Need sewing machine help

[skadistic]

I have a sewing machine for my late granny. The rest of the family wanted to toss it out. So I have a mechanicly perfect (sans a bad rubber belt) Ambassador Delux model 1952. The electric 1/15hp drive motor is not stock but still works. I could care less about that. I need to learn how the damn thing works! I have no idea how to thread the incredibly heavy thing. Its made of cast iron. Can any of you help me? Please.

Hows that for OT!

 

[El_Machinae]

Can you figure out how to take out the needle? Do you have any plans for what you'll make?

(BTW: this is awesome, making use of 50 year-old resources.)

 

[Narz]

I have no idea but good luck with that ska.

Hope you get some good practical advice admists the "thread" jokes.

 

[Abaddon]

does the needle have an eye in which to thread the thread?

 

[soul_warrior]

could you post a picture and maybe a model number?
those details might come in handy.

better tahn looking for a needle in a haystack
couldnt resist it

 

[skadistic]

Its not like threading a hand needle. The thead has to go around dohickeys and dodads so it get the right tension and whatnot. Pluss the whole bobbin thing. I'm useing it to make a leather shifter boot for me car. And whatever else I can think of.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Thats beautiful. Its an art object.

 

[nonconformist]

My parents used to collect old singer hand and foot powered sewing machines.

The vertical pole on the right of the machine in your pic is the spindle; it holds then thread cylinder, allowing it to turn.
On the right, on the face, there's kinda an arm that goes up and down with the needle, I think it threads through.
There's a plate on that face you remove, and there should be a labyrinth of pegs or such inside.
You thread it through, and the thread should come out parallel to the needle.
Near the bottom of the needle, there is a hole that you thread through.

I've never been a sewer (is that even a word?), and I managed to get my finger caught under the needle while one of my parents' was on, so don't take my word for it, but that's how I seem to remember it working.

 

[Neomega]

I was a sewing machine mechanic for a year.

I can tell you right now there is nothing anyone here could tell you about why it is messing up, much less try to explain how to thread it.

It's worth about $50. If it's out of time, you may never know if you got it threaded right.

Honestly, that is one of the simplest machines to thread, so try it a couple of ways, and see what happens. Get a test swath of material, and do a couple of hand crank rotations to see if it is stitching correctly. Don't do any electric turns until you know you have it threaded correctly.

 

[onejayhawk]

Look at sewing machines on auction sites. Singer machines from the 1950s and early 1960s typically sell for $150 - $400. That is because they still work. See if there are any machines from the 1990s.

In the mid 1960s Singer began replacing the metal gears with synthetics. This produced a lighter weight, quieter, more versatile machine, yet at a lower cost. The trade off was durability. The 60 year old Ambassador machine will probably still sew straight. 10 year old high end machines, say Bernina or Viking, are often some much junk.

For threading it, there are videos on Youtube.

SINGER 9960 Quantum Stylist 600-Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine is the best machine known to me so far. Its very easy and quiet to use... I highly recommend all to buy this product..

Troll.

J

 

[Borachio]

Gah! Sewing machines! I have one, and the damn thing has defeated me. It just sits in the cupboard snickering at me whenever I go past.