Elna SU- Oldie but Goodie- precision, high speed, not heavy duty. Nylon gears-be careful (video 354)

Here’s a nice machine to buy at an estate sale if you can find one. If it’s clean and functional it will make you a good backup machine.
Just don’t sew on anything too heavy or you’ll risk breaking a nylon gear.

[@karenstrombach6858]

This is a excellent tutorial. Just picked up two to clean up and resell at my local not for profit sewing community center. It is absolutely perfect for a new sewist! The video takes it from zero to hero! Made my day significant better.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

@@karenstrombach6858 glad to help and thanks for watching 😎👍🏼

[@pamk868]

This video is almost as good as having an actual 1973 Elna rep come to my house to demonstrate the machine in person! 😊

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

Thank you. That’s high praise and I appreciate that. It just might help someone figure out their machine and get some good results from it. 😎👍🏼

[@r.duroucher225]

I found one left out waiting for the trash man. I think a family was clearing out a house before selling it. There was a pile of furniture on the lawn and a flat bed Elna in a cheap cabinet. The hook pinion gear was broken. Otherwise, the machine looks new and it looks like it pretty much was never really used. Clean as a whistle inside. I got a replacement gear online for I think less than $15 and had some fun installing it. The machine is fabulous. Made like a Swiss watch. You're right, it's not heavy duty, but it's fabulous for normal sewing. For heavy stuff, I have a Kenmore 158.17600 or a Singer 15 or 319 in the collection.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

Good job on the gear replacement. It will be a good machine for a backup or to gift to a beginner. 😎👍🏼

[@r.duroucher225]

@@randyyoursewingmachineman9954 I suspect that I'll keep it for the time being at least. Hoarding. I have a rescued Touch 'n Sew from the same year as the Elna on the bench right now waiting for a gear replacement. I suspect that one will be a gift to a beginner or to charity. That machine too was destined for the landfill by its previous owner.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

@@r.duroucher225 good for you. I appreciate you and folks like you with a generous nature and willingness to help others. Keeping these redeemable machines out of the landfill is a commendable activity as well. 😎👍🏼

[@kristanavarro3775]

Great video thank you! I just inherited this from my grandma who recently passed and I’ve had it repaired and now I’m trying to figure out how to use it!

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

Thanks for watching and enjoy your Elna. 😎👍🏼

[@patriciamaeanthony3838]

What a surprise to find this lovely, video! I am an original owner of this machine. It out-sews other, newer machines that I have, and does so much more quietly. Mine was purchased in San Jose, CA, but lived in San Francisco for many years, and now enjoys the peace and quiet of Oregon! LOL

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

They’re great machines, and if serviced regularly will give many years of service. I sold these in the mid-seventies and they were a high priced sale. Quality costs-quality lasts. Thanks for watching. 😎👍🏼

[@CaerolSmyth]

I have this machine. I love it. I got it in 1973. It still runs like a top. I still use it. I got mine from the store on Yale Street in Houston, Texas. This was a fun video for me. Thank you so much.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

I sold the heck out of those beauties in the early seventies. Their purchase price was equivalent to about four house payments for me, so I delivered them to everyone’s house but mine. 😎👍

[@pamk868]

Thank you for this video Randy! I got this machine from my mother-in-law who inherited it from her own mother. It's sooo smooth and quiet. Grateful for your service and expertise! 😊

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

You’re quite welcome. It was great to visit with you today when delivering your machines. Have a great New Year and I appreciate you as a customer and friend. 😎👍🏼

[@6thmichcav262]

I didn’t know what the bobbin retriever was for on my 62C-thank you for demonstrating that!

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

It’s a handy gadget to have. Otherwise, getting that bobbin out isn’t much fun. 👍😎

[@pamk868]

I had no idea what it was for either! 😂

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

@@pamk868 😎👍🏼

[@deweydodo6691]

[@eleanoreagly4844]

Purchased one for $10, with metal case in good condition but none of the accessories (none of the pattern cams, but those are available on ebay. I cannot get those screws next to the needle plate to move. Noticed the motor is only a .75 amp, which is whimpy. I will sell it for what I have in it at no profit. I just wanted to have a look inside and get it to working. It has a sprung spring that appears to be associated with the presser bar. Good thing I watched a video on how to thread the machine as the threading of the tension is on the opposite side of 6 other brands of machines that I have in the house. I like my all metal gear Kenmores much better than the Elna. It will be adopted out for lightweight fabric sewing.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

Good call. If you have some workhorse Kenmore machines, you’re all set. 👍🏼😎

[@dogsareawomansbestfriend]

70's! Gave mine away. Getting other old ones and I am clueless.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

The next video (355) is about a Kenmore that you should get. It’s awesome. 😎👍🏼

[@LyndaHeines]

Makes me so sad to see this machine. I've had mine since the early 70s (second owner but it was hardly used) and I must have pushed it too hard. It was making a racket so I took it to my serviceman who loves this machine and has been servicing these for years. He replaced the cam gear, retimed and polished the hook. It is so loud now. He took it back and adjusted it but it's still loud and I just noticed the cams don't work. He told me it was loud because new gears don't work like the old ones. I hesitate to take it back to him but he's the only one within 2 hours that will work on this machine. Meanwhile it sits in the closet while I sew on one of my other machines. One repair place told me it would be cheaper to buy one on ebay than to have mine fixed. One guy looked at it and said there was no way he was going to try to fix it. I miss this machine. Any thoughts?

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

If you were in north Texas, I could probably help you. It sounds like you’re in a tough spot otherwise. I’m sorry about that. It sounds like the cam stack pendulum timing may be off a bit.

[@LyndaHeines]

@@randyyoursewingmachineman9954 Thank you. Yes, I'm in Southern Indiana! I think I will drive the 2 hours and see if they can fix it. They have been recommended by others who have this Elna. I just hated driving that far.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

@@LyndaHeines if you drive really, really fast, it won’t seem as long of a drive. Afternoon officer, I didn’t see you parked behind that billboard. 😂😂😂

[@LyndaHeines]

@@randyyoursewingmachineman9954 🤣🤣🤣

[@pookiebear9200]

Hi Randy! First, really appreciate you! You help so many of us keep our vintage machines going! I have a question. I am a Kenmore girl but son-in-law picked up an Elna SU air automatic 68. He is a marine so cleaned and used CLP. I don’t know, so school me. I am not sure synthetic lubricants are good here. And since there is a penetrating oil in this I am guessing either would need to keep using CLP if ok or definitely now would need cleaning prior to going back to sewing machine oil. Thank you!

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

CLP is an effective cleaner, degreaser, lubricant, and metal conditioner (protectant). It certainly has a place on my workbench. You just have to be careful around the area above the needle and thread take up assembly to wipe off the excess. It has ingredients that aren’t water clear and will stain fabrics. Sewing machine oil is highly refined mineral oil that is very clean and clear for a very valid reason. If you get a drop of an oil that stains on a fine satin fabric at a bridal shop, your day will not be as wonderful as you had planned. You might get an earful of unpleasantries that you wouldn’t have thought possible from a non-Marine person. That particular scenario might have happened to someone I know quite well, about 45 years ago. I know that guy will never make that mistake again.( yeah, it was me) Doh !!! 😎👍

[@pookiebear9200]

Thanks, Randy I appreciate your full and complete answer. And yes, I was kind of wondering about the clarity and possible staining of fabric. Thank you so much and you have a wonderful day. You are very much appreciated!

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

@@pookiebear9200 you’re welcome and thanks for watching. 😎👍🏼

[@Toscana1972]

Thanks for the video. I purchased 2 Elna's this week. The first is a 1969 Super 62C, and the second a 1974 SU 62C. The second came in a lovely table with a cut out that sets the free arm as a "flatbed", and there are front hinges on the table come down to access the firearm. The problem is that the machine actually seems to be glued to the retractable table. base so it can be lowered and stored inside the table. There are no screws holding it down that can be removed to access the base of the machine. It is literally glued. The table is not "home made", quite sophisticated and seems to be manufactured for Elna. It must have been placed there from the time it was purchased. My dilemma with these machines is how did Elna expect you to get to the motor to check the brushes and clean the commutators? I naturally assume they never wanted a customer to touch the machines beyond cleaning the bobbin area and oiling, and wanted the motor service to only be performed by their own technicians, but there must have been a way to access the brushes more easily. I've seen one video on a "grasshopper" dismantling the bottom of the machine and removing the timing belt to reach the motor, but did Elna really want to make it that difficult to service the motor? And with the lovely table model, there is virtually no way to access the bottom at all. Any help you might give me on checking the motor would be appreciated. Both the machines are running, but the motor seems slow. Thanks for any suggestions! Love that you sold these back in the day!

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

I’m not sure how I can help on this one. I’ve never heard of a machine being glued to the base in the cabinet. You might look again for some cleverly concealed screws or bolts that are attached to the machine base.

[@Toscana1972]

Thanks for your incredibly prompt reply. It is indeed glued to a thinner board that is then glued to the wooden base that is tipped on its side and lowered like a traditional treadle machine might be. Baffling. To work on the machine I unscrewed the hinges on the board that it is glued to and removed that from the sewing cabinet. The more important question is do you know how to access the brushes on an Elna motor (at least the one what is in the normal metal case whose base I can access Erin below) without having to remove the timing belt and dismantling the electrical wiring from below? Seems a rather obvious design flaw, which I'm having a hard time believing Elna didn't notice... I keep thinking I must be missing something here. Thanks Randy! Glad I found your blog. @@randyyoursewingmachineman9954

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

@@Toscana1972 are you just curious about the brushes, or is the motor sputtering? I’ve never seen the brushes go out on one of those, so it’s never been an issue. Maybe Elna designed it to be that robust. I would be more concerned about other problems that are prone to happen with that machine, than I would the brushes.

[@Toscana1972]

When I acquire an antique or vintage machine I make sure to check it out completely, and always have checked and cleaned the brushes and commutators and usually have to rewire them. (These 2 fortunately don’t need rewiring.). Both machines, although in good cosmetic condition, don’t look like they have ever been cleaned or serviced, and after 50+ years it seems prudent to at least check the motors. The motors are not sputtering on either one and they are running much better after cleaning the machines. I frankly have no idea how the poor brave things ran at all given how filthy their shuttles, feed dogs and surrounding areas were. All the gears seem fine. At this point the only real problem is the 1974’ SU’s coupling wheel which remains frozen. Can’t seem to get it to move at all despite days of using Kroil to try to see if it will budge… The older 1969’s coupling wheel is a different design and is fine. I’ve never sewn on an Elna before , and my 2 seem slow compared to videos I’ve seen. (I did change the foot pedal from slow soeed to normal). I want to do my best by these two beauties and feel they deserve not to struggle with carbon dust and dirty commutators. @@randyyoursewingmachineman9954

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

@@Toscana1972 hang in there. I’m sure you will eventually emerge victorious. You sound like you know what to do, and you have the patience that’s required to do it.😎👍

[@thearough]

is this compact like the kenmore 158 103

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

No it’s not. This Elna has nylon gears in key areas that are prone to breaking. With the 158.103, you may break a needle, and that will be the worst of it. The only machine that’s even close to the front load, 15 class, 158 series Kenmore in durability, would be a Slantamatic Singer and earlier models. There will also be some 70’s, Japanese made machines that are also in that category. This Elna is for light work. Not heavy duty at all.

[@ronalddevine9587]

You can tell y the way it sounds???? I'd best crank up me hearing aids! 😂 Pity that nobody has made metal replacement gears. Bigger pity for the price that they didn't use metal gears in the first place. Shame on them, the Rolls-Royce of sewing machines incapable of sewing jeans.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

Yes that’s truly a shame. If it had metal gears I’d be buying and selling these like hotcakes. I replace these gear sets pretty often because they’re at the point of failure. 50 years is pretty good, but not acceptable compared to 401 etc.

[@ronalddevine9587]

@@randyyoursewingmachineman9954 After I posted the comments, I went on ebay. They sell for around $200.00. I've seen Kenmore 158-1941s up to $500.00. In spite of its oscillating hook, Kenmore wins the battle.

[@AbbasCassim-jo9fv]

Wats the price

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

I’m not sure what your asking about in relation to price. This machine, like most that I review, are customers machines that are in the shop for service. When I have the occasional machine for sale, I will show the price tag in the video and reiterate that it’s for sale locally only, and that I don’t ship machines. The machines that I do sell are classic Kenmores and classic Singers. (locally only in north Texas)

[@deweydodo6691]

Don't use it on folded over heavy seams on jeans. Ask me how I know.

[@randyyoursewingmachineman9954]

That will break those nylon gears almost every time. Did I guess correctly? I should probably win some kinda prize. 😂😎👍