Sears Commander Model 151.270... Singer 15 Clone?

[JohnBloch]

So, I went to a thrift shop and bought this little lady for $10. I spritzed some canned air in her motor an she started spinning like a charm, but won't work under load with the belt on (the belt is new, it came with one). I have some basic questions about sewing machines, and I am also wondering if this is a singer clone, because it looks pretty darn similar. I'm planning on dismantling the motor to at the very least clean it, if not fix the thing. My question is about brushes. I haven't been able to find much about this sears babe, I have a manual, but it doesn't have anything about specs.

What kind of oil should I use?

Where can I get brush replacements?

Anything else I should look for other than probably 20 years worth of dust?

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

I am uncomfortable just calling these clones of the Singer 15 as they owe a fair bit to European central bobbin machines, particularly in the access to the shuttle race. It is also possible that the Japanese started building machines with the external feed dog drop knob before Singer.

The only place to get the hinged needle plate/bobbin cover will be off another machine but from memory a standard one fits. Most domestic sewing machine shops should carry a range of "standard" brushes.

The specs are much the same for all of these straight sewers as they were made for domestic use.At a pinch you might be able to run 138 but at the risk of damage to bobbin case and top tension and take up parts. #92 is a more realistic maximum.

Also consider using High Tenacity Polyester as the bonded nylon will cause wear much faster.

You can sew garment leather, maybe even soft upholstery leather but it is not the ideal machine for it.

On the other hand it is a great machine for learning how to sew.

[JohnBloch]

Update: I have started disassembling the motor. There is no doubt that this is the first time the motor has been opened. On second glance there is a ton of wire damage. The wire casing is brittle and cracking, and it will need to be replaced. I'm not sure how the wiring is wrapped around the inside of the motor or if attempting to replace this wrapping is feasible.

[JohnBloch]

Also, thank you for the much needed insight Anne, it turns out that this unit was made in the usa, all except for the motor. Apparently it's more commonly referred to as a kenmore rather than just the generic "sears".

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

The motor was probably "Made in USA" but at best the machine was assembled there from Japanese parts. A number of companies around the world did this but I would bet everything I own - ok, not much - that it is a Japanese Machine.

On another forum I was talking to some friends who run a sewing machine museum and they met a guy who worked for an Australian "manufacturer" in the 1960's. His job was to grind the "Toyota" name out of the casting and he showed them the grind marks on a couple of machines.

BTW, I am Darren, Anne Bonny's Locker is the business name. I have been called worse

Also, thank you for the much needed insight Anne, it turns out that this unit was made in the usa, all except for the motor. Apparently it's more commonly referred to as a kenmore rather than just the generic "sears".

[Northmount]

Don't try to replace the wires that go into the field windings. Be careful of how much begging you do next to the field windings. You don't want to break them off. You can get some heat-shrink tubing at electronics or electrical parts stores, or Lee Valley. You can unsolder the ends of the wires from the connections away from the field windings. Carefully remove the brittle cracked insulation. Slide the heat-shrink tubing over the wire and heat it with a hot air gun. Some people use a butane lighter, but you are safer and have more control with the hot air gun. Resolder the connections.

The armature commutator looks really good. Don't do anything to it as long as there are no grooves that need to be cut out. It makes better contact with the carbon impregnated smoothly worn surface than it does with bright copper. WWII bomber's electric servos were failing on the way back to Britain after bombing raids over Germany. The failures were finally traced to shining up the commutators during servicing before the flight.

When you replace brushes, replace the springs too if they are separate. Weak springs, poor contact with the commutator.

Hope this helps get it back together and working.

Tom

Edit: I just went back to look at your pictures. The brushes and springs look good. Make sure they slide freely in the brush holders.

Edited January 20, 2013 by northmount

[JohnBloch]

Well, if the brushes and springs look good, and the ameture does too, than my problem must be in the sewing machine. I haven't oiled it yet and I'm just about to go pick some up. Someone also mentioned using white lithium when I reassemble the motor to grease it. I'm familiar with heat shrink tubing, but I snipped one of the wires towards the foot pedal hookup so as to not get the two wires hooked up improperly (I thought there would be terminals inside the motor... Woops.) I guess I'll just do my best to twist them back together and then solder them before heat shrinking.