I got myself a featherweight today. The first two things you helped me with is the alignment of the shuttle house with the throatplate, and the need to replace the brushes. Thank you so much.
Tina, you did a wonderful job with this video and I truly appreciate it. I hung on your every word and followed along with mine. I am trying to recover a cushion and didn't want to sew it by hand. I've had a handheld gadget that I got years ago with credit card points and never used it so the wires dry rotted. My grandmother (Marie Rose) gave me this Singer 221 years ago and I finally got it out. I was proud that I was able to get half of the seam done before it started acting up. The stitch on the back didn't look right anyway so now I am doing the maintenance. This is my first experience with a machine. Thank you sooo much and nice touch leaving us hanging on the LED light....Lisa M
Tina, I cleaned and oiled my featherweight while watching this video. Thank you for making it!! I'm gaining confidence that I can maintain my machine thanks to you.
I got mine from my mother in-law who is the only owner. Your video was excellent and I feel confident after watching your video that I can continue to use and care for this machine for many more decades. Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for this video, it was so helpful. I was given a featherweight recently, your demonstration and advice was so helpful and not too fast, I cleaned my machine as you explained it. It now works like a dream ! Thank you !!!!
Thanks so much for this video. I just received my first Featherweight and I'm so very excited to get started cleaning it . Mine is a 1948 and I'm in love!!!
+Tora Consolo I know the feeling when I got mine I couldn't stop petting and polishing it. For such a little thing the power is awesome. And to think they get thrown in the dump! How I cry!
Absolutely great video i have 2 of these machines and so far i think i have been doing cleaning and lubing them correctly. Im the second owner of these and have had them for years. My babies ha! Thanks again
Tina- Thanks you for this extremely helpful video! I just got my featherweight and it needed servicing. I did it myself following along with you. I turned it on and can tell we did a great job because it is running more smoothly and quieter than when I first plugged it in. Please make more videos because your knowledge and calm voice is a great companion to those listening! I even enjoyed the dogs!
Mabel Brooks Thank you so much! I love to help people sew with vintage beauties and have plans to make more videos. I do need to make a video about motor maintenance and light bulb replacement for these beauties. I do a podcast about machines and sewing along with chat about life in general. You can find links on my website!
Thank you for this video my mom got my nanas old singer machine and i dont think it has been cleaned in about 15 years so im going to be cleaning it and getting it all nice for her tomorrow as a surprise for them both and do a full clean and restoration of it with some nice polish work to top it off so thank you for helping :)
Thanks for your video. I love to fix things, so appreciate your details. I have my Mom's machine that I learned to sew on :) It runs but surely needs cleaned, etc. I was surprised to see you turn the hand wheel backwards. On many machines that such a 'no no'. Thanks again!
thank you. as a proud owner of one of these beauties i appreciate the video..i am glad I watched it. as an owner of 8 or 9 vintage machines I learned something I didn't know about fw. as you know each machine is different and the bobbin on these lovelies are different so thanks for the info.
Thank you, this has been very informational. I love this machine, probably have more miles on it than my car! Can't wait to give it a good cleaning. My current problem is looping on the bottom of my fabric. Bobbin casing popped out while I was sewing, I've tried to trouble shoot everything I can think of. My Featherweight is 221k, purchased in the 1960's & used extensively.
I'm glad you found this helpful! The looping on bottom is a problem with top tension or the needle is inserted incorrectly. That could be why the bobbin case fell off, or you may have the wrong size bobbin in use. I do hope you can sort it out :)
I'm so happy to find this video! It is a very clear and comprehensive tutorial on maintaining my featherweight! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! And, if I can offer you a suggestion that I saw on another site, he suggested to use a piece of 3/4" vinyl tubing from the hardware store to make changing the bulb easier. Slip it over the old bulb to take it out, and over the new bulb to replace it. Again, wonderful video!
Thanks so much! I was given a 221-1 by my friend's 90-year old mother (1951 centennial model), and was the only machine she ever used - and not often. So it's been sitting for quite some time, and was in desperate need of a good cleaning.
Great video, thanks ! Wish I'd seen it when I got my first one, would have saved me a lot of anguish, especially the bit about getting the "finger' in the correct place after dismantling the throat plate etc... lol !
AWESOME VIDEO. Thanks for taking time to make this video. I would really like to see the video you mention of taking the hook out to take out that caught thread.
I purchased a Singer Featherweight 221.1 that should arrive tomorrow, hopefully in one piece :) I wanted to thank you so much for taking your time to make this wonderful, very informative video!!!!! I can't wait to watch more of your videos! Also, love that you have your fur babies in the room with you :)
Thank you for this video, very helpful, btw, the needle flat side goes towards the right, that what I was told when I bought mine, I have a 1946 one. Have a good day. Christine :D
Actually, the needle does go flat side to the left. If you try to sew with the flat side to the right, it may sew, but not very well. This is a common misconception and all featherweights take the needle this way. Singer 301s use the needle flat side to the left as well. Thank you for watching! 😊
+Christine Lafleur I made the same mistake on my 301a. The needles are threaded from right to left and I couldn't figure out why I was breaking so many needles and getting knots. When I switched the needle...no more problems.
WOW! Thank you for walking us all through this maintenance regimen! Great and easy to follow. Very kind of you to take the time. By the way, what's your blog url? You mention it but didn't understand what you said.
Wow, this was the best video! I just followed you step by step (and peeked at my manual) and just opened my machine up, cleaned and oiled everything! I have just been given this 221 and can't wait to try it out. The stitch length thingy is a bit strange (how do you tell what setting it's on?). I've been sewing for years with a Bernina but now living in the UK I was lucky to get this little machine and hope I can really use it. Thanks again!
I super enjoyed your voice quality and simplicity of instructions. Thanks for not making me feel stupid. I feel confident to do this without a manual. Is it ever necessary to oil/grease that foot pedal. Thanks
+kay gibbs Thank you Kay! I'm so happy you found me to be helpful :) The only maintenance needed for the footpedal is when you are having issues. no need to oil or grease anything! There are carbon discs in these old pedals that sometimes crack and I'm not familiar with a resource to replace them. Good news is, I've only had one pedal that didn't work for this reason. There are adjustments that can be made for pedals that malfunction, such as high or slow speeds, and that requires a few turns of a nut. The next time I make pedal adjustments, I'll make a video!
The needle plate is the same shape as the needle. Flat side of your needle goes to left just like the face plate. It helps to remember and thread goes tgrough needle to left.
Hi, Tina, I just bought a singer 221 1 1940 featherweight and the hook had been broken and been sautered on. It sews a few stitches and then thread binds in the bobbin case. Do you know e here I can get the bobbin case with the finger? The video you made was rea,lyrics helpful for cleaning my Machi d. Thanks, Marion from Arkansas
Hi Marion! I don't recommend using anything that has been repaired by soldering. These pieces were precisely manufactured to work together and I'm fairly certain the repair won't be as precise. The good news is most parts can be easily found, some are quite expensive, such as the bobbin case itself. It sounds like you are describing the area that the bobbin case fits into. Those parts can be found on eBay, April 1930s, and Nova Montgomery. You can Google those names to find them, if you aren't familiar. If you have a Facebook page, join a vintage sewing machine group. They often have people who sell parts and can also be very helpful with problems you may come across. I do have links for several of these websites and groups on my site, www.weezyworks.com . Good luck!
Marlene Hoffner as shown in the video, I used triflow grease for the gears and triflow oil for oiling points. DO NOT oil or grease any electrical box or connections! I use grease in the grease cups of the motor when required, but only singer grease or something like Nova Montgomerys specifically formulated grease intended for motor greasepots.
Hello Tina :) Thank you for a great video. This helped with my 1937 featherweight, but I was wondering do you know if all this still applies to a 1964 white featherweight? The reason I ask is because there is a belt around the gears where you apply grease at the top. Mine is very clean and looks like there has never been grease there. Thank you :)
Thank you! I don't own a white featherweight and have never had the pleasure of playing with one. Having said that, I don't think you apply grease to a place where a belt is used. The only belt I'm aware of is the belt around the hand wheel and that takes no lube of any kind. I'd love to see a picture of what you're talking about to be more helpful. Good luck!
I'm just about to clean and oil my mother's 201K that I've inherited. It is one of the knee lever types and your video has given me the confidence to go ahead and tackle some of it. Would you have a video showing how to grease one of these? The top looks slightly different to the 221 Featherweight. Many thanks,
I don't have a video for it, but they are similar enough that if you are confident in doing the 221, you'll do well with a 201. Just remember to oil where the manual tells you and grease in the gears. If you don't have a manual, you can find one for free on the ISMACS site.
You don’t grease the gears of a 201 the gears were engineered finer on the 201(k) so only use sewing machine oil. You may need to check if your motor needs some grease but the gears don’t (the grease will actually seize up the 201ks)
@@joewing7458 I only found this video recently as it came up in my recommendations, it clearly states in the 201k manuals you only use oil on the gears not grease. Which they also say in most of the vintage singer sewing machine forums.
That felt pad is suppose to go on the outside of the drip pan and then you screw the screw up against it. So that you don't scratch the drip pan and so you don't over tighten. Not on the inside of the featherweight.
She put one on each side just as she found it. That machine looked great on the inside and was probably dragged around more than it was sewed with, to throw in an occasional hem. I bet no one had ever removed the drip pan before, or oiled it- The felt looked great compared to most, but then again I didn't feel it (or get a wiff of it either) lol
I know very little about sewing machines but I'm looking to purchase a 221k Featherweight or 201k as a present for my wife. I'd like something that can run for a long long periods 4-6 hours a day (with proper maintenance) sewing leather. denim etc. How well would the 201k do under those conditions?
a 201 would hold up very well! I use a 301 for up to 12 hours a day, several days a week with no problems. the old girls do well as long as they are well oiled and clean.
SORRY-I have to chime in here-.. These are all "domestic" machines. I would not expect a Featherweight to sew leather, unless you are talking suede, maybe. Big Sister, 301 has lots more power and the 201, so elegant and quiet, is strong too. BUT if you are planning to sew Leather belts, purses, etc. for 2-3-4 hours, you will burn up the motor on any of the (motorized.... haha ) domestic machines. If you are planning on lots of leather, rather than an occasional fix, The 221 is not gonna do it, The big sister 301 would give it a shot with that inside drive belt, and the 201 would as well though I would not (personally) subject ANY of the three to leather. Yes I have seen demos, and the last two do great- for the 12 inches shown. I have never seen or tried denim seams on my featherweights ....If you are planning on sewing lots of heavy duty fabric, my suggestion is to get an old Industrial Singer, (check carefully, or better yet go to an upholstery car garage and see the old Singers they have used forever and if that doesn't float your boat, try a 15-88 treadle. I think the 1200 is the industrial version of the 201. Check that one out. My 306K is powerful and often falsely "advertized as "Industrial" It sews leather for my son, but not often,,,We use it for quick fixes. Good luck in your search.. your wife is fortunate to have you and I hate to sound like a bucket of cold water!
Hi Tina. Singer makes the proper grease and oil to lube the Featherweight properly. Dues Singer recommend using synthetic grease? Just wondering. I own two Featherweights and love them. For reference I go to Singer-Featherweight.com a shop in Utah, that has a wealth of information. This a great video to help many people, Thanks for all you do, Tina. Mike
Any vintage machine that has actual metal gears should be greased and not oiled, unless the manual or manufacturer recommend otherwise. Metal on metal ( not gears that interlock) should be oiled.
Bad idea to use anything but Singer Machine oil, or failing that, use gun oil. The reason being is that those oils are designed to evaporate while other oils dry out and form a varnish. So while they may initially lubricate your machine, eventually they will completely gum it up!
I have dozens of machines and none of them have had this problem. Mineral oil is the main ingredient in Singer sewing machine oil. www.quora.com/What-oil-is-closest-to-sewing-machine-oil I've been using my method for decades with no trouble, thank you.
I've never had any trouble with my machines from turning them either direction. With this model, I can't see what it would hurt to turn the wheel either way. Machines with a shuttle bobbin are the only machines that come to my mind where turning the wheel to the opposite direction might pose a problem.
I've never used kerosene. Some people do if the machine is really stuck and dirty. Even with my most difficult machines, sewing machine oil and time have been enough. Kerosene should be used only with extreme caution!
Yes. Sewing machine oil is just white oil, which is what mineral oil is. There are different grades of white oil. Mineral oil is sold for laxative purposes and can be used to oil your cutting boards. Baby oil is just mineral oil with fragrance. Ive used mineral oil on my machines for years.
I believe I did grease the lower gears in the video ( you can see it at the 8 minute mark) but you are correct! I oil the proper point with oil and grease the gears with triflow grease.
I got myself a featherweight today. The first two things you helped me with is the alignment of the shuttle house with the throatplate, and the need to replace the brushes.
Thank you so much.
I am so glad that I found this series of videos. Thanks so much for teaching us how to clean Featherweights.
Tina, you did a wonderful job with this video and I truly appreciate it. I hung on your every word and followed along with mine. I am trying to recover a cushion and didn't want to sew it by hand. I've had a handheld gadget that I got years ago with credit card points and never used it so the wires dry rotted. My grandmother (Marie Rose) gave me this Singer 221 years ago and I finally got it out. I was proud that I was able to get half of the seam done before it started acting up. The stitch on the back didn't look right anyway so now I am doing the maintenance. This is my first experience with a machine. Thank you sooo much and nice touch leaving us hanging on the LED light....Lisa M
Tina, I cleaned and oiled my featherweight while watching this video. Thank you for making it!! I'm gaining confidence that I can maintain my machine thanks to you.
Thank you so much. All the information you did and said helped greatly.
Thank you for teaching us! I totally feel more confident.❤
I got mine from my mother in-law who is the only owner. Your video was excellent and I feel confident after watching your video that I can continue to use and care for this machine for many more decades. Thanks so much!
Thank you for your patient, informative video. It is thorough and well done. It helped me through my entire oiling just now.
Danielle
What a wonderful video! I just got a featherweight that hasn't been used in awhile so was glad to see how to lubricate it! Thanks for the great video.
Thank you so much for this video, it was so helpful. I was given a featherweight recently,
your demonstration and advice was so helpful and not too fast, I cleaned my machine as you explained it. It now works like a dream ! Thank you !!!!
Thanks so much for this video. I just received my first Featherweight and I'm so very excited to get started cleaning it . Mine is a 1948 and I'm in love!!!
+Tora Consolo I know the feeling when I got mine I couldn't stop petting and polishing it. For such a little thing the power is awesome. And to think they get thrown in the dump! How I cry!
Just acquired a featherweight today. This was sooo helpful. Can't wait to clean and polish it and get busy. Thanks for the video.
Amazingly thorough. You made it look very simple. Thank you!
16:16 - Excellent information for new owners of 221 & 301. I had this problem earlier and remembered your video.
Thank you! This was a great walkthrough. Very thorough yet succinct.
Thank you for this video! Thanks for showing us the whole thing, excited to get my first 221!
Thank you so much Mrs Tina Rose. My first time to service a machine and you made it a charm. Lynda Marks
Absolutely great video i have 2 of these machines and so far i think i have been doing cleaning and lubing them correctly. Im the second owner of these and have had them for years. My babies ha! Thanks again
Tina- Thanks you for this extremely helpful video! I just got my featherweight and it needed servicing. I did it myself following along with you. I turned it on and can tell we did a great job because it is running more smoothly and quieter than when I first plugged it in. Please make more videos because your knowledge and calm voice is a great companion to those listening! I even enjoyed the dogs!
Mabel Brooks Thank you so much! I love to help people sew with vintage beauties and have plans to make more videos. I do need to make a video about motor maintenance and light bulb replacement for these beauties.
I do a podcast about machines and sewing along with chat about life in general. You can find links on my website!
Thank you for this video my mom got my nanas old singer machine and i dont think it has been cleaned in about 15 years so im going to be cleaning it and getting it all nice for her tomorrow as a surprise for them both and do a full clean and restoration of it with some nice polish work to top it off so thank you for helping :)
Thanks for your video. I love to fix things, so appreciate your details. I have my Mom's machine that I learned to sew on :) It runs but surely needs cleaned, etc. I was surprised to see you turn the hand wheel backwards. On many machines that such a 'no no'. Thanks again!
I wish this video has close caption. I am 80% deaf. I can tell this a very helpful video. I love the dog...
thank you. as a proud owner of one of these beauties i appreciate the video..i am glad I watched it. as an owner of 8 or 9 vintage machines I learned something I didn't know about fw. as you know each machine is different and the bobbin on these lovelies are different so thanks for the info.
Thank you, this has been very informational. I love this machine, probably have more miles on it than my car! Can't wait to give it a good cleaning. My current problem is looping on the bottom of my fabric. Bobbin casing popped out while I was sewing, I've tried to trouble shoot everything I can think of. My Featherweight is 221k, purchased in the 1960's & used extensively.
I'm glad you found this helpful! The looping on bottom is a problem with top tension or the needle is inserted incorrectly. That could be why the bobbin case fell off, or you may have the wrong size bobbin in use. I do hope you can sort it out :)
I'm so happy to find this video! It is a very clear and comprehensive tutorial on maintaining my featherweight! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! And, if I can offer you a suggestion that I saw on another site, he suggested to use a piece of 3/4" vinyl tubing from the hardware store to make changing the bulb easier. Slip it over the old bulb to take it out, and over the new bulb to replace it.
Again, wonderful video!
Thank you for the kind words and helpful hint!
Awesome tutorial!!! Thank you for sharing it with us.
Thank you. I appreciate your very clear instruction. Wish I could buy you a cup of coffee to show my appreciation.
Wow awesome video I actually feel like I can do it after watching you Thank you!
Very very nice,your a great help THANK You
Thank you for a thorough video!
Thanks so much! I was given a 221-1 by my friend's 90-year old mother (1951 centennial model), and was the only machine she ever used - and not often. So it's been sitting for quite some time, and was in desperate need of a good cleaning.
+naturalsolitude Lucky you ! I have a Centennial model too and I LOVE it !!!
Great video, thanks ! Wish I'd seen it when I got my first one, would have saved me a lot of anguish, especially the bit about getting the "finger' in the correct place after dismantling the throat plate etc... lol !
AWESOME VIDEO. Thanks for taking time to make this video. I would really like to see the video you mention of taking the hook out to take out that caught thread.
Buzzy!! good video..cute dog.
Most Excellent. Thank you.
excellent informational video. Many thanks!
Thank you Tina Rose! Great info! Doing research for the 221 I just got! I'm in; subbed, liked, notified. Peace!
Very nice video thanks
Gracias
Thank you so much for the information. Great. Video
Just got a 1948 featherweight and dare it. No booklet, case looks super. Thx!!!!!!
I purchased a Singer Featherweight 221.1 that should arrive tomorrow, hopefully in one piece :) I wanted to thank you so much for taking your time to make this wonderful, very informative video!!!!! I can't wait to watch more of your videos! Also, love that you have your fur babies in the room with you :)
suzanne johnson g
Ggggggggggg
excellent video - thank you.
Thank you so much for this info/video
Thank you. Very helpful.
Excellent thanks so much!💁🏼
Very informative thank you! Would have loved to hear it though😉☺
Great video thsnks
I would be concerned about using a q-tip around the gears because it will leave lint behind.
Thank you for this video, very helpful, btw, the needle flat side goes towards the right, that what I was told when I bought mine, I have a 1946 one. Have a good day. Christine :D
Actually, the needle does go flat side to the left. If you try to sew with the flat side to the right, it may sew, but not very well. This is a common misconception and all featherweights take the needle this way. Singer 301s use the needle flat side to the left as well. Thank you for watching! 😊
Thank you! :D, maybe I made a mistake, I will take it off and see how this repair lady put it!
+Christine Lafleur I made the same mistake on my 301a. The needles are threaded from right to left and I couldn't figure out why I was breaking so many needles and getting knots. When I switched the needle...no more problems.
Thank you thank you. I have been putting my plate on with the bobbin case not in the upright position. I can sew again.
Thank you for a great video.
You can remove threads from the bobbin area underneath the machine also.
Regards,
Ann
Thank you so much.
tina rose saved the day !!!!! I must have put that bobbin on fifty times before I saw here video. thank you Tina Rose
WOW! Thank you for walking us all through this maintenance regimen! Great and easy to follow. Very kind of you to take the time. By the way, what's your blog url? You mention it but didn't understand what you said.
I don't have that one anymore but have moved my stuff to www.TinaRoseSews.wordpress.com
Wow, this was the best video! I just followed you step by step (and peeked at my manual) and just opened my machine up, cleaned and oiled everything! I have just been given this 221 and can't wait to try it out. The stitch length thingy is a bit strange (how do you tell what setting it's on?). I've been sewing for years with a Bernina but now living in the UK I was lucky to get this little machine and hope I can really use it. Thanks again!
Great tutorial! You definitely know what you’re talking about. Thanks for all the information.
I super enjoyed your voice quality and simplicity of instructions. Thanks for not making me feel stupid. I feel confident to do this without a manual. Is it ever necessary to oil/grease that foot pedal. Thanks
+kay gibbs Thank you Kay! I'm so happy you found me to be helpful :) The only maintenance needed for the footpedal is when you are having issues. no need to oil or grease anything! There are carbon discs in these old pedals that sometimes crack and I'm not familiar with a resource to replace them. Good news is, I've only had one pedal that didn't work for this reason. There are adjustments that can be made for pedals that malfunction, such as high or slow speeds, and that requires a few turns of a nut. The next time I make pedal adjustments, I'll make a video!
thank you so much
She So Pretttyyyyy.
I am attempting to clean my machine that I got for Christmas and was wondering where you got the tube for your tri-flow?
I found mine online from sew-classic.com but I believe you can find it at bicycle shops.
The needle plate is the same shape as the needle. Flat side of your needle goes to left just like the face plate. It helps to remember and thread goes tgrough needle to left.
Hi, Tina, I just bought a singer 221 1 1940 featherweight and the hook had been broken and been sautered on. It sews a few stitches and then thread binds in the bobbin case. Do you know e here I can get the bobbin case with the finger? The video you made was rea,lyrics helpful for cleaning my Machi d. Thanks, Marion from Arkansas
Hi Marion! I don't recommend using anything that has been repaired by soldering. These pieces were precisely manufactured to work together and I'm fairly certain the repair won't be as precise. The good news is most parts can be easily found, some are quite expensive, such as the bobbin case itself. It sounds like you are describing the area that the bobbin case fits into. Those parts can be found on eBay, April 1930s, and Nova Montgomery. You can Google those names to find them, if you aren't familiar. If you have a Facebook page, join a vintage sewing machine group. They often have people who sell parts and can also be very helpful with problems you may come across. I do have links for several of these websites and groups on my site, www.weezyworks.com . Good luck!
Or go to "Singer-Feartherweight.com" for parts
Would that be with any vintage singer?
Where did you get that nifty little thing for holding screwdriver bits?
+Dottie Hokkanen it is cute and handy! it was a freebie from a fair years ago.
could you please list the gear grease you used, and also to tube of grease you used for the electrical box.
Marlene Hoffner as shown in the video, I used triflow grease for the gears and triflow oil for oiling points. DO NOT oil or grease any electrical box or connections! I use grease in the grease cups of the motor when required, but only singer grease or something like Nova Montgomerys specifically formulated grease intended for motor greasepots.
Hello Tina :) Thank you for a great video. This helped with my 1937 featherweight, but I was wondering do you know if all this still applies to a 1964 white featherweight? The reason I ask is because there is a belt around the gears where you apply grease at the top. Mine is very clean and looks like there has never been grease there. Thank you :)
Thank you! I don't own a white featherweight and have never had the pleasure of playing with one. Having said that, I don't think you apply grease to a place where a belt is used. The only belt I'm aware of is the belt around the hand wheel and that takes no lube of any kind. I'd love to see a picture of what you're talking about to be more helpful. Good luck!
White featherweights don’t require it.
How to take the marks off the bed
I'm just about to clean and oil my mother's 201K that I've inherited. It is one of the knee lever types and your video has given me the confidence to go ahead and tackle some of it. Would you have a video showing how to grease one of these? The top looks slightly different to the 221 Featherweight. Many thanks,
I don't have a video for it, but they are similar enough that if you are confident in doing the 221, you'll do well with a 201. Just remember to oil where the manual tells you and grease in the gears. If you don't have a manual, you can find one for free on the ISMACS site.
Thanks I enjoyed the video. Found a uk vintage machine forum and have been on there quite a bit.
You don’t grease the gears of a 201 the gears were engineered finer on the 201(k) so only use sewing machine oil. You may need to check if your motor needs some grease but the gears don’t (the grease will actually seize up the 201ks)
@@bluedeva thanks but you are 5 years too late with your reply. I have been on several forums since and the 201k is still working
@@joewing7458 I only found this video recently as it came up in my recommendations, it clearly states in the 201k manuals you only use oil on the gears not grease. Which they also say in most of the vintage singer sewing machine forums.
you can use gun oil also on these types of metals
That felt pad is suppose to go on the outside of the drip pan and then you screw the screw up against it. So that you don't scratch the drip pan and so you don't over tighten. Not on the inside of the featherweight.
She put one on each side just as she found it. That machine looked great on the inside and was probably dragged around more than it was sewed with, to throw in an occasional hem. I bet no one had ever removed the drip pan before, or oiled it- The felt looked great compared to most, but then again I didn't feel it (or get a wiff of it either) lol
Do you also refurbish hard cases for the 221?
Eleonore Loundermon I haven't yet but plan to in the future
At 28:50 ". . the top of this," or "flat metal thingy" is a cam which should not be oiled but greased.
According to the original manual, made by the manufacturer, you are incorrect. That area requires oil, not grease.
How do you clean and polish the finish?
I use sewing machine oil. It's the only thing I know that won't hurt the decals. Sometimes it just takes patience and time :)
I know very little about sewing machines but I'm looking to purchase a 221k Featherweight or 201k as a present for my wife. I'd like something that can run for a long long periods 4-6 hours a day (with proper maintenance) sewing leather. denim etc. How well would the 201k do under those conditions?
a 201 would hold up very well! I use a 301 for up to 12 hours a day, several days a week with no problems. the old girls do well as long as they are well oiled and clean.
Very good to know. Thank you for responding.
SORRY-I have to chime in here-.. These are all "domestic" machines. I would not expect a Featherweight to sew leather, unless you are talking suede, maybe. Big Sister, 301 has lots more power and the 201, so elegant and quiet, is strong too. BUT if you are planning to sew Leather belts, purses, etc. for 2-3-4 hours, you will burn up the motor on any of the (motorized.... haha ) domestic machines. If you are planning on lots of leather, rather than an occasional fix, The 221 is not gonna do it, The big sister 301 would give it a shot with that inside drive belt, and the 201 would as well though I would not (personally) subject ANY of the three to leather. Yes I have seen demos, and the last two do great- for the 12 inches shown. I have never seen or tried denim seams on my featherweights ....If you are planning on sewing lots of heavy duty fabric, my suggestion is to get an old Industrial Singer, (check carefully, or better yet go to an upholstery car garage and see the old Singers they have used forever and if that doesn't float your boat, try a 15-88 treadle. I think the 1200 is the industrial version of the 201. Check that one out. My 306K is powerful and often falsely "advertized as "Industrial" It sews leather for my son, but not often,,,We use it for quick fixes. Good luck in your search.. your wife is fortunate to have you and I hate to sound like a bucket of cold water!
What's the part number of the belt for that machine
I don't know but if you ask for a featherweight belt from someone who sells parts for vintage machines, they will know what to get you.
can't find the video on how to service the motor
That's probably because there isn't one, at least made by me. Maybe some day I'll do so but I just don't have time right now.
Hi Tina. Singer makes the proper grease and oil to lube the Featherweight properly. Dues Singer recommend using synthetic grease? Just wondering. I own two Featherweights and love them. For reference I go to Singer-Featherweight.com a shop in Utah, that has a wealth of information. This a great video to help many people, Thanks for all you do, Tina. Mike
I wouldn't use synthetic grease in the motor grease pots but I use it everywhere else grease is required. Thanks for the kind words!
What is your website, I missed it?
Knittin, Stitchin & Roamin www.weezyworks.com
Greasing the gears I should have added
Any vintage machine that has actual metal gears should be greased and not oiled, unless the manual or manufacturer recommend otherwise. Metal on metal ( not gears that interlock) should be oiled.
Bobbin featherweight 221
also you should never touch the glass of a bulb... it will shorten the life by 75% because of the oils on your skin...
Bad idea to use anything but Singer Machine oil, or failing that, use gun oil. The reason being is that those oils are designed to evaporate while other oils dry out and form a varnish. So while they may initially lubricate your machine, eventually they will completely gum it up!
I have dozens of machines and none of them have had this problem. Mineral oil is the main ingredient in Singer sewing machine oil. www.quora.com/What-oil-is-closest-to-sewing-machine-oil
I've been using my method for decades with no trouble, thank you.
An old toothbrush works great on gears
Why are you turning the handwheel away from you? I have always been told to turn the handwheel towards you.
I've never had any trouble with my machines from turning them either direction. With this model, I can't see what it would hurt to turn the wheel either way. Machines with a shuttle bobbin are the only machines that come to my mind where turning the wheel to the opposite direction might pose a problem.
bulb 11.00 free shipping Ebay
REALLY!
its called an armature shaft...
Can you give us your website, I’ve typed in weezeeworks.com and I get an exercise studio
I'm sorry, I no longer have the website
So you don't use kerosene?
I've never used kerosene. Some people do if the machine is really stuck and dirty. Even with my most difficult machines, sewing machine oil and time have been enough. Kerosene should be used only with extreme caution!
Mineral oil? Really! ?
Yes. Sewing machine oil is just white oil, which is what mineral oil is. There are different grades of white oil. Mineral oil is sold for laxative purposes and can be used to oil your cutting boards. Baby oil is just mineral oil with fragrance. Ive used mineral oil on my machines for years.
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Not going to grease that lower gear set? that's where that synthetic tri-flow should go... not oil
I believe I did grease the lower gears in the video ( you can see it at the 8 minute mark) but you are correct! I oil the proper point with oil and grease the gears with triflow grease.
Learn the part names and shut the dog out..
thank you so much
It is my pleasure!