Featherweight Fanatics Archives

2004

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http://www.FeatherWeightFanatics.com/fwf
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Featherweight Fanatics A Service of Sue Traudt's Valley Brook Botanicals

Digest of postings from Wednesday, January 7, 2004 

Welcome to all our new members!
To post a message - send it to: FWFanatics@ttsw.com
To post a message to the For sale list - sent it to: FWForSale@ttsw.com
To pay dues  http://ttsw.com/JoinLists.html
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From: "Sharon Quilt" 
Subject: "Heat from the Featherweight"
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 23:23:33 -0500

I don't know about the heat  intensity from the lamp...but 2 years ago 
the build-up of heat from my foot control burnt a hole in my kitchen 
floor.......right through to the sub-floor!!!!  .My insurance adjuster 
had never had a claim so he came over to the house to take pictures for 
the company....take care...Sharon

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From: BJoBethke@aol.com
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 20:11:20 EST
Subject: Re: FW Fanatics 1/5/2003

Hi Gerald....I tried the link and wasn't able to get in.  Is there some 
secret here?  Betty

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Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 20:10:13 -0500
Subject: Oily pad
From: The Lesters 

I have hear others talk about the pads being soaked with oil but now I 
have seen one for myself!!  Cannot imagine how it got so 
soaked--especially since all of the places for oiling were packed with 
grease (OK, lubricant).  This belongs to a friend of mine and I did the 
cleaning as a favor.  She couldn't remember who had done the last 
maintenance but I told her to think hard and NEVER take anything there 
again!

Anyway I told her I would find her another pad and now I can't remember 
who had them for sale.

Jean

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From: "Joanne" 
Subject: Organization
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 15:14:24 -0700

      Thanks to all of you who sent me the 12 Ways to Kill an 
Organization.  So kind and so thoughtful!

      Joanne

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From: "jaydub" 
Subject: singer 301 1/4" foot
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 15:50:06 -0600

Hi Feathers,
    I am looking for a 1/4" patchwork foot for the Singer 301. Does anyone
sell them?
Thanks,
Sharon Weaver

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From: Dbilld1@aol.com
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 11:04:28 EST
Subject: Re: FW Fanatics 1/5/2003

For Deb and the hot bulb on a 221:

I recently found that if synthetic batting gets against the bulb on my 221 it 
melts, and if the other material then gets against the bulb, it tends to 
leave a mark.  I would guess most synthetics would melt, since the bulb gets quite 
hot.  Notice there is no ventilation around the bulb on our little jewels.  

Since that is the only fault I have found with these treasures, I could leave 
the bulb off and put a reading lamp opposite the machine, but I don't feel it 
is that much of a problem.  Only a person with my grace and skill would 
probably be jamming batting up into the light fixture anyway.

Bill D.

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From: "Steve Ward" 
Subject: machine problems
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 09:29:21 -0500

Re: 201 wiring

On any of these 3-pin terminals, the two light wires go on
A and C, assuming the light is not switched,  and the motor wires go on 
A and B or B and C, either way, since the main power is on A and C, and 
the controller feeds out of A or C and back into B. Place the switch 
wires, if any, so they get power from a A or C and feed it to one side 
of the light. It doesn't matter which side you identify as "A".
Now, is everybody really confused?????? It's really easier than it 
sounds!

In regard to my photos of packing a Featherweight, I didn't
have time to attach the written instructions. I hope everyone who 
received them was able to figure out what I did based on the sequential 
photos. The main things are to not skimp on packing, put something 
between the fold-up bed and the face plate screw, and pack everything 
tightly inside the carry case so it has absolutely no movement. I also 
put peanuts in the attachment box. The idea someone mentioned of taking 
off the spool pin sounds like a good one, since it's easily removed, and 
it tends to gouge the inside of the case lid.


Re: light bulb burning the fabric

The correct light bulb for a Featherweight is 10-15 watt. There are 
certain vacuum bulbs that will fit into the socket on the Featherweight, 
but they are 25-40 watt, and get too hot. This was possibly the case in 
the example given.

I'm working on hard on my eBay store. Thanks to everyone who has been 
kind enough to give me their business over the past year. I've been in 
this business (sewing machines)for 30+ years as an educator, retailer, 
and repairman, but I still occasionally goof-up.

Steve
"sewingdoc"

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From: "Virgie Williams" 
Subject: To Ardith: there is more
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 07:11:57 -0600

I over looked this in the paragraph above the quote from the Mary Brooks 
Picken book. I want to add this too.

"Never try to sew with a sink full of dishes or bed unmade. When there 
are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so that your mind is free 
to enjoy your sewing."

Virgie in TN

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From: "Virgie Williams" 
Subject: For Ardith Re: New Sewer from Tue, Jan. 6th
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 07:05:40 -0600

I remember reading that in the 1949 version of the Singer Sewing Book by 
Mary Brooks Picken on page 3.

"When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a 
beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress. Be sure your hands 
are clean, fingernails smooth--a nail file and pumice will help. Always 
avoid hangnails. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing 
machine where you can pick it up and dust your fingers at intervals. 
This not only absorbs the moisture on your fingers, but helps to keep 
your work clean. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on 
with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing, 
because if your are making something for yourself, you will try it on at 
intervals in front of the mirror, and you can hope for better results 
when you look your best.

Again, sewing must be approached with the idea that you are going to 
enjoy it. and if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in 
or your husband will come home and you will not look neatly put 
together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should. Therefore, 
"spruce-up" at the beginning so that you are free to enjoy every part of 
any sewing you do."

This quote always gives me a chuckle.  Virgie in TN

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From: "Cathy" 
Subject: Questions
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 07:33:26 -0500

Hi Deb,

Your message about the light bulb on the featherweight getting hot. Now 
I haven't burn a whole in anything, because I have a habit of turning it 
off when I step away from the machine. The reason I do that is because I 
have burned my hand slightly when I accidentally ran into the light bulb 
or it's casing.  I let it cool between sewing and ironing, etc. I'm 
teaching my 13 year old neice to sew on it now, and have taught her to 
do the same.

Cathy of NC

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From: PATBERGMAN@aol.com
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 00:50:40 EST
Subject: FW light bulb. & Packing instructions

Deb, she is lucky that she did not burn her house down.  

People forget that light is heat. Remember those toy easy bake ovens, they 
baked a cake with a 100W light bulb.  I don't remember offhand what the wattage 
is on a sewing machine light, but I imagine it is about a 15 W. just as hot 
but a little slower, but it could bake a cake, too, over a longer period of time.

Mr. Singh, the man who imported those Sew Easy FW knock offs was removing the 
lights from his machines before he shipped them out as a woman had burned her 
arm on one of them and I think she sued him for damages.  I don't know if 
Singer was ever sued but I do know you can burn your arm on any Featherweight 
light if you don't watch what you are doing.

The moral of the story is, don't forget that you should never leave an 
electric appliance of any kind unattended and plugged in.  I know we all do it, but 
so far, most of us have just plain been lucky.

I thing packing instructions are on Graham Forsdyke Website.

PatBergman

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Date: Wed, 07 Jan 2004 00:19:39 -0500
From: "Paul Scholten" 
Subject: FW quilt burning episode

Hi, everybody!  Linda here.  Deb, since you mentioned "quilt" in your
message, here's what I think happened:
the quilt sandwich was rolled up to fit through the smaller space
between the needle and pillar, and the quilter left it there for half an
hour or more.  Depending on how big a quilt it was, the rolled up bit
could definitely be touching the light fixture, and that light gets hot
(don't test it by touching it with your finger---I've already done that
accidentally and it hurts!).  Prolonged contact with a heat source would
definitely do that kind of damage, and since flannel is a fuzzy type of
fabric, there would be more thread available to scorch and burn.

Hope this helps.
Linda from Oxford, Ohio
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