to find for free or very cheap and most of the time they are in excellent condition and only need minor "repairs".
Why is it that we care so much about these old machines? I'm like you I can't let them die ill put so much time in a machine you could pick up for 10 bucks at at a thrift store. But that's not the point lol
I just purchased this exact machine from a resale shop. It was an “Original Owner Machine” complete with manual and accessories. The shop always does a test sew before offering sewing machines for sale and this one passed with flying colors. I took her directly to my service professional and cannot wait to get her back. I did not know that this particular model has been compared favorably to Berninas so that was a welcome surprise. Your skill at presenting machines, coupled with your mellifluous speaking voice, have made me a loyal subscriber. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge and expertise. 😎😎😎
So nice you are working so hard to save this machine. I'm sure you are frustrated beyond belief, but I am appreciating your considerable efforts. It has been a learning experience for us viewers. Thank you again for all you do!
Thank you so much!
Outstanding. Older Kenmore machines are worth it. I have several from 117 to 158.1203s. They are work horses with denim. Well worth the cleaning. Thanks for the video
Yes they are!
Keep at it! I'm emotionally invested in this machine at this point! 😂
You and me both!
me three@@VintageSewingMachineGarage
Heat softens the grease allowing it to operate. When it cools the old hard grease seizes again. The solvent will do similar, but when it evaporates will still leave whatever grease wasn't flushed out. I'd use copious amounts of oil to soften and flush the old grease out during operation. Or just disassemble and clean.
Hello! Yeah, It moved! I'm glad and happy that you are still working on it. I appreciate your effort to make it work again.
Thanks
Hi there!
Just got a Husqvarna 6440 back to life that had a similar issue. Those had “lifetime” bearings but that oil dried up and it behave like yours. You need a solvent and lube product like Triflow or pb blaster. Just a drop or so at every moving part, heat it up and watch it run!
Krud Kutter is also a great cleaner. Doesn’t smell like PB blaster and get it clean to the metal. Just stay away from the paint. I live the Tri-Flow products as well.
Love * not live lol. Don’t you hate it when it always automatically correct love to live?
Thanks for the info!
I fixed the exact same machine with Krud Kutter. At first I had to used a hair dryer to the back to be able to move that honey molasse grease out, so I could get in there with a toothbrush and clean that nasty grease. It was gnarly. Just be aware that when it’s clean you are down to bare metal and need to apply some good sewing machine oil or Triflow to protect it from flash rust. Do not put oil on gears as it will just fly everywhere and you will never be able to apply the grease and have it stay. Oil on moving part and grease on gears. Easy peasy.
I never had a machine that was frozen that I couldn’t unfreeze. Even if it was 110 years old. Don’t stop trying.
I watch a number of other UA-camrs who work on vintage sewing machines and many of them seem to have a lot of success with Krud Kutter and TriFlow. Krud Kutter is water based so I always worry that it will promote rust but I guess the secret is to completely flush it off with isopropyl alcohol once it has done its job. Keep it off the shiny paint though as it will dull the finish. TriFlow is a lubricant oil with added PTFE (Teflon) as well as rust inhibitors and some other ingredients. According to many sewing machine restorers it is very effective at freeing up gummed up mechanisms and is safe to leave on. It's pretty expensive though but considering the hours you have put into this project it might be a good bargain.
I am subscribed and like your content. Appreciate your videos.
This summer I restored a 158.19411 (got it for free) and a 158.19410 (got it for $20).
The 19411 was seized up like yours. I doused it in CLP daily for about a week. The most I could do was hand turn maybe 1/8” and that was it! I purchased sea foam deep creep penetrating oil / lubricant and really doused it (had a baggie around the motor to keep it from getting into the motor). Then on a sunny 90 degree Fahrenheit day, I faced my truck toward the sun, put a tarp on the front seat and put the 19411 on top of the tarp. I let it in the sun for about 3 hours with the windows closed. When I went to look at it, the whole machine was hot to the touch. I had to do the quick switcheroo between right and left hand as I scooted to the garage to set it down it was that hot. That machine freed right up!
Even now in the cool weather and in the house, no lockup’s at all. I don’t know if it was the deep creep, the heat treatment, a combination of both or that the vintage sewing machine gods were smiling on me. Super glad I got it working!
Just a data point for you. I definitely am curious as to how you will get this machine unstuck. I’m sure you can do it.
I appreciate your efforts to save this machine. If you decide to sell it, please try to find a machinist who would be interested in taking it apart and thoroughly cleaning the grease from all parts. I think it would be worth the effort to save such a high quality machine.
I think you should take out every moving part, clean them thoroughly by hand, and then put it all back together. Should be fun. :)
Did that once. It is very tedious, but was worth it. (Singer Genie)
Love your tutorials 💕 I have a vintage fashion mate and my bobbin case belt is not moving. Also I’d like to purchase thread guide at on needle bar for my Singer. Can you please point me in the right direction? TYIA
If petroleum based solvent doesn't seem to work very well, maybe try alcohol like 99% isopropylic alcohol. This stuff does wonders when cleaning old dried up oil. I would put the machine in a warm place or have a chicken bulb over it for a while to warm up the mechanism. Then squirt some pure alcohol in the mechanism.
Great idea for old sewing machine oil/varnish buildup. For something like this old thick grease, I've tried many things including the 99 % alcohol but to no avail. Hope springs eternal so maybe next summer.
I have a Kenmore 158.156. I got her last year. Pristine clean. I did oil it and nothing else needed to be done. They are great machines and I use her along with my vintage steel head Singers, 15-91, 66, 127 and 99. She runs with the best.
Thanks for sharing
I have the exact machine and she’s fantastic. Especially the free arm. And very very heavy
I purchased this same machine at a garage sale several years ago for $40.00. What a great machine, I use it for quilting.
Great bargain on a great machine!!
This is not my first of your videos but your persistence with this machine has me stuck on your videos like this old grease had this machine stuck. I believe you WILL get it going! I know time is money but at this point I pray you don't give up. I thought I'd come onto V.S.M.G. to learn something about my machine a Kenmore 117.812 and then move on. I have subscribed now and look forward to learning so much more from you and have my machine for years to come. I called a shop only 60ish miles away and asking for sewing machine oil and the rubber rotor wheel (yes they have it), long story short I told them about you and immediately they checked you out.
Thank you so much. That sounds awesome!
Have you tried Automotive Brake Cleaner? It is a solvent in an aerosol can that dries quickly and does not leave a residue. It has not damaged any painted surface I used it on. I think it might dissolve the old grease effectively. By the way, it is an excellent bee/wasp killer as well.
I'm going to interject something into this dialogue. I know, it's over a year gone by from this post. Still, this information if relevant to the plight the 1941 is experiencing. Fair warning, I overwrote like I usually do. If you choose to read this, you should know that, and for this I apologize in advance.
I have a 158.19400 and a 158.19141. The 1940 came to me completely bone dry. I'm not exaggerating. Metal was grinding on metal, no lubrication whatsoever. The petroleum grease that should have been packed into the gearbox was nothing but a pebble (literally, fish aquarium sized pebble, if that). She moved, but not well. OK, so I thought I'll clean and oil, one and done. NOPE. I went over that machine several times, and I kept running into problem after problem on it.
I eventually took the head apart and scoured every last square millimetre on it. Then, I thought the zig zag issue was resolved. It wasn't. I had issues with more gunk in the working gears of the zig zag race. So I steam cleaned the inside of this machine. Thought it was all out of the works. I also did a LOT of steaming down on the feed dog piston. OK, so I'm good. Like your 41, the problems kept on coming. So, I put it aside for a bit as my dream machine arrived by parcel delivery. The 1914 was, shall we say, mechanically a disaster. Part after part, function after function kept on gluing themselves up.
No amount of isopropryl alcohol, solvent, WD-40 or the crème brûlée kitchen torch was effectively cleaning out the parts. So I got really, mad at this machine (it had timing issues, and had one of those bolts you needed a special tool to be able to screw or unscrew. I ended up Dremelling it into an actual screw. Even with that, I had to repeatedly heat that bolt turned screw to get it to move. Then, a light bulb went off in my head. Heat. So I figure, why not? This machine has taken me down too many rabbit holes, as did the 1940.
So I protected all of the wiring, the motor, the plastic lever for the feed dog controller, and anything plastic on the machine in general. Then, I blasted the parts with my heat gun. And I mean BLASTED. I got these parts good and hot, then I injected the iso alcohol, moved the part, more alcohol, moved the part. You would not believe how much sludge came out of that machine's parts, even after weeks of constant cleaning, degreasing, etc. The sheer volume of melted varnish was bloody unreal.
I then did all the other major parts of this machine (being extremely careful not to get too close to the back end where all of the possibly melt-able parts and wires lived)
I could have simply taken all of them out and went medieval on them, but am saving that for a future maintenance task. That machine was literally spewing what amounted to about a quarter cup of sludge from the moving parts. BOY, did that wake this machine up.
I went and hit the 1940. While it wasn't as bad, the feed dog area was a disaster. It was even worse than the 1914 (which was mechanically as bad as a machine can get and not be dropped off of a building. It also was home to the nastiest black velvet leavings I've ever encountered.
On top of de-gunking this poor machine, I was using a razor and tweezers to extract black velvet leavings...soaked in sludge, from each and every moving part inside this machine. I exaggerate not. The person that gifted this machine to me warned me the prior owners did not do nice things to this machine. Boy, was that ever an understatement.
Point? Yes, there is.
I found (and will use this procedure from hereonin) that by super heating the parts (read: not the body or any of the parts that heat could warp or damage) and blasting them with alcohol, and in some spots, even WD-40 that all, and I mean ALL of that old crud will literally flow out of every linkage like lava. And when the machine wakes up, you'll notice a difference in performance immediately.
I do not recommend anyone do this without dismantling the machine to the point where the motor and wiring are all removed (you can take everything out, but will need to detach the wiring in the junction box to do it, so take lots of pictures before you do). It's remove or protect (read: cold,, wet dishcloth on any part you need to protect).
Completely blast the machine's internals, being mindful of the paint (don't heat up the body), the chrome, the plastic bezel, the handwheel (remove it if you can) you can save yourself weeks and weeks of work. The trick is to work in small sections, making sure the heat gun is restricted to the nozzle attachment so you don't spread too much heat. Important to keep your alcohol at the ready (I use an oiler bottle I bought strictly for administering iso into small parts of the machine). When you've got the part hot enough that the alcohol will sizzle, turn off the heat gun and blast those sections with your solvents and iso. Sometimes iso alone works too.
For the front zig zag piston in the head, if you remove the spring from the top of the needle bar (the long retaining spring that snaps the needle bar back and forth for zig zagging), and disconnect the lower part of the needle bar from the head so it swings out. By doing this, you'll get the piston to fully extend. Hit that part in the front, and the back, and work it and do what you need to do. The result will be a lot of gooey, sludgy varnish pooled at the bottom of your machine (probably not the greatest idea to do this on your good dining room table, LOL).
Same with the feed dog piston. Be VERY careful not to heat up that lever. It should be wrapped in a cold, wet cloth to protect it from the heat. Up inside the feed dog mechanisms, hit that area hard. I found the worst of the worst when it came to sludge being lava'd out of the machine happened in this area.
You may need to re-grease parts if you get too close to the gearbox, fair warning.
The fact that Kenmore japanned the parts, also using steel castings and/or hardened, coated and protected steel makes this procedure perfectly safe. I did not injure a single part by doing this. It took over two hours for both machines. This resulted in two very clean machines that perform as well now as the day they were unboxed by the original owners.
I need to add; anyone doing this does so at their own risk. If you don't feel confident you can do this, then please, I urge you not to. If your machine has any plastics in it, don't do this. You have no idea how far the heat will travel, and what effect it might have on the gears if they're nylon.
As well; I recommend removing motor, belts, wiring harness, plastic bits and pieces, and being fussy with not heating up the body, external knobs, etc. If you do this, avoid heating anything attached to the knobs, even if they're metal. You don't want to risk the paint on the machine (heat guns are great paint removers), so those parts you need to work the old fashioned way.
With two machines under my belt, I found this was a much simpler method than what Pungoliving does when they recondition their machines (which is to totally disassemble every last part, clean and polish them and then reassemble).
I've done that work on a Kenmore (Janome built) hybrid. It came out wonderful in the end, but it was a long, difficult job. It can take a considerable amount of time re-calibrating a machine (I was dumb enough to take the cam block completely apart, and ended up having to replace it because I could not get the stitch selector to move all the way down or back on this machine. Restringing it didn't help, nothing did.
I imagine that is why Kenmore/Janome just replaced the entire mechanism back then if the machine failed. That machine...she's now a jar of parts, LOL. But I digress (sorry, I get into something and out all of this comes).
Bottom line; hybrid machines and heat guns used in this way....very bad idea. All metal machines, provided you take the proper precautions and go slowly, small sections at a time, this can save you weeks and weeks of trying to clean decades of grime, varnish and concrete-quality dried grease.
Again...do this at your own risk. I'm not suggesting you should follow my lead. I am suggesting that if you feel you can do this without damaging anything, and you have the know-how and experience, it can be a big time saver.
I REALLY enjoy your videos, and have learned a ton from all of your hard work and thoughtful explanation. Thank you so very much for continuing to provide your subscribers with your valuable insight.
Thank you for sharing all of this info. I will ponder some of these ideas as summer is passing by and its the season where I can work outside on that basket case Kenmore. Oh, I fell out laughing when I read " the crème brûlée kitchen torch ", LOL
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage Hey, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. She wasn't too thrilled to see me torching parts on my Kenmore machines, but it did result in getting things in tight spaces heated up some.
it is for doing the sugary topping on a creme brulee. somebody gifted me one.@@VintageSewingMachineGarage
I've used LPS 1 to clean out the grease and oil. get it in hand pump spray, more for the $$
I love watching your videos. You've inspired me. I saved Singer 66-1 lotus design treadle machine that had seized and had tension issues with the help of your videos. It's almost perfect now except the lever that is supposed to release the tension discs when you raise the pressure bar doesn't hit the release pin. I haven't figured that out yet, but otherwise it sews beautifully!
Your series on saving these old Kenmore machines from the 1970s got me wanting one of my own. Unbelievably as soon as I started looking I found this exact model in pristine condition with manual and all parts for only $50. All it needed was a little oil and now it purrs like a kitten. I can't get over how smoothly it runs. You are right, they are great machines. You wouldn't happen to know what they sold for back when they were new do you? I'm just curious. My guess it they were quite expensive at the time.
I really hope you get this one back on its feet. I'll be watching out for your updates. Thanks for all you do.
I am enjoying your videos. You will have this machine up to par soon, I am sure. On another note, I have an issue with an old Domestic Rotary sewing machine I am trying to bring to life. There was a thread jam under the rotary hook. I had to take the hook assembly out and now every time I put it back in, it just pops out. Do you have any suggestions for me. I am getting so frustrated. Thanks much.
I just found your channel. I have a Commander Deluxe. I know it was made in Japan. It was in a Singer cabinet I bought about 30 years ago and had the treadle. I've never actually used it except for decor. I would like to get a motor and foot pedal for it but not sure where to purchase. Also, I believe there may he a broken needle stuck in it because I can't figure out how to get a needle in it. Is this machine worth having serviced? I want a featherweight for quilting but if this one will work I would like to keep it. Thank you.
Have you ever used Kroil penatrating oil...great stuff, I use it on old machines and it breaks them free
Have you checked the pulley where the two belts meet? I own a 158-1941 and I always (once a year) give that a drop of oil.
How about a small steam cleaner?
OH WOW - the old Kenmore that was given to me has the same issue !!! The grease is globbed on top; looks and feels like hard toffee
Oh no!
I got a Sears Kenmore at a yard sale for $60. I was happy all I had to do is oil it like I do with my Singer heavy duty 4452
any person involved in the repair of turning and milling machines knows that the old hardened lubricant will be removed with the help of diesel fuel
Hey!! I love your channel, and just bought a 1890 white treadle and I don't know where I can source appropriate bobbin shuttles and spools, any insight would be greatly appreciated!!
You can try Etsy, Ebay, or bonanza.com Another site might have what you need. sewingmachine221sale.bizland.com/store/page44.html
@@VintageSewingMachineGarage right on thanks so much!
I have a Kenmore 158.1030 with a broken top selector knob and the reverse knob is missing. Can they be replaced with other jobs being that I cannot locate those parts anywhere?
I hope you're all right. I see that you've not posted for over a month. Don't forget that you have a community of supporters here. And regular subscribers.
Thank you Mr. S. Yes, just fine here, but super busy with full time job work. I do have a video planned for this weekend. Thank you for asking!
ha ... better than Bernina ... I did laugh ... don't tell the Swiss! That greased Kenmore!
Honestly if it were me at this point i would have found a hot water pressure washer, and washed it out after spraying those moving part's with brake cleaner, if it works on big tractor's it would work on this. after the wash let it sit in a hot dry room for a day or so, then re-oil and run it, might be just the ticket
I can see why someone might be tempted given how frustrating it can be. But that would be a very bad idea. Hot water is not enough to remove thick grease and the rust issues it would create would make for more problems than it solved unfortunately.
I have this machine and because I make quilts I need a walking foot. I'm unsure what to buy, most of them are for low shank and I think this machine is high shank. Can you help and let me know which foot would work for this machine? I purchased one but it didn't fit.
Actually, while most Kenmores from Japan were Low Shank models (Perhaps a few High Shanks too), this series were called "Super High Shank" and it was a foot size create specifically for Sears. (Sears was one a VERY powerful retailer that could get special treatment from manufacturers). I"m not aware of any walking foot attachments made for this shank type. If any of this channel's viewers know of any or a source, please share with us.
Love this video! I have this machine. Definitely worth saving! However I think you need to use something that is going to remove some gunk. That gunk is going to revert to its former self. Willing to bet it will sew! There must be some kind of degreaser that is not kerosene. ? Maybe something they use on cars? You could paint it on with a little paintbrush and wipe it off with a q tip or something
Thanks for the tip!
I use CRC Heavy duty Pro-strength Degreaser, all purpose. Just have to make sure to lightly oil after use because it leaves parts very dry. But has gotten off tuff crusted oil
I wonder if aerosol brake cleaner would work...?
Try Krud Kutter, can use full strength, or mix with water. Just be sure to wipe off with damp rag, and then oil or grease area used. Read directions.
Have you ever work on a Singer Futura 920 11?
Unfortunately vintage sewing machines aren't worth repairing for resale where I live. You'd be extremely lucky to get $10 for one in really good condition so something like that old rusty kenmore would be impossible to sell. On the other hand if you like collecting old machines they are really easy to find for free or very cheap and most of the time they are in excellent condition and only need minor "repairs".
Good job!!
She'll be running soon!
Why is it that we care so much about these old machines? I'm like you I can't let them die ill put so much time in a machine you could pick up for 10 bucks at at a thrift store. But that's not the point lol