!s there a trick to removing the balance wheel on the singer 31-15 sewing machine?

[TheHuntressAngel]

Hello all,

I have searched the web and in most cases I am pointed to this site. so I have joined because I have gotten more information from the members hear than anywhere else,

Thank you for that. Recently i was given a beast of a machine   the Singer 31-15 and I am now going through the process of cleaning and removing all the gunk Needless to say it has

become a part of the mudroom, i have oiled and used PB Blaster and lots of patience and little by little all is coming loose, and moving nicely. Tthe problem I am having is with

the balance wheel, !s there a trick to removing the balance wheel on the singer 31-15 sewing machine?  I have removed the 2 set screws from the collar of the wheel,

and the set screw from the rear of the arm, I have also removed the arm shaft screw, from the back end of the wheel however it does not come off.  Can someone tell me what I am missing please help.

There is a link to pinterest with pics of the above screws removed.

https://www.pinterest.com/Huntressangel/sewing-machines-vintage/

Edited April 28, 2016 by TheHuntressAngel
punctuation

[Constabulary]

a gear puller would do the job. Sometimes the balance wheels are gummed

 

[TheHuntressAngel]

Constabulary,

Thank you for the fast reply,  I have looked at all of the diagrams and the Singer 31-15 parts list, I believe I have removed all of the screws I needed to

but I am not sure as to what else if anything else there could be such as washers, or other screws, that might need to be removed. do you know

if there are any others on the inside of the machine that I have missed?  The wheel turns forward and back over the shaft easily (now), however

I don't want to take to drastic a measure and damage anything on the inside of the machine.  

This is my first time trying to do this; so I am a little cautious right now.  Just tired of the new machines that don't do the work they are suppose to do. 

All help is very much appreciated.

I love your quote on "OLD CAST IRON"

Thanks again Hunt 

[mikesc]

I'd be inclined to heat ( heat gun on low or hair dryer ) the centre part of the balance wheel that is holding onto / around the shaft ( without heating the shaft )..hot ( even warm metal ) expands..so the diameter of the hole in the balance wheel will get ever so slightly bigger..and the shaft wont expand, so the balance wheel should "unstick"..wear leather gloves ( or oven gloves to pull it off..you shouldn't need to heat much for this to work..heating things ( with holes ) and then sliding them onto shafts so that they hold as they cool and shrink is the reverse of this..don't heat so much that you damage the bearing(s) behind the balance wheel..and not so much as to damage the paint..

[brmax]

Not sure your meaning of; wheel turns forward and back over the shaft now?.

I am assuming the wheel moves on the shaft yet shaft has a flared end and preventing the wheel from "sliding off" the end.

Possibly with photo here and using a straight edge there confirming and seeing if the shaft needs work prior to wheel removal.

I agree with the puller above photo and also like to mention when possible using a flat bearing puller behind the wheel for support.

good luck this weekend, and post up any new ideas we can use later.

Floyd

[TheHuntressAngel]

Brmax,

Thank you for responding.  When I say wheel moves (forward and back over shaft) I mean as in turning the balance wheel, I can see that it is turning freely as it would if sewing.

The end does not appear to be flared in the parts manual, or on the machine. I may  end up using a puller in the end. but must try everything else first. 

I just need to make sure I am not going to damage anything on the inside of the machine I can not replace with so many things being obsolete today. and I do not

want to purchase tools that I will not use again. I shall keep trying to post a pic, for some reason the site keeps telling me photo is to big, I'm going to resize and try in a new post.

Thanks again Hunt

 

[billybopp]

A gear puller is a very handy tool to have around, and generally not very expensive.  Check your local auto parts store.  If you have some flat steel bar stock around, some nuts and bolts and a little ingenuity you can also make one that will be serviceable (I've had to make my own when I didn't have a gear puller that was large enough to do the job).  It's really a very simple tool .. Just a screw jack when you come right down to it.  

 

  Get a piece of bar stock that's somewhat longer than your wheel diameter, drill a hole in the center and put a long bolt through that is skinnier than the shaft diameter, and a nut between the bar and shaft.  Further out on the bar, drill two holes just outside the wheel diameter (or even inside if it's an open wheel design), and put a long bolt through those holes.  Cut a couple of smaller pieces of bar stock to act as the "ears" which will go between wheel and machine and put nuts on both sides of the small plates.  Use two wrenches on the center bolt/nut .. One to hold the nut stationary and one to turn the bolt (or you can also optionally weld the nut in place or secure it somehow and use a single wrench).   Voila, you have a home-made gear puller.  

  I wish I could show a diagram of the above directions .. It's really much simpler than the directions .. Just hard to describe!

 

Bill

[TheHuntressAngel]

Mikesc, 

 I may try the heat after I get all of the oi,l and solvents off I have literally been spraying with PB blaster and  using machine oil for the past month just to get the gunk off, and pieces I have gotten off cleaned and polished.  A piece at a time. This balance wheel is so far the only piece I have not been able to get off with oils and patience.  I am going to  keeping your idea of using heat in my notebook for now. I will keep you posted I am not worried about the paint as once I have this baby humming It is going to get a total make over

Thank you

[TheHuntressAngel]

Bill,

I think I can handle that, I actually looked on YouTube this morning after reading Constabulary's post above and now with your directions and his picture I am sure I can make one;

if I really have to.  This is my first restore on a vintage so I am really relearning the meaning of patience.  Thank you for the design directions.

Hunt soon to be making her own tools

 

[brmax]

Ok my bad I'm starting to get on the page. I found in the past if not using a photo storage site and linking to the photo itself, a size limit is about 80 to 128kb max to upload to a forum site for their storage hth

I wouldn't put any flame on it as both parts expand and contract the same. Its just to easy to mushroom the shaft end while its super hot anyway.

In Constabulary's photo you can see a couple holes in the pulley, generally these are threaded and for the removal using certain types of pullers, and a typical laymen name is steering wheel puller and very possible that local autozone or other auto parts sellers have for loan free possibly, though with deposit they do here. As the photo above a HD puller and in tough conditions the ticket to use.

In a lighter situation one would need to determine the thread size for them holes in the pulley wheel and determine bolt length as the standard steering wheel puller has maybe a 4" bolt and not a high grade as my preference, but likely will need longer and grade 8 type from store or ace hardware.

Good day

Floyd

 

[TheHuntressAngel]

OK Gentlemen,

Constabulary, Floyd, Bill, & Mikesc,

I shall spend some time this weekend concocting a puller hopefully I will have some results to share with all of you soon.  I am thankful to all of you for your help. Wish me luck.

hopefully good news soon.

Thank you Hunt

[Cascabel]

 Pullers are commonly available at tool rental places.   Usually rent for about $5.00.   Take a look at what types they have, and pick the one that looks most suitable.  Just PAY ATTENTION while using it.  Make sure it is starting to move the wheel before applying a lot of force.  Pullers are quite capable of breaking things if there is still something holding it !!  

   Look for any kind of end piece on the shaft with a screw driver slot in addition to the set screws before using the puller.   I broke a wheel using a puller before I was aware of this.   The part appeared to be just the end of the shaft, but was slotted for a screw driver.  It was actually a large headed screw to keep the wheel from sliding off.

[dikman]

From the sound of it you've removed the necessary screws. My Singers have two set screws recessed into the pulley grooves, it seems to be a fairly common method used by Singer. One of my wheels was also pretty tight, and took a fair bit of force from the puller to break it free. If the screws have been over-tightened they can cause a slight flaring on the shaft, which can jam things a bit.

If you use heat don't worry about damaging the shaft, it will take a lot more heat than you can likely generate to do that, just be careful of the bearings behind the wheel, as mentioned only heat the wheel.

[TheHuntressAngel]

A very big thank you to Constabulary, Floyd, Bill, & Mikesc, Cascabeland, & Dikmen,

 I truly appreciate the advice you have helped more than you know Constabulary taking it off was like slicing butter I was so afraid of ruining something, I now I am enamored with jaw pullers.  I followed the advice brmax gave, and went to my local Auto Zone  and borrowed one for a deposit Thanks Floyd.  dikman thank you for answering the removal question that is what I was afraid of just another screw I may have missed. I tried putting the link to the photos hope it works once I submit.  If not it is...

https://www.pinterest.com/Huntressangel/sewing-machines-vintage/

again Thank you all so much.

 

[TheHuntressAngel]

[TheHuntressAngel]

Yes! I got lucky with 1 upload but that is all it is allowing me to put up and the other one is smaller, go figure but the wheel is off no complaints from me.

 

[dikman]

Glad it worked out ok.

[suzelle]

Angel,

I'm impressed with what you have done with the machine so far! Wow, I've never used one of those "Puller" thingabobs.

Good job! Can't wait to see your progression on this restoration. Great pics too!

[TheHuntressAngel]

The wheel is off!!

Suzelle,

Thank you.  The "Puller" is everything!  LOL this was my first time using one, looks over whelming but it is not I borrowed this one but I will have one of my own in the very near future,

I have decided this tool is a must for my tool chest.

It's great having those that are experienced, to give you the correct advice when you need it.

[suzelle]

38 minutes ago, TheHuntressAngel said:

The wheel is off!!

Suzelle,

Thank you.  The "Puller" is everything!  LOL this was my first time using one, looks over whelming but it is not I borrowed this one but I will have one of my own in the very near future,

I have decided this tool is a must for my tool chest.

It's great having those that are experienced, to give you the correct advice when you need it.

No kidding! I would never have known. Better than taking a sludge hammer to it, haha!

[TheHuntressAngel]

1 minute ago, suzelle said:

No kidding! I would never have known. Better than taking a sludge hammer to it, haha!

Trust and believe those closest to me suggested I beat it off. They are only allowed to look at what I am doing. Not saying that won't work in some cases. That is how my Dad use to fix the

Television lol (imagine)?

 

[Darren Brosowski]

On rare occasions I use the gear pullers but usually a couple of "scientific taps" with a hammer and block of wood will get things moving.

[suzelle]

On 5/4/2016 at 7:01 AM, TheHuntressAngel said:

Trust and believe those closest to me suggested I beat it off. They are only allowed to look at what I am doing. Not saying that won't work in some cases. That is how my Dad use to fix the

Television lol (imagine)?

 

Your Dad was Phonzie

[suzelle]

Angel,

There are many here much more experienced than myself, although I have fixed a few things on a few machines. LOL!

Hammer, screwdriver, whatever works. But I start gently always.

Hey, I thought I'd say that you might want to keep all of the 31-15 parts, even if you plan to replace any. Reason being:

When I got my 31-15 running, I had to replace quite a few parts in and around the bobbin area. Got a new hook and a bunch of little things for it, but what I remember doing was going back to some of the original older parts I'd replaced because they just fit better and made the machine run better than the parts I'd purchased new. Not saying I did that with all the parts, but there were a few. So don't throw out anything until you know for sure.

[TheHuntressAngel]

2 hours ago, suzelle said:

Angel,

There are many here much more experienced than myself, although I have fixed a few things on a few machines. LOL!

Hammer, screwdriver, whatever works. But I start gently always.

Hey, I thought I'd say that you might want to keep all of the 31-15 parts, even if you plan to replace any. Reason being:

When I got my 31-15 running, I had to replace quite a few parts in and around the bobbin area. Got a new hook and a bunch of little things for it, but what I remember doing was going back to some of the original older parts I'd replaced because they just fit better and made the machine run better than the parts I'd purchased new. Not saying I did that with all the parts, but there were a few. So don't throw out anything until you know for sure.

Oh Trust and believe I will not throw anything away,  I have purchased the things I have come across like new cords, Belts and such, tried to purchase a new bobbin case because the one with it has a broken latch and quickly found that just because it says it will fit this machine, means nothing, so far that is the only thing I have bought that is useless.  I still have sometime before I am sitting down sewing with this one, but would like to have everything when I am ready to do that.  which means I am still looking for reputable places to buy what I know I am going to need. without getting parts that I will have to hold onto until I find someone that can use them. Thanks this is good advice for all things

Edited May 5, 2016 by TheHuntressAngel
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