MariaMS

those two pics are perfect, exactly what I need. I couldn't quite see it properly on your earlier image..... thanks heaps!!

Just wondering if your 7-5 has a spring mechanism that returns the foot forward after is is pulled back by the action of the feed dogs..... the foot has a tiny hole in the back, and then there is the L shaped bit, as if there could be a compression spring on a pin nestled in there to do the job. Tried a coil spring and it worked great but restricts the movement backward. A ballpoint pen spring will be the net thing to try, but would like to see pics of what it SHOULD have in that spot...... and does the thread run through there, or should it come from the take up lever through the slot and skip the tab thing?

I got another step further today - I had trouble with getting the tapered pin that holds the foot in place back in, and just had a thought that maybe I had the presser bar 180 degrees out.... so pulled it around and it went back together perfectly. I had a friend helping today and we developed a better take up spring. He also questioned why the foot wasn't travelling the whole distance, and we decided maybe there should be a spring in there too, so the foot can flick forward properly......got all that sorted and wow, we suddenly have perfect stitches!! If anyone has a 7-5, I'd love to see a pic of what the two springs actually look like LOL

The Singer 7-5 has graduated from the intensive care ward onto her own bench. 2 oak headboards and what looks to be an old steel industrial sewing machine frame that was kicking about in the Engineering shop. Now I know it will look OK, I'll stick the frame into the electrolysis tank and give it a clean up. It is a good height for standing up at. This shows the machine with a single coat of rustoleum flat black. I'll probably do the frame in the same way, and leave the wood light coloured.

Gordond helped me out and sent this (see "Singer 7-33 under restoration for the whole thing - I couldn't change the title, but it shows my rescue of the 7-5). I'll look up the Adler plate. This machine takes a 7x1 needle, is that the same as your Adler?

ta. I'll get in touch with them.

Brilliant!! Thanks so much!!

Hi I'm still trying to get dimensions for the 7-5 needle plate so I can make one - I asked in a new post but no responses so far...... any chance you would have time to do a measure up and add to a photo? We managed to make one OK but I think the needle hole was maybe a bit small (1.5mm) and was super close to the edge, which may mean I need to adjust the feed dogs more to the left to get a bit more of a margin so the hole can be a bit bigger.... I ended up breaking the needle as the tip caught the edge.

We managed to get a plate roughed out, but the needle hole looks closer to the inside edge than it should be, which could be to do with the feed dog adjustments. I noticed today there is a slight slop sideways, so I will have a go at adjusting them slightly further left, which would give more metal between the edge of the plate and the needle hole. 2 questions, what size is the needle hole usually, and does anyone have a plate they could measure up for me? it would make a repeat plate a bit quicker to make.....

What a beauty!! Nice history too. DO you know of anyone selling needles for the BUSM #2 machines in New Zealand? I only have one - it would be great to start using it more often on the various bits of harness in the Livery, but I don't because of the lack of any spares.

it isn't the dogs that are the issue, they cleaned up fine..... it is the plate that covers them that I'm wanting to make a new one. The other was so rusted I thought it couldn't be saved, so cut it off to gain access to the hook assembly. Rewelding it could be a possibility if I still have the other bits perhaps, currently I only have the ends with the screw holes.

excellent - great to see the inner spring. I tried ours out today, but the spring has sharp edges rather than rounded - I found it is an issue when the bobbin is fully wound, as the pressure is so high it causes the thread to jam and pull into itself. I unwound it a layer and it was heaps better, managed to get quite a stretch of a reasonably tensions row of stitches...... as usual forgot to get pics.... will get net time I am up there.

The Singer 7-5 I'm working on had a feed dog plate I thought was past rescuing, so I made up a set from wood. I'm going to have a try to making one from 3mm MS today but I'm not sure my skills are up to the task..... does anyone happen to have, or the skills to draw up a laser cutting file for these? I do have my Verniers to do a measure up if my "drill holes and wear out a few files" approach is a complete failure..... at least this time around I know to get the plate fitting at the screw holes first up, and THEN mark the needle hole!! Then again, maybe I need to beg some lessons on how to use the milling machine.....hmmm that could be a fun learning curve!!