singer 211g156

[dikman]

Wiz and Constabulary are right about the handwheel, but not for the reason Wiz mentioned. The handwheel casting on my 211 has a "protrusion" that actually slides inside the main body casting and acts as a bushing around the main shaft. Without this the main shaft can flop around a bit! Not a good thing. I had to make a reducer for mine as I couldn't use a larger pulley.

[tardis86]

If I get this machine, hopefully some of you will be willing to help me out with upgrading it, as I have absolutely no idea about these sort of things. Though I am confident I'm capable of actually doing the upgrades.

[Wizcrafts]

3 hours ago, tardis86 said:

If I get this machine, hopefully some of you will be willing to help me out with upgrading it, as I have absolutely no idea about these sort of things. Though I am confident I'm capable of actually doing the upgrades.

Your first and simplest upgrade should be to buy a Family Sew type of servo motor with a 2" (50mm) pulley downgrade (it comes with a 70mm pulley). Our supporting dealers have these specialty pulleys in stock. You will also need a shorter type 3L v-belt to go from the new motor and smaller pulley to the machine. If all goes well you should be able to at least control the speed of the machine. Low speed torque may suffer until you add a speed reducer.

[tardis86]

http://s1152.photobucket.com/user/Justawfulgamer/library/?view=recent

 

i ended up buying it. here are some pics of it. on a side note, getting pics on this site is a pain in the ass,lol

[brmax]

a Big congratulations to ya!

it really looks cared and cleaned up as its tilted back. 

 

Its a good tuesday

Floyd

[dikman]

8 hours ago, tardis86 said:

http://s1152.photobucket.com/user/Justawfulgamer/library/?view=recent

 

i ended up buying it. here are some pics of it. on a side note, getting pics on this site is a pain in the ass,lol

??? I find it pretty straightforward loading pics, the main thing is to make sure the files aren't too big.

[tardis86]

7 hours ago, dikman said:

??? I find it pretty straightforward loading pics, the main thing is to make sure the files aren't too big.

Exactly. Everything needs resized. No camera on the planet makes files smaller than 1.46 mb these days.

[tardis86]

ok, so a few questions. 

Is there a guide somewhere for this knee bolster thing, for like adjustment and such? it seems to not be working right.  

I see the oiling points, but HOW do i oil it? is there a special tool or something?

how do i clean it?

btw the machine definitely operates, i tapped the pedal and away it went, but i didnt run it long, due to it possibly needing oiled

[brmax]

It looked as though you cleaned it quite well. The bottom looked excellent, but in any case a 1” purdy paint brush can always help on the inital work. 

The knee bump has its linkage to touch a main rod going through the machine base. This is noticeable when tilted viewing the oil pan access. This linkage has a tiny roller on it. Anyway adjusting the knee bumper is a science only you can fit. Your pushing it over with your knee. Surely its in the manual. 

I noticed your machine is using a roller attached to the presser foot, interesting for some. How does the lift mechanism lever work on the machine by the needle. 

I would take the left cover off and while taking a good gander, oil all the pieces and parts. I would carefully do the same on the top cover. Some tops have oil access holes marked in red paint, additionally some run a wick system, some with viewable sight glass on top. Many variations thats for sure. But a good inspection is now a perfect time. 

 

Floyd

[tardis86]

15 minutes ago, brmax said:

It looked as though you cleaned it quite well. The bottom looked excellent, but in any case a 1” purdy paint brush can always help on the inital work. 

The knee bump has its linkage to touch a main rod going through the machine base. This is noticeable when tilted viewing the oil pan access. This linkage has a tiny roller on it. Anyway adjusting the knee bumper is a science only you can fit. Your pushing it over with your knee. Surely its in the manual. 

I noticed your machine is using a roller attached to the presser foot, interesting for some. How does the lift mechanism lever work on the machine by the needle. 

I would take the left cover off and while taking a good gander, oil all the pieces and parts. I would carefully do the same on the top cover. Some tops have oil access holes marked in red paint, additionally some run a wick system, some with viewable sight glass on top. Many variations thats for sure. But a good inspection is now a perfect time. 

 

Floyd

The owner's manual I printed out is surprisingly vague. They don't even mention the knee bolster.

[brmax]

A few photos may help in some of these discussions. Im not sure where you interest are in the knee lift adjustment. 

You may find an oil can somewhere with ability to apply, possibly invest in one with tube or similar to get in tough places.

Here below is a fairly typical lift mechanism. 

https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/knee-lifter-assembly-juki-b34010270b0.aspx

 

good day

Floyd

Edited March 7, 2019 by brmax

[tardis86]

9 hours ago, brmax said:

A few photos may help in some of these discussions. Im not sure where you interest are in the knee lift adjustment. 

You may find an oil can somewhere with ability to apply, possibly invest in one with tube or similar to get in tough places.

Here below is a fairly typical lift mechanism. 

https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/knee-lifter-assembly-juki-b34010270b0.aspx

 

good day

Floyd

I figure if it's there, it should work. Whether I decide to use it or not.

[brmax]

Yes good point. Its likely going to require photos as most good hearted people here cannot give an answer without some questions. 

The knee lift is the majority used lift. 

So what does the knee bumper do when pushed over 3”. Same question when machine head is tilted back, what is viewable.

 

Good day

Floyd

[brmax]

As in the pdf Constabulary posted, a few brief photos showing a chain as a connection linking to the knee bumper mechanism. Sorry on that I was thinking just the rod type as on my 212, as this goes through the oil pan and connects in a similar fashion above on the back of the machine. 

In anycase movement with the knee bumper relates on the machine levers and linkage at rear. Good luck and keep us posted, and a big thanks Constabulary for the pdf manuals. 

 

Floyd

[tardis86]

20 hours ago, brmax said:

A few photos may help in some of these discussions. Im not sure where you interest are in the knee lift adjustment. 

You may find an oil can somewhere with ability to apply, possibly invest in one with tube or similar to get in tough places.

Here below is a fairly typical lift mechanism. 

https://www.sewingpartsonline.com/knee-lifter-assembly-juki-b34010270b0.aspx

 

good day

Floyd

I figure if it's there, it should work. Whether I decide to use it or not.

Every time I try to pull the bobbin thread up, the other thread gets stuck and breaks. Any idea what could be causing that?

[brmax]

Ok we are vaguely getting some where. 

In addressing any of these situations it helps, or one must explain in their way what they are using, where in the process they are working. 

So with this maybe others can chime in. With the expectation of knowing already or seeing in text what the operator is using. 

Like thread size, needle size. These may be skipped later in conversation or post if 1st question is a bit closer in direction. 

So getting along here, If you lift the hand lever for the presser feet to raise,  this should as expected release the tensioner to enable an easier thread pull. 

This same effect as you, I think considered is correct, being the same should work for the knee bump lift. Its a touchy art the knee bumper. So Yep spot on there. 

In all this hot air im puttin out, help me in please explaining, your ending expectation through your question. This can help us, you and future readers. ( like if your knee bolster doest work) explain expected results 

I as all others here including you learn these troubleshooting tips along the way. It works with anything especially when others have the usual thousand other sewing and leather things on their mind. 

Floyd

[tardis86]

IDK why when I reply it keeps quoting my own last post. But I'm off of the knee bolster for now. Just trying to thread everything normally and it kept breaking the thread. However I did remove the bobbin holder and gave it a good cleaning, and it didn't break that time just trying to get the bobbin thread up.

But trying to see a test piece, the thread did break Immediately. The thread seemed hard to pull through it. Maybe it's a tension issue. I'll look more into it over the weekend. As far as thread and needle size, I dont know yet. Once I do more investigating, I'll post an update.

[brmax]

Ok were talking in post,  first the top thread, now bottom. 

lets stick with one thread at a time 

As the knee bolster or the hand lift lever is for raising the presser feet. You can notice the tensioner when closely viewed does release only top thread tension a bit, when applied. 

So in all material removals and or thread pulling applications, the top thread is through the take up lever make sure that is in the top most position no matter what. 

 

Good day

Floyd

[tardis86]

ok so from what i can tell, the machine works ok, im certain some tension settings need adjusted but its hard to figure out when the thing moves at 10000000 rpm,lol. im gonna save up for one of those motors. idk how anyone could use that machine at that speed.

[Wizcrafts]

40 minutes ago, tardis86 said:

ok so from what i can tell, the machine works ok, im certain some tension settings need adjusted but its hard to figure out when the thing moves at 10000000 rpm,lol. im gonna save up for one of those motors. idk how anyone could use that machine at that speed.

To this day, most upholsterers use clutch motors that are geared 1:1, or higher, with the machine pulley. They are used to sewing flat out at 2000 stitches per minute. In upholstery, time is money. Furthermore, until the servo motors became commonplace in the last few years, everybody had a clutch motor on their industrial sewing machines. Most of these sewers have learned how to feather the clutches. I still have clutch motors on a couple of machines and have no problem feathering them to one stitch per second. But then, I used to drive clutch cars.

[Bugstruck]

3 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

To this day, most upholsterers use clutch motors that are geared 1:1, or higher, with the machine pulley. They are used to sewing flat out at 2000 stitches per minute. In upholstery, time is money. Furthermore, until the servo motors became commonplace in the last few years, everybody had a clutch motor on their industrial sewing machines. Most of these sewers have learned how to feather the clutches. I still have clutch motors on a couple of machines and have no problem feathering them to one stitch per second. But then, I used to drive clutch cars.

Agreed with one caveat. Not all clutch motors feather well. One on my Adler just wouldn't, tried several things to fix that. The clutch on my 78-3 though is a dream to operate. A servo has nothing on it.

[dikman]

I learned to drive a clutch car, and drove clutch trucks and clutch motorbikes - but I still couldn't handle a sewing machine clutch motor!!!

[tardis86]

Yeah this pedal doesn't feather at all. It's either 0 or 11.    No in between

[brmax]

If you have access and some time, you can make a modification to help address this speed and starting.

The motor has below it the lever for speed and connecting to treadle linkage. This can be lengthened. Also another is installing small motor pulleys we always see others doing here.

Anyway this lever on the motor has different holes sometimes and typically to hook a link to treadle. As well the treadle has its connector, this can be moved along and to other side of treadle if needed.

So using the lever thinking! Making this lever longer its possible to have better control in a gradual sense. 

Some around here have quite nicely fashioned longer extension on that lever from lite steel or aluminum angle stock. 

This may be worth a try until such time another power option is in the plan. 

 

Good day

Floyd

[Wizcrafts]

Clutch motors have a large bolt on the front that can be adjusted for free play before the clutch engages. There is a spring and thumbscrew on the right side of the lever that sticks out to control the motion of the clutch. Tighten up the thumbscrew on the spring to get a little more control over the foot action and keep the lever as high as possible until you press down. If the clutch is grabby, smear a little grease on it (partial disassembly may be req'd) or sand it smoother. A well adjusted clutch motor can be feathered accurately by a steady foot. Sewers have done this for a hundred years. My Dad feathered the clutch on his Singer 31-15 for 60 years.