R wrote:
"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
k...
Very old 1950's basic Singer sewing machine (201K), which was given to us
twenty odd years ago and we never needed it until now. It is one of those
black painted things with gold decoration and the optional electric motor.

The instructions are still with it, so I'm fairly sure it is threaded up
correctly and it looks right, but it doesn't sew. The lower spool of
cotton just sits in the bottom, with a large very tight screw head below
it, which I have not been able to budge.

From the beginning...

The upper thread goes down through the hole with the needle, is dragged
around by the hooked rotating thingummy underneath going around the lower
spool, it brings the lower thread up as it should [1]. Leaving the two
cotton threads out the back I insert the cloth, bring the foot down and
start to stitch -except it doesn't.

It doesn't actually create any stitch in the material, it just moves the
material forward with no stitches, then eventually the thread knots, jams
and then breaks.

[1] The hook doesn't always catch the thread, when trying to get it set up
to start sewing.

Found this Harry......Not sure if you have tried it....

http://www.howtomendit.com/answers.php?id=21636



I see from original post that you have threading instructions.Check that
bottom spool is correct way round and top and bottom tensions are the same.
John G.