A quiz for Gregg

[JuneC]

Hey Gregg, can you figure out which parts I need for my old Singer 111W155?  8)



Yes, that's a bread bag wire tie around the needle bar.  Necessity is the mother of invention, eh?  

Ok, you can pick yourself up off the floor now  :P   That's two snippets of button twine under the bobbin case lever.  Figured out after a short analysis that the case has been indented by having that lever slammed on it so many times.  The depression permits the "ass end" of the lever, if you'll pardon the expression, to stick up and shred the top thread as it passes over the bobbin.  The button twine makes the lever level again so the thread passes easily.  With these two mods, it sews like a champ.  

Truthfully, I don't like that bobbin case.  It makes it impossible to see how much thread is left without removing it and it's cumbersome to replace, even without the button twine.  Can this be switched over to the standard open-top-load type with the long(er) lever on top without changing the hook?  

June

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

What the heck is that mess!@#  I love when people play 'Stump the sewing machine guy'.  Seems like canvas guys like to play this with me the most!   :P

Needle bar thread guide is easy enough, you can see it here; 10553 see on our web site.

http://www.keysew.com/Consew206Description.htm

That hook...is...wrong.

There are a lot of hooks that will work, but I can't do rebuild jobs that go out like that, or repair with those type of parts going in. 

Standard 111W155 hook does NOT use a bobbin case cap.  It's very common hook (my Mom behind me knew it from memory), Part # 240558

I have these in both import quality and Genuine made in Japan Koban. 

That said, if it works, and your happy, that's all that matters. 

[JuneC]

What the heck is that mess!@#  I love when people play 'Stump the sewing machine guy'.  Seems like canvas guys like to play this with me the most!   :P

We do our best!   8)

That hook...is...wrong.

Figured as much.  If I get time this weekend I'll pull the hook and make sure the "bastardization" doesn't go beyond the hook.  I'll post pics just to make sure that's all we're dealing with.  Luckily, this is my back-up home machine.  My large-hook Singer is at the shop and is in good working order so I can pull this one apart without impacting my work schedule. 

June

[sofadoc]

Gregg: I'm glad June put this picture up. See how her welt foot is crooked in relation to the feed dog plate?
Mine (JUKI LU 1508) is like that, only not as much. It doesn't present a problem until I get into the larger size welt feet (such as 1/2, 3/4). Then, when I center the needle in the needle hole, the inner foot is touching the inside left toe of the outer foot.
Can that be adjusted? By me? It seems like the rear welt foot bar needs to be rotated just a smidge, but I don't see any screw that I can loosen  to do that.
Or should I just grind the feet, and shut up about it?

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

Gregg: I'm glad June put this picture up. See how her welt foot is crooked in relation to the feed dog plate?
Mine (JUKI LU 1508) is like that, only not as much. It doesn't present a problem until I get into the larger size welt feet (such as 1/2, 3/4). Then, when I center the needle in the needle hole, the inner foot is touching the inside left toe of the outer foot.
Can that be adjusted? By me? It seems like the rear welt foot bar needs to be rotated just a smidge, but I don't see any screw that I can loosen  to do that.
Or should I just grind the feet, and shut up about it?

If you had one set of feet that was a problem, then I would say it's the feet.  But since you have many feet that have the same problem, I'll say it's the machine. 

Mechanically, both inside foot can turn on it's own 360, and the outside presser foot, although fixed into the slot in outside presser foot's presser bar, it, too, can be turned 360 as well.  The only thing is that you have to loosen two or three (depending on the presser bar springs location).  There is a certain possibility you could lose critical settings if the outside presser bar raises or lowers after a screw is loosened.  It's also possible to loosen the clamp screws on the presser bar so they can turn the bar, but not lose enough for it to go up or down.

What I'm saying is that it's something someone who knows what they are doing should be the one to do it.  Or, if you are adventurous, and don't mind messing up your machine so you can figure out how to really fix it, go right ahead with your bad self.  Just don't tell you I didn't tell you so!   

[sofadoc]

What I'm saying is that it's something someone who knows what they are doing should be the one to do it.  Or, if you are adventurous, and don't mind messing up your machine so you can figure out how to really fix it, go right ahead with your bad self.  Just don't tell you I didn't tell you so!   

If I could lose critical settings, then I don't have the confidence/patience/fortitude/drive/initative to attempt it.
Not to pit your opinion against a local repairman, but would you consider this adjustment to be minor enough  for minimum labor pricing? Or is it a time consuming job that would cost more than a general tune-up?
I promise not to tell my local guy "Well, GREGG said......"

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

What I'm saying is that it's something someone who knows what they are doing should be the one to do it.  Or, if you are adventurous, and don't mind messing up your machine so you can figure out how to really fix it, go right ahead with your bad self.  Just don't tell you I didn't tell you so!   

If I could lose critical settings, then I don't have the confidence/patience/fortitude/drive/initative to attempt it.
Not to pit your opinion against a local repairman, but would you consider this adjustment to be minor enough  for minimum labor pricing? Or is it a time consuming job that would cost more than a general tune-up?
I promise not to tell my local guy "Well, GREGG said......"

Always a judgement call, but IMO this would be a minor job.  But...there may be somthing off/wrong or worn with say your needle bar frame, side to side and loose.  This really is a see touch feel thing, but again should not be that big a deal.

[baileyuph]

Why is the foot crooked? 

Is it due to wear? 

Or due to someone putting a tool to it?

You know the rest.

Doyle

[sofadoc]

Why is the foot crooked? 

Is it due to wear? 

Or due to someone putting a tool to it?

You know the rest.

Doyle

Well, not by me. That's for sure. I bought the machine second-hand. But I really think the welt foot bar was slightly out of adjustment from the factory. Again though, the problem isn't a problem at all on the smaller size welt feet. And I can always "Dremel" the big ones.
I don't think it's due to any loose play. Every thing seems tight.
The reason I ask Gregg about how involved this adjustment would be, is I've called a couple of places in Dallas. They both seemed to imply that it was major surgery.
One of them said that for just a few hundred more, he'd be happy to sell me a new head.
The local SM mechanic that I always trusted died several years ago.
I will probably wait until the machine has to go in for something else.
If it never does, then I'll live with it.

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

I will probably wait until the machine has to go in for something else.
If it never does, then I'll live with it.

I'm really surprised someone offered a new machine because the presser bars were not aligned.  If that came in under warranty with that issue, we would fix that while you wait.  It's  just a few turns of a few screws, if you know what screws to turn!