Rebirth Of A Singer 211G155

[gottaknow]

I'm hoping this particular thread will do a couple things. Bring a better understanding of industrial machines for people that may be having trouble, educating those who are deciding to buy new or used. I do know that having a reputable dealer is worth a lot.

Thanks to fellow member miaoreo for trusting me to repair her machine to a useable condition. There is a lengthy thread outlining her trials and tribulations with her newly aquired Singer 211G155. I have always been big on education and I hope to share some of what I've learned repairing machines for a living. This website is a never ending resource of information. I know my leatherwork has improved a great deal as a result.

During the course of following her troubles, it was obvious to me the machine had been modified poorly and it had multiple issues. No sense beating a dead horse, so on to the issues I encountered:

Top and bottom shafts were out of time.

Hook timing was too far advanced.

Needle bar height was off (I reset to original Singer needle and timed it using existing timing marks that you will now see.

Removed original thread lubricator as bottom edge was sharp as a razor.(replaced with Singer guide)

Hook compartment cover was wrong one, not enough clearance above hook (replaced with proper one)

Replaced tension release pin (old one had been ground down)

Replaced entire tension plate

Hook was too far from needle.

Needle guard was not adjusted.

Tension post was bent.

Tension release disk was wrong one for the machine.(replaced with proper one)

Feed dog hole had been modified WAY too big (I replaced the feed dogs and throat plate to match)

Replaced set screw for check spring (head was destroyed on old one)

Replaced bobbin basket and tension spring.

Latch opener was not adjusted correctly.

Adjusted tension release correctly.

There as surely some things I didn't list that I'll remember later, but you can see why a novice would have a tough time, though Mia was a real trooper!

Regards, Eric

[gottaknow]

I always check the top and bottom shaft timing first. Unless this is set correctly, everything else is a waste of time. This machine was off by one tooth of the gear, which you'll see in the pictures below. It's hard to say why the individual changed this, but I suspect it had to do with trying to time the hook to the longer needle. It was pretty quick to slip the belt off the bottom gear and line the timing marks back up. On the vast majority of Singer machines, you rotate the handwheel until the take-up lever is all the way up. Instead of just watching it, I push on it with a finger. I will already have the machine tipped back so I can see the timing marks. Just one tooth off is more than enough to throw several other setting off.

Regards, Eric

[gottaknow]

The needle bar had been raised to use the longer 190 needles. Had the machine actually been timed properly, it would have at least a chance to sew correctly. Just because a machine can be changed to a different needle system doesn't mean it's a good idea. Especially if you're not capable or retiming things correctly. On this particular machine, there's really little to be gained by using a longer needle. There are plenty of needles available in the system 135x17 and 16. You are limited by the lift of the presser feet. I have changed the Singer 211G151's (no walking foot) from system 135x7 to the longer 135x17. There is plenty of presser foot lift and the standard 211's will handle the additional thickness when working with softer woven goods. Singer actually produced a needle bar with 3 timing marks in order to easily switch between the two classes. I would not however convert a non-walking foot machine to the longer needle to sew leather. The lack of a walking foot would not allow for a gain in thicker, hard leather. That said, here's a couple of pictures of what I did with the needle bar.

Regards, Eric

[gottaknow]

Before I get into the hook timing, there were issues I had to address with the tension unit. I removed the top screw which also holds the thread guide, and then the often overlooked set screw which holds the check spring unit. The screw was damaged which Mia had warned me about. I got it out without much trouble and replaced it.

The tension post was bent which you can see in the photo. The tension release pin looked too short as soon as I saw it. A lot of the time the pins just wear, but this one had been ground off. I suspect it was attempt to make it work with the bent post. I figured this was the begining issue with the tension not releasing when the foot was lifted. When I took the machine apart, I also noticed the hook cover plate wasn't the correct one. There had been an attempt to grind off the wrong plate to give more clearance above the hook. I'm sure the heavier thread was getting caught against the bottom of the plate. The correct plate in the picture allows plenty of room. I was begining to understand some of the issues Mia was up against.

Regards, Eric

[dirtclod]

This sewing machine autopsy is interesting !! I'm learning things that i never knew about.

[Wizcrafts]

This sewing machine autopsy is interesting !! I'm learning things that i never knew about.

Now you know why most experienced sewers do not recommend buying old iron sight unseen, or untested on one's own material, or sewn off by the seller. An inexpensive but damaged machine, especially one missing important parts, is going to cost much more than the buyer expected.

If this machine had been sent to a dealer for these repairs, the cost would rival that of a brand new walking foot machine.

[dirtclod]

i have bought 10 plus machines over the last 30 years and i sewed on all of them but one before i bought. The one i didn't sew on turned out to be DUD !!!

[miaoreo]

^{If I may chime in here... I did take material with me before I bought it... and it DID sew it. Apparently there were so many things wrong with the machine, that either in the course of moving it or my inept tinkering, I made it much worse. So much worse that it became impossible to sew on it. I am so very truly grateful to EVERYONE here for their advice. But Especially to Eric who has taken it under his wing to give it a new life. Mia}

[gottaknow]

Machines that aren't adjusted quite right will have spells that they actually sew. Especially if being demonstrated by the seller. I've seen this numerous times. There's no way Mia could have tinkered enough with this machine to give it the problems it had. I do recall Mia describing a big mess when she was trying to sew. It was probably the classic "birdnest" she got that made the machine not work at all. Things just weren't tight enough.

I'm convinced now that it was probably a decent machine until someone tried to convert it to the longer needle class. They removed the timing belt and advanced the hook timing, probably because they lost reference of the needle bar rise. From there it was downhill. As I said earlier, most lockstitch machines will sew with the timing belt off one tooth. These machines are pretty forgiving. When they are pressed to their max, either with thickness or speed, that's when adjustment problems reveal themselves.

I'm a firm believer in education and this site has really boosted the quality of my leather work. What a great resource, no matter what the subject. I like that I can give back something that I really enjoy. I think there are many here that fall into that category. Next up is hook timing.

Regards, Eric

[Wizcrafts]

Eric;

When do you find time to do leatherwork?