Vintage sewing machine repair help requested

[merithyn]

Anyone have any experience in fixing vintage sewing machines?

I bought a 1940s White Rotary E6354 knee pedal machine today for $30. The motor works fine, but it's not moving the needle. I'm guessing the drive belt is done in, but I'm not 100% sure how to open it to find out. The thing is solid cast iron.

Thoughts?

[Tonitrus]

You caved? 

[Eddie Teach]

Now there's a Hail Mary. 

[Valmy]

Woah. I can barely repair my garbage disposal 

You might want to seek more specialized help.

[Admiral Yi]

Now there's a Hail Mary. 

Bummer you didn't get an E6355 Meri.  *That* one I can fix in my sleep.

[merithyn]

You caved? 

I totally caved.   

[merithyn]

I unscrewed everything that I could unscrew, took off all of the pieces that I could take off, and will douse the thing in a bath of paint thinner to degum it. Then, coat it in WD40 Liquid Wrench and put all the things back on it. Then we'll see how it works.

It was $30. What the worst that can happen? It's a solid steel sewing machine in a cast iron casing. Seriously. I'm pretty sure I can do this...




*I was told that WD40 isn't good for machines like this. Instead, Liquid Wrench Machine Oil is what I'll be using.

[merithyn]

You caved? 

And you had to know that I would... at least I waited until after the yard sale to let someone else have first dibs.

[Tonitrus]

Not totally surprised.  And sometimes it's nice to cave (especially if it results in a happy ending...hopefully).

[mongers]

Anyone have any experience in fixing vintage sewing machines?

I bought a 1940s White Rotary E6354 knee pedal machine today for $30. The motor works fine, but it's not moving the needle. I'm guessing the drive belt is done in, but I'm not 100% sure how to open it to find out. The thing is solid cast iron.

Thoughts?

Meri, get it tested as being electrically safe after you've finished with the mechanical side, as 70 year old cables and the wiring could have suffered down the years.

[merithyn]

Meri, get it tested as being electrically safe after you've finished with the mechanical side, as 70 year old cables and the wiring could have suffered down the years.

Yep, already on it. I did a quick, go-over on the cords and they seem sound, but I'm going to check things over much more carefully once the machine is moving. I also have a friend who's an electrician who will look it over for me once she has time.

Thank you.

[merithyn]

Took the whole thing apart, degreased the hell out of it with Liquid Wrench, oiled the hell out of it with machine oil, and put it back together. Worked great until I put the bobbin casing in...

I may have actually broken a solid steel casing.... 

[Grey Fox]

You are doing a good job!

[merithyn]

 Good news! The doo-hickey that I broke is available online for only $10.80!

Machine should be up and running by next week. 

[merithyn]

The machine has a knee pedal, which I don't really care for. On the plus side, I can switch it out pretty easily to a foot pedal for about $25.

Eventually, I'll buy a new table for it, but for now, it will work.