Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Removing a Supernova Balance Wheel

The first time I had to remove the balance wheel from a Necchi Supernova, I was a bit confused.  I removed the nut but there was no torque washer underneath and the balance wheel would not come off the shaft tail.  When I finally learned, I took photos and now Frank is having the same issue so I decided to post those photos to help Frank and anyone else who hasn't figured this out yet.

STEP 1 - Loosen the two screws in the knurled nut and unscrew.


STEP 2 - The entire inner circle is the torque washer.


STEP 3 - Slide the washer off the shaft.


STEP 4 - Remove the belt and slide the balance wheel off the shaft tail.


Installation is the reverse of removal. If the balance wheel does not spin freely when winding a bobbin, try swapping the two screws in the knurled nut. One is longer than the other and that's how Necchi solved the problem of the torque washer being installed backward.

Ed

Ed's Vintage Sewing Machine Shop
Kathie's Online Quilt Shop

12 comments:

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Thanks. I really need to pull mine out and start cleaning her up.

frank_oc said...

Ed, your the best!
I'll try this over the weekend. It had me stumped. This along with the presser foot lift-tension adjustment will get my Supernova up to near perfect.
Thanks
--frank

frank_oc said...

Well it turned out not to be quite that straightforward. When I removed the stop motion knob, the torque washer/plate did not budge.

Thanks to your confirmation that everything should be able to slide off together, I embarked on using a bearing puller to get both the balance wheel and torque washer/plate off together. I used a bearing puller that was large enough to reach behind and grab the balance wheel at the belt pulley shoulder, rather than pull from the outside rim. The screw shaft on my puller has a cone shaped bearing at the tip that was too large to fit through the torque washer, so I had to find a spacer that would allow the puller to push farther away from the shaft. A 7/16 nut was just right.

The balance wheel and torque washer/plate came off nicely. I expected to see more crud and/or corrosion built up, but I guess what little was there was enough to keep it from working. The way it seems to work is the stop motion knob presses the torque washer and balance wheel together against a clip on the shaft to lock things together. Although the torque washer doesn't rotate on the shaft, it has to slide back and forth to release the pressure. I cleaned the shaft and the inside of the bore surfaces with 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper, wiped everything clean, Triflow sparingly all around.

Anyone who tries this, pay attention there is a thrust washer between the balance wheel and the shaft clip, and another between the balance wheel and the torque washer plate. I filed those flat, as they had some minor burs on them.

It is back together and working as it should. Back off on the stop motion knob, and the balance wheel spins without engaging the needle mechanism. Hooray!

I was surprised to find a groove on the inside of the balance wheel bore with a wick in it. The only way to oil it seems to be to remove the balance wheel. I'll try to remember to do it once a year or so.

Ed, thanks for the confirmation on the approach, and the confidence to forge ahead.

--frank

Unknown said...

Passed down through the family and could not figure out how to replace broken belt. Crazy glued it back together and will rush to the shop for new belt. Many thanks. --ed

srmulder said...

Ed, do you have any suggestions for fixing the feed dog system on an old vintage Necchi Supernova? I am trying to clean one and the white feed dog button does not seem to work to trigger lowering the feed dogs. Is there anything I can do as a novice? Also, do you have any suggestions for someone who does the kind of restoration work on Necchis like you do but that is in Michigan? Thanks, Sheryl

Unknown said...

Well, thank goodness for Frank_oc...I had the same issue as he. I got to go get a bearing puller. Thanks for this page or I'd of never figured out how to remove the balance wheel to change a belt. I find it strange that in the Julia manual, they tell the ladies how to remove the tension disks and replace them and how to oil the machine...but nothing about changing a belt. And in the repair manual, they tell you almost everything you need to know, even timing, but nothing about changing a belt.

Pam said...

There's another thing left out of the repair manual, how to replace the bobbin winding tire! I had to replace the V-belt so I know how to access that area now, but I don't know where to find the replacement bobbin winding tire. Do you know where I can buy one or two? Thanks, Pam

Pam said...

There's another thing left out of the repair manual, how to replace the bobbin winding tire! I had to replace the V-belt so I know how to access that area now, but I don't know where to find the replacement bobbin winding tire. Do you know where I can buy one or two? They would be for a Necchi Supernova BU. Thanks, Pam

Pam said...

I can't get the knurled nut on Necchi Supernova (clutch?) to work right after I replaced the belt. What am I doing wrong? I put a washer, then the hand wheel, another washer, the cream colored piece, so I am 99% sure all that's right. Then when I add the last thing, the chrome knurled nut with the two tiny screws, one long, one short, the needle won't move up and down. It works. So, I loosen, now the needle goes up and down but won't disengage for bobbin winding. Help! Pam

Betty T said...

Ed, thanks for the detailed info. I found BU Supernova in trapezoid cabinet at estate sale, wheel would not turn (shredded belt). Figured it was fixable, got the price down to $40. Replaced the wiring and light bulb. Replacing the belt found me battling a rod that was almost completely blocking access to the motor mount bolts. ("How could Necchi design something like this?") Oiled every place I could find (LOVE the oil distribution piece mounted under lid). But wheel did not want to come off. Loosened up the zig-zag. Machine worked great for one and one-half outdoor chair box cushions, then slowed and froze. Wheel would turn, but only with strong pressure. So, time to remove the wheel. Eureka, that rod moves! Got belt off, removed wheel. Next to the channel with the wick, there are a few tiny metal splinters around edge of stainless surface that rides on shaft. What is my next step? Sanding? Thank you.
Betty Tyler

Pam said...

I know you are on vacation, just wanted to say I got my issues resolved. My machine, Supernova BU, is now working!

To solve the issue, I ended up taking the cam assembly off to clean the dried up oil or whatever that was to try to free up the stitch length regulator and the reverse. Sharon Keithley on Necchi FB page pep talked me into doing that rather than take it to a repairman. She told me to drench all of the insides with a kerosene and 10% oil mix sprayed with spray bottle. Bottle only works once as the mix eats it up, but well worth the price of a spray bottle!

Then after it was clean, I oiled again. It purrs like a kitten and sews beautifully! Thank you for your blog. You help a lot of people! :) Pam

Anonymous said...

I had trouble removing balance wheel to get belt off. I took bottom cover off that goes under wheel then removed top cover .I could now get to belt from back side of wheel. I took belt off and sprayed with a little WD 40.i then took a rubber mallet and tapped on back side of wheel and the washer came off. Cleaned everything off and put new belt back on.