Hey Andy! Thank you so much for your awesome videos. Just wanted to mention that since the hand wheel and machine top were off, I was able to lift the machine a bit and push my stuck motor from the top and it was way easier than trying to wiggle it loose. Thanks for the "heads up" about the motor bracket screw.
Andy, you are an absolute champion. This video helped me restore my 403A's motor, and other videos helped me with a variety of different bits of required maintenance. Thank you so much for putting up such a comprehensive suite of videos for these vintage machines
Wow Andy! Thank you so much for your clear teaching! I was given a 401a that smoked and I now have it all cleaned and am letting it dry overnight. It was dirtier than yours! Can't wait to get it together and see how it runs! God bless you!
Wow, thanks Andy Tube for this! My 401A, that I was lucky enough to save from the bin as someone was actually throwing it out, was in desperate need of a tune up which I did at the time. Lately it was running so poorly and then actually started smoking! I researched buying a new motor and then remembered your channel as I had watched it before. Well two days later I am thrilled to let you know I basically did every step in this video and thanks to you it is now purring like a little contented kitten! Thanks again for your attention to detail and commentary!
You are welcome, Bebe. I'm glad you remembered my channel. Another thing to keep in mind if the motor seems to slow down again is the condition of the foot controller. It tends to be ignored over the decades but does control the flow of current to the motor. Most of the 401A machines have the "button style" foot controller and here is a playlist for rehabbing it if ever needed: th-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKL6ePPxLpmnWSzTyxPKTb71.html Thanks for keeping that wonderful machine in service, and for your very kind comment. 🙏
@@andytubesewing1953 Hi ! Well I am now proud to tell you that, following your excellent lesson on adjusting, cleaning and polishing the 401A foot control, I now have a very fast and very responsive - clean gorgeous 401A machine with zippy foot pedal! Thanks again, as mentioned I was on the verge of tossing this machine out, but your videos gave me the confidence to tackle the inspection and cleaning. This really made my day,heck my week! take care and keep 'em coming!
@@hummingbird66 You should be proud, and nicely done! I can just see and hear that beautiful machine. Thank you for keeping it out of the landfill and giving it a new life 🙏 Now I'm wondering which Singer model you will do next? Take care.
Thank you Andytube! You turned Singer 600 from a "touch and slow" to a real "touch in sew"! I was having all the same problems you were having minus the brushes put in wrong. (That wedge is tricky too!) I feel accomplished and saved some money! You are the best
very nicely done Terri. I'm glad you found the video and congratulations for restoring that motor to its glory! you should feel accomplished you did a great job enjoy that touch and sew and stop by my channel whenever you have time.
You are very busy and working hard on those machines. Thank you for that I appreciate that you're keeping them in service and even improving their performance EDIT: I meant to give you the link to the Foor Pedal Restoration Playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKL6ePPxLpmnWSzTyxPKTb71.html
@@andytubesewing1953 I have 8 machines to keep me busy , fixing and restoring. I took 3 (2 FUTURA II's and the Singer 413) to a local repairman who took me to the cleaners for $600.00 to repair and clean those 3 machines....he did nothing to them accept adjust tensions and gave one machine new rubber bed pads...and new felt spool pads. NEVER AGAIN. He did not clean anything nor replace grease or oil. So now, I am my machines only hope. So going through your vids like a house on fire for all my repairing needs. If you could direct me to anyone who has worked on and restored Singer FUTURA II 900 and 920 machines I would be ever so grateful as I can find nothing. Stuck cam stacks and adjustments....how to access..as these machines are intimidating....stuck needle plate on one machine so that I can't even access the bobbin area. Then I have 3 Kenmore 158 Series machine that are easy to work on...all metal gears!!! Then a Rocketeer 500A gifted to me with table...the Queen of my machines. 8 in total to work on. Whew!!! Think I bit off more than I can chew. 3 FUTURA II's 3 Kenmore Singer 413 Rocketeer 500A Waiting for parts to arrive for repairs from eBay. Carbon brushes, for motors Led lights, Bobbin Race parts for 2 machines Needs yet to get: 400 sand paper More rubber feet pads, Belts for the 413 And possibly another foot pedal for it....but can't find the special 3 way plug setup. And that very handy 90° wrench for use around the feed dog. I have all the supplies you recommend for grease, oil, and cleaning. Going broke ...but having a great time bringing these machines back to life. It very rewarding.
@@andytubesewing1953 I have 8 machines to work on! 3 FUTURA II 900-920, 1 Singer 413, 3 Kenmore 158 series, and the 509a Rocketeer. Needing all the help I can get...suggestions for all needs greatly appreciated!
Thank you Andy! Good day and good health. I bought a 401A for my daughter a couple months ago. When I tested it, I knew it was running really slow, and actually it was not running all the time. They were clearing out the condo and this particular item is her mom's pride (the mom used to be a dress designer and just moved to senior home). I bought it anyway and told her to let her mom know we would make good use of it. So, my daughter has been watching your channel and cleaning her machine (still cleaning, lol). Now, we plugged it in and wanted to see if it runs better after some cleaning is done, and we see smoke 🤦♀️, and it's still slow and not always running. I believe it's the motor. I will follow this video to service the motor and hopefully it will work. Thanks for giving me hope. ❤
That is a nice treasure to give your daughter. Smoke from the motor can mean oil on the commutator. A motor that old that had heavy use can certainly need a good cleaning. There is also a quick way to clean the commutator and reseat the motor brushes that always increases power & speed. Use a diamond stone. Here is a video about using the $10 stone: th-cam.com/video/pzq4tv8qn94/w-d-xo.html You can do this in 5 minutes, without dismantling the motor, to see if the motor is truly the cause of the slowness. The other thing I want to mention is more often than not, a slow running machine is due to the foot controller. The vintage controllers use a carbon stack to control speed and a spring w/ plunger control. The carbons can get covered with carbon buildup & "dust" that affects current flow, and the plunger can get out of adjustment. Carbon gets got when used, and a seamstress/dressmaker uses a lot of stop-and-go sewing that makes the pedal get hot. By cleaning the carbons and adjusting the plunger back to spec you can increase performance and speed range control. That pedal is 60 years old now. We all need a little "tuneup" by that age. Here is a playlist for restoring a button-style foot controller: th-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKL6ePPxLpmnWSzTyxPKTb71.html I'm happy for your daughter to be learning how to repair and maintain her new Slant-o-Matic that would have cost about $2,500 in today's dollars.
@@andytubesewing1953 Hi Andy! Sorry I didn't get a chance to see your reply till now. Thank you so much again for your time and tips. Really appreciate it. I espectially love to know that I might not need any new parts! 😃 I had already watched your diamond stone video, that reminded me of the stone that I used to have with my home manicure tools! Lol. One more question for you Andy, I have another 401A that does not run. I can only hear buzzing sounds from the controller/motor, the needle doesn't go up or down. Does that mean the motor is gone? 🥲
@@wingwong888 Buzzing sounds do not mean a bad motor. Actually, I've never had a "bad" motor on a Singer sewing machine. I've always found that the foot controller needed work (as mentioned above) or the gears and moving parts of the machine itself were stuck together with decades-old dried-up oil. Cleaning and lubricating the machine properly was the way to get things moving. Your 401A has a nice big beautiful handwheel. Have you tried turning it to see if it moves and makes the needle bar go up and down the feed dog move, and the hook rotate? I'd test that stuff before worrying about that PA-style motor. (edit) P.S. Don't use your manicure stone on your sewing motor. It's too hard)
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks Andy!! I did clean up the machine and have the wheel unstuck. After plugging it in and heard that weak buzzing sound, I thought there wasn't hope and couldn't think of what to do next. But now, definitely I would take it back out and check more carefully! I will find time to watch your video about the foot controller first. Oh and I wouldn't use the stone from manicure if it's too hard! 😅 Thanks Andy. Miss you. And it's always so lovely to hear from you. ❤
Thank you so much Andy. I cleaned all the parts and put everything back together, without the wedge. The commutator was very clean, so I just used alcohol. I don't have one of those diamond sticks yet. The nice thing about that is once I get one (diamond stick), I can just polish the commutator while it's in the machine. I really can't believe I took apart the motor and cleaned it and then reassembled it. As always, your instruction was so good; so thorough, complete and detailed and at just the right pace that people like me watch it with great interest and then do it! The PA motor is so easy to remove and service, one wonders why they stopped making them--I guess the smaller machines with some plastic parts that came into fashion just didn't need such a strong, reliable motor. Thank you again; I wish I would have noticed earlier you were wearing gloves while servicing. My fingers and nails have blackened, and it doesn't come off too easily. Oh well, it's my mark of success!
Mark of success + badge of courage! Nicely done, Carole, and I agree about the PA style of motor. I feel it is one of the best Singer ever made, and definitely, the easiest to work on. Oh, that carbon black powder is something, isn't it? When I am out of gloves I rub a thin layer of vaseline on my hands and they seem easier to clean after working on a motor. I appreciate your working on and saving these vintage machines. You're getting to be a very good mechanic. The next video is the light, wires, and terminals and I hope you have time to watch it. Take care and greetings to Mr. too.
Ohh... my Singer repair guys called it the "Typewriter" machine. I've never had the pleasure. Good luck with it. th-cam.com/video/mVX2Io_tomk/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/TmnnvGrEfmg/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching my channel.
So very satisfying video! I have an extra motor that I thought I needed for my 301. As it turns out it was in perfect condition, but it’s ok because is the same motor in 5 of my girls!☺️. Thanks again.
Andy your videos are wonderful and I have learned so much to help revive a couple of vintage singers I have. Weeeee! I feel really empowered now ! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
How nice of you to say so! Empowerment is wonderful when it's for a good thing like that. There isn't much you can't do yourself on your machines. Part of the fun with using them from now on is knowing you made it possible and could do it again anytime you like. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing.
Wow very informative video thank you very much. I learned alot, just bought a slant o malice 401a motors not running right either and I have the identical foot activator... now at least I know where to start TS work
Appreciate your kind comment, John. 🙏Hope you enjoy your new machine; a beautiful workhorse. Wanted to let you know a free copy of the Service Manual can be found here: sewingdude.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/singer-401-service-manual1.pdf You may find it helpful to have on hand. Take care.
Yet another great PA motor video. That PA motor of mine that apparently created a sooty mess in the machine is looking more normal now that I cleaned most of the carbon residue off with cotton swabs and alcohol last night. I'm wondering what happened to that machine to make such a mess, maybe someone put the brushes in wrong and created a ton of carbon dust in reshaping? After seeing how resilient these motors are I think this messy motor is the perfect candidate for your Krud-Kutter in the sink treatment! There was stuff I could not get to with mere cotton swabs. I'm also going to order one of those Diamond-D stones and get a can of that electronic cleaner as I now have three sewing machines to refurb or keep maintained. I already had the Tri-Flow oil for my bicycle and bought their grease for the sewing machines. Has anyone ever said that you are the Bob Ross of Vintage Singer Sewing machines? Maybe someday that will be reversed and people will be saying "oh that's the Andy Tube" of some other hobby? You're helping a lot of folks. I am very happy to have found your work. Thanks Andy. PS Thanks for the discount at Terry's TnT - bought a couple more manuals today.
I have also wondered why some motors seem extra sooty. You're theory about the carbons sounds as good a reason as any other I have heard. Many new carbons come flat and they take awhile to wear down to the curve of the commutator. That's one reason I love that diamond stone brush seater. Just a couple minutes and the brushes are hugging that commutator like crazy. I've been called a lot of names, but nothing near to the famous Bob Ross. I'll have to share that with my artist daughter who never missed his show while growing up. Thank you, and thanks for watching my channel 😉✨
@@andytubesewing1953 Hi again, That was the first time I had opened a motor so it was a strange experience but I also have two other motors, one on my Mom's 648 and one in the 603e that I recently purchased from the local shop. I decided to take a peek at those two motors to compare. Neither of them was such a mess, though there was some carbon dust it was far less. Cleaned them up without resorting to the sink method. All of them are working. The brush seater stone is waiting for me at the P.O today. I'm working my way through more of your fantastic videos while continuing the mini restoration, cleaning, lube on the ebay 600. I felt comfortable enough with the 600 yesterday to apply electricity and it runs fine, now just need to continue fine tuning. Next on the agenda is looking more closely at the camstack. It looks like the 600 under the hood is very similar to the 403. Thanks again Andy
My fiber insulator piece is black on one side, is there a proper side to have facing up vs down? I'm working on a 500A, thanks for your videos! I definitely wouldn't have had the confidence of know how to restore this machine without your videos!
To the best of my knowledge, no difference as to placement. It only needs to insulate the back of the contact "pins" from the motor housing. Thanks for watching my channel and best of luck with your Rocketeer!
Thanks! I finished cleaning and reinstalling the motor this morning and it really made all the difference in speed! Now I just need to figure out the minor tension issues haha, forever a work in progress!
Appreciate it! It was my college graduation present to myself this past may, in great shape externally but obviously hadn't had any attention in who knows how long...it's come a long way since then!
Hey Andy TY for the video, I'm working on a grimey motor now and was wondering what you do if the part that you said not to get any liquid in when cleaning ,is really grimey, I can hear the grit in the bearings when trying to turn the shaft😢
@@barbarajester7902 off hand you're talking about the top bearing? I made the mistake of getting some crud cutter in there before and it totally stripped out all the grease from the bearing after that it made a terrible screeching sound I had to put a drop or two of 30 weight motor oil every time I wanted to sew for an hour or two and finally the oil would drip down farther into the motor and make a mess again I finally replaced the motor I sent the the bad one to a friend who figured a process how to replace that top bearing there may be a couple videos on TH-cam now about that so you definitely don't want to get any grease cutter or degreaser up into that area I don't know if you could carefully rinse it with cool water trying to move the grit out without degreasing it but that's still a create a problem just be careful and think it over before you do anything
i prefer the exterior motors now!! loll! ;-)- Love the trick with the tool to polish the copper... that brought it back to life alright!! You're the Best !! PS, by the way thankYou for posting a link to Terry TNT Repairs , they had my impossible to find manual for my 1962 White 6477 and with your code i saved 20% !!
Haha! Yes, I love my new Diamond Stick b/c it is so quick and easy. Terry is the best and was way ahead of his time in helping do-it-yourselfers fix their sewing machines. I'm glad you found something of value on his site: store.tandtrepair.com Thanks for watching, Dan
Thanks for the great video! My motor would barely turn when the juice was applied and it was partly because of lots of oil all over the brushes. After I cleaned all of the parts and reassembled, it turned a little faster but nowhere near fast enough, plus it was smoking! :( I replaced the tape around the windings and I used a fine whetstone to tune up the commutator and it purred like, well, a sewing machine!
Hey Andy, have you ever tried to open and clean the motor of a Singer 401 G? I have a Singer 401 G with a motor that needs cleaning...perhaps even replacing...and I've been following your video but I cant get the brown outside cap/cover off. This is because the 401 G motor is a little different to the one in this video. On my machine, the brown cap/cover encases most of the entire motor, all the way up to the metal gear at the top. The 401 G motor has different screw types in the area that you start opening up at 15:30, and I cannot work out which kind of screw driver I need. Thank you for your excellent videos and any knowledge you might have on this would be greatly appreciated!
I can't help you with your 401G. It was made in Germany. I've never seen one in person. I've tried many times to find a service or parts manual for it, but have never succeeded. Most of the parts are similar to the US-made 401A but a few are different. I could not even say you have the original motor. Sorry ☹
@@andytubesewing1953Hi Andy, thanks for this video! I managed to get my 401 G motor open and clean it (had to reshape a screwdriver to be able to unscrew the screws).The inside of the 401G motor is mostly quite similar so it still worked well following this tutorial. However I was too impatient and did not add grease to the gear and oil to the shaft before I reinstalled it! So now it is stuck again in the wrong position and I need to hammer it out again haha. Before I reinstall, do you think its worth cleaning the inside of the machine somehow so it doesnt get stuck again? Or do you think grease and oil on the motor will be enough?
@@georginatayler6145 Boy, you have a tough one. I use something like this to clean the "tube" the motor slides into when it looks gunky up inside www.target.com/p/scotch-brite-glass-38-bottle-brush/-/A-14753617#lnk=sametab Any kind of a bottl;e brush or wheel brush can work. I turn the machine upside down, put the brush in as far as it goes, and spray a mild cleaner or alcohol into the brush then twist it up and out.
Hey I took apart the motor on my 403a because it was smoking. Would carbon build up and oil cause this issue or could it be a part needing replaced? Comparwd to this video nothing looks too worn out or broken.
@@errinpardue5651 oils made from petroleum and carbon deposits get hot so I think That's where the smoke was coming from it should clean up nicely and run much better if you follow the video good luck with that beautiful 403a my favorite heavy duty singer zigzag machine
@@andytubesewing1953thanks for the confirmation. I had a bent hand wheel on this same machine as well. I used your other video to find out how to replace that. I’m hoping after this cleaning I’ll be able to test it out. This machine was stored in a debris filled garage and then set on its side after it was taken out of its table so it’s seen better days. I think all that was missing for it to be labeled broken and forgotten was the bobbin tyre.
Hey Andy thanks so much, when I put my motor back together it's really stiff to turn as before I put it back together it turned easy, what am I doing wrong, and where can I send you a donation
Let me understand this. Before you took it apart it turned easily, but after putting it back together it is really stiff to turn? If that is what you mean I'll ask are you turning it by hand with your fingers on the top pinion gear on the shaft, or putting it back in the machine and turning with the handwheel? If it is stiff to turn my hand with your fingers all I can think of is the brass tubes holding the motor brushes were slipped in too far and are against the commutator, or the bearing at the top of the motor shaft got bent.
I am working on one of these motors, it’s a PA9-8 from a 401a, and yet again, AndyTube to the rescue! Mine didn’t have the small rectangle insulation piece. Am wondering if there is anything I might have around the house that I could stick in there instead? Also, my brush holders were in there sideways, too! I am having to do this because the smell coming from it when I was sewing yesterday about killed me, lol! It was absolutely filthy in there. Thanks again, Andy. Sending prayers daily…. Jonee
@@graymaquilter9641 I have used a small rectangle piece of inner tube once from a car years ago and More recently from a bicycle tire in a tube it's about the right thickness and insulates well good luck happy to hear you're still working on those beautiful machines and thanks for your thoughts
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks, Andy! So this means that I probably want to take that piece of cereal box out I put in there, huh? 😂 The motor works better but it still has that same acrid smell. I am going to order some new brushes, these are still leaving oil on the commutator and look a lil short. Hope that does it! How long are you going to have 100° plus down there!? It’s been a brutal summer, for sure.. even up here!
@@graymaquilter9641 well maybe a double piece of cereal box just some kind of insulator will be okay and yeah what's with this heat it's supposed to be 114° down here Saturday instead of the normal 95 for this time of year to some people 95 sounds terrible but when the humidity's low it's livable compared to that 110 plus it's funny because I asked my wife what's the temperature today she just says 100 and hot meaning after 100 she quits counting take care of yourself
I've never seen or heard of a failure. It is Sintered Bronze Bearing like the main arm shaft bearings. I have a very detailed video about it is you want to see a little more info: th-cam.com/video/CG3qlX5mMnQ/w-d-xo.html it's a loooong video, but it has chapters you can skip to and it plays well at 1.5x speed too. Thanks for watching my channel.
@@sauces_official No worries at all 😊With almost 600 videos posted on my channel I can barely keep track of them myself. I thought it was a great question and pinned it to the top of the comments. Take care.
Hey Andy Barbara again, the insulator fell out when I was cleaning it, but it's got a crack in it, should I put some electric tape around or just let it go
If you can salvage it I certainly would. I think it helps the motor run cooler, too. Here is the $4.00 plastic bonder I have used a few times with good success www.walmart.com/ip/Osi-Sealants-681925-2-Grams-Plastix-Advanced-Plastic-Bonder/20371212?classType=VARIANT&athbdg=L1102&from=/search Here is the datasheet: datasheets.tdx.henkel.com/LOCTITE-Plastics-Bonding-System-en_US.pdf If the crack is so bad you can't use it I make a paste of baking soda & water to fill spaces, let it dry, then use regular super glue. th-cam.com/video/NXx6JyP9d5U/w-d-xo.html Thanks for the question, Barbara, and happy holidays.
oops! Motor brushes NEVER require grease or oil. That usually ruins them. There are grease wicks on the Featherweight motors for lubricating the motor SHAFTS as they pass through the bearings/bushings. A more modern motor like the PA-style motor in this video doesn't need lubrication for the motor shaft. On this motor, there is a "sealed" bearing on the top of the motor shaft with ballbearings inside it. There is a Sintered Bronze Bearing on the bottom that the end of the motor shaft sits in. Sintered bearings have oil in microscopic spaces within the metal. As the bearing warms from the shaft spinning the oil "comes to the surface" and the shaft "rides" on a very thin film of oil. When the shaft and bearing cools down the oil "withdraws" back into those microscopic spaces. So you do not need to lubricate ANYWHERE on a PA motor like the one in my video. If you dismantle the motor you can wipe out any dust in the bottom bearing by putting a drop of SMO (sewing machine oil) on a Q-tip and just wipe the bearing out. It's a good question and I hope I answered it for you. Thank you, 🙏and thanks for watching my channel.
Ok thank you. I will try more heat. When you say “windings” do you mean the spiral grooves in the gear post? I am still learning the vocabulary of these motors. Thanks again for your help. You are a patient teacher 😊
Sorry, by windings I mean the coils of copper wires on each side. @29:13 in the video I touch the left coil with my left-hand thumb and index finger. Those coils of wire are what I mean by windings. Thanks for asking about it. Good luck.
First, great videos! I've been going through this Playlist restoring this exact model that I found at goodwill. When I took the motor apart and was cleaning it, I noticed that the shaft that goes from the commutator to the worm gear at top seems to be loose in the top bearing. Its not very loose, but when I hold it vertical with the commutator pointing up, the whole shaft will wiggle in all directions. It looks like the one in this video might have done the same thing, but its hard to tell. Could this be a sign that the top bearing is worn or is this normal for this motor? I'm guessing that when the bottom housing is on and the bottom "peg" is in the bottom bearing there the wiggle wouldn't be an issue?
The top bearing may be worn somewhat. It is more stable when assembled. The real determination, IMO, is the noise level of the top bearing. When it starts to go the bearing gets real squealy and whiny. Here is a nice video by one of my viewers about how he replaces the top bearings: th-cam.com/video/R4R377aTOho/w-d-xo.html Thank you for watching my channel, Chris, and for saving the machine 👍
Awesome. Thanks! I thought I was just being paranoid about the bearing because I thought that was one of the few parts that was beyond my ability to replace. But I went back and looked at it and it sounds like a dying cat so its definitely bad. And after watching that video link you provided I'm confident that I can replace it. When I found this machine I knew nothing about sewing machines, but I was looking for a project so I took a leap of faith. Your videos are perfect for me and have helped immensely. Turns out this one is in really good shape. Mostly just needs a deep cleaning. Thanks again!
@@chrishenderson6822 Welcome. I'm sure you can change that bearing, Chris. You made good choices for a project by choosing a vintage sewing machine and certainly a SInger 403A, IMO. I started restoration work and pain therapy and fell in love with it. So many machines and so rewarding a hobby that pays for itself. Best of luck going forward.
Was able to fix the drag on the needle bar, but that made it more obvious that I had to clean the motor. With your video guidance, I tackled the cleaning! Once the motor was dry, I saw the "tape" that encompasses the bunch of (copper?) wires was frayed and coming off. Should I just remove the pieces that are loose or should I retape with black electrical tape? Thanks again for all your help!
Sometime the wires are completely wrapped, but on most of the motors I have worked on there are "bands" of tape with spaces between them. If it was just a few strands here and there I trimmed them off. That usually left enough tape to keep the wires together just fine. On a couple of motors the tape was just shot to pieces; dried out and flaky and falling off. I removed all the old pieces, and I replaced it with a fillament tape like this www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0052OTUIC/ref=sr_1_1_olp?keywords=reinforced+filament+tape&qid=1600828522&sr=8-1&dchild=1 I just bought a small roll of it at the hardware store. I liked the tape with the filaments b/c 100 lbs rated, and seems more like what I took off. The tape was not used for insulation on the motors with the bands of tape. I did not use the electrical tape b/c I thought it was too thick and the vinyl would just dry up in the heat. That's only my opinion, and if you feel comfortable with the electrical tape OK. On the first motor I did I found 1/4" wide tape, on the second I used 3/8". IMO, the 1/4" tape was easier to use in the tight spots. Congrats on the repair work you are doing on your machine 👍 ✨ Good luck.
Will see if I can find some of the filament type. By the way, is the motor for the Touch and Sew 640 the same as the 403? They certainly look the same. The needle bar is the same part number. Thanks again!
@@monstermac8124 I've never worked on a 640, but the parts list shows the motor has additional wiring and a foot controller for 2-speeds. The cords and terminals are all different. If you have an interest in that then take a look at this video by SewSaveMe about "upgrading" a 401,403, or 404 with a motor from a 620 (same style motor as 640) there is quite a bit of modification, but the person says it is worth it for the huge increase in torque. th-cam.com/video/QF2vzD50bnY/w-d-xo.html
Hi Andy, do you know if this motor is similar to 411G? I just checked my old 411G and saw the sparks when motor running so think I need to clean it. But I’m really afraid of taking it apart. If it’s the same as yours, I can follow your video.
Sorry, but I've never seen any of the German-made Slant Needle Singer machines in person or had the chance to work on them. I have not been able to find any parts manuals for them. Some viewers here who are owners of 401G/404G/411G/431G machines have said they are the same as the US-built Slant models.
I lost my wedge also it flew out, I have turned the room upside down several times and just cant find it, is there something else I can use in its place
The notorious fly wedge... A couple of years ago I was chatting with a restoration group and this came up. I once made a wedge from the lid of a tomato soup can using tin snips until I got the size and then sanded the edges smooth. One lady said she made one from folding aluminum foil over and over. Fred, the oldest in this group, said he had made a couple by filing down a small chip of oak wood.
Is that a light dimmer you are using to test the variable speed? Sorry if you covered if before. I normally work on electronics but am helping a friend with the electrical testing part. I would think a variac would be OK to vary the speed too?
Yes, it is. I went to HD and bought a single gang outlet box, dimmer switch and cover plate then rigged it up with wiring from my junk box. I think I spent about $16. It works very well for testing sewing machine motors. I don't see why you couldn't use a variac if you have one. I think they cost at least $50 so about three times as much, but they are more versatile for testing other ways compared to my setup. Thanks for watching my channel, Mark. A very good question.
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks. In my case, already have a variac, and not a dimmer rigged up in a box. For others, wouldn't recommend buying a variac just for this purpose.
Thanks for this video Andy. I have motor apart, but mine does not spin freely as yours does. Is this an indication that the bearing might be bad? If not, what else could be the cause? Thanks so much.
So you mean the bearing at the top of the shaft doesn't move freely? Is it sticky or does it feel kind of bumpy? It is possible it has work out, yes. When it is stiky I have used a hairdryer on it to see if oil got inside it and has dried out. Heat can loosen it up, but lay it on it's side while you heat it. You don't want oil dripping into the windings. I have also added 2 or 3 drops of 30 wt motor oil onto the top of a "bumpy" (maybe dry) bearing and heated it. Again you do not want oil into the windings. When I tried sewing oil it just is too thin and ran all over everything. I have only know 2 people who were able to change out a defective bearing. It is a press-in type and they used either a hydraulic press or ratchet press to first remove the shaft and then the bearing, then pressed in a new bearing and pressed the shaft back it. A project even with the correct tools. One of the guys told me he used this as the replacement b/c it is what he took out of the motor: www.motionindustries.com/productDetail.jsp?sku=00039881 I've never done it myself.
Zoro has had the best price lately for a single stone: www.zoro.com/diamond-d-brush-seater-4-34-l-x-14-w-x-14-h-brsrx13ms/i/G4831799/ but you can search google also DIAMOND D BRUSH SEATER STONE about 5" x 1/4" x 1/4" is the size I like to get into the motor but there are different sizes and even generic brands too. I've done about 40 motors and still have over an inch of stone left.
Yes, 30wt motor oil for an automobile, or something similar. No matter the brand you just need the viscosity of motor oil because of the heat of the bearing. Sewing Machine oil will just get too thin and spin right out after a couple minutes. Just a couple drops is all you need. Getting some off your car engine dipstick is probably ok. I don't even know if they make 30wt and more. Jeez, am I getting old, haha. Good Luck
Hi Andy. I've got my motor taken apart, ready for cleaning. Curiously, the motor assembly did not have the piece called the "wedge"; it's not there. I didn't drop anything or misplace any part. Could one make one of these? What kind of metal is it, if you know. Could the motor possibly get along without it? The motor did run fine when I tested it before taking it apart. All the other parts are there (really caked with black powder, however). Thanks for any help you can give me.
I'm guessing someone had taken the motor apart before and lost the little wedge. It would be easy to miss during disassembly and the person would not know where it came from. I would not worry too much about it, especially if the motor worked well without it and did not have too much play in the commutator or shaft. It is some type of steel and very stiff. It is not stainless steel because I often find little rust spots on it. If you could find a thin piece of steel I guess you could bend it and cut/file it to size but I personally would not bother with it unless I happened to see a perfect little piece of scrap steel to easily shape into a wedge. I think it is more important to have a clean commutator with well-seated motor brushes.
Hi Andy; @ 29:45 - 30:00 you talk about the risk of Krud Kutter where the worm gear goes into the top bearing. There was gunk covering the seal so I took a cotton swab with tri-flow oil. It gets grimy in there after 3/4 of a century, lol! Could I use rubbing alcohol up there? Today I'm taking this motor apart so I will have a closer look. Thanks again, I hope you are comfortable.
Hi, Jebb. Thanks for asking. I ruined two PA motor bearings over the years. One was from the 90% alcohol I purposely used to clean the area. I mean I load a Q-tip and scrubbed away. The second time was when I accidentally allowed a 20% solution to get on the area. Both times when I later tested the motor it sounded like a cement mixer running. The bearing had dried out and it was horrible. I finally sold both the motors to a friend for $10 as he wanted to experiment replacing the bearing. (he had no luck with that, BTW) Later, a retired repairman told me I could have put one or two drops of 30W or 40W motor oil up top and warmed it with a hairdryer. Some of the oil would seep into the bearing and it would work for some hours before needing to do it again, but it would be a constant requirement. The problem, he said, was over time the oil thins and runs down on the windings and commutator and then you must dismantle and clean the motor. Nowadays I just clean with a wood stick, dry steel brush and dry Q-tip and remove as much gunk as I can if needed. Sometimes I've been able to remove the set screw and pinion gear and cleaned it with the KK or ultrasonic cleaner and scraped of the shaft between the gear and the bearing.
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks for this Andy. I did use a bit of oil with a q-tip. I will have to wait and see. I like the way you are doing it now. That is what I may do. There was a bit of varnish in there so it had to come out, lol! Thanks Andy!
@@JebbAdams I think using oil on the Q-tip is actually a good idea. It can help soften the old varnished stuff, and if a drop or two got all the way into the bearing I don't think it would hurt it the way the KK or alcohol would. I told you you're a natural at this stuff, Jebb. 👍
If you are sure it is the upper motor shaft bearing that is the problem, here is a good video showing how to replace it: LINK TO MOTOR BEARING VIDEO: th-cam.com/video/R4R377aTOho/w-d-xo.html Think about putting a drop or two of 30WT motor oil on the edge of the bearing to see if that improves the turning. Good Luck.
I've never had to do that, but I'd be looking at a glass fiber strapping tape I think. www.amazon.com/3M-897-Filament-Tensile-Strength/dp/B0081JAJ30/ref=zg_bs_256162011_11?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2PP8GDRYZHP868ES1F7F I see you asked Kevin so maybe he will get your request and have an answer. Good Luck.
@@andytubesewing1953 Hey I just wanted to let you know that I ended up using electrical tape, reassembled the motor, and it seems to be working at full power! You're amazing, thank you!
@@perk6030 Thank you for letting me know. Since your last comment, I researched electrical tape more. I was concerned about the effect of temperature on it but found that the cheapest tape I could find had a temp rating of 176 degrees F and 600 Volts. That is more than anything inside the motor will get so it seems like I was concerned over nothing. Electrical tape is a good choice and very economical and readily available. Thanks for saving the motor and machine, Bradford, and good luck going forward.
Yes, I thought about that, but other types of motors do not have the pins to connect to. When I get a pair of junked tube fittings they will have a short length of wire on them that I can attach my clips to after pushing them on a PA style motor loke in this video. That will be a better and safer connection than using the clips on the motor pins. Then I can still have the clips for connecting to motor wires from other type motors that do not have the pins. Thanks for watching, Terry. Take Care.
Thanks. I have a viewer who sent me pictures about changing the top bearing on a PA motor. In one of the pictures he had set-up as you described for testing the motor when out of the machine. A great idea, and safer than how I did it. I'll have to look through my junk drawer to see if I have some of those tubes.
Yes, a steel pinion gear on the end of the motor shaft. Over the years I did see a couple of dark gears, but I thought they were metal and did not question them as they worked fine. I've never seen or heard of a bakelite pinion gear though. It just seems like it would not hold up to turning that handwheel and arm shaft for very long. Any chance you could test your gear with a magnet? Thanks for watching my channel.
@@andytubesewing1953 it looks like bakelite but I reckon it's metal. I touched a magnetic screwdriver to it and it grabbed it. It does have a metal shaft in it though. It's in really good shape so it HAS to be metal, just dark colored. I've got my motor put back together... next is the commutator cleaning stone. Thanks so much for the informative videos! They help me to keep my prized possessions running wonderfully!
@@sherriscreativemind Thank you very much for the feedback. Yeh, it's metal. Bakelite is a very good insulator. We used it on the LIghting Arresters of Open (bare) WIre for Party telephone lines back in the 60s. I don't think your screwdriver would detect the meatal shaft thru a bakelite gear. I'm so pleased my videos are helping you maintain your beautiful machines and thank you for keeping them in service. I appreciate you watching my channel. Take care.
Dear Andy, I have a question for you. I just recently acquired a Singer 404 for pretty cheap. It's very dirty and gunky inside (I think a previous owner used the wrong grease) I plan on cleaning restoring it. The motor is very dirty and it has a lot of black carbon dust and has oil. Should I look for another motor? Thank you in advance.
Did you try running the motor a little bit? I would not give up on the motor yet. Try cleaning it as per this video. I have a longer series for motor repair also. th-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKJSu0T9oeaheTZsrUe91kkZ.html Krud Kutter does a good job of removing oil & grease. Use a dry brush to get of as much as you can first. DO NOT let any cleaners or liquids get into the top motor shaft bearing (under the top pinion gear) I've only had one motor I could not save b/c it was burned so bad. (220volts by mistake) Saved wet motor: th-cam.com/video/6y1EN5S2sz4/w-d-xo.html Cleaning oily motor: th-cam.com/video/vR7VmAC6evU/w-d-xo.html This style of motor is hard to find now with everyone sewing again. For every motor sold there is a machine that will never work again. Try to use the one you have if possible.
@@andytubesewing1953 Thank you! I saw those two other videos ealy last night and will try it. Someone in another thread on FB recommended I check the wires because the machine won't turn on. While I'm waiting for other parts like wiring, I'm going to service the whole machine. Thank you so much for the step by step tutorial. You have made it accessible for someone like me who has never repaired a complex machine. I do have another question, though. I am missing the throat pin springs when I disassembled that part. Is that mission critical?
@@jrancheta2925 Won't turn on, like even the light bulb? Anyway, about the springs. They put pressure on the pins and help hold down the throat plate. I'm worried that without them the throat plate can start rattling and bouncing. I guess I feel if they were not needed, the Singer engineers would not have used them. Part 1721154 Throat Plate Clamp Spring. Used on many models. www.bonanza.com/listings/Singer-Touch-Sew-648E-Throat-Plate-Position-Clamps-Used-Working-Pair/105780419?goog_pla=1
@@andytubesewing1953 Thank you for the parts link! I tried looking for them on eBay yesterday for a replacement. I should have tried the light bulb, but was so eager in servicing the machine that I plowed ahead. It's in pieces now. Waiting on TriFlow grease and KK Rust remover to be shipped up to Alaska.
The motor in my 403 is firmly stuck. It won’t rock side-to-side; it won’t budge at all. I can’t use Krud Kutter, right, because it will get into the motor? Any suggestions?
Use a hairdryer. Blow upwards for the bottom as close as you can get to the tube. You can also spray down from the top worm gear and from the side if you have the handwheel off. Warming the surrounding metal (aluminum) will warm the oil and loosen the motor. You can also spray WD-40 from below into the base of the tube that the motor slides into if possible while wrapping a rag around the sides of the moto. If oil gets into the motor you can clean it, but I'd be worried about getting the KK on the top motor bearing and stripping the oil/grease out of it. I hesitate to tell you but I have also tapped gently on the top end of the motor shaft. What has worked best for me is a hairdryer and patience. I've been asked if a "heat gun" is OK to use. I have never used one but if you can control the heat level and keep is low like a hairdryer then OK.
Thanks, Andy. Such a quick reply! I was afraid WD-40 would be verboten as well. I have used a Wagner heat gun on my Rockateer in the past with success. I’ll give it a go. Worst case scenario I have to take it to my local sewing machine store; they have employees well versed in vintage sewing machine repair.
Andy, I wanted to let you know that I was able to easily remove the motor by using a Wagner heat gun for about two minutes. I didn’t put the heat gun too close, approximately 8 inches away. I didn’t have to use WD-40, just the heat. I was shocked because it was so stuck before, I would have thought there was a screw still holding it in place.
@@athertonca that is fantastic who would have thought two minutes with that heat gun would do itthanks for letting me know because it's good confirmation that I'm suggesting the right thing to people best of luck with the rest of your work
Hey Andy! Thank you so much for your awesome videos. Just wanted to mention that since the hand wheel and machine top were off, I was able to lift the machine a bit and push my stuck motor from the top and it was way easier than trying to wiggle it loose. Thanks for the "heads up" about the motor bracket screw.
A nice tip! I pinned your comment to the top and thanks for sharing. 🙏
Andy, you are an absolute champion.
This video helped me restore my 403A's motor, and other videos helped me with a variety of different bits of required maintenance. Thank you so much for putting up such a comprehensive suite of videos for these vintage machines
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate you keeping that beauty in service. My favorite Singer ZZ model
Wow Andy! Thank you so much for your clear teaching! I was given a 401a that smoked and I now have it all cleaned and am letting it dry overnight. It was dirtier than yours! Can't wait to get it together and see how it runs! God bless you!
Sounds good, let us know how it turns out if you have time. Good Luck,
Wow, thanks Andy Tube for this! My 401A, that I was lucky enough to save from the bin as someone was actually throwing it out, was in desperate need of a tune up which I did at the time. Lately it was running so poorly and then actually started smoking! I researched buying a new motor and then remembered your channel as I had watched it before. Well two days later I am thrilled to let you know I basically did every step in this video and thanks to you it is now purring like a little contented kitten! Thanks again for your attention to detail and commentary!
You are welcome, Bebe. I'm glad you remembered my channel. Another thing to keep in mind if the motor seems to slow down again is the condition of the foot controller. It tends to be ignored over the decades but does control the flow of current to the motor. Most of the 401A machines have the "button style" foot controller and here is a playlist for rehabbing it if ever needed: th-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKL6ePPxLpmnWSzTyxPKTb71.html
Thanks for keeping that wonderful machine in service, and for your very kind comment. 🙏
@@andytubesewing1953 Hi ! Well I am now proud to tell you that, following your excellent lesson on adjusting, cleaning and polishing the 401A foot control, I now have a very fast and very responsive - clean gorgeous 401A machine with zippy foot pedal! Thanks again, as mentioned I was on the verge of tossing this machine out, but your videos gave me the confidence to tackle the inspection and cleaning. This really made my day,heck my week! take care and keep 'em coming!
@@hummingbird66 You should be proud, and nicely done! I can just see and hear that beautiful machine. Thank you for keeping it out of the landfill and giving it a new life 🙏 Now I'm wondering which Singer model you will do next? Take care.
Never would I ever have dreamed I could clean motor with liquids. Thanks
It's not something you think of at first, right? I'm glad if you found the video helpful. Thanks for commenting.
Thank you Andytube! You turned Singer 600 from a "touch and slow" to a real "touch in sew"! I was having all the same problems you were having minus the brushes put in wrong. (That wedge is tricky too!) I feel accomplished and saved some money! You are the best
very nicely done Terri. I'm glad you found the video and congratulations for restoring that motor to its glory! you should feel accomplished you did a great job enjoy that touch and sew and stop by my channel whenever you have time.
Good info for me to have when i take on the motor of my 500a. Will look for your vid on the foot pedal. Busy days working on my machine.
You are very busy and working hard on those machines. Thank you for that I appreciate that you're keeping them in service and even improving their performance EDIT: I meant to give you the link to the Foor Pedal Restoration Playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKL6ePPxLpmnWSzTyxPKTb71.html
@@andytubesewing1953 I have 8 machines to keep me busy , fixing and restoring. I took 3 (2 FUTURA II's and the Singer 413) to a local repairman who took me to the cleaners for $600.00 to repair and clean those 3 machines....he did nothing to them accept adjust tensions and gave one machine new rubber bed pads...and new felt spool pads. NEVER AGAIN. He did not clean anything nor replace grease or oil.
So now, I am my machines only hope.
So going through your vids like a house on fire for all my repairing needs.
If you could direct me to anyone who has worked on and restored Singer FUTURA II 900 and 920 machines I would be ever so grateful as I can find nothing.
Stuck cam stacks and adjustments....how to access..as these machines are intimidating....stuck needle plate on one machine so that I can't even access the bobbin area.
Then I have 3 Kenmore 158 Series machine that are easy to work on...all metal gears!!!
Then a Rocketeer 500A gifted to me with table...the Queen of my machines.
8 in total to work on. Whew!!!
Think I bit off more than I can chew.
3 FUTURA II's
3 Kenmore
Singer 413
Rocketeer 500A
Waiting for parts to arrive for repairs from eBay.
Carbon brushes, for motors
Led lights,
Bobbin Race parts for 2 machines
Needs yet to get:
400 sand paper
More rubber feet pads,
Belts for the 413
And possibly another foot pedal for it....but can't find the special 3 way plug setup.
And that very handy 90° wrench for use around the feed dog.
I have all the supplies you recommend for grease, oil, and cleaning.
Going broke ...but having a great time bringing these machines back to life. It very rewarding.
@@andytubesewing1953 I have 8 machines to work on! 3 FUTURA II 900-920, 1 Singer 413, 3 Kenmore 158 series, and the 509a Rocketeer.
Needing all the help I can get...suggestions for all needs greatly appreciated!
Much appreciated!!! ❤❤❤
Thank you Andy! Good day and good health. I bought a 401A for my daughter a couple months ago. When I tested it, I knew it was running really slow, and actually it was not running all the time. They were clearing out the condo and this particular item is her mom's pride (the mom used to be a dress designer and just moved to senior home). I bought it anyway and told her to let her mom know we would make good use of it. So, my daughter has been watching your channel and cleaning her machine (still cleaning, lol). Now, we plugged it in and wanted to see if it runs better after some cleaning is done, and we see smoke 🤦♀️, and it's still slow and not always running. I believe it's the motor. I will follow this video to service the motor and hopefully it will work. Thanks for giving me hope. ❤
That is a nice treasure to give your daughter. Smoke from the motor can mean oil on the commutator. A motor that old that had heavy use can certainly need a good cleaning. There is also a quick way to clean the commutator and reseat the motor brushes that always increases power & speed. Use a diamond stone. Here is a video about using the $10 stone: th-cam.com/video/pzq4tv8qn94/w-d-xo.html You can do this in 5 minutes, without dismantling the motor, to see if the motor is truly the cause of the slowness. The other thing I want to mention is more often than not, a slow running machine is due to the foot controller. The vintage controllers use a carbon stack to control speed and a spring w/ plunger control. The carbons can get covered with carbon buildup & "dust" that affects current flow, and the plunger can get out of adjustment. Carbon gets got when used, and a seamstress/dressmaker uses a lot of stop-and-go sewing that makes the pedal get hot. By cleaning the carbons and adjusting the plunger back to spec you can increase performance and speed range control. That pedal is 60 years old now. We all need a little "tuneup" by that age. Here is a playlist for restoring a button-style foot controller: th-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKL6ePPxLpmnWSzTyxPKTb71.html I'm happy for your daughter to be learning how to repair and maintain her new Slant-o-Matic that would have cost about $2,500 in today's dollars.
@@andytubesewing1953 Hi Andy! Sorry I didn't get a chance to see your reply till now. Thank you so much again for your time and tips. Really appreciate it. I espectially love to know that I might not need any new parts! 😃 I had already watched your diamond stone video, that reminded me of the stone that I used to have with my home manicure tools! Lol. One more question for you Andy, I have another 401A that does not run. I can only hear buzzing sounds from the controller/motor, the needle doesn't go up or down. Does that mean the motor is gone? 🥲
@@wingwong888 Buzzing sounds do not mean a bad motor. Actually, I've never had a "bad" motor on a Singer sewing machine. I've always found that the foot controller needed work (as mentioned above) or the gears and moving parts of the machine itself were stuck together with decades-old dried-up oil. Cleaning and lubricating the machine properly was the way to get things moving. Your 401A has a nice big beautiful handwheel. Have you tried turning it to see if it moves and makes the needle bar go up and down the feed dog move, and the hook rotate? I'd test that stuff before worrying about that PA-style motor. (edit) P.S. Don't use your manicure stone on your sewing motor. It's too hard)
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks Andy!! I did clean up the machine and have the wheel unstuck. After plugging it in and heard that weak buzzing sound, I thought there wasn't hope and couldn't think of what to do next. But now, definitely I would take it back out and check more carefully! I will find time to watch your video about the foot controller first. Oh and I wouldn't use the stone from manicure if it's too hard! 😅 Thanks Andy. Miss you. And it's always so lovely to hear from you. ❤
@@wingwong888 Welcome. You caught me on a good weekend. Take care.
Спасибо🙏💕
Thank you so much Andy. I cleaned all the parts and put everything back together, without the wedge. The commutator was very clean, so I just used alcohol. I don't have one of those diamond sticks yet. The nice thing about that is once I get one (diamond stick), I can just polish the commutator while it's in the machine. I really can't believe I took apart the motor and cleaned it and then reassembled it. As always, your instruction was so good; so thorough, complete and detailed and at just the right pace that people like me watch it with great interest and then do it! The PA motor is so easy to remove and service, one wonders why they stopped making them--I guess the smaller machines with some plastic parts that came into fashion just didn't need such a strong, reliable motor. Thank you again; I wish I would have noticed earlier you were wearing gloves while servicing. My fingers and nails have blackened, and it doesn't come off too easily. Oh well, it's my mark of success!
Mark of success + badge of courage! Nicely done, Carole, and I agree about the PA style of motor. I feel it is one of the best Singer ever made, and definitely, the easiest to work on. Oh, that carbon black powder is something, isn't it? When I am out of gloves I rub a thin layer of vaseline on my hands and they seem easier to clean after working on a motor. I appreciate your working on and saving these vintage machines. You're getting to be a very good mechanic. The next video is the light, wires, and terminals and I hope you have time to watch it. Take care and greetings to Mr. too.
Came accross this video as Im working on my singer 319k.
Like your little laugh though 20:00
Ohh... my Singer repair guys called it the "Typewriter" machine. I've never had the pleasure. Good luck with it.
th-cam.com/video/mVX2Io_tomk/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/TmnnvGrEfmg/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching my channel.
So very satisfying video! I have an extra motor that I thought I needed for my 301. As it turns out it was in perfect condition, but it’s ok because is the same motor in 5 of my girls!☺️. Thanks again.
It never hurts to have an extra motor on hand!
Thanks!
Wow, thank you, Dave!
Andy your videos are wonderful and I have learned so much to help revive a couple of vintage singers I have. Weeeee! I feel really empowered now ! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
How nice of you to say so! Empowerment is wonderful when it's for a good thing like that. There isn't much you can't do yourself on your machines. Part of the fun with using them from now on is knowing you made it possible and could do it again anytime you like. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Andy. Hopefully, I am able to service my motor.
@@mseller12 oh I'm sure you can one step at a time is how I do it don't be in a hurry I kind of enjoy the process I'm sure you'll find it rewarding
Wow very informative video thank you very much. I learned alot, just bought a slant o malice 401a motors not running right either and I have the identical foot activator... now at least I know where to start TS work
Appreciate your kind comment, John. 🙏Hope you enjoy your new machine; a beautiful workhorse. Wanted to let you know a free copy of the Service Manual can be found here: sewingdude.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/singer-401-service-manual1.pdf You may find it helpful to have on hand. Take care.
Excellent, as always!
Thanks again!
This is exactly the video I need! Thank you!
I'm happy to hear that you are very welcome and good luck you can do it now and no worries. thanks for watching my channel 🙂
Fantastic video, I've learned so much!!!
Thank you 🙏
Thanks Andy Tube!😊
Yet another great PA motor video. That PA motor of mine that apparently created a sooty mess in the machine is looking more normal now that I cleaned most of the carbon residue off with cotton swabs and alcohol last night. I'm wondering what happened to that machine to make such a mess, maybe someone put the brushes in wrong and created a ton of carbon dust in reshaping?
After seeing how resilient these motors are I think this messy motor is the perfect candidate for your Krud-Kutter in the sink treatment! There was stuff I could not get to with mere cotton swabs. I'm also going to order one of those Diamond-D stones and get a can of that electronic cleaner as I now have three sewing machines to refurb or keep maintained. I already had the Tri-Flow oil for my bicycle and bought their grease for the sewing machines.
Has anyone ever said that you are the Bob Ross of Vintage Singer Sewing machines? Maybe someday that will be reversed and people will be saying "oh that's the Andy Tube" of some other hobby? You're helping a lot of folks. I am very happy to have found your work. Thanks Andy.
PS Thanks for the discount at Terry's TnT - bought a couple more manuals today.
I have also wondered why some motors seem extra sooty. You're theory about the carbons sounds as good a reason as any other I have heard. Many new carbons come flat and they take awhile to wear down to the curve of the commutator. That's one reason I love that diamond stone brush seater. Just a couple minutes and the brushes are hugging that commutator like crazy. I've been called a lot of names, but nothing near to the famous Bob Ross. I'll have to share that with my artist daughter who never missed his show while growing up. Thank you, and thanks for watching my channel 😉✨
@@andytubesewing1953 Hi again, That was the first time I had opened a motor so it was a strange experience but I also have two other motors, one on my Mom's 648 and one in the 603e that I recently purchased from the local shop. I decided to take a peek at those two motors to compare. Neither of them was such a mess, though there was some carbon dust it was far less. Cleaned them up without resorting to the sink method. All of them are working. The brush seater stone is waiting for me at the P.O today. I'm working my way through more of your fantastic videos while continuing the mini restoration, cleaning, lube on the ebay 600. I felt comfortable enough with the 600 yesterday to apply electricity and it runs fine, now just need to continue fine tuning. Next on the agenda is looking more closely at the camstack. It looks like the 600 under the hood is very similar to the 403. Thanks again Andy
My fiber insulator piece is black on one side, is there a proper side to have facing up vs down? I'm working on a 500A, thanks for your videos! I definitely wouldn't have had the confidence of know how to restore this machine without your videos!
To the best of my knowledge, no difference as to placement. It only needs to insulate the back of the contact "pins" from the motor housing. Thanks for watching my channel and best of luck with your Rocketeer!
Thanks! I finished cleaning and reinstalling the motor this morning and it really made all the difference in speed! Now I just need to figure out the minor tension issues haha, forever a work in progress!
@@MadJackal55 Congratulations! One step at a time and before you know it you reach your destination. You will do it!
Appreciate it! It was my college graduation present to myself this past may, in great shape externally but obviously hadn't had any attention in who knows how long...it's come a long way since then!
It's going to turn out beautiful! You'll see, and you did it yourself so good on you!
Hey Andy TY for the video, I'm working on a grimey motor now and was wondering what you do if the part that you said not to get any liquid in when cleaning ,is really grimey, I can hear the grit in the bearings when trying to turn the shaft😢
@@barbarajester7902 off hand you're talking about the top bearing? I made the mistake of getting some crud cutter in there before and it totally stripped out all the grease from the bearing after that it made a terrible screeching sound I had to put a drop or two of 30 weight motor oil every time I wanted to sew for an hour or two and finally the oil would drip down farther into the motor and make a mess again I finally replaced the motor I sent the the bad one to a friend who figured a process how to replace that top bearing there may be a couple videos on TH-cam now about that so you definitely don't want to get any grease cutter or degreaser up into that area I don't know if you could carefully rinse it with cool water trying to move the grit out without degreasing it but that's still a create a problem just be careful and think it over before you do anything
Have you ever rewound the armature and field coil on a motor? If so did you make a video? Thanks
Sorry no I have not. I never had the need to do that
i prefer the exterior motors now!! loll! ;-)- Love the trick with the tool to polish the copper... that brought it back to life alright!! You're the Best !! PS, by the way thankYou for posting a link to Terry TNT Repairs , they had my impossible to find manual for my 1962 White 6477 and with your code i saved 20% !!
Haha! Yes, I love my new Diamond Stick b/c it is so quick and easy. Terry is the best and was way ahead of his time in helping do-it-yourselfers fix their sewing machines. I'm glad you found something of value on his site: store.tandtrepair.com
Thanks for watching, Dan
Thanks for the great video! My motor would barely turn when the juice was applied and it was partly because of lots of oil all over the brushes. After I cleaned all of the parts and reassembled, it turned a little faster but nowhere near fast enough, plus it was smoking! :( I replaced the tape around the windings and I used a fine whetstone to tune up the commutator and it purred like, well, a sewing machine!
Nicely done, Kevin! I'm glad you found the video and thanks for commenting.
Hey Kevin, what tape did you use around the windings?
Bradford, I used standard electrical tape.
Hey Andy, have you ever tried to open and clean the motor of a Singer 401 G? I have a Singer 401 G with a motor that needs cleaning...perhaps even replacing...and I've been following your video but I cant get the brown outside cap/cover off. This is because the 401 G motor is a little different to the one in this video. On my machine, the brown cap/cover encases most of the entire motor, all the way up to the metal gear at the top. The 401 G motor has different screw types in the area that you start opening up at 15:30, and I cannot work out which kind of screw driver I need.
Thank you for your excellent videos and any knowledge you might have on this would be greatly appreciated!
I can't help you with your 401G. It was made in Germany. I've never seen one in person. I've tried many times to find a service or parts manual for it, but have never succeeded. Most of the parts are similar to the US-made 401A but a few are different. I could not even say you have the original motor. Sorry ☹
@@andytubesewing1953Hi Andy, thanks for this video! I managed to get my 401 G motor open and clean it (had to reshape a screwdriver to be able to unscrew the screws).The inside of the 401G motor is mostly quite similar so it still worked well following this tutorial. However I was too impatient and did not add grease to the gear and oil to the shaft before I reinstalled it! So now it is stuck again in the wrong position and I need to hammer it out again haha. Before I reinstall, do you think its worth cleaning the inside of the machine somehow so it doesnt get stuck again? Or do you think grease and oil on the motor will be enough?
@@georginatayler6145 Boy, you have a tough one. I use something like this to clean the "tube" the motor slides into when it looks gunky up inside www.target.com/p/scotch-brite-glass-38-bottle-brush/-/A-14753617#lnk=sametab
Any kind of a bottl;e brush or wheel brush can work. I turn the machine upside down, put the brush in as far as it goes, and spray a mild cleaner or alcohol into the brush then twist it up and out.
Hey I took apart the motor on my 403a because it was smoking. Would carbon build up and oil cause this issue or could it be a part needing replaced? Comparwd to this video nothing looks too worn out or broken.
@@errinpardue5651 oils made from petroleum and carbon deposits get hot so I think That's where the smoke was coming from it should clean up nicely and run much better if you follow the video good luck with that beautiful 403a my favorite heavy duty singer zigzag machine
@@andytubesewing1953thanks for the confirmation. I had a bent hand wheel on this same machine as well. I used your other video to find out how to replace that. I’m hoping after this cleaning I’ll be able to test it out. This machine was stored in a debris filled garage and then set on its side after it was taken out of its table so it’s seen better days. I think all that was missing for it to be labeled broken and forgotten was the bobbin tyre.
@@errinpardue5651 it's really a wonderful machine and worth the effort thanks very much for saving it and I hope it serves you well
Hey Andy thanks so much, when I put my motor back together it's really stiff to turn as before I put it back together it turned easy, what am I doing wrong, and where can I send you a donation
Let me understand this. Before you took it apart it turned easily, but after putting it back together it is really stiff to turn?
If that is what you mean I'll ask are you turning it by hand with your fingers on the top pinion gear on the shaft, or putting it back in the machine and turning with the handwheel?
If it is stiff to turn my hand with your fingers all I can think of is the brass tubes holding the motor brushes were slipped in too far and are against the commutator, or the bearing at the top of the motor shaft got bent.
I am working on one of these motors, it’s a PA9-8 from a 401a, and yet again, AndyTube to the rescue! Mine didn’t have the small rectangle insulation piece. Am wondering if there is anything I might have around the house that I could stick in there instead? Also, my brush holders were in there sideways, too! I am having to do this because the smell coming from it when I was sewing yesterday about killed me, lol! It was absolutely filthy in there. Thanks again, Andy. Sending prayers daily…. Jonee
@@graymaquilter9641 I have used a small rectangle piece of inner tube once from a car years ago and More recently from a bicycle tire in a tube it's about the right thickness and insulates well good luck happy to hear you're still working on those beautiful machines and thanks for your thoughts
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks, Andy! So this means that I probably want to take that piece of cereal box out I put in there, huh? 😂 The motor works better but it still has that same acrid smell. I am going to order some new brushes, these are still leaving oil on the commutator and look a lil short. Hope that does it!
How long are you going to have 100° plus down there!? It’s been a brutal summer, for sure.. even up here!
@@graymaquilter9641 well maybe a double piece of cereal box just some kind of insulator will be okay and yeah what's with this heat it's supposed to be 114° down here Saturday instead of the normal 95 for this time of year to some people 95 sounds terrible but when the humidity's low it's livable compared to that 110 plus it's funny because I asked my wife what's the temperature today she just says 100 and hot meaning after 100 she quits counting take care of yourself
Does the bushing at the bottom ever fail? It seems like it would wear out faster than many of the other components.
I've never seen or heard of a failure. It is Sintered Bronze Bearing like the main arm shaft bearings. I have a very detailed video about it is you want to see a little more info: th-cam.com/video/CG3qlX5mMnQ/w-d-xo.html it's a loooong video, but it has chapters you can skip to and it plays well at 1.5x speed too. Thanks for watching my channel.
@@andytubesewing1953 thank you! I hadn't noticed you'd already made such an excellent video about it.
@@sauces_official No worries at all 😊With almost 600 videos posted on my channel I can barely keep track of them myself. I thought it was a great question and pinned it to the top of the comments. Take care.
Great and informative video
Kind of you to say so. 🙏 Thanks for watching my channel.
Hey Andy Barbara again, the insulator fell out when I was cleaning it, but it's got a crack in it, should I put some electric tape around or just let it go
If you can salvage it I certainly would. I think it helps the motor run cooler, too. Here is the $4.00 plastic bonder I have used a few times with good success www.walmart.com/ip/Osi-Sealants-681925-2-Grams-Plastix-Advanced-Plastic-Bonder/20371212?classType=VARIANT&athbdg=L1102&from=/search Here is the datasheet:
datasheets.tdx.henkel.com/LOCTITE-Plastics-Bonding-System-en_US.pdf If the crack is so bad you can't use it I make a paste of baking soda & water to fill spaces, let it dry, then use regular super glue. th-cam.com/video/NXx6JyP9d5U/w-d-xo.html Thanks for the question, Barbara, and happy holidays.
Andy, do the brushes need motor grease like the brushes in the Featherweight do?
oops! Motor brushes NEVER require grease or oil. That usually ruins them. There are grease wicks on the Featherweight motors for lubricating the motor SHAFTS as they pass through the bearings/bushings.
A more modern motor like the PA-style motor in this video doesn't need lubrication for the motor shaft. On this motor, there is a "sealed" bearing on the top of the motor shaft with ballbearings inside it. There is a Sintered Bronze Bearing on the bottom that the end of the motor shaft sits in.
Sintered bearings have oil in microscopic spaces within the metal. As the bearing warms from the shaft spinning the oil "comes to the surface" and the shaft "rides" on a very thin film of oil. When the shaft and bearing cools down the oil "withdraws" back into those microscopic spaces.
So you do not need to lubricate ANYWHERE on a PA motor like the one in my video. If you dismantle the motor you can wipe out any dust in the bottom bearing by putting a drop of SMO (sewing machine oil) on a Q-tip and just wipe the bearing out.
It's a good question and I hope I answered it for you. Thank you, 🙏and thanks for watching my channel.
Ok thank you. I will try more heat. When you say “windings” do you mean the spiral grooves in the gear post? I am still learning the vocabulary of these motors. Thanks again for your help. You are a patient teacher 😊
Sorry, by windings I mean the coils of copper wires on each side. @29:13 in the video I touch the left coil with my left-hand thumb and index finger. Those coils of wire are what I mean by windings. Thanks for asking about it. Good luck.
First, great videos! I've been going through this Playlist restoring this exact model that I found at goodwill. When I took the motor apart and was cleaning it, I noticed that the shaft that goes from the commutator to the worm gear at top seems to be loose in the top bearing. Its not very loose, but when I hold it vertical with the commutator pointing up, the whole shaft will wiggle in all directions. It looks like the one in this video might have done the same thing, but its hard to tell. Could this be a sign that the top bearing is worn or is this normal for this motor? I'm guessing that when the bottom housing is on and the bottom "peg" is in the bottom bearing there the wiggle wouldn't be an issue?
The top bearing may be worn somewhat. It is more stable when assembled. The real determination, IMO, is the noise level of the top bearing. When it starts to go the bearing gets real squealy and whiny. Here is a nice video by one of my viewers about how he replaces the top bearings: th-cam.com/video/R4R377aTOho/w-d-xo.html Thank you for watching my channel, Chris, and for saving the machine 👍
Awesome. Thanks! I thought I was just being paranoid about the bearing because I thought that was one of the few parts that was beyond my ability to replace. But I went back and looked at it and it sounds like a dying cat so its definitely bad. And after watching that video link you provided I'm confident that I can replace it. When I found this machine I knew nothing about sewing machines, but I was looking for a project so I took a leap of faith. Your videos are perfect for me and have helped immensely. Turns out this one is in really good shape. Mostly just needs a deep cleaning. Thanks again!
@@chrishenderson6822 Welcome. I'm sure you can change that bearing, Chris. You made good choices for a project by choosing a vintage sewing machine and certainly a SInger 403A, IMO. I started restoration work and pain therapy and fell in love with it. So many machines and so rewarding a hobby that pays for itself. Best of luck going forward.
Was able to fix the drag on the needle bar, but that made it more obvious that I had to clean the motor. With your video guidance, I tackled the cleaning!
Once the motor was dry, I saw the "tape" that encompasses the bunch of (copper?) wires was frayed and coming off. Should I just remove the pieces that are loose or should I retape with black electrical tape?
Thanks again for all your help!
Ah! Scanned the comments earlier and didn't see it in my haste. I found the conversation between Kevin and Bradford. I will use electrical tape.
Sometime the wires are completely wrapped, but on most of the motors I have worked on there are "bands" of tape with spaces between them. If it was just a few strands here and there I trimmed them off. That usually left enough tape to keep the wires together just fine. On a couple of motors the tape was just shot to pieces; dried out and flaky and falling off. I removed all the old pieces, and I replaced it with a fillament tape like this www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0052OTUIC/ref=sr_1_1_olp?keywords=reinforced+filament+tape&qid=1600828522&sr=8-1&dchild=1
I just bought a small roll of it at the hardware store. I liked the tape with the filaments b/c 100 lbs rated, and seems more like what I took off. The tape was not used for insulation on the motors with the bands of tape. I did not use the electrical tape b/c I thought it was too thick and the vinyl would just dry up in the heat. That's only my opinion, and if you feel comfortable with the electrical tape OK. On the first motor I did I found 1/4" wide tape, on the second I used 3/8". IMO, the 1/4" tape was easier to use in the tight spots. Congrats on the repair work you are doing on your machine 👍 ✨ Good luck.
@@monstermac8124 No worries, if that works for you go for it. Good Luck.
Will see if I can find some of the filament type. By the way, is the motor for the Touch and Sew 640 the same as the 403? They certainly look the same. The needle bar is the same part number.
Thanks again!
@@monstermac8124 I've never worked on a 640, but the parts list shows the motor has additional wiring and a foot controller for 2-speeds. The cords and terminals are all different. If you have an interest in that then take a look at this video by SewSaveMe about "upgrading" a 401,403, or 404 with a motor from a 620 (same style motor as 640) there is quite a bit of modification, but the person says it is worth it for the huge increase in torque. th-cam.com/video/QF2vzD50bnY/w-d-xo.html
Hi Andy, do you know if this motor is similar to 411G? I just checked my old 411G and saw the sparks when motor running so think I need to clean it. But I’m really afraid of taking it apart. If it’s the same as yours, I can follow your video.
Sorry, but I've never seen any of the German-made Slant Needle Singer machines in person or had the chance to work on them. I have not been able to find any parts manuals for them. Some viewers here who are owners of 401G/404G/411G/431G machines have said they are the same as the US-built Slant models.
I lost my wedge also it flew out, I have turned the room upside down several times and just cant find it, is there something else I can use in its place
The notorious fly wedge... A couple of years ago I was chatting with a restoration group and this came up. I once made a wedge from the lid of a tomato soup can using tin snips until I got the size and then sanded the edges smooth. One lady said she made one from folding aluminum foil over and over. Fred, the oldest in this group, said he had made a couple by filing down a small chip of oak wood.
@andytubesewing1953 again TY so much
Is that a light dimmer you are using to test the variable speed? Sorry if you covered if before. I normally work on electronics but am helping a friend with the electrical testing part. I would think a variac would be OK to vary the speed too?
Yes, it is. I went to HD and bought a single gang outlet box, dimmer switch and cover plate then rigged it up with wiring from my junk box. I think I spent about $16. It works very well for testing sewing machine motors. I don't see why you couldn't use a variac if you have one. I think they cost at least $50 so about three times as much, but they are more versatile for testing other ways compared to my setup. Thanks for watching my channel, Mark. A very good question.
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks. In my case, already have a variac, and not a dimmer rigged up in a box. For others, wouldn't recommend buying a variac just for this purpose.
Good luck, Sir.
Thanks for this video Andy. I have motor apart, but mine does not spin freely as yours does. Is this an indication that the bearing might be bad? If not, what else could be the cause? Thanks so much.
So you mean the bearing at the top of the shaft doesn't move freely? Is it sticky or does it feel kind of bumpy? It is possible it has work out, yes. When it is stiky I have used a hairdryer on it to see if oil got inside it and has dried out. Heat can loosen it up, but lay it on it's side while you heat it. You don't want oil dripping into the windings. I have also added 2 or 3 drops of 30 wt motor oil onto the top of a "bumpy" (maybe dry) bearing and heated it. Again you do not want oil into the windings. When I tried sewing oil it just is too thin and ran all over everything. I have only know 2 people who were able to change out a defective bearing. It is a press-in type and they used either a hydraulic press or ratchet press to first remove the shaft and then the bearing, then pressed in a new bearing and pressed the shaft back it. A project even with the correct tools. One of the guys told me he used this as the replacement b/c it is what he took out of the motor: www.motionindustries.com/productDetail.jsp?sku=00039881
I've never done it myself.
Andy! My life saver, where do I buy the brush seeting STONE? Please.
Zoro has had the best price lately for a single stone: www.zoro.com/diamond-d-brush-seater-4-34-l-x-14-w-x-14-h-brsrx13ms/i/G4831799/ but you can search google also DIAMOND D BRUSH SEATER STONE about 5" x 1/4" x 1/4" is the size I like to get into the motor but there are different sizes and even generic brands too. I've done about 40 motors and still have over an inch of stone left.
@@andytubesewing1953 I found 1 in my small desert town! The Kirby repair guy sold me 1 from his repair kit!!! 😀😄
@@puzzles2me That's lucky. Nice of him to share. You're all set then.
That stone is magic! The motor sounds beautiful! Thank you!
@@puzzles2me A magic stone 🌟🧨 Welcome.
Also, when you say 30wt oil, is that automotive oil, or some other product? Thanks
Yes, 30wt motor oil for an automobile, or something similar. No matter the brand you just need the viscosity of motor oil because of the heat of the bearing. Sewing Machine oil will just get too thin and spin right out after a couple minutes. Just a couple drops is all you need. Getting some off your car engine dipstick is probably ok. I don't even know if they make 30wt and more. Jeez, am I getting old, haha. Good Luck
Hi Andy. I've got my motor taken apart, ready for cleaning. Curiously, the motor assembly did not have the piece called the "wedge"; it's not there. I didn't drop anything or misplace any part. Could one make one of these? What kind of metal is it, if you know. Could the motor possibly get along without it? The motor did run fine when I tested it before taking it apart. All the other parts are there (really caked with black powder, however). Thanks for any help you can give me.
I'm guessing someone had taken the motor apart before and lost the little wedge. It would be easy to miss during disassembly and the person would not know where it came from. I would not worry too much about it, especially if the motor worked well without it and did not have too much play in the commutator or shaft. It is some type of steel and very stiff. It is not stainless steel because I often find little rust spots on it. If you could find a thin piece of steel I guess you could bend it and cut/file it to size but I personally would not bother with it unless I happened to see a perfect little piece of scrap steel to easily shape into a wedge. I think it is more important to have a clean commutator with well-seated motor brushes.
Heated bearing maybe caused the brown baked on oil/grease.
Hi Andy; @ 29:45 - 30:00 you talk about the risk of Krud Kutter where the worm gear goes into the top bearing. There was gunk covering the seal so I took a cotton swab with tri-flow oil. It gets grimy in there after 3/4 of a century, lol! Could I use rubbing alcohol up there? Today I'm taking this motor apart so I will have a closer look. Thanks again, I hope you are comfortable.
Hi, Jebb. Thanks for asking. I ruined two PA motor bearings over the years. One was from the 90% alcohol I purposely used to clean the area. I mean I load a Q-tip and scrubbed away. The second time was when I accidentally allowed a 20% solution to get on the area. Both times when I later tested the motor it sounded like a cement mixer running. The bearing had dried out and it was horrible. I finally sold both the motors to a friend for $10 as he wanted to experiment replacing the bearing. (he had no luck with that, BTW) Later, a retired repairman told me I could have put one or two drops of 30W or 40W motor oil up top and warmed it with a hairdryer. Some of the oil would seep into the bearing and it would work for some hours before needing to do it again, but it would be a constant requirement. The problem, he said, was over time the oil thins and runs down on the windings and commutator and then you must dismantle and clean the motor. Nowadays I just clean with a wood stick, dry steel brush and dry Q-tip and remove as much gunk as I can if needed. Sometimes I've been able to remove the set screw and pinion gear and cleaned it with the KK or ultrasonic cleaner and scraped of the shaft between the gear and the bearing.
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks for this Andy. I did use a bit of oil with a q-tip. I will have to wait and see. I like the way you are doing it now. That is what I may do. There was a bit of varnish in there so it had to come out, lol! Thanks Andy!
@@JebbAdams I think using oil on the Q-tip is actually a good idea. It can help soften the old varnished stuff, and if a drop or two got all the way into the bearing I don't think it would hurt it the way the KK or alcohol would. I told you you're a natural at this stuff, Jebb. 👍
@@andytubesewing1953 Ha-Ha-Ha! A natural, huh! I'll just keep watching you-naturally! Lol! I am learning a bunch from these machines by making videos.
@@andytubesewing1953 Right you are Andy! I put a good light on it and sent a photo to both of us. This seal is good to go.
My motor on the 500a doesn't turn very easily. Would you know how to replace the top bushing?
If you are sure it is the upper motor shaft bearing that is the problem, here is a good video showing how to replace it:
LINK TO MOTOR BEARING VIDEO: th-cam.com/video/R4R377aTOho/w-d-xo.html
Think about putting a drop or two of 30WT motor oil on the edge of the bearing to see if that improves the turning.
Good Luck.
Hey Andy, the tape came off of the coil while brushing it. What should I replace it with? Thanks!
I've never had to do that, but I'd be looking at a glass fiber strapping tape I think. www.amazon.com/3M-897-Filament-Tensile-Strength/dp/B0081JAJ30/ref=zg_bs_256162011_11?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2PP8GDRYZHP868ES1F7F
I see you asked Kevin so maybe he will get your request and have an answer. Good Luck.
@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks!
@@perk6030 Best of luck, Sir.
@@andytubesewing1953 Hey I just wanted to let you know that I ended up using electrical tape, reassembled the motor, and it seems to be working at full power! You're amazing, thank you!
@@perk6030 Thank you for letting me know. Since your last comment, I researched electrical tape more. I was concerned about the effect of temperature on it but found that the cheapest tape I could find had a temp rating of 176 degrees F and 600 Volts. That is more than anything inside the motor will get so it seems like I was concerned over nothing. Electrical tape is a good choice and very economical and readily available. Thanks for saving the motor and machine, Bradford, and good luck going forward.
Instead of the alligator clips, could you splice in some tube fittings from another (junked) motor that would just push on to the pins?
Yes, I thought about that, but other types of motors do not have the pins to connect to. When I get a pair of junked tube fittings they will have a short length of wire on them that I can attach my clips to after pushing them on a PA style motor loke in this video. That will be a better and safer connection than using the clips on the motor pins. Then I can still have the clips for connecting to motor wires from other type motors that do not have the pins. Thanks for watching, Terry. Take Care.
@@andytubesewing1953 that makes sense.
Thanks. I have a viewer who sent me pictures about changing the top bearing on a PA motor. In one of the pictures he had set-up as you described for testing the motor when out of the machine. A great idea, and safer than how I did it. I'll have to look through my junk drawer to see if I have some of those tubes.
Hey Andy.. Your gear looks like metal... the one in mine is brown Bakelite. Hmm... wonder why?
Yes, a steel pinion gear on the end of the motor shaft. Over the years I did see a couple of dark gears, but I thought they were metal and did not question them as they worked fine. I've never seen or heard of a bakelite pinion gear though. It just seems like it would not hold up to turning that handwheel and arm shaft for very long. Any chance you could test your gear with a magnet? Thanks for watching my channel.
@@andytubesewing1953 it looks like bakelite but I reckon it's metal. I touched a magnetic screwdriver to it and it grabbed it. It does have a metal shaft in it though. It's in really good shape so it HAS to be metal, just dark colored. I've got my motor put back together... next is the commutator cleaning stone. Thanks so much for the informative videos! They help me to keep my prized possessions running wonderfully!
@@sherriscreativemind Thank you very much for the feedback. Yeh, it's metal. Bakelite is a very good insulator. We used it on the LIghting Arresters of Open (bare) WIre for Party telephone lines back in the 60s. I don't think your screwdriver would detect the meatal shaft thru a bakelite gear. I'm so pleased my videos are helping you maintain your beautiful machines and thank you for keeping them in service. I appreciate you watching my channel. Take care.
Где купить новый такой двигатель?
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=singer+pa+motor&_sacat=0&_odkw=singer+model+403a+motor&_osacat=0
Спасибо🙏💕@@andytubesewing1953
Dear Andy, I have a question for you. I just recently acquired a Singer 404 for pretty cheap. It's very dirty and gunky inside (I think a previous owner used the wrong grease) I plan on cleaning restoring it. The motor is very dirty and it has a lot of black carbon dust and has oil. Should I look for another motor? Thank you in advance.
Did you try running the motor a little bit? I would not give up on the motor yet. Try cleaning it as per this video. I have a longer series for motor repair also. th-cam.com/play/PLsCOZgzzaiKJSu0T9oeaheTZsrUe91kkZ.html
Krud Kutter does a good job of removing oil & grease. Use a dry brush to get of as much as you can first. DO NOT let any cleaners or liquids get into the top motor shaft bearing (under the top pinion gear) I've only had one motor I could not save b/c it was burned so bad. (220volts by mistake) Saved wet motor: th-cam.com/video/6y1EN5S2sz4/w-d-xo.html Cleaning oily motor: th-cam.com/video/vR7VmAC6evU/w-d-xo.html
This style of motor is hard to find now with everyone sewing again. For every motor sold there is a machine that will never work again. Try to use the one you have if possible.
@@andytubesewing1953 Thank you! I saw those two other videos ealy last night and will try it. Someone in another thread on FB recommended I check the wires because the machine won't turn on. While I'm waiting for other parts like wiring, I'm going to service the whole machine. Thank you so much for the step by step tutorial. You have made it accessible for someone like me who has never repaired a complex machine.
I do have another question, though. I am missing the throat pin springs when I disassembled that part. Is that mission critical?
@@jrancheta2925 Won't turn on, like even the light bulb? Anyway, about the springs. They put pressure on the pins and help hold down the throat plate. I'm worried that without them the throat plate can start rattling and bouncing. I guess I feel if they were not needed, the Singer engineers would not have used them. Part 1721154 Throat Plate Clamp Spring. Used on many models.
www.bonanza.com/listings/Singer-Touch-Sew-648E-Throat-Plate-Position-Clamps-Used-Working-Pair/105780419?goog_pla=1
@@andytubesewing1953 Thank you for the parts link! I tried looking for them on eBay yesterday for a replacement. I should have tried the light bulb, but was so eager in servicing the machine that I plowed ahead. It's in pieces now. Waiting on TriFlow grease and KK Rust remover to be shipped up to Alaska.
@@jrancheta2925 You'll work it out, no worries. It's a really nice machine, IMO. Good Luck.
geil 🖤
💜
Ich bin froh, dass es dir gefallen hat. Danke fürs Zuschauen
The motor in my 403 is firmly stuck. It won’t rock side-to-side; it won’t budge at all. I can’t use Krud Kutter, right, because it will get into the motor? Any suggestions?
Use a hairdryer. Blow upwards for the bottom as close as you can get to the tube. You can also spray down from the top worm gear and from the side if you have the handwheel off. Warming the surrounding metal (aluminum) will warm the oil and loosen the motor. You can also spray WD-40 from below into the base of the tube that the motor slides into if possible while wrapping a rag around the sides of the moto. If oil gets into the motor you can clean it, but I'd be worried about getting the KK on the top motor bearing and stripping the oil/grease out of it. I hesitate to tell you but I have also tapped gently on the top end of the motor shaft. What has worked best for me is a hairdryer and patience. I've been asked if a "heat gun" is OK to use. I have never used one but if you can control the heat level and keep is low like a hairdryer then OK.
Thanks, Andy. Such a quick reply! I was afraid WD-40 would be verboten as well. I have used a Wagner heat gun on my Rockateer in the past with success. I’ll give it a go. Worst case scenario I have to take it to my local sewing machine store; they have employees well versed in vintage sewing machine repair.
@@athertonca you are welcome and I'm sure you can get it looseI've had some very dirty stubborn ones but they eventually worked free
Andy, I wanted to let you know that I was able to easily remove the motor by using a Wagner heat gun for about two minutes. I didn’t put the heat gun too close, approximately 8 inches away. I didn’t have to use WD-40, just the heat. I was shocked because it was so stuck before, I would have thought there was a screw still holding it in place.
@@athertonca that is fantastic who would have thought two minutes with that heat gun would do itthanks for letting me know because it's good confirmation that I'm suggesting the right thing to people best of luck with the rest of your work