New To Butterfly Head/universal Head Patcher Machines

[suem]

Hi Suem,

I have a page with a little information on this class of machine here: http://alasdair.muck...singerpatchers/

At the bottom of the page are some documents written by a chap by the name of Ken Jerrems who originally posted them on Needlebar but gave me permission to host them once they became unavailable from there.

He has a pretty good set of diagrams and explanation of how the heads of these machines work.

The one thing I would say about stripping a machine like this is get a good set of proper pin punches they make life much easier and will save you marring the head trying to get pins out with something improvised.

Do you have a web url to a good set of pin punches, no one around me in pinellas county carries anything except the flat headed variety, I "think" you mean punches that are caved in at the tip so they don't flatten a pin with a rounded top. I can't find those around here, northern tools has them but they are huge for working on cars etc. nothing small enough for this.

[catskin]

Did you ever considered sending the needle bar to Bob Kovar? I bet he can get those screws out and save the needle bar. Postage shouldn't be much compared to if you damage the screws and end up having to get a new needle bar.

[Wizcrafts]

Do you have a web url to a good set of pin punches, no one around me in pinellas county carries anything except the flat headed variety, I "think" you mean punches that are caved in at the tip so they don't flatten a pin with a rounded top. I can't find those around here, northern tools has them but they are huge for working on cars etc. nothing small enough for this.

I just use flat surface punches in various diameters to knock out those pins. The concave punches you mentioned are for driving finishing nails and making animal eyes in leather.

[suem]

Did you ever considered sending the needle bar to Bob Kovar? I bet he can get those screws out and save the needle bar. Postage shouldn't be much compared to if you damage the screws and end up having to get a new needle bar.

Believe me it's in the list of possibilities.............. I know when to stop, not ready to give up completely yet but not from from it

[suem]

I just use flat surface punches in various diameters to knock out those pins. The concave punches you mentioned are for driving finishing nails and making animal eyes in leather.

Lowes carries, Bostitch (stanley) Pin punch set 1.5,3,4,5,6,8 mm flat tipped punches, 12.95 for the set, seemed to work great.

[suem]

Back on the stiff butterfly matter

When I pulled the needle bar it moves freely, played a bit with it today oiling it and it's moving stiff again. I don't see anything down inside..I suppose it could just be gunky in there but I've dropped so much oil and pb blaster in there I can't see a speck of gunk surviving all that

I noticed a "revolving head bearing" that is the funky shaped structure on the top of the machine where the tension discs etc are located on diagrams in the parts manual I have. Any chance the bearing in there could have a flat spot or be gunked up inside that? I've always wondered how sealed bearings got lubricated?

[suem]

Finally got the screws out!!!!! Yeah, gonna pour me a rum and coke!!!

The "put the flatblade in the slot (or what's left of it) and hit it with a hammer" to hopefully cut the slot more deeply method finally worked. Of course the torching and the pb probably all helped too and it wasn't just one thing. All my nice jewelers screwdrivers didn't do it, it was the dollar tree cheapie set that finally did it in addition to the hammer...I can see why the last owner didn't bother, it was a PITA; or maybe they didn't think the parts were available, their loss.

I'm considering getting the bearing assembly on the top of the machine for the butterfly. I know bearings can get flat spots on them and might as well change it now if that's even a remote possibility. The butterfly "was" turning smoothly when I pulled the needle bar now it's back to binding again...thus suspicion of bearing.

I didn't find any pieces of the spring which I "assume" would have popped out with the needle bar (at least I hope).

Any thoughts on how to tell if that bearing is bad?

THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT SUGGESTIONS AND THE GREAT HELP!!!!

[Wizcrafts]

Finally got the screws out!!!!! Yeah, gonna pour me a rum and coke!!!

The "put the flatblade in the slot (or what's left of it) and hit it with a hammer" to hopefully cut the slot more deeply method finally worked. Of course the torching and the pb probably all helped too and it wasn't just one thing. All my nice jewelers screwdrivers didn't do it, it was the dollar tree cheapie set that finally did it in addition to the hammer...I can see why the last owner didn't bother, it was a PITA; or maybe they didn't think the parts were available, their loss.

I'm considering getting the bearing assembly on the top of the machine for the butterfly. I know bearings can get flat spots on them and might as well change it now if that's even a remote possibility. The butterfly "was" turning smoothly when I pulled the needle bar now it's back to binding again...thus suspicion of bearing.

I didn't find any pieces of the spring which I "assume" would have popped out with the needle bar (at least I hope).

Any thoughts on how to tell if that bearing is bad?

THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT SUGGESTIONS AND THE GREAT HELP!!!!

Now that you have whacked the dookie out of the two little screws that secure the needlebar thread tension spring, you can order new ones from Bob Kovar. While at it, get a new spring from him. 866-362-7397