I have an older kenmore sewing machine and while sewing it will stop in the down position and then the hand wheel spins freely. If I hold on to the inner wheel and tighten the outer wheel backwards it will work again, but when this happens it bunches up my bobbin thread on the under side of my fabric. Can I fix this problem on my own or is it just because it is an old machine?

Lacey, January 2009

My Singer 427 does the same, but in the up position. At first I was resetting the washer every time, which led to it still revving like a maniac 3 washer positions out of 4. Then, one time I rotated the handwheel by hand and, finding that it engaged, moved the needle from up to down as though starting a new stitching line. The sewing machine re-engaged and sewed just fine. Try manually moving the needle from down to up and then touch the foot pedal again?

Kliban Qat, March 2009

I took out the only screw I could find, but the wheel does not come off. I see a pin and a notched washer in there and I think that is what you where talking about, but is there anything else that I am missing and should be doing?

Lacey, January 2009

Hello Lacey,
All that has happened is the stop motion has moved inside the balance wheel, undo the screw on the stop motion wheel, unscrew the stop motion all the way off, take the three pronged washer off and put it in a different position, you can turn it upside down if you wish, screw the stop motion wheel back on finger tight, tighten up the screw in the stop motion wheel and test, if it still slips take the stop motion wheel off and position the washer a different way.
Ken

drivewithken@blueyonder.co.uk, January 2009