The other day, a friend gifted me with a Bernette MO-234 Serger. She said it had just quit working and was making a "funny noise". I don’t have enough experience with overlockers to agree to work on one for someone but she had already bought a replacement and just gave it to me to play with.
I put a few drops of oil here and there and threaded it up - it worked perfectly.
Then, I made four Christmas stockings for this Fall’s craft show and there was never a hiccup sewing through four layers of fabric and two layers of batting. The machine will probably take its place in my Rogue's Gallery of Unused Sergers, never to be used again.
At this point, there is really no reason to write a post about this machine but, here’s my first issue:
On the upper right corner of the machine is a tension assembly.
That tension is not shown in any of the drawings of the machine in the manual and there is never any mention of it in the instructions.
I would say it is for winding bobbins, except overlockers do not use bobbins, so I see absolutely no purpose for that tension assembly. Can anyone tell me why it’s there?
Second issue: When I was opening up doors to check for lint deposits, a piece of translucent plastic fell out. It is about two inches wide, three inches long, and 1/2 inch thick.
Again, I find no mention of this part in the manual and cannot find a place it should fit. How about some help there? If this item was floating around inside the machine, that could be the source of the "funny noise"
Ed
13 comments:
Blade guard?
I have a 334D and have neither nor are they in the manual. How strange. I wonder if someone was trying to make use of the cone holder on the serger for a neighbor machine and DIY'ed a solution that would let them wind bobbins and sew?
My 334D is a tank that will plow through just about anything. A somewhat finicky tank at times but a tank nonetheless.
along similar lines, a holder for extra (replacement) blades?
Very odd that there's a thread tension on the top of the machine and no mention of it in the manual. What year do you think the serger was made? It looks like a good one.
The extra tension on the top right is for rolled hems, by using it you do not have to adjust the tension, you thread as normal and use this one in addition too. It should have an extra plate for the feed dog area to use also.
It's for rolled hems.
Bernette MO234 Are you able to offer some clarification on the correct thread placement for the yellow, lower chain looper? The thread continues to break and it's difficult to ascertain from the diagram on the machine or in the manual as to the correct path into the looper. Thank you.
Ditto on it being for rolled hems. The complete attachment set included that tension adjuster, a foot plate, and a presser foot.
Yes, it's only for doing rolled hems. It was sold as a separate accessory with the throat plate, presser foot and tension unit along with complete instructions. The instructions state "thread the lower looper thread through the roll hemming tension unit" then continue to thread as normal. For full roll hemming stitch use the setting knob on the tension unit to be set at 1 - 2mm, for a narrow roll hemming stitch put the setting knob to end of screw. I use this quite often and never have a problem. All regular tension settings should be between 4 -6. Hope this helps.
Also don't forget to change your stitch length to 1 - 1.5mm.
I have a 234 that has been a workhorse for me for the past 30 years. However, the pressure foot just broke in two while I was sewing normally (ie., not heavy fabric, did not hit anything, etc)!!! I have contacted the company & was told the foot is no longer available. Found one on Ebay for $60! Feel that's a bit much when I can get a used 234 also on ebay for $100. Anyone out there with a broken 234 that is willing to part with the foot?
I actually have one of those, but not the little thing at the top. I have not used mine in a while, but would like to get some use out of it now. The motor runs, but it is kind of locked up. I wasn't sure why, never thought of oiling it. I might have a manual still somewhere. I wondered if it has the places that should be oiled. I called a local place that said I would oil the wrong places and not the right places and that they would take it all apart and clean it, something I would probably never be able to do, that was part of their comment, not mine. I really don't want to take it apart, but I am not at a place to spend a lot of money on it right now. I have been sewing again after a long time away from it, and now I am missing being able to finish my seams inside, etc... with my serger. It always did a great job. So I wonder if I got some oil if I would oil all the wrong places. Can you share some info on that so I can prove this place I called wrong?
I have one of these that has been in storage for a long while. I am trying to get it going again. I need to get some sewing machine oil. Can you tell me the places you oiled? I called a sewing machine shop and they told me I probably wouldn't oil it in the right places and oil it in the wrong places. lol.
Cari Mathis would you consider video recording this process for us?
Could someone upload any instruction manual for the foot and tension disc?
Personally, I have the rolled hem tension disc, but not the plate or foot (which I just ordered).
I want to find the blind stitch attachment as well. Finding videos or manuals for them is difficult. I've found one video on the 334 on YouTube, which is incredibly helpful, but nothing on the 224. There are a few tweeks and differences.
It's fun to figure out!
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