Vintage Singer 500a "The Rocketeer" Clean Up

[@kernelpanic1009]

I love this video. I've watched it more than once or twice and I willl watch it many more times, I'm sure. I have a Rocketeer and I'm working on cleaning it. I wish I had just 20% of your skills. You make it look sooooo easy.

[@spiderlovesbeerohyeah4760]

@@kernelpanic1009 Your comment just made My day. Thank You for such kind words. I really enjoy trying to figure things out. If You watch My other videos, You’ll see so many random things. As long as it’s Old, I love it. I daydream about when these old things were brand new. It’s fascinating to me. The new stuff made today is so bland and digital. Boring…. If You need any assistance with Your machine, feel free to ask Me anything.

[@kernelpanic1009]

@@spiderlovesbeerohyeah4760 Happy to know I brightened your day; your work brightens mine. And considering that you're not explaining anything, you show things really well, like the way you slow down and get close to how those little metal pieces are placed to hold the brushes to the ...commutator? i think. But anyway, i do have a question and it's about the camstack. Looks like you remove that large screw and take out the whole thing, clean it and put it back the same way. Don't you have to retime it and do a bunch of other stuff? That camstack is what's holding me up on getting my machine clean. I want it to be as easy as it looks when you do it. I don't want to have to deal with a bunch of stuff that's way over my head and I don't have tools for. In advance, thank you.

[@spiderlovesbeerohyeah4760]

@ No timing or anything like that needs to be done. Take the top piece off (the piece with the slot for a flathead screwdriver) then wiggle the cam stack out. Don’t force anything. I can make another video for you on taking it out if you’d like. It’s a very easy job. Don’t be intimidated because these old machines were made so the owner can do their own maintenance. Let me know what else you need help with and I’ll make a video tomorrow after work. I don’t mind….. I Love this stuff 🙂

[@kernelpanic1009]

@@spiderlovesbeerohyeah4760 If it's as easy as that, I shouldn't need another video, but you are so generous and kind to offer. I will let you know how it goes, probably in a couple of days as I have to work for the next few. Thank you SO much.

[@kernelpanic1009]

Well, I took the camstack out and it worked just like you said it would. Then I did some cleaning and today, for the first time, I feel like I really made some progress. I've been waffling around about taking it out for days, I even asked at the facebook rocketeer group if there was a way to do it without all the details and timing stuff, but I didn't get an answer that worked for me. So thank you, Spider. I feel like I can really do this now and that it'll work out just fine.

[@131dyana]

That machine was dirty. Nice clean.

[@spiderlovesbeerohyeah4760]

Yes She was. I found the exact same machine a few days later so I knew exactly what to do. It might’ve taken me 30-45 minutes to fully disassemble it, clean, polish then put back together. I’m turning into a pro with this machine. Thank You for watching, subscribing and commenting.

[@1953childstar]

This machine was made between 1961 and 1963.. By the end of 1962, the central horizontal bearing was eliminated. Depending on which production "run" it is, there may be a central horizontal bearing "hiding" under the stitch selector mechanism.

[@spiderlovesbeerohyeah4760]

Oh ok. I didn’t know that. Thanks for sharing that info. I want to learn everything about these old machines. Thanks for watching & commenting

[@apracticalcat]

The fingerless gloves 😂 How does the oil even get in there anyway? I reopened mine recently and sure enough, the oil had returned and I know better than to put oil in the brush ports.

[@spiderlovesbeerohyeah4760]

I like to put at least 1 funny part in my videos. It’s up to my subscribers to figure out if I’m joking or made a mistake. Hahahaha. Keeps the video fun to watch. I have no clue about the oil. I cleaned everything then put it back together. Then I ran some test then took it apart again. The brushes were oily again. I don’t know where it’s coming from. The only thing I can think of is the greats that’s in the bearing in the main shaft is somehow melting then dripping all the way down. Thanks for watching & subscribing. If there’s anything you’d like to watch get restored, let me know. I have so many old things that need to be fixed.

[@phelanlow9572]

On the potted motor, what tool is used to remove, unscrew, the two bolts, approx three inches in length, holding the motor chassis together? My motor is PA-31-8, one amp motor, bolt has hexagon head and possibly a security nut on bottom of bolt. The bolt head has very little clearance to be able to use a typical socket wrench.

[@spiderlovesbeerohyeah4760]

On this motor it’s just a 3” screw with brass nuts that lock inside the motor housing. What sewing machine are you working on?? I’ll make a video if I have that same motor. Let me know. Thanks for watching

[@phelanlow9572]

It's Singer Touch and Sew 750. This Potted motor is 1 amp, and the electric cord has a plug containing 4 connectors which plug into the sewing machine. Thanks for the help.