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.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

I'm no expert, but the lower spool should be readily removable - held
by a couple of clips or something - so it is easy to change colours etc.
I don't think it should require a screw to be removed ! It' suggests to
me that it may not quite be in the right position, which *may* explain
why the lower thread is not always being caught. Apart from that, it
sounds as if you're doing everything about right.

Harry Bloomfield wrote:
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.

Andy Cap submitted this idea :
I'm no expert, but the lower spool should be readily removable - held by a
couple of clips or something - so it is easy to change colours etc.
I don't think it should require a screw to be removed ! It' suggests to me
that it may not quite be in the right position, which *may* explain why the
lower thread is not always being caught. Apart from that, it sounds as if
you're doing everything about right.

The lower spool does come straight out, the large screw head is
directly below the spool and I fancy serves as the centre for the
rotation - I was simply trying to add to the description in the hopes
someone might recognise it and the problem.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On Sun, 10 May 2009 20:39:41 +0100, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:

The lower spool does come straight out, the large screw head is
directly below the spool and I fancy serves as the centre for the
rotation - I was simply trying to add to the description in the hopes
someone might recognise it and the problem.

Well it definitely sounds like an alignment problem. Bent needle. Needle in the
wrong way round. Bent finger. Might be worth trying rewinding the bobbin, if
that too tight. Just trying to help ! ;-)

Andy C

On Sun, 10 May 2009 20:13:15 +0100, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

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.
=========================================

You might have the carrier / cotton spool threaded incorrectly. From
distant memory..


The spool carrier for the lower spool should show a curved steel spring
with a small slot and hole in it. The spool should go into the carrier so
that the thread unwinds to the left and is inserted through the slot in
the spring.

You might also have the thread tensioner set incorrectly. Look for two 1"
diameter dished disks held together by a spring - on the left hand side
above the needle. Check that the cotton can only be pulled through this with
some friction.

Also check which side the thread goes through the eye of the needle - your
manual should tell you the correct entry for your machine.

Cic.

--
==========================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
==========================================

Cicero submitted this idea :
The spool carrier for the lower spool should show a curved steel spring
with a small slot and hole in it. The spool should go into the carrier so
that the thread unwinds to the left and is inserted through the slot in
the spring.

It was.


You might also have the thread tensioner set incorrectly. Look for two 1"
diameter dished disks held together by a spring - on the left hand side
above the needle. Check that the cotton can only be pulled through this with
some friction.

I had the tension set to minimum - 0, as when turned up to 5 it broke
the thread if pulled towards the needle.


Also check which side the thread goes through the eye of the needle - your
manual should tell you the correct entry for your machine.

I assumed it went through from front to back, but I will check that
point. Thanks...

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Cicero submitted this idea :
The spool carrier for the lower spool should show a curved steel spring
with a small slot and hole in it. The spool should go into the carrier so
that the thread unwinds to the left and is inserted through the slot in
the spring.

It was.


You might also have the thread tensioner set incorrectly. Look for two 1"
diameter dished disks held together by a spring - on the left hand side
above the needle. Check that the cotton can only be pulled through this with
some friction.

I had the tension set to minimum - 0, as when turned up to 5 it broke
the thread if pulled towards the needle.


Also check which side the thread goes through the eye of the needle - your
manual should tell you the correct entry for your machine.

I assumed it went through from front to back, but I will check that
point. Thanks...


Its been a long time since I played with an old swing bobbin thing,
but the basic idea is that the thread from the top is looped round the
bottom bobbin on each swing. Now IIRC those are fairly open
mechanisms, so you should be able to see what happens when you try to
sew with no cloth in place, and from that it should be possible to
deduce where the lower bobbin thread is in the wrong place.


NT

On Sun, 10 May 2009 21:36:14 +0100, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Cicero submitted this idea :
The spool carrier for the lower spool should show a curved steel spring
with a small slot and hole in it. The spool should go into the carrier
so that the thread unwinds to the left and is inserted through the slot
in the spring.

It was.


You might also have the thread tensioner set incorrectly. Look for two
1" diameter dished disks held together by a spring - on the left hand
side above the needle. Check that the cotton can only be pulled through
this with some friction.

I had the tension set to minimum - 0, as when turned up to 5 it broke
the thread if pulled towards the needle.


Also check which side the thread goes through the eye of the needle -
your manual should tell you the correct entry for your machine.

I assumed it went through from front to back, but I will check that
point. Thanks...
=========================================

Most machines thread from left OR right - worth a check that your needle
is correctly inserted.

I think you'll probably need more than zero tension on the tensioner.

Cic.
--
==========================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
==========================================

Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Also check which side the thread goes through the eye of the needle -
your
manual should tell you the correct entry for your machine.

I assumed it went through from front to back, but I will check that
point. Thanks...

That could well be the problem. Many of the old black straight-stitch
machines have the needle set to thread from the side, not the front.
All of the modern, multi-stitch machines I've used, thread from the front.

Cicero wrote:


I think you'll probably need more than zero tension on the tensioner.


Indeed. It would be worth checking that the discs aren't rusty, and
that there is no thread or lint build up.
Also check for bits of thread and lint in the bobbin race.

"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

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.

S Viemeister brought next idea :
Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Also check which side the thread goes through the eye of the needle - your
manual should tell you the correct entry for your machine.

I assumed it went through from front to back, but I will check that point.
Thanks...

That could well be the problem. Many of the old black straight-stitch
machines have the needle set to thread from the side, not the front.
All of the modern, multi-stitch machines I've used, thread from the front.

Spot on!

The needle when I first tried to use was inserted with the eye lined up
front to back. There was a couple of spares so I had tried replacing it
with a spare, but inserted the same way. Once turned sideways and
threaded right to left, it works fine - just needs a replacement drive
belt.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, including the one which solved it.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk