# Weird Machine Has Arrived - Part 2



## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

In my thread "Weird Machine Has Arrived - Part 1" 
{ http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...81582-weird-machine-has-arrived-part-1-a.html }
I told about getting the weird Kenmore computerized machine from Angie.

Motor Diagnosis:

I took the Sensor Sew to my basement work area and took the bottom and right end panel off.

There was a myriad of wires around the motor:









Then I stood the machine on it's left end and removed the motor. It was held in by two hex head screws on the pulley end and a plastic peg on the fan end:









What I found when the motor was out was that there was a lot 1/16" or more of end play to the armature, and the brushes did not make full and proper contact with the commutator.
The bushings the armature shaft passed through were loose in the motor frame. 
So I decided to disassemble it to try to fix it.

Ooops, bad idea. 
I determined that the belt pulley and the fan had to come off. They are plastic and I didn't want to break them, so I tried to tap gently on the roll pin holding the belt pulley on. (Blue arrow)
I found out the hard way the motor frame was made from cheap, cheap, cheap, pot metal. Not even aluminum, but junk pot metal.
After a couple of gentle taps the frame broke at the bushing area and where it contacts the coil.
(Red arrows)









So, although I'm "pretty sure" the motor was worn out, it's busted now.


Yesterday (4-27-13) we made a trip to our LSMG for some Singer parts, and _maybe_ a motor for the Kenmore. He looked at the motor, then the shop manual and picture I'd made and said: "I've got one of those upstairs". He went up to get it and it was identical to ours. It also had a cover, all the accessories, a good bed, _and_ an owners manual. Whooo Hoooo!

When we got home we plugged the donor machine in to see what would happen and it squalled. Not sure why, wasn't the motor, but it didn't run worth a hoot. And then .... the key pad completely died. 
So we pulled the motor out and I checked it over. Virtually no cracking like the other motor and the brushes made better contact. There was what I thought too much end shake to the armature, but after breaking the other motor I wasn't about to try and take this one apart. 
I set it on it's end and put SM oil in the bushing areas. 

Then proceeded to prep the original machine for it's new motor.

When I took the original motor out, I didn't see the adjuster screw and like I've done on soooo many other machines I popped the big wheel above the motor off to get the belt off. Second big mistake. There is several parts to this wheel, including a coil spring that works with the bobbin winder. Arrrgh! So last night I had to pull the upper shaft out to reassemble the main shaft. Elaine was very helpful doing this. And in little time we had the whole thing back together.
When I took it apart I had marked the belts and pulleys so I could get it back together. I got all the belts back together, the new bed on, the motor in, all connections tight and plugged it in. Whirr, clunk, click, the needle bar moved over and the key pad light up.
Yayyyyy!!!!!!!! 
I told Elaine and she said, did you thread it up and sew with it? Nope, not yet. 
So down to the basement we went.
Threaded it up. Put a bobbin in it, properly threaded as per the manual.
And .... and ..... and ..... groan ..... it wouldn't pick up the bobbin thread. Sigh it looks like somehow, the needle bar is now 180Â° out from the bobbin hook. NUTS!

Well, now I'm pretty sure since the needle bar is belt driven that it got out of adjustment when I bumped it while I had the top shaft out of it. I'm pretty sure the belt for the lower shaft went back on the way it come off, and went back on the needle bar drive end the way it came off. This pretty much makes me think I knocked the needle bar assembly out of whack cos I didn't mark that part. Duh, where's my sign.

So, we're almost there. The replacement motor works, the key pad is good, and it goes through it's functions. All I need to do is get the needle bar timed up.

Joe


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Joe, how wonderful that there was a donor machine. And that you have it almost there.

I knew you'd be the person for that machine.


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

RANT ON:

I am livid!!!!! I really can't say how I feel on here without incurring the wrath of the moderators. 

I got it running. Got it timed. Started it up and got it to make ducky patterns, ZZs and straight stitches. Then I told my wife and she came down and we tried monograms and some of the flower patterns. They weren't working properly and I figured I"d use the trouble shooting in the manual and get them squared away. Then for some reason only known to her she decided to ignore the programming sequences and started pushing buttons out of curiosity. Well all that did was confuse the computer. Boot it and we're back in business.
Until ..... she pushed on the reverse button, held it down, then hit the controller and it made a horrible gritching crunch from inside. 
Now it won't feed in the patterns. It will do SS but nothing else, it just makes a short attempt at the pattern and then stops feeding and makes a big tack.

I hope nothing is broken inside that monster. If it is, it's toast. I've got a lot of time in it and to have this happen is more than I can stand at this point. I walked away. I'll look at it tomorrow, or in a week or so ... maybe.

I'm hoping it's a programming goof up cos of all the buttons pushed. Maybe if I unplug it it will clear the memory. I hope.

Rant off.

Je


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I hope a complete power down will do a good hard reboot on the computer function.

And take a walk to get rid of the steam I saw coming out of that post. People are more important than machines. That will mean something a few days.

Good luck unsteaming, and hopefully the hard reboot will work.


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

Angie,
Looks like you and I are the only ones interested in the weird machine, that's OK.

The hard boot put it back to where it was. Now I just need to carefully make a test pattern sheet so I can ask advice from someone about how to make the patterns look right.
Some of them such as the duck are good, some are misshaped, and the monograms are just a bit of gibberish.
I don't know if it because of computer error or mechanical adjustments. 
I'll have to study on it a bit.
But for now it's going to be set back while I work on some real sewing machines ( cast iron, non computer types) that I got to refurb and sell.

To be continued ...... :stars:

Joe


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I've been reading this and you are braver than I am! One reason I love the older machines.....NO electronics! 
One a side note we were looking at pushmowers this past week and they had electronic controls on one.......WHY does anyone need a computer control to push a lawnmower???

Ugh just give me my old treadle and I am quite happy!


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I'm interested - just wasn't on for a bit!

I think my husband can understand your frustration - he's finally gotten a working 6570 Viking, but he's had three of them apart and back together and then apart and swap parts and then back together only to have to pull something apart again. . .

Near the start, he had something put back together and it was working and he sewed a bit more and turned on knob and heard a SNAP- and that was it. In his case a part broke. One of the problems with a 30 year old machine with plastic parts - they get brittle and they break much easier. He keep complaining about how the newer machines (30 years old) aren't near as nice as the older ones (50-100 years). Those old machines may be heavy, but they are also "heavy duty" compared to the new ones.


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

I was told by a friend that I needed to learn how to work on more "modern" machines. So I've picked up a few newer ones that do have plastic gears. But, this is the first computerized machine I've touched. So far other than the set back last night we're making a wee bit of headway.

It's sitting off to the side right now as I clean and service some older cast iron Kenmores that use cams. These machines are to die for. Follow the instructions, set the knobs and levers where they tell you and you have perfect patterns. No fiddling, no tweaking, no hunting for the perfect spot, just nice patterns. Gonna pick the one we like the best and sell the others.

Joe


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Hi Joe
others read even if not posting. 

And I'm glad you have a different machine to work on for a bit.

Have you ever thought of redoing a 221 featherweight and taking it apart and getting it painted and rebuilding it? Or even a full sized machine.?


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

We just brought home another singer 15-91. This one is fully functional but rather beat up, the one with the non-working motor is in much nicer shape. So between the two we'll have a nice working 15-91 after my husband is done with them. This one came in a cabinet I was after, and he may be able to get both of them working, then we'll find a home for one of them.


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## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Yeah! I'm reading and I care! I think it's very interesting! You're doing a great job!


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

AngieM2 said:


> Hi Joe
> others read even if not posting.
> 
> And I'm glad you have a different machine to work on for a bit.
> ...


Angie,

Not so much a 221, they are too common. But I have a 1920s (?) New Home model AB in a bent wood case that has been surface damaged by mice. There was a big nest under the machine in the case. No mice thankfully. Lots of rust from urine, wires chewed up, belt petrified, debris and a huge batch of hand sewing needles down inside the machine even. Some of the edges of the case were gnawed on but not terribly bad. I've gotten the machine to actually sew again and even made a video of it but it's too long to upload to Photobucket on dial up. 

I've seriously considered stripping it and repainting it. But I'd like to find a way to duplicate the original decals so I could make it look original. 

Joe


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

Macybaby said:


> We just brought home another singer 15-91. This one is fully functional but rather beat up, the one with the non-working motor is in much nicer shape. So between the two we'll have a nice working 15-91 after my husband is done with them. This one came in a cabinet I was after, and he may be able to get both of them working, then we'll find a home for one of them.


I have one 15-91 that I bought cheep just to learn how to rewire the potted motor. It's ugly, stained by some icky black goo that ran out of the motor area and is petrified to the surface of the machine.
But, it sews up a storm.
I don't like it, I'll probably rehome it as soon as I can find someone who'll pay the freight for it. It doesn't have a case or a cabinet so that's a problem.
Here's a link to the thread I did about it .... um elsewhere: 
{ http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...ents-rewiring-15-91-potted-motor-t205360.html }
The pics show how ugly it is. Check out my home made cord :grin: all Singer parts too.



Joe


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I've been reading, too.........:shocked:

Hats off to you!


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