Sewing machines are amazing appliances that empower creative expression and practical applications. When they are properly maintained, sewing machines last for a life time. It is quite common for machines that were purchased in the 1950s to still be actively used by sewers and quilters.
When sewing machines are abused, exposed to environmental pressures, or neglected over time; they gradually fail to work. The oils and grease used to lubricate the sewing machine becomes infused with lint, dust, dirt, and debris. It loses viscosity. It dries and becomes gummy. Eventually, they crystallize and become encrusted inside the sewing machine. The result is a sewing machine that eventually fails to operate. The shafts become bound up with the debris, lock up solid, and freeze into an immovable hunk.
When you find a frozen sewing machine, it is no easy fix. It requires highly a skilled sewing machine technician to fix a dead head stuck sewing machine. You can easily tell when a sewing machine is dead head by attempting to turn the hand wheel. If it binds, resists turning, or freezes solid; it is locked up stuck.
Working on bound up sewing machines can be very frustrating. I suppose that no one wants to hear tips when struggling with insurmountable problems. That is what it feels like when you are working on a locked up sewing machine. It feels like the whole sewing machine has fused into one lump.
Many times I have worked on a dead head stuck sewing machine. After a couple of fruitless hours, it felt like there is no point trying any more. However, if you take the right steps, you can solve the problem.
First, why do sewing machines get locked up stuck?
Neglect, Problems in the bobbin and hook assembly, and broken parts are the causes of locked up.
Repairing bound up sewing machines, depends on the removal and elimination of crude in the machine. All the debris, lint, and crystallized lubricants must be removed. When the wrong lubricants are used, they gum of the machine. When lubricants are permitted to dry out, get gummy, and harden into crystals, they lock up the sewing machine. As long as they exist, they cause problems.
In rare cases, problems in the bobbin area can cause the sewing machine to bind. This is why it is so important for users to frequently clean out the bobbin area and place a drop of pure clean sewing machine oil on the race. When neglected, the lint, debris, and gummy residue from lubricants can cause big problems.
Breakage can also cause a machine to be locked up. Gears and levers sometimes just break. When this happens they can prevent the machine shafts from rotating.
What steps can a technician take to repair a locked up sewing machine?
When you attempt to turn the hand wheel, the locked up sewing machine hand wheel just wont turn or turns only under serious force. The first you need to do is remove the bobbin and bobbin carrier. If the hook assembly is removable, take it out. Test by turning the hand wheel. If it is loose, the problem is gunk in the bobbin assembly. Make sure the bobbin area is clear of debris and free of any binding parts.
Take off all the covers: top cover, bottom cover, and side covers. Blow out the machine using an air compressor. Look for threads wrapped around any parts and eliminate. Brush away and remove any encrusted debris. Lubricate the sewing machine appropriately. Test hand wheel again.
Sometimes the belt, tensioner, pulley assemblies, and drive mechanism can freeze up. Release the belt or drive from the hand wheel and try to turn the hand wheel.
Usually, if you completely remove all the old grease, oils, and gunk; and then thoroughly lubricate the machine you will solve the locked up problem. The key is to loosen any gummy, sticky, or encrusted lubricants between metal to metal connections. These points of metal to metal contact are critical. They must be thoroughly cleaned and then lubricated. Once you think you have completed cleaning, drive the hand wheel forward and backward to loosen any spots that are still gummed up or stuck. Spots of resistance must be located and worked until they are free.
Usually you will work the binding down to just one or two key spots. Use solvents as needed and let dry. Lubricate liberally. Rock the hand wheel back and forth. Apply heat to specific locations of concern. Use a torch or soldering iron to apply heat melting the old lubricants. In extreme cases, the head can be stripped of electrical, electronic, and plastic parts and then soaked for hours in strong solvent. This is obviously a measure of last resort. - 15246
When sewing machines are abused, exposed to environmental pressures, or neglected over time; they gradually fail to work. The oils and grease used to lubricate the sewing machine becomes infused with lint, dust, dirt, and debris. It loses viscosity. It dries and becomes gummy. Eventually, they crystallize and become encrusted inside the sewing machine. The result is a sewing machine that eventually fails to operate. The shafts become bound up with the debris, lock up solid, and freeze into an immovable hunk.
When you find a frozen sewing machine, it is no easy fix. It requires highly a skilled sewing machine technician to fix a dead head stuck sewing machine. You can easily tell when a sewing machine is dead head by attempting to turn the hand wheel. If it binds, resists turning, or freezes solid; it is locked up stuck.
Working on bound up sewing machines can be very frustrating. I suppose that no one wants to hear tips when struggling with insurmountable problems. That is what it feels like when you are working on a locked up sewing machine. It feels like the whole sewing machine has fused into one lump.
Many times I have worked on a dead head stuck sewing machine. After a couple of fruitless hours, it felt like there is no point trying any more. However, if you take the right steps, you can solve the problem.
First, why do sewing machines get locked up stuck?
Neglect, Problems in the bobbin and hook assembly, and broken parts are the causes of locked up.
Repairing bound up sewing machines, depends on the removal and elimination of crude in the machine. All the debris, lint, and crystallized lubricants must be removed. When the wrong lubricants are used, they gum of the machine. When lubricants are permitted to dry out, get gummy, and harden into crystals, they lock up the sewing machine. As long as they exist, they cause problems.
In rare cases, problems in the bobbin area can cause the sewing machine to bind. This is why it is so important for users to frequently clean out the bobbin area and place a drop of pure clean sewing machine oil on the race. When neglected, the lint, debris, and gummy residue from lubricants can cause big problems.
Breakage can also cause a machine to be locked up. Gears and levers sometimes just break. When this happens they can prevent the machine shafts from rotating.
What steps can a technician take to repair a locked up sewing machine?
When you attempt to turn the hand wheel, the locked up sewing machine hand wheel just wont turn or turns only under serious force. The first you need to do is remove the bobbin and bobbin carrier. If the hook assembly is removable, take it out. Test by turning the hand wheel. If it is loose, the problem is gunk in the bobbin assembly. Make sure the bobbin area is clear of debris and free of any binding parts.
Take off all the covers: top cover, bottom cover, and side covers. Blow out the machine using an air compressor. Look for threads wrapped around any parts and eliminate. Brush away and remove any encrusted debris. Lubricate the sewing machine appropriately. Test hand wheel again.
Sometimes the belt, tensioner, pulley assemblies, and drive mechanism can freeze up. Release the belt or drive from the hand wheel and try to turn the hand wheel.
Usually, if you completely remove all the old grease, oils, and gunk; and then thoroughly lubricate the machine you will solve the locked up problem. The key is to loosen any gummy, sticky, or encrusted lubricants between metal to metal connections. These points of metal to metal contact are critical. They must be thoroughly cleaned and then lubricated. Once you think you have completed cleaning, drive the hand wheel forward and backward to loosen any spots that are still gummed up or stuck. Spots of resistance must be located and worked until they are free.
Usually you will work the binding down to just one or two key spots. Use solvents as needed and let dry. Lubricate liberally. Rock the hand wheel back and forth. Apply heat to specific locations of concern. Use a torch or soldering iron to apply heat melting the old lubricants. In extreme cases, the head can be stripped of electrical, electronic, and plastic parts and then soaked for hours in strong solvent. This is obviously a measure of last resort. - 15246
About the Author:
Before purchasing sewing machine repair manuals, see the vast resources available in Dr. David Trumble's sewing machine repair training courses. Even download his free beginner's course 7 Steps To Peak Performance.
