# machine "repair"?



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I have an old "Sharp" sewing machine set in a cherry wood cabinet. It is one of those old style thingies where the top of the cabinet folds out to become the table top while the machine (electric) comes up to be worked with. I am wanting to have it looked at by someone who understands how to work on these old sewing machines; yet I have not even found a shop around here that works on any sewing machine.

Any suggestions as to how I might locate one? The only thing I can come up with is to advertise for a repair person via local newspaper; and this is quite risky.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Most sewing machine sales places have a repair man, either on site or an independent they send out to. Check with quilting and fabric stores, many know someone. Know anyone that sews? I don't sew but have learned to keep our old Singer treadle going just from the manual and tinkering with it. Cleaning what you can and oiling it goes a long way in keeping them humming like a sewing machine. Just a start....James


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thanks James, bouncing off your suggestions I have found 3 in my area, i.e. Sears is one , Griffin's is another (The one review it had on the net was terrible.) and Singer Sewing Company next town over. Will call each sometime this week...after I get the nerve to go out to the store room and plug up this old machine to see if it even runs.


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## cowbelle (Mar 5, 2009)

Go to www.quiltingboard.com. On that forum there is sub-forum for vintage machines and they go into repairing them yourself. Very good site and very helpful.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thank you. I'll check that out.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I just got in from checking out this old sewing machine. Having been stored for near 20 yrs I was a bit concerned as to what condition it would be in. 

I folded back the top (which became the table) and opened the front, which swung back to support the top/table and had a large area for holding the machine attachments, though it was presently empty. What I saw wasn't that bad. It did have some cobwebs and some dust yet I saw no rust at all. I pulled the machine up out of its hole there and it actually looked quite clean for having been stored for so long.

I was wrong about the brand name. What I saw on this machine was that it is a "White Rotary No. 43-18476". I did not plug it in as I want to blow it off real good first with the air pressure I use to clean my computer. And I want to find out more about cleaning it. 

In searching thru my sewing chest, which has been inside my house all these years, I found two rather large red plastic boxes with the name "White" embedded in them and I found the original owner's manual. The manual states to clean a stored machine with kerosene (coal oil)...ummmm that's inflammable! Then one is to wipe that oil off and use White Machine Oil to lubricate it according to the instructions manual. (I do not have any of this White Machine Oil.) One of these red plastic boxes contains a "buttonholer" along with instructions for it. The other red box is full of a variety of metal pieces, 10 of which look like different styles of pressure feet, 3 of which were bobbins (one inside the bobbin "holder" that looks like it is to be placed inside the sewing machine) and the other small metal pieces just look weird.

I have registered and posted this new information on the vintage sewing machine board of that quilting board forum; so am hoping to get some good information/suggestions from them.

Would you seamstresses in here advise I go ahead and clean this machine with that kerosene or use something else to clean it with? Do you think it would be ok to use a different brand of machine "oil" to lubricate this with other than the "White" mentioned in the owner's manual? What would you do with such a sewing machine? (I do realize the "White" was a spin-off for the "Singer" sewing machine...a machine mother loved; however, mother had been sewing quite a bit on this White, creating her own clothes as well as quilts; and since mother was a professional seamstress, I don't believe she would have used it if it wasn't doing a good job for her. Thus, I do want to give it a chance to prove itself.)


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

If it calls for kerosene, use kerosene, but do it outside or on the porch. The kerosene will dissipate. When it doesn&#8217;t smell any more, use the oil. You can use Singer oil or go to a sewing store/department and get sewing machine oil. It is different from other oil. Don&#8217;t worry about using too much. Put an absorbent cloth under it to catch the excess oil. Wait a day before trying it out. Use scrap fabric initially to get any excess oil before sewing anything. The owner&#8217;s manual will show you where to put the oil. Also, you may need a different product for the crank shaft thing. But, the manual will tell you.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

All right. Thanks Maura.


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