Sunday, October 23, 2011

Alternate Power Featherweight

I got several comments on my last posting saying how bad I was to sell my wife's Featherweight.  It wasn't really all THAT bad because we still had another one. Unfortunately, my daughter needed a science fair project and decided on Alternate Energy.



She took the other Featherweight and converted it to water power.



My wife tried using this one at a couple of sew-ins but other women complained about all the water on the floor around their electric machines so she had to switch to a 301.

11 comments:

Michelle said...

Oh, you crack me up! Thanks for the giggles!

Anonymous said...

This isn't about your blog, but a posting I saw you made here:
http://sewingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4516
In that discussion someone was having problems with their thread looping on the bottom of their fabric all the time. You reminded them "Remember to thread the needle with the presser foot up to open the tension discs and allow the thread to seat between them."

I was occasionally having a problem with thread looping underneath my fabric, and didn't realize that threading with the presser foot down affected things. Thanks for posting your recommendation. I've been threading with the presser foot up all the time now and haven't had any more problems!

Thanks!
Tricia

BroadAbroad said...

Hi Ed, I was wondering if you could help me with something. I recently bought a vintage Belvedere Adler (pic) http://imgur.com/cJIUv from goodwill for 3$. I plugged it in and it runs smoothly, even the light still works. Unfortunately it's missing the bobbin case. I can't find a model number on the machine, and there's barely any information on the internet about it. I can't just take it into a repair place, as I am carless and it weighs a ton. Do you have any idea what bobbin case I may need? Thank you.

Erin Gilday said...

Hey just wanted to say I love your site! A really good, informative read about older machines. Glad to see I'm not the only sewing machine dork out there. Thanks for what you do!

Erin Gilday said...

Hi there,

This is off-topic but I'm trying to fix my viking 51E and I thought of you. So. It's the kind with the 2 plug (motor/light) deal. When I first plugged it in, it ran automatically on full blast without pressing the pedal. I looked at the pedal, nothing. I looked at the motor and the spring in the transducer (?) had come loose. So I put the little carbon squares back in there and put the spring in between them again. Turned it on and it gave me a good idle but then it started smoking. Still nothing when I press the pedal. I decided maybe it was the transducer so I just bypassed it and bundled the two wires leading in/out of it together. I plugged it in and it gave me an idle and smoke again. Now I'm stumped and thinking about going to the library to see if I can find some old sewing machine repair books. Any thoughts would be valuable to me, thanks!

Best, Erin

grandanna said...

Hi! I'm looking for a presser foot and zigzag foot for a White model
3355. Got any you'd sell?

Also,this machine had dials on front that are supposed to adjust the width of the zigzag by positioning the needle rod. The dials turn, but the needle stays on at the extreme left or right and doesn't stay in the center even when I choose the center position. The zigzag requires cams. There is no cam installed right now. The cam box is full and none are labeled for straight stitch. So I'm confused.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Grandanna

Unknown said...

I don't have parts to sell, but from photos I find on the internet of the White 3355, it appears to use common low shank feet available anywhere presser feet are sold. Jo-Ann Fabrics in my area carries feet at a very reasonable price and they are even branded White. Any sewing machine dealer should be able to help.
As for the zig zag issue, I believe the two dials on the front of your machine are to limit the zig zag minimum and maximum width. Zig zag is controlled by the lever below and between those dials. If that's not the solution, you might need a (any) cam installed with zig zag width set to zero in order to straight stitch. You might also need a zig zag cam to do zig zag. Some machines do and others have the zig zag capability built in and only need cams for utility and decorative stitches. -Ed

Anonymous said...

HERE you are, Edward! It has been such a long time. And now we all know what you look like, too. We miss you on the Yahoo Singer site - it has been too many years.

Northcoast Beverly

Anonymous said...

Hello.

I have a Singer 401a and have been desperately looking to buy an L cam for my Singer Deluxe Monogrammer 171276.

Do you know anyone that has an L cam or a full letter A - Z complete set that I could buy from?

Thank you so much. I would really appreciate your help and advice.

Cheers!
Laura

contactlauralynn@yahoo.com

PLEASE EMAIL IF U HAVE 1 TO SELL!!

clifford barker said...

Good day , I have an old industrial machine singer 45 k 21 and i am looking for some parts to make it in working order where could i look to find old parts .
cliff.miko@mweb.co.za
clifford

sewing machine said...

oh ho, i have no word to say about this, but full creative!!!