Sometimes, it's not what you think it is

I have my Grandmother's Singer 15-91.  I had done everything I could to this machine, but it ran "sluggish".  It was slow to start and it never ran very fast and there wasn't much speed control... peddle to the metal was annoyingly slow.  The only thing I hadn't done was take out the spiral gear that links the motor to the machine and clean out the old lubricant and try again.  My assumption was that old lubricant was thick when it was cool and needed to heat up before the machine would go.

Rob and I took it out to the work shop this weekend (i.e. garage).  And, we set about trying to remove the gear.  And, at some point, I realized that wasn't it.  It was something else.  And, that gear is a big old bear to get out of there, don't let any cute little internet video fool you.  So, I lubricated and oiled the machine while I was at it and put it back together.  I even got Rob to help me take out the one screw I'd never been able to get out and we replaced the spring in the bobbin winder, so now, it isn't always against the wheel.  That also helped with machine speed.

I decided to check the foot peddle to see if the problem was there.  And, of course, it was.  It's a plunger control and the screw that holds the plunger in had backed off so when the peddle was all the way down, the plunger was barely getting pulled out of the controller.  Tightened that up and now, she's purring along like new.

I even made Rob a pair of lounging pants with this machine, just as a way to get warmed up to it.  This is a great machine with a ton of power and now, great speed control. 

I've also been working on the Singer 401 that belonged to a friend's Mom and am making a shirt for me on it.  Talk about perfect speed control.  I can make that machine go almost as slowly as the Bernina when I need it to.  Loving it.  So glad I stuck with it and got both these machines repaired.  I truly almost gave up on them both.  And, while I was having such good mojo, I also worked on the Elna Supermatic.  Got everything fixed on that machine, too, except the tension.  Going to have to keep at that.  But, that's the fun of collecting, right?

Right?

Oh, just say it and make me feel better. 

Have a great Tuesday!

Lane