# Weird machine has arrived - part 1



## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

Last year we were talking with AngieM2 about acquiring the weird sewing machine she had. Somehow our communication stalled and we didn't hook up again until I posted this post:
{ http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/sewing-quilting/478777-who-had-has-machine.html }

Well the machine arrived today. It's a Kenmore Sensor Sew One Hundred. Mdl # 340-1991180.
It's computerized with scads of stitches and monograms. And if I read the numbers right an 8 mm wide ZZ stitch. That will be fun to mess with.

Here is the machine:









And here is our Inspector General, Pollyanna checking it out:









We plugged it in and turned it on and the motor made a loud horrid growling, buzzing, almost shorting out noise and the machine barely moved. Angie had warned me there was something wrong with it, but I wasn't thinking motor.

I pulled the bottom off of it and watched as it tried to run. Checked all the shafts and connections, they were good to go.
Elaine and I also pulled all the inspection covers off the machine and checked everything we could. Nothing out of order to be found.

It is the motor causing all the ruckus, but why is yet to be determined. My current theory is the armature is shorted out. As we were working with it the armature shaft got hot enough to burn my finger. That is not right at all.

I wont' be able to work on it for a week or so, but I will try to find out what the specs are on the motor so I can check it good. 

Angie wanted me to post about what we do with it, so this is part 1. Part 2 will be what I find out is wrong with it and part 3 will be using it. 
I hope.

Thanks Angie.

Joe, Elaine


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Does the motor have brushes, or is it brushless?

I'd pull the motor and see... It could be if it has brushes, the commutator needs to be cleaned, or the brushes resurfaced, or even replaced.. 

I'd also oil all the bearings... I pulled my wife's out and had to go through it.... All the bearings had gummed up and caused it to not want to run.. I also oiled the motor. Ran like a top.


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

simi-steading said:


> Does the motor have brushes, or is it brushless?
> 
> I'd pull the motor and see... It could be if it has brushes, the commutator needs to be cleaned, or the brushes resurfaced, or even replaced..
> 
> I'd also oil all the bearings... I pulled my wife's out and had to go through it.... All the bearings had gummed up and caused it to not want to run.. I also oiled the motor. Ran like a top.


The motor has brushes. I can see the commutator and it's not really dirty or discolored. But cleaning it is on the list of things to do.
I'll have to remove the motor to do anything to is as there is a bunch of electronics and their wiring all around it.

When I really get into it, I plan on oiling everything metal to metal that moves with Tri-Flow oil and greasing everything plastic with the Tri-Flow grease.

Although the plastic things are still well greased, as is the only set of gears on the machine. They appear to be metal too.

Joe


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Thanks for the update. I knew that machine needed you for keepers.

And it was a machine from a lady that did her wool and such skirts, but she also did ice skating costumes as she was an ice skating teacher. Just to give you some idea of what that may have sewn.


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

Sometimes the motors do just wear out, at least according to the repair shops I used. I have had two elderly, MUCH used machines, get their motors replaced. One motor stunk to heck, was burning itself! All the other moving parts were in good condition, lubricated, so they weren't preventing the motor from working. The other motor kept cutting out, which was terribly frustrating. No reason to be found by the shop repair man. With the new motors, they just hum along fine.

So another idea if the machine still doesn't work with all the greasing and motor parts adjusting.


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

Angie,

Sew, in spite of how clean and sanitary the machine looks it's seen a lot of use. Well, that could explain why the motor is tired.

goodhors,
I suspect the motor is trashed. I'm hoping to bring it back to life as Sears parts says the motor is no longer available, and this machine just won't take a generic motor. 
However if I can't bring it back to life, I'll search till I find one.

What amazes me is how some motors just wear out, and others just keep on going. I've got a 1909 Minnesota Mdl B that was motorized generations ago and it's motor just keeps on going.


Joe


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

I have found out this Kenmore Sensor Sew was made by Necchi and is the Necchi Logica. Now I have even more hope to get her up and running.

Joe


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

this is getting exciting for me watching it evolve.

Thanks Joe


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