To Regulate Feed Throw-Out on a Singer Model 301A

[@carolemagnusson5044]

Hi Andy. Early in February, Roger went thrift shopping at Goodwill and found a 301A Palomino (in an original case with accessories, foot pedal, power cord, and oil can) for $24.50! I’ve never worked on a 301A, and I’m very enthusiastic about restoring it. Well, as I was inspecting it, I knew I didn’t know anything about the feed-throw out, so I started messing around with it. It was hard to turn and I heard and saw the feed dog hitting the hook area when the feed throw-out was fully released. And, the feed dog was too low. I felt I had to fix these symptoms before starting the full restoration. So I watched your feed dog and feed-throw out videos. I cleaned and oiled the areas, and by using your videos I was able to set the feed dog at the correct height and fix the feed throw-out so it didn’t scrape the hook area. Thank you so much. Your videos are clear, calming, and precise. Your videos bring the Service Manual words to life!

[@andytubesewing1953]

"" Your videos bring the Service Manual words to life! "" Absolutely the nicest compliment I've received! Thank you 🙏 I miss making the videos. My wife, Generosa, wanted to surprise me and tried to find a used 301A. The lowest price she found around town was $245, so she changed her mind and found a nice 328K for $20 at a yard sale. It's patiently waiting for me under the workbench. Hopefully, someday soon. Your nice comment made my day. Regards to Roger, also, whom I've come to believe is the king of good deals 😀

[@fenrislegacy]

On my 301A, the space between the stop screw and the base of the feed bar was too narrow. I could hear a faint knocking noise, so I followed your instructions. Thumbscrew screwed all the way in, feed regulator set on 6 and feed dog set at the lowest point. I used a piece of standard printer paper as a gauge of fortune as the thickness is .004 inch (0.1mm). I unscrewed the stop screw until the paper could fit in and fastened the nut with a 1/4 wrench. No more knocking sound. * Thumbs up.

[@andytubesewing1953]

A very fine job, Maxine! One of the retired Singer repairmen told me his two favorite spacing measurement devices were a sheet of typing (copy) paper and a matchbook cover. Thanks for letting me know. I see this video has not received a whole lot of views, but if you have the knocking problem this video can help. Take Care.

[@daffycatbennett3555]

I'm so glad to have your instructions...I'd never have been able to follow the written guide to do this. So much easier being able to watch first! Thank you, Andy!

[@carolemagnusson5044]

Andy, when playing around with the feed throw out, I noticed there was no “springiness” to my feed bar throw out lever (part #170038) on my Palomino 301A (name Betty Ann). I thought there should be some springiness, and I could see no spring anywhere. After much thinking and fiddling, I finally looked at the parts list and saw that there is a spring (#170040) listed in the parts for the 301-1 (Parts Under the Bed). To the best of my figuring, it looks like the spring connects inside and between the feed bar throw out lever and the feed rock lifting shaft (#170047). One can’t see the spring from the outside. I don’t think I have one in my machine, and I don’t think I need one, as when I drop the feed dog, gravity takes control and pulls the feed dog down. Have you ever seen this in a 301A?

[@andytubesewing1953]

I also believe that the spring is inside the connection of the lever and the shaft. I've never opened that area up and pulled out the shaft so I've never seen the spring. I believe that spring is like a shock absorber to allow the change of direction of the lever without jarring the parts. I think of it like the spring in the handwheel assembly that flexes when the wheel starts and stops. I remember looking under the front of the bed at the bobbin case and the thumb screw for the feed throw out. With the dog thrown out (dropped) and the motor running that thumb screw would bounce up and down in time to the dog. I think the screw helps that sudden direction reverse more smoothly. I don't think the spring is strong enough to lift the dog by itself. That's my WAG about it. (WAG = Wild A** Guess)

[@carolemagnusson5044]

@@andytubesewing1953 Thanks so much for the information. And, your WAG makes sense. I’m thinking with my machine, when it was built, Singer ran out of those little springs, so they did not put one in. The feed drop works without that spring. Well, yesterday, I gave Betty Ann (the previous, perhaps the original owner, scratched that name on the outside vertical walls underneath the bed), a pre-treatment, shower and dry, and lubrication. She looks spins and looks just so great. Now, I look forward to putting on all her cleaned parts.

[@andytubesewing1953]

@@carolemagnusson5044 it's such a tiny piece I could see it could get misplaced on the assembly like. Betty Ann sounds beautiful. Here is some music to assemble her by: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3iodauwj9KSnac

[@carolemagnusson5044]

@@andytubesewing1953 Oh wow, you gave me such a laugh! How did you find that song? It’s so perfect. Now, I’m motivated to make a You-Tube video of Betty Ann to go along with the song. It won’t be for a while, however, because I still have a lot to do: Finish putting all the parts on, doing the fine tuning, waxing, sew testing. I found I was missing another part, the bottom thread guide attached to the needle bar. Luckily, Thrifty Farm Girl had the exact part, and I ordered it yesterday (20% off coupon for all of February). The bottom oil pan is absolutely caked with grease and oil, and I’ll need a warm/hot summer day to dry the felt pad after treatment. The motor and foot pedal seem to be in perfect condition as is with no treatment needed. The motor is so quiet and smooth. Maybe the PA2-8 motor is just overall a quieter motor than the A9-8 or PA10-8. In the mean time, I will study the ins and outs of making a You-Tube video.

[@andytubesewing1953]

@@carolemagnusson5044 My older brother and sister love this kind of music on the AM radio. When I was growing up one Christmas my parents got each of them a little transistor radio from Japan. That was all the rage and then I heard this type of music even more cuz they can take it everywhere haha. I remember hearing this song like 45.50 years ago or something and I was able to find it on KZbin. I thought you'd get a kick out of it. I know you're restoration work will continue to go well. Just hearing about it. Makes me want to go find another 301 even though I've done about 15 of them. Good luck. Carole and take care

[@sewnana1990]

The feed dogs on my 301a has a lot of play from side to side. How do you adjust that?

[@andytubesewing1953]

That beats me, Marsha. I've never had that problem and there is no side-to-side adjustment listed in the Adjusters Manual. There are adjustments for dog height and position front to back and the throw-out I show in the video. My WAG (wild-ass guess) is something is just loose, not out of adjustment. Maybe looking at the other dog adjustment instructions and following those parts on the base of the machine can lead you to a loose connection somewhere. This fellow allows for free download of all the 301A manuals if you want to check it out (I don't know him) odessasewingmachine.com/singer-301a

[@terrigelbaum8066]

Andy,my stitch regulator keeps moving when I turn over the hand wheel. It's making me crazy trying to figure out what's causing it. Oh...I'm refurbishing a 15-91. Thanks kiddo.

[@andytubesewing1953]

Hi Terri. Harlan is correct (thank you Harlan). Models like the 301, 401,500 will usually not allow the feed lever to move, but the older models like the 15-91 were made a little bit differently and used the lock-down thumb screw to hold the feed regulator (length) in place. You can read about it on page 19 of the free instruction manual: www.singer.com/sites/default/files/product_manual/SINGER%2015-91%20Sewing%20Machine.pdf

[@radiamarisette231]

Si seulement vous pouviez me donner un peu de votre savoir faire ! Ça me sera bien utile, pour comprendre mes machines !!! Well done Andy 👏

[@andytubesewing1953]

Bienvenue, Radia. Une petite quantité de connaissances est tissée dans chaque vidéo. L'enseignant essaie; l'étudiant doit aussi essayer. Enfile dans le tissu, le tissu dans le tissu, le tissu dans le manteau. Qui porte le manteau de la connaissance gagne la sagesse. Merci d'avoir regardé.