Feed dog selectors on older mechanical machines often become stuck with age, lack of use, and lack of oil. Do a thorough clean and oil of your machine (see your manual for where to oil) using a good quality sewing machine oil (not 3-in-1, WD-40, or cooking oil). If it hasn't been oiled in quite some time, a good penetrating oil such as liquid Tri-Flow Synthentic Oil from your hardware store can be used. Do not use more than one or two drops at a time and do not oil the metal cams or the two white plastic gears. To further loosen things up, direct a hand-held hair dryer on a hot setting into the internal mechanism of the machine. You may need to repeat several times and let it set overnight, but if it is old oil that has gummed things up, it will usually loosen up with oil and heat.
Recommendation is to oil every time a bobbin thread is changed, every 8 hours of constant sewing use, or every six months if not in use.
Also note, sometimes the feed dogs do not raise until you begin to sew even though the selector has been changed.
Rotate the control (the small round knob lowest down on the column) anticlockwise so that the line points to the zig-zag symbol on the right. The feed dogs will come up automatically as the machine reaches the right point in the next stitch.
If this does not happen automatically, the area around the feed dogs may have impacted lint from a lack of cleaning - remove the bobbin, hook, free arm top plate. Clean thoroughly. Lubricate properly and reassemble. If this does not work then the machine requires more extensive service and would be best dealt with by a technician.
1,419 views
Usually answered in minutes!
×