For those interested, David in the comments below pretty much nailed it. In the next video I swap the motor from this machine into another machine, and the noise came right along with it. Thanks to all of you who helped me identify the issue!
I have the same machine at home the pfaff hobbymatic 807. I bought it at a sewing machine shop. He said this machine is beter then a new one in 2020. It indeed has not let me down! This machine is built to last 💪
Looking at the machine and all the plastic gearing I understand why Pfaff finally went bankrupt in 2008 after more than 140 years . The industrial branch is completely separated since the 1990s. It was a household name in Germany but quality diminished after several changes of ownership. With this generation of machines, noises come and noises go in my experience. Very hard to track down, as they are generally noisy, anyway. Spares are nonexistent, even in Germany. My local shop has a sign, that they cannot accpet Pfaff machines for servicing due to this issue. Thanks for the video!
I really enjoyed this. My fancy shmancy top-of-the-line Janome has been in & out of the shop for months. Enter my decades old Hobbymatic 935. Out of storage and sewing perfectly.
I needed a machine to do buttonholes. My main machine is a 1950's straight stitch all metal Singer. I bout a modern computerised Singer - its total plastic crap.
This machine looks like it uses the same motor and drive system as my vintage Pfaff 72 &76 machines (from 1967 & 68). What happens on those models is the plastic part that disengages the friction wheel while not in use fails (splits). Over time the friction wheel will develop a flat spot while not in use causing an odd thumping noise when you run it. The fun and joy of vintage machines is the part is no longer available. I did make new ones out of delrin, a much higher quality plastic than the original.
I think you may have nailed it, David! I swapped the motor over to the 801, and the noise came with it. When disengaged from the machine, the motor doesn't make the noise, so that leaves the engagement mechanism. Thanks for the great info! Did you turn the delrin on a lathe, then?
@@thejasonofalltrades Yes it I did turn the part on a lathe and then had to cut the necessary ramp into it with a rotary tool. I also had to make a new friction wheel with out a flat spot in it ! I think forgetting to disengage the motor when not in use is also a common occurrence.
My friend came to pick the machine up a few minutes ago. She's used the machine for 37 years and never disengaged the motor, but she used the machine so regularly I think it never sat long enough to develop a flat spot. There's a good friction wheel on the old motor, so if necessary I'll swap that onto the "new" motor. In the meantime, she's going to use the machine some and see if it works itself out. I really appreciate the helpful info, if you were at my shop I'd put you in front of the camera for the video I shot today lol!
Mine just started making that noise and I found your video. After a few minutes of sewing, it made a popping sound and smoked. A sad state of affairs. I don't have a spare motor. Thanks for the video.
I had a couple of issues with two Pfaff machines that I had. The first was that the machines had been standing. The one machine just needed carefully lubricating and turning over by hand for 30 minutes or so. The lubricate that had been used, had become very sticky. The other issue was that the second machine had a cracked cam stack. This is not uncommon in Pfaff machines. Maybe you've got a cracked or partially cracked, therefore slightly out of shape gear? If the gears are nylon, they might have absorbed moisture over time and have expanded very slightly. A difference of a few thou, would make them noisy.
I think I've determined with some certainty that the noise on this machine is coming from a flat spot on the rubber wheel on the motor that engages the hand wheel. New video is forthcoming. The joys of working on old machines :)
Thanks! Yeah, that's one of those surprisingly effective tricks - although honestly, in this particular circumstance, I don't know that it helped that much lol!
Love the video, unfortunately I don't have a lot of experience with the Pfaff machines. Luckily a few of your commenters do. That looked like some interesting detective work you had to do to get to the final issue. That is why I love working on these machines, they all basically do the same thing, just in wildly different ways. If you ever have any other machine issues feel free to reach out. I'd be interested in a collaboration.
The 801 was run using a transformer to run on 110v here, and one advantage of swapping the motor from the 807 is my friend will no longer need to use the transformer. I've now swapped the motor over from the 807 to the 801, and it works, although the odd noise came with it. It doesn't make the noise when disengaged from the machine (via the knob on the side), so I'm wondering if the noise is coming from the engagement between the rubber wheel on the motor and the hand wheel of the machine. The investigation continues! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Funny, I just picked up a Pfaff 297-1 with the same noise issue! It looks like it has never been used and since it's from 1974 that's a long time! I got it all oiled and stitches work great but that noise!!!! I narrowed to that rubber knob that engages with the handcrank wheel as well. That's why there is a disengage lever. Well, if I turn it slowly I can feel the flat parts. I was wondering; maybe I can carefully use a nail file while running it and sand out the flat spots - like as if it's on a lathe? Considering I paid $20 it's not a big risk. What do you think?
I suspect that you could improve things that way. I would maybe try a strip of emery cloth or sandpaper instead of a nail file. It might conform to the wheel better for a more consistent finished shape, but I'm mostly guessing. Good luck, let us know how it turns out!
The presser bar was knocked out of alignment. If the presser bar was down when it happened it can tweek parts in the feed dog assembly that can cause stress elsewhere on the machine.
I've now swapped the motor from the 807 over to the 801, and the noise came with it. So that suggests the motor is the source; however, it doesn't make the noise when disengaged from the sewing machine mechanism. That leaves the rubber wheel on the end of the motor that engages the hand wheel on this machine. I may pull the motor out again and examine that more closely, or my friend may just live with the noise. Thanks for your excellent suggestions, I also thought that something might have been knocked out of alignment and was rubbing or something. I appreciate the help!
My sewing machine (Janome novum circa 1960’s) is making a whirring noise from the motor/belt area. It’s creating beautiful stitches, everything working but the whirring is concerning. Any ideas of what it might need? The rest of the machine is clean and oiled so no problems there. I’ve just got it so I don’t know if it’s normal or not.
Hi! Without hearing it, it's hard to say. Some motors/belts are noisier than others, and it's possible for a motor to be noisier than normal but still function well. It's also possible the belt could be too loose, or too tight. After running the machine for a bit, carefully place your hand on the motor to see if it is excessively hot, that might be suggestive of a problem (like worn bearings, for example). I only know enough to be dangerous, so if it's concerning, you might want to find a sewing machine repair person in your area to have a look at it. Many sewing machine dealers have a repair person on site or under contract, although depending on where you live, sewing machine dealers might be few and far between. Good luck!
Cool, it’s a sewing machine that thinks it’s a motorbike. Tbh it’s not that noisy. I’ve had a £60 Brother from Argos (Uk catalogue shop) which was my starter machine and a lot noisier.
I think I've determined with some certainty that the noise on this machine is coming from a flat spot on the rubber wheel on the motor that engages the hand wheel. New video is forthcoming. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Hi Jason, I have a Pfaff Hobby 200 that I got from someone who was moving. It's a sturdy little, basic machine which is clean and not used much. What would you estimate is it's value? I have another machine and don't need two.
Hi Fran, Given the caveat that I am definitely not an authority on sewing machine values, here's what I think. I don't personally know of any strong collectability for these machines. For example, Singer Featherweights and Bernina Records command pretty high prices on the used market, and folks will seek those machines out in particular. If there are people seeking these particular Pfaffs I am unaware of it (which is entirely possible!). That said, given the era of these machines (plastic bodies, some nylon gears), they would be in the category of a machine I might buy for $20 if I saw it at a thrift store, but not something I would pay a lot of money for. My sewing needs and preferences are quite specific, so others might have different priorities that would make these machines more valuable to them, but my limited experience with them suggests that they don't do anything that every other similar machine of the era can do just as well. Pfaffs are pretty high end and well-built machines in general, but I didn't find anything particularly remarkable about these machines in my limited experience with them. I actually have two in my shop right now waiting to hopefully be combined into one working machine, the owner has owned one for decades and loves hers. As always, any item on the used market is worth what someone is willing to pay for it! You can always ask a higher price and see what happens, but I personally don't see these being particularly high-value machines. Again, please take my uninformed opinion with a grain of salt, and let me know if you find otherwise! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Well done. Does the owner say this one sounds worse or did she ever run the 230v with a converter/adapter? Since the old motor was bad I assume you never heard that one run. Could be normal. My early 90s Kenmore sounds like a box of rocks! I assume it’s the combined harmonics of the multimedia parts. My walking foot/industrial/vintage machines have more moving parts but are quieter.
She was using a transformer, and she's on her way here as we speak to give it a try. A commenter (David) seems to have nailed it though - I swapped the motor to the other machine and the noise came along with it. It seems to be an issue with the rubber-like wheel that engages the motor to the hand wheel having a flat spot.
@@thejasonofalltrades It sounds just like the old Elna Supermatics with the same sort of drive systems. There are replacement rubber wheels. Would this be it: brubakerssewing.com/product/check-spring-800-series/
Typically, I thread with machine with the foot up, so the tension disks are not engaged, then put the foot down to thread the needle. I have no idea if I did that in this video, I may have mindlessly threaded the whole thing with the foot down. As long as the thread gets between the tension disks, it shouldn't matter, but it will go between the disks much easier if the foot is up, disengaging them. I hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
@@thejasonofalltrades Oh sorry no need to explain. I've watched many of your videos and have really enjoyed your backpacks and other projects. It was just something I noticed while watching this one. less of an issue when your diagnosing a problem.
Oh wow, of course, the most obvious thing I never could have thought of!!! So, despite your excellent and helpful advice, it turned out that the rubber contact wheel that engages the motor to the hand wheel was deformed, and no amount of oil will fix that. Thanks for trying!
For those interested, David in the comments below pretty much nailed it. In the next video I swap the motor from this machine into another machine, and the noise came right along with it. Thanks to all of you who helped me identify the issue!
I have the same machine at home the pfaff hobbymatic 807. I bought it at a sewing machine shop. He said this machine is beter then a new one in 2020. It indeed has not let me down! This machine is built to last 💪
the motorcicle sound was neat
There are 801 pfaff machines. It was produced in 1983. It is very solid, very few plastic parts available. It is very nice to watch your videos.👏👍🙂
Looking at the machine and all the plastic gearing I understand why Pfaff finally went bankrupt in 2008 after more than 140 years . The industrial branch is completely separated since the 1990s. It was a household name in Germany but quality diminished after several changes of ownership. With this generation of machines, noises come and noises go in my experience. Very hard to track down, as they are generally noisy, anyway. Spares are nonexistent, even in Germany. My local shop has a sign, that they cannot accpet Pfaff machines for servicing due to this issue. Thanks for the video!
I really enjoyed this. My fancy shmancy top-of-the-line Janome has been in & out of the shop for months. Enter my decades old Hobbymatic 935. Out of storage and sewing perfectly.
I needed a machine to do buttonholes. My main machine is a 1950's straight stitch all metal Singer. I bout a modern computerised Singer - its total plastic crap.
Cheers just needed to know how to thread the top cotton thru the machine. Did not know the first guide came up. Most entertaining watching you thou.
This machine looks like it uses the same motor and drive system as my vintage Pfaff 72 &76 machines (from 1967 & 68). What happens on those models is the plastic part that disengages the friction wheel while not in use fails (splits). Over time the friction wheel will develop a flat spot while not in use causing an odd thumping noise when you run it. The fun and joy of vintage machines is the part is no longer available. I did make new ones out of delrin, a much higher quality plastic than the original.
I think you may have nailed it, David! I swapped the motor over to the 801, and the noise came with it. When disengaged from the machine, the motor doesn't make the noise, so that leaves the engagement mechanism.
Thanks for the great info! Did you turn the delrin on a lathe, then?
@@thejasonofalltrades Yes it I did turn the part on a lathe and then had to cut the necessary ramp into it with a rotary tool. I also had to make a new friction wheel with out a flat spot in it ! I think forgetting to disengage the motor when not in use is also a common occurrence.
My friend came to pick the machine up a few minutes ago. She's used the machine for 37 years and never disengaged the motor, but she used the machine so regularly I think it never sat long enough to develop a flat spot.
There's a good friction wheel on the old motor, so if necessary I'll swap that onto the "new" motor. In the meantime, she's going to use the machine some and see if it works itself out. I really appreciate the helpful info, if you were at my shop I'd put you in front of the camera for the video I shot today lol!
Mine just started making that noise and I found your video. After a few minutes of sewing, it made a popping sound and smoked. A sad state of affairs. I don't have a spare motor. Thanks for the video.
Sorry to hear about your motor! Good luck!
I had a couple of issues with two Pfaff machines that I had. The first was that the machines had been standing. The one machine just needed carefully lubricating and turning over by hand for 30 minutes or so. The lubricate that had been used, had become very sticky. The other issue was that the second machine had a cracked cam stack. This is not uncommon in Pfaff machines. Maybe you've got a cracked or partially cracked, therefore slightly out of shape gear? If the gears are nylon, they might have absorbed moisture over time and have expanded very slightly. A difference of a few thou, would make them noisy.
I think I've determined with some certainty that the noise on this machine is coming from a flat spot on the rubber wheel on the motor that engages the hand wheel. New video is forthcoming.
The joys of working on old machines :)
Got the same problem with Hobbymatic 939, make heavy noise where is power supply, sometime freeze. Maybe you find soluce for both 😅
Your video really help with my and my Sewing Machine
Hi Jason, It was great to get a new video from you. I never knew about the screwdriver trick, makes perfect sense. 👍👍
Thanks!
Yeah, that's one of those surprisingly effective tricks - although honestly, in this particular circumstance, I don't know that it helped that much lol!
Love the video, unfortunately I don't have a lot of experience with the Pfaff machines. Luckily a few of your commenters do. That looked like some interesting detective work you had to do to get to the final issue. That is why I love working on these machines, they all basically do the same thing, just in wildly different ways. If you ever have any other machine issues feel free to reach out. I'd be interested in a collaboration.
Thanks! I always have questions, I appreciate the help!
Al lado derecho de la caja de bobina existe un resorte vertical posiblemente esta' suelto ,le da' un ajuste al transportador.
I would have gone forward with the cool motorcycle sound! 😉
Did you try an energie converter instaed of anover motor?
Greetings from Berlin/ Germany
The 801 was run using a transformer to run on 110v here, and one advantage of swapping the motor from the 807 is my friend will no longer need to use the transformer. I've now swapped the motor over from the 807 to the 801, and it works, although the odd noise came with it. It doesn't make the noise when disengaged from the machine (via the knob on the side), so I'm wondering if the noise is coming from the engagement between the rubber wheel on the motor and the hand wheel of the machine. The investigation continues!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Funny, I just picked up a Pfaff 297-1 with the same noise issue! It looks like it has never been used and since it's from 1974 that's a long time! I got it all oiled and stitches work great but that noise!!!! I narrowed to that rubber knob that engages with the handcrank wheel as well. That's why there is a disengage lever. Well, if I turn it slowly I can feel the flat parts. I was wondering; maybe I can carefully use a nail file while running it and sand out the flat spots - like as if it's on a lathe? Considering I paid $20 it's not a big risk. What do you think?
I suspect that you could improve things that way. I would maybe try a strip of emery cloth or sandpaper instead of a nail file. It might conform to the wheel better for a more consistent finished shape, but I'm mostly guessing.
Good luck, let us know how it turns out!
Have you checked the feed dog clearance and alignment?it sounds like something is rubbing. Best of luck and best wishes.
The presser bar was knocked out of alignment. If the presser bar was down when it happened it can tweek parts in the feed dog assembly that can cause stress elsewhere on the machine.
I've now swapped the motor from the 807 over to the 801, and the noise came with it. So that suggests the motor is the source; however, it doesn't make the noise when disengaged from the sewing machine mechanism. That leaves the rubber wheel on the end of the motor that engages the hand wheel on this machine. I may pull the motor out again and examine that more closely, or my friend may just live with the noise.
Thanks for your excellent suggestions, I also thought that something might have been knocked out of alignment and was rubbing or something. I appreciate the help!
My sewing machine (Janome novum circa 1960’s) is making a whirring noise from the motor/belt area. It’s creating beautiful stitches, everything working but the whirring is concerning. Any ideas of what it might need? The rest of the machine is clean and oiled so no problems there. I’ve just got it so I don’t know if it’s normal or not.
Hi!
Without hearing it, it's hard to say. Some motors/belts are noisier than others, and it's possible for a motor to be noisier than normal but still function well. It's also possible the belt could be too loose, or too tight.
After running the machine for a bit, carefully place your hand on the motor to see if it is excessively hot, that might be suggestive of a problem (like worn bearings, for example).
I only know enough to be dangerous, so if it's concerning, you might want to find a sewing machine repair person in your area to have a look at it. Many sewing machine dealers have a repair person on site or under contract, although depending on where you live, sewing machine dealers might be few and far between.
Good luck!
Cool, it’s a sewing machine that thinks it’s a motorbike. Tbh it’s not that noisy. I’ve had a £60 Brother from Argos (Uk catalogue shop) which was my starter machine and a lot noisier.
Belt noise on nylon gears? Maybe age is making some gears brittle and noisier?
I think I've determined with some certainty that the noise on this machine is coming from a flat spot on the rubber wheel on the motor that engages the hand wheel. New video is forthcoming.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Hi Jason, I have a Pfaff Hobby 200 that I got from someone who was moving. It's a sturdy little, basic machine which is clean and not used much. What would you estimate is it's value? I have another machine and don't need two.
Hi Fran,
Given the caveat that I am definitely not an authority on sewing machine values, here's what I think.
I don't personally know of any strong collectability for these machines. For example, Singer Featherweights and Bernina Records command pretty high prices on the used market, and folks will seek those machines out in particular. If there are people seeking these particular Pfaffs I am unaware of it (which is entirely possible!).
That said, given the era of these machines (plastic bodies, some nylon gears), they would be in the category of a machine I might buy for $20 if I saw it at a thrift store, but not something I would pay a lot of money for.
My sewing needs and preferences are quite specific, so others might have different priorities that would make these machines more valuable to them, but my limited experience with them suggests that they don't do anything that every other similar machine of the era can do just as well. Pfaffs are pretty high end and well-built machines in general, but I didn't find anything particularly remarkable about these machines in my limited experience with them.
I actually have two in my shop right now waiting to hopefully be combined into one working machine, the owner has owned one for decades and loves hers.
As always, any item on the used market is worth what someone is willing to pay for it! You can always ask a higher price and see what happens, but I personally don't see these being particularly high-value machines.
Again, please take my uninformed opinion with a grain of salt, and let me know if you find otherwise!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
mine is making a humming sound
Well done. Does the owner say this one sounds worse or did she ever run the 230v with a converter/adapter? Since the old motor was bad I assume you never heard that one run. Could be normal. My early 90s Kenmore sounds like a box of rocks! I assume it’s the combined harmonics of the multimedia parts. My walking foot/industrial/vintage machines have more moving parts but are quieter.
She was using a transformer, and she's on her way here as we speak to give it a try. A commenter (David) seems to have nailed it though - I swapped the motor to the other machine and the noise came along with it. It seems to be an issue with the rubber-like wheel that engages the motor to the hand wheel having a flat spot.
@@thejasonofalltrades It sounds just like the old Elna Supermatics with the same sort of drive systems. There are replacement rubber wheels. Would this be it: brubakerssewing.com/product/check-spring-800-series/
It says check-spring, but the link goes to a friction wheel.
you thread it with the foot down!?!
Typically, I thread with machine with the foot up, so the tension disks are not engaged, then put the foot down to thread the needle. I have no idea if I did that in this video, I may have mindlessly threaded the whole thing with the foot down. As long as the thread gets between the tension disks, it shouldn't matter, but it will go between the disks much easier if the foot is up, disengaging them. I hope that helps!
Thanks for watching!
@@thejasonofalltrades Oh sorry no need to explain. I've watched many of your videos and have really enjoyed your backpacks and other projects. It was just something I noticed while watching this one. less of an issue when your diagnosing a problem.
That's so funny.
Ford engineering makes it hard to work on. Jaguar is the worst
Lol
Oil it dude
Oh wow, of course, the most obvious thing I never could have thought of!!!
So, despite your excellent and helpful advice, it turned out that the rubber contact wheel that engages the motor to the hand wheel was deformed, and no amount of oil will fix that.
Thanks for trying!