I recently was given this Singer 401a and I just can't seem to get it to work. I know absolutely nothing about sewing machines but I'd like to start using it. I opened it up and nothing appears to be damaged. I oiled some of the gears that seemed like they needed it but I've had no luck. The big spindle on the right and the gears it connects to run just fine but nothing else moves at all. I've tried every switch and lever I could find but nothing seems to work.
I'm hoping there's something simple I'm missing simply because I don't know what I'm doing lol
If this is the wrong place for this kind of post please feel free to let me know i just thought I would ask here first before I resort to paying someone to look at it
Did you end up figuring it out?
I know others have joked about dales. But honestly, I would call them, they might be willing to talk you through some troubleshooting on the phone.
Small businesses are run by people, and depending on specifics, people generally want to help people.
I've called a repair shop in my old hometown before, long after I moved away, and I just told them hey, you helped me out before when I needed some parts, and you guys were really informative. I don't live there anymore. I've got a washer that's got an issue, I think I know what it is, but I just wanted a second opinion, and I trust you guys. Could you tell me if I'm on the right track?
I was clear and upfront with them about what I wanted. I proved that I had researched it myself, put in effort, so I wasn't just begging for a free fix or something. The guy was happy to talk to me for a minute or two. Told me the issue I was having was common, and the washer wasn't worth fixing, because you can't get that specific part new, and used parts are all the same age and will fail quickly.
And that's what I needed to know, from someone in the business who knows these things, and I got a different washer.
That one turned out to also be broken but that's another story. Easy fix, fun troubleshooting.