Singer 111W155 - several questions

[Wyowally]

I acquired one of these just a week ago. It is my first of this type, but I'm not new to machines at all. I've hit all the resources, copied files, read and re-read. Our forum here seems to have the most knowledge. So far I've cleaned up, lubed, checked and reset adjustments. Cleaned up the locked up stitch selector and reset it. Does what it should now. Has a Consew csm550-1 servo motor. I have it stitching pretty well.

I have an old Necchi BV with clutch motor that I went through and it sews well. It will start smooth and go pretty slow, I need that. On the Singer I didn't like the fine line between brake release and power on, so removed the brake shoe. Also installed a smaller motor pulley. All good. 

The questions:  The manual lifter barely disengages the thread tension. I think all the pieces are there as there is some movement of the pin coming out that engages the tension unit itself. Just not much. What is normal, what can be done to improve the pin travel? I've watched Uwe's video, but his machine isn't identical.  Next: I should have taken a pic, but at the bottom of the rear presser bar is a clamp that the foot lifter rides on. The clamp is held by a small screw accessed from the rear. How do you determine where to set the clamp, once you've moved it without marking original location?  Finally, I have tried to eliminate slop in the knee lifter mechanism. When I remove it all, then the rear foot doesn't have adequate pressure on a couple layers of vinyl. Pretty sure I have no force from the lifter, just zero slop. Still puzzling over that.  One more:  the tensioner check spring doesn't move smoothly, it hops around as the arm is lifting. I think the very end of the outer part of the spring is wanting to rotate and snagging where it rides on the hub of the controller disc. Maybe. Actual tensioner action is smooth, discs clean.

Nearly all the screws on this old machine show marks from poor-fitting screwdrivers - making me question the previous work and forcing me to learn and re-do all the common settings. Perfect! No better way to learn a machine. I'm almost there.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Wyowally
added check spring question

[Wyowally]

Hoping for some answers soon, no replies yet

[CowboyBob]

There's a bracket hold on with 2-screws behind the tension unit,it probably needs to be bent more to take the gap out between the release plunger & it.You can do this 2-ways,the easiest for me is to wedge a screwdriver in front & one in back of it & bend it so the lower part is bent towards the machine to lessen the gap.The other way is to take the whole tension unit off & bend the bottom & re-install,you might have to do it a couple of times to get it set so it opens enough.

[Wyowally]

Thanks, Bob.  I did get the tensioner. Seems like someone lost the internal pin and cobbled one out of a nail. It was truly a nail. I made my own from an extra punch and got it the right length, but did bend the tab as you suggested. Got most of my other concerns taken care of for now.  The long rod that gets pushed to the tensioner was worn. I forged the ends down and smoothed them up and gained 2mm or so, that helped, too.  Whoever installed the knee lifter didn't take into account the arm going up into the machine needs direct vertical force to overcome the presser spring. They had it off to the side and trying to push from an angle. The last thing today I just kept rotating the lifter eccentric on the shaft a little at a time until things came together OK. Location of each pinch screw clamp for the foot shafts seems to be critical as well, but not much tells you where they go. Loving this project.

[DonInReno]

Did you get the machine from the ad in the Rawlings Craigslist?  Sounds like you are  doing a good job sorting it out quickly.    There just aren’t a lot of industrials in Wyoming it seems.

Buggered up screws are pretty common - you’ll find they are all slightly different thread pitches and odd sizes - searching or ordering by Singer part number is usually the way to go and prevents a lot of confusion.   The good news is one of the sewing shops that works with industrials like Keystone Sewing  or Toledo Industrial Sewing can get any of the screws if you need to replace one.

There is also good information on restoring screws to near new condition in gunsmithing videos and discussion groups.   Essentially you peen the displaced metal back as much as possible, spin the screw in a drill and carefully file or sand the rough surface off.   Then the slot can be cleaned up with a screw slot file available from Brownells or other gunsmithing suppliers.

You’ll find sometimes it takes a few days for responses here, but there’s always someone who knows something helpful that will come along.

[Wyowally]

Don in Reno, thanks. Yes it is the machine from Rawlins (not Rawlings). We did a barter/swap for some upholstery work and we are both happy. Having worked on a number of really older Singers I found that they had their own screw factory and they had screw sizes and pitches proprietary or unique to them. I'm careful about that. I do some gunsmithing as well, so am fairly well screw educated. (Wife may disagree!)

The machine is running well, I believe I have the mechanicals pretty well set. Worked over the knee lifter today. It was mounted too far right resulting in having an angled push rather than a straight shot. Much better now. Also discovered that the last vertical shaft going up to the bell crank cannot be straight, but bent to put zero bind on the crank. After I straightened it, of course.

I am experiencing the slightest catch felt when rotating the hand wheel. I think the thread is catching on the tip of the bobbin case latch, just haven't fixed that. I was using V92 bonded poly on vinyl, but the needle was a chisel point and the holes were too big for the thread, and I really don't like starting cuts in vinyl. Changed to an old Singer 16. Much better looking stitches, tighter overall.

Pic is the actual machine. It doesn't show the mud dauber nest I found in the hollow below the crank!

Thanks again for your input!

Tom

[DonInReno]

That’s a great bargain on a tough old bird!  

Just to see if it was me or autocorrect I typed in Rawlins and sure enough it changed it to Rawlings - that’s funny.  

The case opener and thread path between the tab and needle plate are pretty straight forward, but many people are hesitant to get in there with sandpaper to smooth out  rough edges and make sure there’s enough thread clearance.

The only thing the case opener does is nudge the tab over slightly as thread goes between tab and needle plate - so adjusting it is a simple matter of watching thread and moving the opener forward or back to where it helps the thread hang up as little as possible.

It’s a normal part of maintenance to smooth out burrs in the tab recess in the needle plate if needed and actually increase thread clearance if thicker thread is snug passing through.    I had a cheap replacement needle plate that needed a few edges taken down a little and an older needle plate that was well made, but appeared to be made for thinner thread, or was for a hook with a more slender tab.

 

[DonInReno]

The Superior catalog is wholesale only, but it gives you an idea of what parts are available for various machines.

https://supsew.cld.bz/Superior-Sewing-Digital-Master-Catalog

[Wyowally]

Wow, Don, thanks for the information and the catalog! What a resource - just spent 30 minutes looking at illustrated, labeled parts. That helps tremendously. I have adjusted the case opener without knowing - case? what case? what is getting opened? - The relationship between the opener, the tab on the hook base, and the needle plate slot were unknown to me. I just moved the opener to where it worked!  Will investigate adjust and polish today. The little "hitch" I feel when turning the hand wheel through the cycle could well be tied to that. What I did notice earlier was some thread hesitation as it came across the back corner of the bobbin case latch itself. Slight, but there. Will polish that today too.

I am not hesitant to polish and smooth things. Often, I will use a Dremel with the finest sanding disc available, nearly worn out, slow speed, for shining and polishing. Also use various grades of wet-or-dry paper up to 2000. If something really needs shined up I use Flitz polish on it. (Another gunsmithing common product). Even use fine grit diamond products sometimes. The fishhook sharpeners will touch up a needle in a pinch without shortening it.  Thanks again.

 

[Wyowally]

I haven't found a reference for positioning the lifter eccentric on the shaft. I just kept turning it and setting the setscrew and trying it until it seemed to give me free turning and good motion. Then the worm screw does change operating foot height. Then adjust the exterior pinch screw so there was no interference with the rear presser bar.

Tom