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uniqs
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Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

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Old Singer sewing machine

This thing is older then me about 50 years old.. anyways I got in a discussion about the foot pedal switch, she says it's variable speed I say it's not..

Some people online say it's variable.. but the thing is I opened the pedal up last night and you can clearly see that half the travel it's not doing anything until the switch contacts this metal switch, being this old I've never seen a switch this old.. but maybe something broke on it?

I ended up replacing the cord end last night to see if it ran or not, I will get a video up to help show what I mean

Btw the model of it is 328K

lugnut
@look.ca

lugnut

Anon

I remember my mom had an old Singer sewing machine back in the 60's and it was indeed variable speed controlled by the pedal. That's not to say that some cheaper models may have simply used a footswitch instead of a pot.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

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I grew up around sewing machines as both my mother and grandmother loved sewing. Every machine I have seen or worked on were variable speed including the really old ones (Singers older than yours included).

SparkChaser
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join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA

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Another vote for variable

Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

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Manual says so but the switch is not right... Have a look right now I'm piling it now.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· a_player

SparkChaser
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join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA

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SparkChaser

Premium Member

Is that white part ceramic?

If it is, it means heat and probably a variable resistor on a universal motor.

lugnut
@look.ca

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I know how to end any debate on the subject. Singer allows you to order product manuals for all of their machines online.

»www.singerco.com/accesso ··· -manuals

They want your money for it but I wasn't able to find any links to free ones on Google.

Subaru
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

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Yes, I must of forgot to say that in the video.. first one came out wrong

SparkChaser
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join:2000-06-06
Downingtown, PA

SparkChaser

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Given the technology of the time I think it's a variable resistor in series with the motor. I remember the singers working but I don't remember ever taking one apart.

robbin
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join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

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I can't see the pics on my iPad but I think this will give you the basic information you need.

»oldsingersewingmachinebl ··· bout-it/

Subaru
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

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The inside of the foot controller was not how I expected but given 1968 I guess it's about right.

I think my above video shows that it has a huge dead space between a half press to fully pressing it down.. that's the part I don't understand hopefully google will have something about that.

It is fully oiled so it no longer slows down when doing zigzag stitches.. I'm going to be getting my mom a Brother SE400 for her birthday so this is just a fun little thing to work on now.
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said by robbin:

I can't see the pics on my iPad but I think this will give you the basic information you need.

»oldsingersewingmachinebl ··· bout-it/

Hmm this one does not have that cap like the pictures show.. hmm..

SparkChaser
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Downingtown, PA

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I think what Robbin showed is what I said.

Keep in mind that typically you has to give it more than you wanted to get it going and then back off to the slower speed. Just a phenomena of the motor control.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

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That's not what happens here.. once my phone is done uploading to youtube I will show you..

It has no in between at all It's just full speed or nothing at all, so the way you are saying does not work here

robbin
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join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

Mod

That machine should move the needle as slow as you want it to go.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

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It should but from what I can see inside the ceramic part are carbon discs which when fully pressing the switch disengages the carbon discs so it can run full speed.

shdesigns
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Stone Mountain, GA
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shdesigns

Premium Member

said by Subaru:

It should but from what I can see inside the ceramic part are carbon discs which when fully pressing the switch disengages the carbon discs so it can run full speed.

Probably the discs have disintegrated over the years so they no longer work.

They would compress with the pedal giving variable speed, then the switch you see would allow full speed.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

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I was thinking about that since the only place I know of that had carbon discs were battery load testers.. So I guess in other words it would be impossible for it to work besides changing it out.
Subaru

Subaru

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»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· ure=plcp

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· ure=plcp
Subaru

Subaru

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It's Fixed! I have a video for that too :P I'm not sure if I was looking at the carbon discs but I think it uses a carbon rod? Or two of them?
Subaru

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Fixed!

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· youtu.be

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· youtu.be
Subaru

Subaru

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Well I had no problems doing patches on my jeans last night the control is still a little crazy because it's a tiny switch vs the larger pads I'm used to.
AndrewG2
join:2006-01-20
Niagara Falls, ON

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I've seen a few types, foot and knee switches (those have a bar coming down from the machine itself or fix to the table) There's just switches, there's 3 speed switches which are wiped contacts with 3 big wirewound resistors, and the fully variable, was a huge rheostat, which probably worked out about "15 speed" practically.

I have one somewhere, I picked up for running a drill through.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

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Did you watch the video?

sk1939
Premium Member
join:2010-10-23
Frederick, MD

sk1939

Premium Member

Those older Singers are worth a decent amount of change actually. Even if you hadn't fixed it, I wouldn't pitch it with the rubbish.

Subaru
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join:2001-05-31
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Subaru

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I'm not too sure, one guy got his at goodwill for $7 and this model at the time with Singer's most basic model.

sk1939
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join:2010-10-23
Frederick, MD

sk1939

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Depends if it's the vintage Singer or not, I'm not super familiar with them however.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

Subaru

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nope not vintage

Gavin5
join:2012-10-03
canada

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I think old is gold. So, you are very lucky that you have an old singer sewing machine.

Subaru
1-3-2-4
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join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT

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Yeah it's not bad pretty basic but I'm going to give my mom a new machine for her birthday, she got spoiled with the new machines.

Speaking of that the belt snapped on me 2 days ago (original belt) but I want to replace the foot controller pedal with something newer, I'm not sure what you call those wire clamps? Are they wire compressors? They are white with a little metal band inside that you crimp.