The 1875 and later Willcox & Gibbs automatic tensioner is a fun little puzzle! Even though I had just had this one apart and STILL had trouble with it.
Oh my savior, this is so handy. However, I am still struggling with getting the tension apart and getting that screw out of the needle arm. This has been a great project so far. Thanks for posting this video.
It will all be worth it when time comes you need to rip back a seam and can do it in no time! Thats why i love this little machine of my great grandmothers.
I cannot help loving that you made more work for yourself by tightening it. Thats exactly what i would do too! I do everything twice once wrong and then back and then right. Its a dance some of us just end up alqays doing. Even when i make a garment there will always be one seam ive done wrong ways upside down or back to front. Thank god for the chain stitch machine which makes my life of ripping seams so much easier. Does anyone know how the automatic stop seam works... i know you go three stiches over the end but then i dont know what im meant to do. So far ive been tunring the machine sideways and unhooking the thread from the hook and then pulling it out but there must be a simple way. It always catches under even when i raise the needle or move it sround the last stich stays on the underneath hook. Hope that makes sense.
Thank you , oh my goodness I love my machine but it sews fine for a few minutes then grabs the thread and breaks. I will watch and learn . So excited to have you help
Hope you get it fixed. Mine grabs too tight too and i have to unhook it with my finer. Make sure your thread skein is on in the right direction that wasnt helping me. Im not even sure which way is right way but i changed ut around and it helped.
Hi, Iv'e followed your video & managed to disassemble / reassemble my W&G sewing machine tensioner & wondered if you know where the big leather washer goes on the main drive / cam shaft please ? When I took the machine apart I didn't make a note of where the leather washer came from as it fell apart during disassembly. Any help would be great. Liking your video, really helpful, thanks Martin h
Thank you for this upload. I'm just getting to know my W&G treadle and this was so helpful. Can you tell me where I can find a mounting bolt(?) to mount mine to her treadle?
Now is there any way you can adjust the tension on the metal part that says no oil wiggling it back and forth or is this the only way you can adjust the attention please and thank you for your time
Hello Ray; thanks for the videos; i just inherited a Willcox and Gibbs treadle model. It has a broken part near the tensioner that is above the needle housing atop the machine. It is where the thread goes through before it threads the eyelet on the left of the machine. Do you have one or know how to fix it? thanks!
I have a 1915 model and when I took the tension apart it had a set screw holding everything together. But I can't make that set screw budge. Am I doing something wrong?
They are available. A fella named Jon Helig should have them. He can be found on Facebook, at least until Zuckerberg decides sewing machines go against community standards
My Willcox and Gibbs is working ok but the thread on the bottom of the stitch is a bit loose and loopy, and sometimes it gets caught and I have to cut it out from the bottom. Does that sound like an issue with the tensioner? Would you suggest I disassemble the tensioner and clean it like in this video? Thanks!
I found this video a little late. Not knowing about the leathers and felt, I submerged the entire machine in a bucket of evaporust. Not a speck of rust left on it but who knows if the leather will survive.
hi ray . i have a singer patcher 29-4 machine .1901year. iwant to take it apart to clean an polish and repair any parts that are warn. is there arepair manual on the 29-4 machine . help? thanks chet .see ya
Not that I am aware of. There are a lot of folks that have one (we do) but I haven't seen a repair manual for them. They are fairly simple though, all that I remember being frustrating is getting the hook rack and pinion back together and timed. I just had to do it trial and error.
Not usually. I collect antique machines and we hold workshops around the country teaching others to disassemble antique an vintage machines, clean, de-rust, polish, reassemble and make them work again. Check out our website at www.sewpurtyworkshops.com/
Oh my savior, this is so handy. However, I am still struggling with getting the tension apart and getting that screw out of the needle arm. This has been a great project so far. Thanks for posting this video.
It will all be worth it when time comes you need to rip back a seam and can do it in no time! Thats why i love this little machine of my great grandmothers.
Thank you Mr. Elkins. This really helped me with my 1897 W&G Tension unit. Can't wait to watch you other videos!
I cannot help loving that you made more work for yourself by tightening it. Thats exactly what i would do too! I do everything twice once wrong and then back and then right. Its a dance some of us just end up alqays doing. Even when i make a garment there will always be one seam ive done wrong ways upside down or back to front. Thank god for the chain stitch machine which makes my life of ripping seams so much easier. Does anyone know how the automatic stop seam works... i know you go three stiches over the end but then i dont know what im meant to do. So far ive been tunring the machine sideways and unhooking the thread from the hook and then pulling it out but there must be a simple way. It always catches under even when i raise the needle or move it sround the last stich stays on the underneath hook. Hope that makes sense.
Thank you , oh my goodness I love my machine but it sews fine for a few minutes then grabs the thread and breaks. I will watch and learn . So excited to have you help
I hope it helps!!
Hope you get it fixed. Mine grabs too tight too and i have to unhook it with my finer. Make sure your thread skein is on in the right direction that wasnt helping me. Im not even sure which way is right way but i changed ut around and it helped.
Beautiful machine .
Hi, Iv'e followed your video & managed to disassemble / reassemble my W&G sewing machine tensioner & wondered if you know where the big leather washer goes on the main drive / cam shaft please ? When I took the machine apart I didn't make a note of where the leather washer came from as it fell apart during disassembly. Any help would be great. Liking your video, really helpful, thanks Martin h
Thank you for this upload. I'm just getting to know my W&G treadle and this was so helpful. Can you tell me where I can find a mounting bolt(?) to mount mine to her treadle?
Now is there any way you can adjust the tension on the metal part that says no oil wiggling it back and forth or is this the only way you can adjust the attention please and thank you for your time
Hello Ray; thanks for the videos; i just inherited a Willcox and Gibbs treadle model. It has a broken part near the tensioner that is above the needle housing atop the machine. It is where the thread goes through before it threads the eyelet on the left of the machine. Do you have one or know how to fix it?
thanks!
I was hoping to see that reassembly video series. Do you still plan on adding it?
I found patent drawings which may help me reassemble...
I have a 1915 model and when I took the tension apart it had a set screw holding everything together. But I can't make that set screw budge. Am I doing something wrong?
It wasn´t a set screw fter all but another disc before getting to the lock assembly.
It's nice to repair one, they haven't been made for over 75 years. My problem is finding needles. Do you have a source?
They are available. A fella named Jon Helig should have them. He can be found on Facebook, at least until Zuckerberg decides sewing machines go against community standards
I bought some recently on eBay from Treadle Lady, Donna Kohler, Fresno California. Castle Shed Treadlelady.etsy.com Treadlelady.com
My Willcox and Gibbs is working ok but the thread on the bottom of the stitch is a bit loose and loopy, and sometimes it gets caught and I have to cut it out from the bottom. Does that sound like an issue with the tensioner? Would you suggest I disassemble the tensioner and clean it like in this video? Thanks!
yes it does sound like a tensioner issue :-)
I found this video a little late. Not knowing about the leathers and felt, I submerged the entire machine in a bucket of evaporust. Not a speck of rust left on it but who knows if the leather will survive.
hi ray . i have a singer patcher 29-4 machine .1901year. iwant to take it apart to clean an polish and repair any parts that are warn. is there arepair manual on the 29-4 machine . help? thanks chet .see ya
Not that I am aware of. There are a lot of folks that have one (we do) but I haven't seen a repair manual for them. They are fairly simple though, all that I remember being frustrating is getting the hook rack and pinion back together and timed. I just had to do it trial and error.
I need help with a New Home Chainstitch. Can you help ?
Do you sell on eBay? If so what is your dealer ID?
Thank You!
Not usually. I collect antique machines and we hold workshops around the country teaching others to disassemble antique an vintage machines, clean, de-rust, polish, reassemble and make them work again. Check out our website at www.sewpurtyworkshops.com/
The size wrench you will need is SAE 9/32.