Up top is a Singer 201-2, a 206, a 15-91 in addition to a 221 Featherweight. They all purpose the same feed Canis familiaris screws in addition to needleplate screws. You'll desire to take your needleplate in addition to feed dogs pretty regularly to construct clean out all the lint that gathers underneath them. Now let's utter well-nigh how to easily instruct them off.
In the final post, I wrote well-nigh how the arm of the machine makes it impossible to instruct a screwdriver take into the needle plate or feed Canis familiaris screws. Even the stubbiest screwdriver simply won't fit. That doesn't halt other people from trying (and failing), therefore inevitably you'll meet these machines amongst partially stripped screws.
If there's whatever purchase left inwards the screw at all, here's ii tools yous tin purpose to instruct those screws out. (If they're already besides stripped, you'll receive got to receive got it to a pro.)
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| NOT my start choice |
These offset screwdrivers are made past times Tuff Stuff, which is non a tool companionship yous listen people rave about, but I bought 'em because they were hollow-ground in addition to the alone affair my local hardware shop had (just nether $10, likely cheaper close yous since NYC is expensive). I don't similar these but I include this review because they're mutual in addition to mightiness live on the alone affair yous tin instruct locally, depending on where yous live. I meet these all the fourth dimension inwards Mom-&-Pop hardware stores, they sell them both inwards a unmarried pack.
Amazingly, the larger i is a adept tally for a Singer needleplate screw, in addition to the smaller i is a decent-enough tally for a feed Canis familiaris screw. I was worried the steel on these tools would live on soft in addition to cheap, but surprisingly they got fifty-fifty stuck screws off without losing fabric or slipping.
When using offset screwdrivers, yous don't simply stick 'em inwards the slot in addition to turn. You receive got to furnish a lot of downward pressure level on them, peculiarly if the screw is already partially stripped.
Press downwards really difficult where the arrow is, every bit if you're trying to force the screwdriver correct through the screw. You truly receive got to drive it downwards into the slot, peculiarly if the screw has been overtightened, every bit I frequently honor them.
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| Keep the shaft going take into the screw. |
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| Don't allow it tip at an angle! Danger of stripping or slipping! |
I alone purpose this driver to suspension the screw loose, non undo the whole thing. Using offset screwdrivers nether the sewing machine arm are a hurting because yous tin alone plow it a little, therefore yous receive got to proceed resetting it in addition to turning it. So afterwards breaking the screw loose, I purpose a properly-sized Brownell bit, which is therefore long that yous tin purpose the chip itself every bit a mini-screwdriver. (If you've never heard of Brownell bits, don't worry, I'll encompass them inwards the side past times side entry.)
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| Using the chip every bit a mini-screwdriver makes the labor quicker. |
Now, here's the tool I truly recommend:
This is a modest ratcheting handgrip made past times Chapman tools. They come upwards inwards Chapman's screwdriver chip sets, but yous tin also purchase them individually. The cheapest cost I've seen for these is on Amazon, $4.25. Here's a link:
(Husky also makes i that I've seen at Home Depot for $6.99, but I've never used it.)
I similar this ratchet improve than the offset screwdriver because yous simply stick the chip yous demand inwards there, in addition to yous tin popular the chip out, rotate it, in addition to pose it dorsum inwards if the screw slot is at an inconvenient angle. If yous don't know what I hateful past times this, it volition exceed clear when you're truly trying to receive got the screw out.
As amongst the offset screwdriver, furnish a lot of downward pressure level along the shaft of the chip to proceed it firmly seated inwards the screw. Once you've got that downward pressure level going, yous tin start turning the handgrip to suspension the screw loose.
Again, afterwards the screw's loose, yous tin instruct rid of the handgrip in addition to simply purpose the chip to unscrew it the residue of the way.
Looking at the bottom of the feed dog, yous meet why it's a adept thought to regularly receive got it off in addition to construct clean it. This lint gathered afterwards I sewed simply ii pairs of boxer shorts; yous tin imagine how much would live on nether at that topographic point if you're sewing, say, a quilt.
Here's a tip for when yous pose everything dorsum together: I've institute it's okay to tighten the needleplate screws simply using the bit, which does non furnish the same high amount of torque every bit if yous tighten it amongst the ratchet or offset screwdriver. But the feed Canis familiaris screws are a dissimilar story--those receive got to live on tightened downwards using the ratchet or offset screwdriver. Every fourth dimension I've tried tightening the feed Canis familiaris screws using simply the bit, when I start sewing, the vibration of the machine eventually causes those screws to start backing out past times themselves in addition to the feed dogs exceed dislodged. Obviously this volition Pb to trouble, therefore proceed those feed dogs screwed on tight.
Next I'll encompass some dissimilar companies that brand bits, where yous tin instruct them, which bits you'll need, in addition to why it mightiness non live on cost-effective to purchase a whole set.
Go on to Screwdrivers, Part 3: Which Set Do I (or Don't I) Need?
