elZeeko

Happy New Year! I pulled apart everything that I could short of pulling the top shaft and got everything clean and smooth. Problem that I am having now is that when I run the machine, the reverse lever bumps up and down rhythmically as the machine runs. I think that there is something sticky in the linkage between the reverse lever and feed regulator, but can't figure out how to get that linkage apart short of pulling entire top (including the shaft) apart. Stumped.

Well, this project came out all-right and I forgot to write any more about it. Here are some pictures: http://zeekobag.com/fixing-up-an-old-singer-industrial-sewing-mac I was able to braze the broken piece at the main pivot pin back onto the body, and figured out that the problem that I was having with the stitch regulator was that the bolt that holds in the needle was too long, and when I'd sew in reverse - away from me, the bolt would hit the regulator and shove it up. A shorter bolt for the needle (made from the long screw that holds an electrical outlet into the box) did the trick. I just chucked the bolt up in a drill and used a grinder and file to turn the head down to the size that I was after, then used a hacksaw to recut the screwdriver slot, and also, to cut it to length. For the brazing, I just cleaned the area up around the broken 'ear' at the pivot pin, and then used a rosebud tip on my oxy/acetylene torch to get the general area on the head around the broken tab cherry red. Then I placed the broken-off tab back into place, and used a little bit lower heat to get it red, and tease some heat back into the head around it, and used a flux-coated brass rod to run brass all over the crack where the two pieces came together. I used files to smooth out the brazing, and ran a 1/4 drill thru the pivot pin holes to remove the slag - ran the drill in reverse and fed it slow so it wouldn't catch and dig into the bore. I've had pretty good luck brazing older, heavy cast pieces. Think that taking time to slowly heat up the larger piece well first is the trick - otherwise it is easy to melt or deform the smaller piece that you are trying to put back on.

Linigs for bags like these: http://zeekobag.com/leather-purses-with-matching-make-up-bags

Sewing machine college continues... Just found a nice new-looking Brother DB2-B755-3 on Craigslist and jumped to buy it. 'Good shape, ready to go just needs oil'. The guy delivered it and talked me up for about an hour about everything from his back pain to mountain lions and making him a holster for his sawed-off shotgun to the beater 1980s Nissan 4x4 pickups that he and his brother use to keep the brush down along the fire roads on their property ("You just square up on a 10 foot tall manzanita and gun it"). I didn't even try to turn the handwheel until he left. Luckily, it was a screaming deal. Whoever used it last either used straight veggie oil or abandoned it with oil in the pan for 20 years. The machine turns, but it is completely gummed up. So I am in the process of taking it completely apart to clean it up. The wicks were like old candles - they just broke at my touch. So I am looking for advice on how to disassemble the top-end of the machine. My main questions: Will I need a puller and press to get the upper main shaft out of the bearings and back in again? How do I maintain the timing between the feed and the needle mechanisms when I put it back together? Any concerns with dunking all of the parts (or even the whole head) into a solvent tank? Can you use normal candle wick or cotton twine to replace the wicks? Anyone know of any shop manuals or writeups on this? If not, maybe we can string together the wisdom here in this thread. Don't care if the thread wanders to other machines, just want to collect tips and tricks from people who have dug deep into their machines.

I have been using Lily White oil in my machines. Related, I just found a Brother DB2-B755-3 lockstitch machine on Craigslist that either was used with the wrong oil (maybe veggie oil?) or abandoned for a very long time. The oil went rancid and gummed up EVERYTHING - it even destroyed the wicks - they just broke off when I touched them. I have never seen a machine so ruined - so be careful using a different oil. The price was right, and the machine looks barely-used, so I am planning on taking it completely apart and soaking everything in a solvent tank. Any cautions/advice on doing this? I have never disassembled the top-end of an industrial machine, and can't find any shop manuals or other guidance on where to start the process, if I will need a puller, etc. Any resources or advice on a full teardown/rebuild (of any industrial machine) would be welcome!

Bob, Thanks for the good advice - I really appreciate how much energy some of you gurus put into these forums. Also, a shout out to Gregg at Keystone. We were thinking about converting the 199R because we already have a Bernina 217 zigzag, and thought that we could add some extra functionality if we swapped it out for the modified Consew, and I was looking for a mechanical challenge, but can't spend that much. New to the forum and don't know the etiquette - do people on the forum try to encourage people to use existing mechanics in their area, and am I stepping on any toes in trying to be my own mechanic here? I've been making bags from fire hose, leather, and found textiles for the last 10 years, but in doing some craft faires in our town, I am realizing that there aren't many industrial sewing machine mechanics around my town, and that there may be a small niche in working on our fellow artisans' machines - so I am learning as I go, fiddling with my machines last 10 years... On the Consew 199R, the other thing I am looking at doing is putting the larger hook and bobbin into the 199R to make it a 199RB - if anyone has any advice on that. Looks like I just have to slide the feed lifting rock shaft/feed bar over to the left a little to make room for the larger hook - anyone know if the larger 199RB feed dogs have an offset on their mounting holes from the smaller one or if I'm missing anything in making that work? Zeke Consew 206RB-5 Brother DB2-192 Bernina 217 Consew 226 Consew 199R

hmmmm. Anyone have any experience with the cams for a Consew 199R in general?

related - I lost the needle bolt on my Singer 29, and was able to replace it with a bolt from an electrical outlet (the long ones that hold the outlet into the box). I just chucked the bolt up in a drill and spun it on a grinder until the head diameter and thickness was what I was looking for, used a hacksaw to recut the screwdriver slot, and then the bolt so the head stuck about 1/8" out of the drill chuck, and used a hacksaw blade against the spinning bolt to cut it off at the proper length.

Just bought a Consew 199R on Craigslist. It is light green, and I think that it is the first generation 199 - made in Japan. I am interested in converting it to sew the double-step zigzag. In the parts manual, it looks like you can swap out the cams to do this. Also, I'd like to switch it to the larger bobbin (199RB), and put in a larger needle plate so it can zigzag up to the full width that the needle can move - right now, you can only go to about 6/10 on the zigzag before it hits the side of the plate. Has anyone done this conversion? I saw a post on the upholstery forum where Greeg said that they had had problems mixing parts from different vintages of 199. Here are the parts that I am thinking that I will need to do the job: Cam 606b Needle Plate 705a Hook 712a Bobbin Case 714a Presser Foot 721a Feed dog 724a Any info/experience would be welcome.

Hello, Just found a Bernina 217 at a yard sale. It looks like it can handle double needles? If so, anyone know where to find needles for it, or what sizes? Any other tips on this machine? It is in working condition. Zeke

Looking for collected wisdom on the stitch regulator. Mine tends to walk upward, shortening the stitches, but if I tighten it down, the foot won't drop - I lose the movement on the middle bar. There is some wear in the middle of the gib plate in the regulator, and I filed the notch a little deeper, that didn't help. Any comments/lessons learned?

Thanks, Bob, Have you ever had to braze back on a broken flange where the "Needle Bar Driving Lever Joint Pin" goes thru the body of the machine? I have the broken-off piece, but am worried about cracking the body of the machine when I braze it. Here is a picture of the damage: http://tiny.cc/bEIN9 Also, do you know of a source for pre-wound bobbins that will fit this machine? Thanks!

Hello, I just found a Singer Patcher on Craigslist and brought it home. Photos here: http://tiny.cc/SyXJa I had been sitting about 20 years and was stiff, but I cleaned it up and it sews. It needs some brazing to reattach one of the flanges that holds the pivot pin on the top rocker arm that drives the needle - I have brazed a bit on heavier castings, but could use some advice on this specific repair, if anyone has done it. I am looking for a model number - it is smaller than a 29 - -serial number is 11,290,601. What is the best lube to use on the cams? Also, any advice on making a belt? - I am using some heavy shoelace, but it slips a bit. Thanks!