So You Want to Fix Your Sewing Machine?
Written: May 16 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Pretty basic and easy to understand, plenty of illustrations.
Cons: Limited content for the price.
The Bottom Line: Hardly the treatise sewing machine repair deserves, but if you're wrestling with a vintage Touch & Sew, it might help.
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| adonna's Full Review: Arthur W. Smith - How to Adjust and Repair Your Se... |
I can well understand that.
Some folks have been asking where I've been, and why I have written so few reviews lately. Truth of the matter is, I've been learning to fix sewing machines. I've accumulated quite a library of "how-to" books on the subject, and must admit that, of the offerings currently in print, this is probably the only one I've used.
Which isn't to say it's the cat's pajamas.
No, not at all. However, the other ones currently in print are even worse, so let's look at Smith's offering, and see what you'll get.
Clearing up some misconceptions
I'd be remiss if I didn't clear up some misconceptions. First of all, this book was first published in 1984, not 1990 as the epinions splash page suggests. This, my dears, is important, because if you're hankering to fix a machine that's circa 1990, this book won't help you. And if you want to fix a modern machine, this book won't help you either.
Second of all, as far as I know, the price of the book is still $19.95. If it is the $35.00 that the epinions splash page suggests, don't bother. It isn't worth that much money.
What it is
It's hardly a book. More like a type written spiral bound photocopied set of pages. There are 36 pages of actual text and illustrations, the pages following that are some parts charts which may be useful but which are, in part, available online free as well, and then advertisements for other offerings, like the Jokebook of the Century (no, this isn't the Jokebook of the Century.)
I'd characterize it as a sewing machine mechanic's notes and sketches (or illustrations which were "borrowed" from actual service manuals), which were written and drawn probably on retirement, and which have been photocopied and sold by the family ever since. Some of it is useful. For instance, if you want to time a Singer sewing machine, of, say, the models from model 500 (mid sixties machine) to model 2000, you'll find two pages that cover that procedure. The illustrations are clear enough that you'll know where the screws to turn are.
Or if you're facing one of those generic machines and have to reassemble the upper tension, the more general descriptions of an upper tension assembly might be of some use. Of course, you'll have to interpret and extrapolate, as not all tension assemblies are the same. But, if you're shooting in the dark for a possible bit of help, you might find it here.
In some instances this will be enough to be helpful, as many of the old machines have similar features and parts. Since there's not a wealth of currently published books on sewing machine repair, and since the out of print ones can bring an alarmingly high price on auction, this might be a good option. It's certainly better than guessing.
In a general way it covers trouble shooting, oiling and cleaning, bobbin winder clutch adjustment, tensions, needle bar adjustment, timing, adjustment of the direction of the presser foot, dealing with the drop feed, and carbon brushes. It lacks in that it doesn't give any understanding of the mechanics of a sewing machine, or why you might need to make these adjustments, or how you can test the machine to see if it needs these adjustments.
But, if you can fill in your understanding through other areas (such as the links page on the yahoo group called wefixit, which is a group for sewing machine shade tree mechanics) and if you can collect other books and manuals, this might have a slim place in your library and be useful for some things.
At the price epinions suggests it is sold at, it's a definite Don't Buy. In fact, I don't think it is worth the $19.95 I paid for it. Maybe if you found it for $4.00, it would be worth that. But that's not my call.
Of course, it keeps the Smith family's head above water, so that's a good thing. But it's hardly the treatise that fixing a sewing machine might deserve.
Would I get it again? Probably yes, but I'm an infomaniac, and when I'm set on learning something, I seek out all sources. But if I knew what I know today, I'd probably try to find it used, and cheaper. As I've said, of the currently in print offerings, it is the better of the two. You might not feel foolish owning it, but it's only average.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
adonna
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Member: Donna Hall
Location: Humboldt County, California
Reviews written: 164
Trusted by: 100 members
About Me:
When I'm not here, I'm birding. (Or working, or gardening, or playing with power tools.)
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