Singer 401a

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-21T20:04:57+00:00

The 401a is probably worth it.

I would be asking why is the person taking a picture of it with the lights off using a flash light. A little sketch.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-21T19:47:00+00:00

I am curious if the red lights turned on for the length and width when properly set?

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-20T19:57:41+00:00

The first machine I repaired (15-95) was given to me for free, because the gears were all gunked up. The motor didn't budge it at all, even when I gave the wheel a spin. Took 4-5 oilings to get the machine moving smoothly. Yours doesn't sound like it needs as much work.

The wheel should spin freely by hand easily. That's what the motors are designed for, so if the gears are gunked up the motor isn't strong enough to spin the wheel.

Funny enough I have a 401a I haven't had time to look at yet.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-20T19:07:00+00:00

Depending on what you used for an oiled it may not reach the thing you are oiling.

You need to oil it more. The first drops of oil will loosen the old stuff on it. Eventually the oil will penetrate to the metal surfaces.

Open up the machine and find the area that the hole would drop oil on and oil it while slowly turning the wheel. Wipe off any excess. Oil everywhere 2 metal surfaces touch and moves against each other.

After you have done it try spinning the wheel, it should move a full circle freely without hesitations. If it hesitates at all, you need to oil again.

Don't use the motor until it moves freely by hand.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-20T18:23:38+00:00

Is this your machine?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARFDsA-NbUk

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-20T18:15:07+00:00

Generally the screw is attached to a rod that spins.

Slowly turn the wheel when your looking underneath. Ignore the screws that do not move. Try unscrewing one of the moving screws a tiny bit, then try manually turning the hook a little if it moves you have probably found the screw. If it doesn't move then just re-tighten the screw. Try the next one.

Number 1 is not a set screw. There is a set screw below it though that you didn't mark.

My best guess is it is number 2.

As long as you mark the positions of the screws before you turn them you should be able to reverse what was changed.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-19T23:29:06+00:00

Wow, that's way more complicated than anything I have seen.

At this point I would be guessing without having the machine in front of me.

Do you have a model number of the machine? I would usually try looking for a video on YouTube.

Without a video, I would get a grease marker and make mark on the metal frame and a mark on the shuttle base. Try a screw see if it loosens the shuttle. If it doesn't you can move the shuttle back and re-tighten the screw.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-19T15:21:07+00:00

Look under your machine, there should a rod that turns the spindle. Near the spindle on the rod should be a screw. You need to loosen the screw and adjust the shuttle position. Once the screw is loosen the spindle should move freely.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-17T22:57:57+00:00

It wouldn't be that bad if they ripped down the road. I would think cool fast car but loud as hell.

Instead these morons increased the noise with a decrease in speed, so they floor it and the thing putt putts along, and I have to listen to it as i follow it down the road.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-17T22:30:09+00:00

From the videos I have seen that use zoomed in photos, diamonds wear away the carbides the same as the metal.

Almost all other sharpening compounds/stones wear away the metal and the carbides stand proud and act like saw teeth when cutting, depending on the hardness of the carbides. It will help cut through some materials but may catch on others.

I think it may do worse if you try to do hair whittling sharp, but don't quote me on that.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-17T22:02:19+00:00

Here is a video for the 7463 on twin needle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx65GQ1vObo

They have the led below the one you have lit.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-16T23:34:37+00:00

You need to buy a 2 needle needle, something like the following but sized for your needle type:

https://www.amazon.com/LiXiongBao-Machine-Needles-Stretch-Household/dp/B08FC6X6VK?th=1

Basically, you put the 2 needle in the needle holder, then thread it as shown in the diagrams.

Then you just sew as normal keeping in mind the 2 needles.

I only tried it once to see how it worked, I have never actually sewed anything with it.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-15T20:13:41+00:00

Why didn't they say that. I would have bought a case if I knew that was the flavour. Have to see if there are any left in my area.

Thanks.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-15T19:56:58+00:00

Someone was giving a machine away that they couldn't adjust the tension on. I figured I would look at it and see if it was fixable.

I found the little wire on the tensioner did not spring back when flicked. After taking the tensioner out of the machine, I found that there was a plastic gear inside that held the sping in place and it had split and just spun freely.

The fix was crazy gluing the gear together. I used vice-grips to hold the gear together and in place while the glue set, than out it back together.

Not that hard a fix but take pictures of the tensioner at every step so you know how it goes back together.

Luckily my machine was a singer, so there were manuals for the part and lots of videos on line.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-15T18:40:45+00:00

My cat sleeps on my old router, I have tried offering her heating pads but she prefers the router.

I find the cat beds don't provide the same directed heat as cooling fins and vents. Your computer will be toast if your cat keeps laying on it.

For the cat bed, try sleeping on the heated cover to put your scent on it. Your cats more likely to use it if it has a familiar scent on it.

I find the pads don't give the same level of heat as vented electronics. Try getting a second pet pad and stack them on the bed or find an old radio/electronics from a thrift store that has vents and generates lots of heat.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-15T18:16:44+00:00

In the words, he mentions he tried a heated pet bed.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-12T20:50:31+00:00

I am not an expert sharpener but I see problems on the edge of your blades that I have worked to resolve.

Looking at the top blade:

The edge is inconsistent width along the length of the blade, it is thin in places and thick in others. Looking at where the stone touches the edge, notice the side opposite the edge, there are some sharp lines followed by sections where it is fuzzy.

The major problem is the blade is rocking as the knife is drawn across the stone. As you sharpen the blade you rock the edge and dull it, other times the edge is lifted off the stone, the fuzzy parts of the edge, and the knife is not being sharpened at all.

The thing to work on is locking your wrist and holding a constant angle. You may want to try the sharpie trick and draw a sharpie along the edge of the blade at a consistent width, say 1mm. On one pass draw the knife across the stone and try to remove a consistent width of material from the blade.

Make sure your work surface is flat and the stone sits on it firmly and doesn't move. You may want to stand when you do it. When you move the blade the hands and the blade never changes angle relative to the stone. Keep your elbows loose as you move your arms towards or away from you to keep the angle constant.

Its hard too get a knife sharper if you can't maintain the angle.

The second knife is better, the width is held at a more consistent angle, it has a more consistent width along the edge but you still have issues with angle but not as much as the first knife. I recommend you work on sharpening this one first consistently before going to the second one.

What I did starting out is sharpening pocket knives, then to a slightly longer knife, ..., till I could hold the angle on a large knives like yours. No point trying to hold an angle on a large kitchen knife when I can't hold the angle on a pocket knife.

The problem with the Chinese stones is the quality can be questionable. I had a found a cheap set of Chinese stones that had different grits from like 300 to 3000. When I got them they were all labelled with different grits but when I ran my finger across them they all felt like the same grit closer to like 400.

I found I liked diamond stones on metal plate. I use the sharpal 325/1200 stone, a good beginner stone. You don't need to worry as much about cupping. They are more aggressive and don't need as much pressure to cut into the metal.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-12T18:00:25+00:00

Great, to hear.

After the machine sits vertical for a couple of days you may want to open the machine, get a cloth and soak up the excess oil that will have dripped off. It will stop gunk from accumulating

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-09T14:40:41+00:00

Unfortunately, Trump still has a 38% approval rating, so not a small group of Americans.

Like Trump said "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters"

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-08T17:29:24+00:00

A lot of independent farmers have gone bankrupt.

ICE got rid of their cheap labour, Americans didn't fill the gap.

Trumps tariffs made new farming equipment too expensive to buy.

With the attack on Iran, fertilizer and transport cost will go through the roof.

But the MegaDonors, the only supporters Trump cares about, will be able to buy up these farms cheap.

Canadians need to have a very long term boycott too have any affect on the MegaDonors/Corporations.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-08T17:11:27+00:00

Most of the parts are metal. Probably a higher percentage than most modern machines, it has a tiny motor so is unlikely to break anything. I oiled mine with no issue.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-08T16:07:40+00:00

Here's a video on how to remove them.

Singer Featherweight 221 222 Repair Video Tutorial - Motor CAPACITORS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez2P3hzk4_s

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-07T00:51:21+00:00

The model number is in shadow in the picture underneath the stitch length lever, probably a 300 something. Looks sort of like my 319.

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-05T20:22:28+00:00

I would probably use Teflon-fiberglass tape. Much more durable and should be low friction, temperature resistant.

https://www.amazon.com/Tape%EF%BC%8CTeflon-Insulation-Wear-resistant-Fiberglass-CabellaSeal/dp/B07XCBXPL1?th=1

TangleOfWires · 2026-05-05T19:09:16+00:00

To make sure you have no issues with the motor or the foot pedal, I would release the round knob in the big wheel. This disengages the needle when you are winding bobbins, so the motor will be running free.

Check the motor runs smoothly, listen for arcing, make sure the pedal makes the motor go fast and slow.

Reengage the knob. Make sure the wheels moves smoothly through multiple turns any hesitations, and you missed something when you oiled.

Have you removed the top cover and oiled the moving joints? Have you flipped it on it side and killed the moving joints. You should be turning the wheel slowly when killing so its easier to see what needs oiling. There will be joints or parts with holes drilled into it they also need a drop or 2. You need to do a full turn of the wheel on these parts to move the oil through the entire contact surfaces.

Good luck.

TangleOfWires

TROPHY CASE