OldSewinGear News Reviews & How To's

Rocket-eer Surgery

6/8/2014

One of our readers asked how to reassemble the stitch-length adjustment knob on her 503 Rocketeer. She took hers apart to clean it and then encountered a problem getting the pieces back together. I didn't know the answer either, so I went and asked the resident expert. He explained it to me and I went and tried it out for myself and took some pictures and videos to share.

Without further ado, here's how to reassemble the 500/503 stitch-length adjustment lever knob. First we'll look at taking it apart and then we'll look at putting it back together.

The lever has a knurled knob on the end that tightens up against the face plate to select the desired stitch length.

There are two wings on the lever that slot into the notches at the "fine" selection and the "6" selection to lock those settings into place.

To disassemble the knob, use a standard screwdriver to remove the screw at the end of the shaft. Then pull the whole knob assembly toward you. It will slide off along with the small washer that sits on the end of the shaft between the screw and the knurled knob.

The winged piece screws up inside the knob and will have to be unscrewed for proper cleaning and lubricating.

When you've finished disassembly the knob, you'll have four pieces as shown at left. Next, a light application of lubricant on the inside the knob will aid in reassembly.

Putting the knob back together can be a bit tricky because threading the winged piece back into the knob works opposite from the old "lefty-loosey, righty-tighty" principle.

Start by holding the winged end in your left hand. Then take the knob in your right hand and screw it onto the end of the winged piece, turning it toward you. This is best shown in video:

Next the winged end will be inserted into the slot on the lever and the washer and screw put back in place. Again, this is best demonstrated in video:

As you can see, it only took a little bit of fumbling to get the pieces back together. Believe me, it will be a lot easier if one hand isn't tied up holding a camera!

And there you have it. Make sure everything is firmly tightened and your knob will be good as new.

Happy Sewing!
Barbara

OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

2 Comments

Lever Alone...the wandering stitch-length selector

2/2/2014

9 Comments

So you're sewing along on your 401A, minding your own business, and then out of the corner of your eye you notice something strange...

The stitch length selector is moving upwards.

All by itself.

And your stitches are getting shorter and shorter, and shorter...

Uh-oh, your sewing machine is POSSESSED!

Actually, no. There is a simple explanation and a simple fix.

Simply put, there's a nut inside the end of the machine beneath the hand-wheel and if it isn't tight enough then the stitch-length lever will "wander" as you sew. This is especially true if you're sewing heavy duty fabrics. The additional load on the machine causes the lever to wander.

The very early 401A's are particularly prone to this complaint. In fact, this issue prompted Singer to make a design modification early in the production run. It's a little thing but instantly noticeable when you look at an early model and a later model side by side:

401A - Serial Number 652703

401A - Serial Number 706946

The stitch-length selector plate on the earlier machine is completely flat at the bottom, while the later machine has a notch at the longest stitch length. This indentation allows you to "lock" in the stitch lever at the longest stitch length. Which means that the lever cannot move when set at the longest stitch. Great for sewing heavy fabrics.

So what if you have one of the machines with the flat plate? Or what if your lever wanders when set at a shorter stitch length? What can you do about it?

The adjustment is simple, but first the hand-wheel must be removed. You'll need a medium-size flat screwdriver and 9/16" socket wrench or large screwdriver:

Use the medium-size screwdriver to remove the small screw in the center of the hand-wheel.

Next remove the chrome center section of the hand-wheel by unscrewing it in a counter-clockwise motion until it comes off.

Slide the washer off of the center post. Then grasp the hand-wheel in both hands and pull toward you. Look for the recessed hexagonal nut directly beneath the hand-wheel location.

Tighten the nut using the large screwdriver or socket wrench. (The socket wrench provides more leverage and makes for an easier adjustment, but take care not to apply too much force as you can break the head off the nut.) Usually 1/8th of a turn to the right (clockwise) is sufficient to tighten the lever action, but it may take as much as 1/4 of a turn. Raise and lower the stitch-length lever to be sure. You should feel an increase in resistance in the lever as the nut is tightened.

Reverse the steps to replace the hand-wheel.

There, you're done!

Amazing how a simple adjustment can so greatly impact the operation of your machine!

Happy Sewing!
Barbara

OldSewinGear...dedicated to helping you get the most out of your old sewing gear.

9 Comments

Rocket-eer Surgery

Lever Alone...the wandering stitch-length selector

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Rocket-eer Surgery

Lever Alone...the wandering stitch-length selector

News, Reviews, & How-To's

Contact Us

Categories

Archives

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News, Reviews,
& How-To's

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