I haven't been keeping up on this blog the way I would like, I retired from my paying job on 31 December and with the holidays and preparing for retirement, my schedule has been squishy and some things have fallen by the wayside. days are now spent at the quilt shop, trying to come up with ideas to bring it up to at least the break-even point so my entire retirement check doesn't go to Northcott and Moda.
Last week, a lady dropped off a Singer Futura 900 that another repair shop said could not be fixed. The warning bells should have gone off at that point, but I thought I would take a look at it to confirm the other shop's opinion or fix it and look like a hero.
Machines this modern are beyond my comfort zone, but the lady is a long-time friend. My first challenge was removing the top cover. I found the screws in the lid, but after they were removed, the lid wouldn't come off and I couldn't figure out how to get the end cover off. A trip to the T and T repair website (http://www.tandtrepair.com/index.html) netted me an instruction sheet telling how to remove all the covers and I was able to open the machine up.
It didn't take long to find the problem - the plastic balance wheel had cracked and the crack was so large that one of the teeth on the toothed motor belt was riding on the lobe of the pulley, This raised the belt far enough to bind against the frame. So now, I am on the search for a Futura balance wheel.
When I find one, I still have another challenge. To remove the balance wheel, the instruction sheet says to remove the phillips screw that holds on the balance wheel - I have spun that thing around a dozen times and see no screw or other means of fastening the balance wheel to the shaft. I guess I will work on that issue if I find a replacement balance wheel.
I have spent hours on the internet over the last couple of days trying to identify my sewing table/desk. Can you direct me to someone that can help me? There are no markings anywhere to be found, on the table. Here's is a link to pictures of the table. http://imgur.com/a/xY4lB
ReplyDeleteAny help will be great.
Nice looking cabinet. The only collection of cabinet pictures I know of is in the Singer section of the International Sewing Machine Collectors website and I see no Singer cabinet that looks remotely like yours. -Ed
ReplyDeleteDid you find a replacement balance wheel?
ReplyDeleteYes, once I learned the proper name is "Motor Belt and Timing Pullry", I found it in stock at my parts distributor. The machine is fixed and returned to its owner. -Ed
ReplyDeleteWhere was the elusive Phillips head screw located?
ReplyDeleteThere wasn't one - the balance wheel was held on by spring pressure and just pulled off. The phillips screw was apparently on earlier or later models. -Ed
ReplyDeleteCould you please explain how you got the wheel off in detail? The belt snapped on my futura 900 and I've got it apart, but for The life of me, I can not get that wheel to pop off. Much like what you described, there is no screw that holds it in place, but rather some kind of little clips inside the tooth section of the wheel, and no matter what I do, I can't remove them or the wheel. Any help with this would be appreciated.
DeleteEd - do you happen to know who manufactured the little half size sewing machine that is called the featherlite? I think they were made sometime in the 1980s in Taiwan. They came in several colors - pink, blue, turquoise, lavender, yellow, black. I have been trying to find out who made them for years. De-Luxe Compact is printed underneath the stitch length regulator plate. Thanks! Veronica
ReplyDeleteNeed an answer ASAP from someone: Need to know how much to sale a Futura Model 900 for with manuels and all attachments in a cabinet. Looks like it was hardly ever used. Also have a Singer model sewing machine model AK 881327 need to know how much to sell it for also. Thanks for your help
ReplyDeleteRecent ebay sales of 900 Futuras range from $22.50 to $75. Your AK serial number Singer is a model 66 commissioned 16 April 1952. Ebay prices range from one sold for $400 to others listed for $10 and $29 that expired with no bids. It depends on the condition, type of cabinet, accessories and other factors. -Ed
ReplyDeleteHave been offered a Futura 900 with broken belt for $15. I'm a widow on SS needing a simple but reliable machine. Is this too risky?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a very complicated machine with lots of moving parts. Some of those parts are plastic and cracking with age. I would stay away in your situation. -Ed
ReplyDeleteThank you. Your description of the repair you made was warning enough. I passed on it.
ReplyDeleteI have a singer futura 900. When I try to see the bobbin thread didn't pick up to stitch.
ReplyDeleteIs that a timing issue? I've adjusted pressure etc.. To no end.
If it is timing presser fill me in on a fix or send me in the direction of info. If possible. Thank you
I also would like to know the answer to the above "timing issue". My futura 900 is also not catching the upper thread to be looped into the bobbin thread. How complex is this fix?
ReplyDelete