OT: Sewing machine repair question where

All of the following done OUTDOORS:

1 cup of lye in 3 gallons of *cold* water will remove any kind of paint, gr ease, or applied coating from any otherwise inert metal or plastic. Even fr om the smallest nooks and crannies if left overnight. Do not do this, or ch oose the option below unless you have a safe method of disposal of the effl uent. Much vintage paint and coatings, especially bright colors contained l ead, chromium, cadmium and other pigments that are no fun in any concentrat ion.

Glacial Ammonia - available as a diazo-print developer back in the day - wi ll do the same.

Kerosene and other light hydrocarbons should also be used outdoors if used as solvents. Similarly, gasoline, Naptha, Coleman fuel and others of that n ature. And certainly not indoors or near sources of ignition - even electri c fans.

Acetone should be used in very small quantities as the vapor is heavier tha n air and quite volatile (explosive). Outdoors if in any sort of quantity.

Similarly, methanol (wood alcohol). Very explosive if the vapors are concen trated.

I keep a number of 1-ounce glass eyedropper bottles for various solvents an d such, including my 20:1 naptha-oleic acid mix. And even then, I tend to b e quite careful with them.

I am also a great believer in new-technology lubricants. Synthetics, engine ered long-chain polymers and PTFE additives have made the options very near ly infinitely better than even 30 years ago. Nor are vast quantities needed for most of us. Running four clocks and any number of other clockwork/mech anical devices (and guns) and I am still on my first pints with most left o ver. So, at that level, cost is really not a factor.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
pfjw
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grease, or applied coating from any otherwise inert metal or plastic. Even from the smallest nooks and crannies if left overnight. Do not do this, or choose the option below unless you have a safe method of disposal of the ef fluent. Much vintage paint and coatings, especially bright colors contained lead, chromium, cadmium and other pigments that are no fun in any concentr ation.

will do the same.

d as solvents. Similarly, gasoline, Naptha, Coleman fuel and others of that nature. And certainly not indoors or near sources of ignition - even elect ric fans.

han air and quite volatile (explosive). Outdoors if in any sort of quantity .

entrated.

and such, including my 20:1 naptha-oleic acid mix. And even then, I tend to be quite careful with them.

neered long-chain polymers and PTFE additives have made the options very ne arly infinitely better than even 30 years ago. Nor are vast quantities need ed for most of us. Running four clocks and any number of other clockwork/me chanical devices (and guns) and I am still on my first pints with most left over. So, at that level, cost is really not a factor.

Some of those solvents are certainly toxic and explosive, but kerosene? I'm perfectly happy to use that indoors.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

'm perfectly happy to use that indoors.

Kerosene has two not-so-nice properties that few understand:

a) When exposed in quantity - on a rag, or in a bowl - although it has rela tively low volatility, it does not have ZERO volatility. And that volatilit y is highly dependent on temperature. Further, kerosene is not uniformly on e fraction, but several. What happens is that if any surfaces near to the w ork area are cooler than the rest of the room, a thin film of the heavier f ractions will build up.

b) And, that film will polymerize over time (faster with exposure to UV or ozone) into a varnish-like coating that will be very nearly impossible to r emove without heroic efforts.

Acetone, Naptha, Methanol and other alcohols and similar volatile solvents consist of fractions that do not have a transition temperature anywhere nea r normal room temperature.

Better living through chemistry!

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
pfjw

Right the 121 now works perfectly. I reassembled the upper thread tensioner leaving out the tension release disc as I couldn't get it to work with it. I can only presume it was wrongly assembled or some part out of spec, and likely a bit not present that should be.

That leaves the [far better] 530-2, a 1960s all-mechanical machine with cam wheel operated stitch patterns. Good progress - it now sews & keeps going a t a good speed. Some jammed bits are unstuck, but some remain jammed.

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Still jammed are:

- the needle position knob. The mechanism has a sprung detent thing, and it is jammed absolutely rock solid. Soaking in oil, baking in oven & plenty o f force has had no effect.

- the stitch length knob moves but still very stiffly.

- the biggest problem is the stitch pattern selector. Again it's rock solid jammed. Photos and video don't show the mechanism at all, it's buried unde r other bits and one has to bob about to spot bits of it and work out what it is. I hope to add paraffin/kerosene tonight and cross fingers.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

Much snippage.

Do you have access to Kroil? I used it recently (and successfully) to loosen a muffler-bearing (OK, an exhaust manifold bolt) on my wife's very vintage Volvo recently. It might be effective in your situation where the other stuff has no effect.

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Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
pfjw

No, I checked, I'll try other solvents first, and think again if necessary.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

"Thread" does have a nice ambiguity in the context of sewing machines!

Mike.

Reply to
Mike Coon

And full immolation?

Mike.

Reply to
Mike Coon

lol. It doesn't mention any possible risk so yay let's go for it.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

I'm not sure which of the noxious, explosive, corrosive, and cancerous additives found in modern gasoline is considered most hazardous, but I suggest you find something a little less dangerous. Please remember that you have only one life to give for this repair project.

Have you tried penetrating oil (Kroil) to break things loose? My guess(tm) is you're dealing with well hidden rust.

--
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Yeah. Kroil. P-L-E-A-S-E.

Gasoline, diesel, kerosene - all of which are very nasty - are not good options for anything other than internal combustion engines, turbines and lamps. The latter in small quantities, and generally for emergency purposes.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
pfjw

If I knew where I had some in the shed I'd use it, but certainly not in the house.

Kroil doesn't seem to be sold here. Other penetrating oils are of course, though I've often used kero for this. WD40 aka white spirit is popular here. I've no clue where my plusgas cans are, not seen them in a long time. So yes I probably need to buy some. I normally try what I've got first.

Right now I'm in downtime, and it may take a while to heal up, so the Berninas will probably have to wait.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

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