Singer 626 Touch and Sew Deluxe Zig Zag problem

Just to add one other note, when attempting to wind the bobbin, if the pedal is pressed to hard (i.e., fast), the needle gets jammed and breaks.

Check the following:

Is the needle correctly inserted? All the way in, right way round and right type of needle!

Is the bobbin in the bobbin case properly? All the way in and the right way up?

Is it the correct bobbin for the machine?

Is the bobbin case in correctly? If this is a 'drop-in' bobbin, where the bobbin is dropped in the hole from the top rather than having a separate bobbin case that you insert from the front or side, this should be straight forward...

Is this the model with the bobbin winding gadget where the bobbin can be wound without taking it out or unthreading the needle? If so, you may have a problem with this mechanism. This would be either a dealer fix it problem, or you could come and join the Yahoo wefixit group, where many folk can help you:

think you have discovered why some of these Touch & Sew models are known as Touch & Swear! ;)

Did you try changing to a new needle?

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

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Yes, after each time the needle broke :-)

You should always go slow when winding the bobbin. Be sure to follow exactly the directions in the users manual. It is a tricky system. Look closely at the bobbin case in the rear there is a slot that slot must be at exactly 12:00 O'clock position, do not attempt to adjust it yourself just looking for more problems. Also be sure the presser foot is UP when winding the bobbin.

Dave:

I once owned and used daily two of these very machines and LOVED them. Biggest sewing judgment mistake was selling them and buying a new electronic Brother - later sold and moved on to a much better machine, a Singer 301. A problem I had with these machines sounds very much like the one you are having. There is a black metal piece to the right of the bobbin, which is used as a lever and moved in a certain way when the bobbin is to be wound and when the bobbin is full snaps back into place as a result of the bobbin being full - I can't recall exactly how it was to be moved but the manual will explain it. Until I learned, sometimes after I would delint and clean the area and moved the piece too far or didn't get it seated just so, the result would be a broken needle, jamming and poor stitches. So fiddle with that black piece a little. It should fit very snug in its place with the right end very tight in its location with the left side having a little play. If this doesn't help, appeal to our Ron for help.

Valerie

tom snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote:

That is incorrect information. That black piece is the position bracket and is not user serviceable. It has a specific adjustment that coordinates with the position finger upper left at 11:00 o'clock to Center properly the bobbin case and afford the correct clearances for the thread paths. The lever with the bull's-eye on the left is for engaging the bobbin winder.

Ron:

I was hoping that you would correct any of my misinformation. It's been ten years since I've had those machines. I do remember having to pull those black pieces out and reposition them in order to get the machine to work properly - must not be connected to the winder, though I do seem to remember I did it in connection with the bobbin. So, can you help Dave figure out his problem from your vast and current knowledge?

Valerie

R> That is incorrect information. That black piece is the position bracket and

Valerie, I bet you are thinking of the little knob that you turn inward to engage bobbin winding. The knob automatically goes back to the neutral position after you slide the closed the bobbin plate, but sometimes gets stuck, especially on machines that haven't been cleaned regularly....old oil stuck with lint & thread fuzz makes a good cement!

I have 4 Touch & Sews in my flock of machines, and don't have a problem winding a bobbin or adjusting the tensions on any of 'em. I guess I'm one of the minority who actually LIKES them. In fact, I had my 638 out tonight...it's a straight stitch only T&S, it's like new with all the bits and pieces and the case. It makes the most BEAUTIFUL chainstitch.

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

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From what I hear on the wefixit group and elsewhere, these things are either wonderful or Friday afternoon lemons, with no middle ground! And some Touch & Swears were worse than others... They seem to be a bit like cats: temperamental unless you sacrifice mice or expensive thread to them! ;)

I think it's a matter of luck. If the plastic gears - or nylon, or whatever they're made of - are intact and functioning, it's a great little machine. Once those gears go, though, it's all over. They may go a little at a time, too, with smaller fractures until the entire thing crumbles. It's not just sewing machines, either. I have a mixer in the kitchen that has had gears replaced several times. Same type of gear.

Don't know if it will help, but my touch n' sew (non zig zag) has a little white button to the left of the bobbin than must be pushed down to wind. You can get it to wind without pushing the button, but it entails a lot of time and profanity.

Ahhh...but not ALL the T&S models had plastic anything in them, including gears. The early 600 series were all metal, and were also gear driven (no belts) like the earlier 401 and 500 slants.=20

And, for the ones that do, those plastic gears are not hard to replace.

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

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