White Family Rotary Sewing Machine Tension Disassembly and Reassembly

Early White sewing machines have an odd tension assembly and many people are afraid to take them apart because they’re a little fiddly to get back together. This is from a 1929 White Family Rotary, but White used the same or similar tension assembly on many more models.
If your tension calibration is off, you’ll need to bend the leaf spring. One of mine needed to be set all the way tight to sew with standard thread, so I took the tension assembly out and bent the spring up a little more. Then it was too tight so I had to bend it back a bit, and it worked after that. Trial and error makes you get good at taking it apart, that’s for sure.

[@jeanmaynard6564]

So glad I found this. While cleaning my vintage White with exact setup I removed a screw and things popped apart before I got a view for replacing. I would never have figured it out without a guide and this was exactly what I needed. Now it’s all clean and I can assemble it properly. Thanks.

[@lynn8307]

OMG, I am so so happy to find this. I tried to be very careful when I disassembled my white sewing machine, but I failed. THANK YOU so much for posting this.

[@FaerySeeker]

Excellent tutorial! My White machine had tension problems that I had no idea how to fix. This was a great help. Thank you. You are my hero too!!

[@cecelynch4210]

Thank you so much for your clear and concise explanation of tightening the leaf spring and assembling. I have a 1913 treadle white rotary with the same tension assembly and this video is perfect to help me reassemble and adjust.

[@morninglaurie]

Thank you for this video…I was very unsure of how to remove/replace the tension mechanism…and yours is the only video I could find that details this type…I had to watch it a few times…and was able to remove, clean and replace everything on my White model 41. Still working on the motor , but by turning the hand wheel manually, it sews beautifully.

[@NChirikos]

Thanks Cat! I recently got involved with a Domestic rotary from the early to mid 30's. It sports the exact same design & parts for the tensioner assembly of your White and the video confirmed what I had been trying to reassemble for a week. My last task is to upgrade the motor and speed control but can't find a motor that rotates clockwise yet.

[@edwardtagg]

OMG!!!!... And you didn't even attempt to unscrew the other tiny screw which has a mystery side notch and no slot or hex... I fully restored mine, and its the worst sewing machine project I've ever touched...

[@lindamorgan2678]

Thanks excellent video did not even need the voice part. BTW you are very brave to leave those little screws and washers just on the table at the edge. I am so clumsy they would be on the floor in no time and I would spend two hours and a magnet finding them. Thanks will do mine once I get the surface rust off and un seized hope the screws will come out ha ha

[@gabrielvenegas3525]

Could you add a video installing the case back in to the machine?

[@juliabrown5396]

Thank you! You may have saved my machine. I very carefully and painfully had taken all of this part of the machine, taking pictures all the while. Had it all back together except for the coiled spring. By looking at my pictures I realized I was missing it and went hunting for it with a flashlight at 2:00 am last night. Lucky I found it. Thanks again.

[@jomercer21113]

How on earth do you get that block back on the machine so that the needle lines up with the hole again?

[@albinocavewoman]

Very helpful. Thank you!

[@truthteller8459]

Just wish I could hear you louder.

[@IvyRosethebus]

Brilliant. Thank you 😊

[@steveorner7919]

I just got this machine and my thread keeps breaking when I try to sew, it literally twists and breaks? Any ideas? There are not very many videos on this machine. Thank you.

[@thecatxx]

I'm not great at troubleshooting if I can't see it, but the vintage sewing forum victoriansweatshop.com has quite a few knowledgeble people that should be able to help

[@spittfiresue]

Thank you so much!

[@firstofficerrose1588]

Thank you!

[@TheUsertobe]

Thank you!!!!!

[@jafinch78]

Great video and detail describing! Thanks for sharing! Haven't needed to perform this maintenance task yet... though great to know. I'm wondering which Singer presser bar model will fit in the White FR like this video notes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJSzooCpiL5mnaM Wondering if some leads can be made by finding a 117.95 specific model presser bar since that was the only White model I've read that used the low-shank presser bar design.

[@thecatxx]

I bought a Singer 99 presser bar to stick in my White FR, I think I measured and they were the same diameter, but ended up finding a bunch of White attachments so I never tried it. I think the project was also maybe gonna involve cutting and welding two bars together to make it the right distance from the needle? It was a long time ago

[@jafinch78]

@@thecatxx No kidding! I just made a video a few hrs ago and uploaded with the parts White FR, the Belair 600 (201 exterior & 66 interior like design) and Singer VS-2 fiddle base 27 class to remind me to keep moving forward with some more thorough inspection and cleaning. Plus to completely disassemble the White FR presser bar and spec out and then share with the sellers of parts to see which is the closest match. I'll report back since you've detailed so well and actually wanted to also. Neat! Yeah, I didn't even think about anything other than bending and possibly machining some sort of adapter. Then saw the "white rotary fmq" YT video where the gentleman noted he swapped the bars... so I went down that path to research more. I'm going to invest in some more White antique and vintage rescue machines also and study with the 117.959 to see how is similar and different in specs/design and see if I can make a 117.95 concurrently.

[@carolineeickhoff8280]

Thank you!! Mine doesn't have a thread spring, but bent the spring plate. Perfect!!

[@Masroe]

Thank you so much! My tension disk had popped part way out while cleaning my Kenmore Rotary and I wasn’t sure what happened. The inner spring had slipped out from under the tension lever. Your video helped me see the problem as soon as I took the assembly off.

[@rosahernandez2854]

Thank you so much for you support . I fixed my machine. Your video was great. Thanks. ♥️

[@stargazer0001]

Well thank you for this. I just purchased my Kenmore and I started cleaning it and couldn't figire out how it went back together. Lifesaver. Thanks again!

[@matthewkoncar9215]

This was great and really saved me. Thanks for posting.

[@snowbunnee1471]

Hi was wondering where to get that part from mine is missing the left side of the front cover the silver piece u took off. Please help.. your video was great you did step by step and was easy to hear you..👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@thecatxx]

I’ve found some on ebay either on their own or still on the faceplate

[@steveorner7919]

Also, would you mind telling me what size needles this takes. I’m thinking perhaps I have a too big needle. Thank you!

[@thecatxx]

I've used all sizes of needles, up to the huge ones for jeans topstitching successfully

[@lynnjohnson8633]

Thank you, I shall try this. I took mine apart several years ago and never did get it to sew correctly after that. I had a book but it didn't show well enough how to get the tension right.

[@thecatxx]

Lynn Johnson good luck!

[@Poodlezilla]

You are my hero. Thank you.

[@GregoryPoche]

Thanks.

[@CamasKim]

Thank you. When I work on vintage or antique sewing machines I always save the dark art of fixing tension for the last. Your video is clear and easy to follow.

[@jaylavergne4675]

Andrea

[@jaylavergne4675]

Nicely done!