1967 Elna Star series Supermatic

Looks like it is an older mechanical machine, so it may be seized due to old oil that has dried.


Wheel on right side that controls the needle up and down is very tight...

Possibly a gear or something is broken too.

Are you sure you have the settings right on the machine? It can be a little unintuitive with these old Swiss beauties. Start by checking the disc is fully clicked into the Elnagraph, there is a little finger underneath which marries up with a hole in the disc. Now turn the dial in front of the elnagraph to A, the automatic setting. Now turn the stitch length dial to the straight line and the stitch width to A also.
There were a few variants of the supermatic and I have descibed the last one the Star Series, this machine is white with blue top. But I have got a manual for the earlier green supermatic as well so could drag this out if you havent resolved the problem. I do find that any machine left for a while unused may,suffer from loss of needle swing, the needle bar bearing gets funked up. Can be worked loose with Triflow and gentle wiggling. The bar bearing slides across on a shiny metal rod and is,pulled back to centre by a spring, so,this could also have broken,or come off.

SewVacDoctor@sewingandvac.com
contact them & see if they can help you

These discs are either single or double discs, the doubles give forwards and backwards movement by the feed dogs moving the fabric as well as side to side movement of the needle. This gives you the "Supermatic" stitches, revolutionary in 1952 when Elna developed this technology.

I'm assuming that you have a Supermatic (green) or Star Series SU (white with blue top) Elna model? your model will have a code number on the side plate by the power point, it may be 62 if its a Star, there is some variation in how you select the automatic stitches between these models but the basics are similar.

Start first by turning the stitch width selector to zero and stitch length selector to zero.

You need to insert the disc into the Elnagraph carefully, lining up the dot marking on the disc with the finger within the elnagraph, there is a little hole underside of the disc where this finger goes into to lock the disc in place. You now turn the stitch selector to "A" for automatic, and turn the stitch width to 4. Always turn your dials back to zero before removing the disc as there is a little feeler that swings over to "read" off the disc and you won't want to damage this.

The very early Elna supermatic take a slightly different disc, the finger hole is slightly different to the later machines and they were removed using a little tool. Later models it got easier and you push the middle of the elnagraph silver ring to release the disc.

I hope I haven't confused you more, you may want to join the Swiss Elna user group called Elna Heirlooms under yahoo.com groups, its a very helpful group of members and you should find a thread on these machines there.

you can get this from this link http://www.arizonaexpressionz.com/elna_instruction_manuals/Elna_SP_ST_SU_sewing_guide.pdf

The star series were beautifully engineered machines from Elna.

not unless you can find another swiss elna, like star series su. check bobbin in right way, holes on top to wind and load. you havent bought anothet type bobbin??? go to www.arizonaexpressionz.com and download a manual for supermatic. then read bobbin winding and threading carefully and rewinf bobbin and thread up again. make sure thread goes into tension spring all the way. bobbin should turn anticlockwise when yoou pull thread. also please brush clean bobbin holder area and check for any threads caught there. now a drop of quality clear machine oil in middle hole and gently run for 30secs to work in. do this every time you get your machine out. there are several oiling points shown in manual. oil them. these machines are quality but yours may need love tlc from a elna tech especially if it has not been serviced in a while. but a well maintained elna will out stitch a new plastic machine any day in my humble opinion. if you want to join yahoo group elna heirlooms, experts who service their own and share photos info manuals and love these vintage classics.

There may be threads jammed up in the bobbin holder area causing the jam. But removing the inner bobbin holder is a bit tricky if you haven't done it before. There are two little screws holding the silver inner down onto a black ceramic piece (inner guard ring), and you need to get these lined up the right way to get the bobbin holder back into position afterwards.

I would suggest that you join the Yahoo group Elna Heirlooms, then check out the files and photos loaded up by other members who work on their Elnas.

You shouldn't need to remove the feed dogs, just give them a clean with a little brush. But internally the machine may need a good clean and lube and without a service manual or good guide this can be challenging.

If you go this link http://www.arizonaexpressionz.com/elna_service_manuals.html you can down load the manual for this machine, the Star Series SU. Go to page 7 of the first part to see about removing the bobbin holder and inner guard ring.

It is a case of lining up the cut out of the black plate to the front, then putting the bobbin holder on top with the little arms facing front also, then replacing the two screws.

I'd suggest you take photos with a digital camera before you start to help you get it back in the right way.

I hope this helps you with the Supermatic, did you get the discs and accessories with it too? lovely Swiss quality machine with great stitching so if you can't get it unjammed, you may wish to find an experienced Elna Technician to take a look.

White Sewing Center stock lots of parts for these machines too, www.whitesewingcenter.com

www.tradebit.com

I'd suggest that you join the Yahoo user group for Heirloom Elnas, the members are very helpful and share images of manuals and their experience. You should be able to download a copy of the supermatic manual from here once you've joined up.

Is your supermatic a green model like this one?


or there is a white with blue top supermatic from the Star Series, it looks like this


If its the star series, you'll see above a round knob with red and black numbers, this is the stitch length dial. Red is reverse, black is forwards. The lever just to the left is the stitch width lever and the round dial to left again is the needle position dial.

If its the green model then the dials and knobs are in different places but they work in a similar fashion.

Good luck wiht your machine.l

Elna Supermatic 722010 is a very vintage elna and would take the metal 7 hole dished bobbin like this.





Don't try to use any other bobbin in it, and always load and wind with the holes on top.

You can still buy these; one supplier is sewingpartsonline, here is like to the item

http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/bobbins-elna-426000-10pk.aspx