Wonderful informative video! These vintage Pfaffs are great machines, I just restored a Standard 332, no fancy stitches. You are right about the factory coating which can harden up in these machines over time. The reason Pfaffs and Berninas freeze up easily if not used frequently is due to the very exact, tight tolerances when they were made, which also sets them apart as excellent quality machines. Enjoy!
Hi Thea,, nice pfaff,,,and love your Christmas dress, and I want to compliment you on your very professionally done demo of the machine. And I m just getting into the free motion quilting side of things, I think it takes a lot of practice!
My 332 Automatic was intimidating in the beginning; like you've said there's so many dials you need to familiarize yourself with in order to know how to combine them to get what you want. I'll also be honest I'm not looking forward to the day when I have to open it up for "surgery" 😵💫 Germans made a lot of great quality yet complex machinery back then. I personally find it very satisfying to see older machines looking rough and crusty yet still sewing like a champ, so this video suits me just fine lol.
My Dial a Stitch does not work because someone took it out to fix the frozen issue, and there are innards that MUST be in certain locations before it's reinstalled. My service manual tells me, but without pictures to reference, it'll be difficult, so I'm living with straight/zig zag functions. Don't say "take it to the Pfaff dealer" because I did to get the zig zag to work and they tried to tell me they couldn't figure it out and "did I want to just leave it?" I think they wanted to take it from me because it was PRISTINE and looked like brand new. I fixed the zig zag myself.
100% - taking out the Dial-A-Stitch component you have to make sure you remove and replace it back correctly. I've worked on a similar PFAFF with the same component. It can be difficult. I'm hoping with use, this one will work free, so I don't have to take it apart. I honestly would never say take it to the dealer. Most actually wouldn't know what to do with a machine this old in my experience. :) Good on you for getting the zig zag to work again. I hope you'll be able to get your Dial-A-Stitch working too!
"Want to just leave it?" Yeah, that sounds suspicious. I'd rather mine sit on my shelf broken but fun to look at, rather than have someone potentially try to thieve it away from me.
You can color me envious. I have about 40 machines and zero Pfaff. I've had a few with sort of sticky controls. Keeping oil on them, using the machine and just trying them from time to time freed them up. I think it's the vibration from using it that helps work the oil in over time. Very nice save. Oh, and try the word "conserve" for what you do.
No Pfaff's? I know they can be harder to find. I always leaned towards them because that's what Nancy Zieman used. I loved watching her. I agree, the vibration from movement really works the oil through. This has been the case for all four of my old Pfaff's particularly. Patience, oil and time on those for sure. Conserve is a great descriptor. I like that. :)
That tension mechanism is really peculiar. On most machines I've seen that have a checkspring with a downward facing tail, the thread will go through the tension discs, then over a hook, then under the checkspring and up to the take-up lever (on machines with an upward facing tail, the thread goes directly from the tension discs over the checkspring, but then under a hook before going up to the take-up lever). Looking at the service manual for this machine, it seems like an upgraded tension mechanism was released at some point that had that hook integrated into a cup that sat in front of the tension discs (a very standard design where pulling the thread straight upwards catches it in the hook), but you've got the older style mechanism where that hook just doesn't exist at all. How very odd.
I am thinking grow up , because I grew up with PHAFF😂, if I need info , I need PHAFF! If I seek ingenuity I seek my ifs' as PHAFF'; yes I am opinionated take a back seat and begin!
I recently acquired a 360. The light comes on. The motor runs as well. However, outside of those things, everything is stuck. Even the take up leaver is frozen and won’t move at all. Is that an indication that mines is frozen? I’ve been doing research and want to avoid taking it to a repair shop if I don’t have to. Any response would be greatly appreciated.
It sounds like it is "frozen" /"locked up". Good that it turns on though. Sounds like the motor is good. Many Pfaff's have the issue of a "gunk build up". I talk about it more in my very first Pfaff video: th-cam.com/video/FAYcdxU0oiE/w-d-xo.html Keeping in a warm room really helps. With some luck and patience you won't have to visit a repair shop with it. Good luck!
Hi I had a Pfaff 260 for over 54years.My husband bought me the beautiful machine.Gave it away recently. Cape Town. South Africa
Wonderful informative video!
These vintage Pfaffs are great machines, I just restored a Standard 332, no fancy stitches.
You are right about the factory coating which can harden up in these machines over time.
The reason Pfaffs and Berninas freeze up easily if not used frequently is due to the very exact, tight tolerances when they were made, which also sets them apart as excellent quality machines.
Enjoy!
I’ve recently acquired a Singer 320 and love it it is now my go to machine
Hi Thea,, nice pfaff,,,and love your Christmas dress, and I want to compliment you on your very professionally done demo of the machine. And I m just getting into the free motion quilting side of things, I think it takes a lot of practice!
My 332 Automatic was intimidating in the beginning; like you've said there's so many dials you need to familiarize yourself with in order to know how to combine them to get what you want.
I'll also be honest I'm not looking forward to the day when I have to open it up for "surgery" 😵💫 Germans made a lot of great quality yet complex machinery back then.
I personally find it very satisfying to see older machines looking rough and crusty yet still sewing like a champ, so this video suits me just fine lol.
I joke that working on the old PFAFFs is like getting into a serious relationship. So many details and ways of doing things with those machines. :)
My Dial a Stitch does not work because someone took it out to fix the frozen issue, and there are innards that MUST be in certain locations before it's reinstalled. My service manual tells me, but without pictures to reference, it'll be difficult, so I'm living with straight/zig zag functions. Don't say "take it to the Pfaff dealer" because I did to get the zig zag to work and they tried to tell me they couldn't figure it out and "did I want to just leave it?" I think they wanted to take it from me because it was PRISTINE and looked like brand new. I fixed the zig zag myself.
100% - taking out the Dial-A-Stitch component you have to make sure you remove and replace it back correctly. I've worked on a similar PFAFF with the same component. It can be difficult. I'm hoping with use, this one will work free, so I don't have to take it apart. I honestly would never say take it to the dealer. Most actually wouldn't know what to do with a machine this old in my experience. :) Good on you for getting the zig zag to work again. I hope you'll be able to get your Dial-A-Stitch working too!
"Want to just leave it?" Yeah, that sounds suspicious. I'd rather mine sit on my shelf broken but fun to look at, rather than have someone potentially try to thieve it away from me.
You can color me envious. I have about 40 machines and zero Pfaff.
I've had a few with sort of sticky controls. Keeping oil on them, using the machine and just trying them from time to time freed them up. I think it's the vibration from using it that helps work the oil in over time.
Very nice save. Oh, and try the word "conserve" for what you do.
No Pfaff's? I know they can be harder to find. I always leaned towards them because that's what Nancy Zieman used. I loved watching her.
I agree, the vibration from movement really works the oil through. This has been the case for all four of my old Pfaff's particularly. Patience, oil and time on those for sure.
Conserve is a great descriptor. I like that. :)
That tension mechanism is really peculiar. On most machines I've seen that have a checkspring with a downward facing tail, the thread will go through the tension discs, then over a hook, then under the checkspring and up to the take-up lever (on machines with an upward facing tail, the thread goes directly from the tension discs over the checkspring, but then under a hook before going up to the take-up lever). Looking at the service manual for this machine, it seems like an upgraded tension mechanism was released at some point that had that hook integrated into a cup that sat in front of the tension discs (a very standard design where pulling the thread straight upwards catches it in the hook), but you've got the older style mechanism where that hook just doesn't exist at all. How very odd.
I am thinking grow up , because I grew up with PHAFF😂, if I need info , I need PHAFF! If I seek ingenuity I seek my ifs' as PHAFF'; yes I am opinionated take a back seat and begin!
I recently acquired a 360. The light comes on. The motor runs as well. However, outside of those things, everything is stuck. Even the take up leaver is frozen and won’t move at all. Is that an indication that mines is frozen? I’ve been doing research and want to avoid taking it to a repair shop if I don’t have to.
Any response would be greatly appreciated.
It sounds like it is "frozen" /"locked up". Good that it turns on though. Sounds like the motor is good. Many Pfaff's have the issue of a "gunk build up". I talk about it more in my very first Pfaff video: th-cam.com/video/FAYcdxU0oiE/w-d-xo.html
Keeping in a warm room really helps. With some luck and patience you won't have to visit a repair shop with it. Good luck!
Super beautiful PFAFF Thea ♥️🧵♥️🧵Glenn